Human obligation

From Waymarks (Dag Hammarskjold):

Your obligation is "to --."
You can never save yourself through "not to --."

The closest interpretation of this would stand to say that human obligation must be defined in positive terms.  Being good does not necessarily mean, avoiding evil.  Goodness demands more than abstention, or merely being good; it has to have beneficial acts, doing good.

It is indeed a good lesson for this Advent, as we prepare for the coming of our Lord, who choose 'to' and not 'not to'.

Christianity Upgraded!

This afternoon sitting in the study hall with the Brothers, a weird thought flashed in my head.  What if Jesus appears again?  Would we then have to follow a new religion?  Surely He'd be a Christian (this time for sure!) but after that what would be his followers be called??  Now I know that He didn't propagate a new 'religion' as such but the point struck me was this: Would His next coming update or upgrade Christianity?  Well in His previous coming He did try, valiantly but in vain, upgrade Judaism.

What about us?  Are we perfectly content and convinced that Jesus has exhausted the revelation of God in his previous 'visit'?  (After all, the Jews in Jesus' time we firm in their belief that Yahweh had spoken and spoken much and that too in their favour... but Jesus challenged that!)

Now the Bible itself speaks of a 'second coming'... whatever that means! Even if taken literally, which very may still hope and pray for, what kind of Jesus are we looking forward to??? A resplendent, radiant and glorious Christ?  Does that ring any bells?? The Jews too were looking for such a Messaiah.  What if Jesus comes in a radical and more really down to earth manner, say being born in the red light area of Mumbai?  Are we ready for that?   Will we accept and listen to Him or would there be another religion in the years to come: Jews, then Christians, then....?

When means become an end...(1)

I've been doing some soul searching and reflection in view of the Brothers' Congress.  But it is all in bits and pieces.  Several other things keep cluttering my mind before I reach anywhere close to having a comprehensive idea about any particular thing. Anyway, the latest to hit me was this: What if means become an end?

Don Bosco wanted to save souls of the boys.  Only souls?  Certainly no!  The whole person, the whole boy.  For this he was willing to go to any extent, to do anything... ANYTHING!

His goal and motive were far beyond getting the boys to Church, to Communion, to confession ... these were only the means, not the end!

As and when these didn't work, he employed some other means: he gambled, he danced, told stories, played music, performed tricks and even stole or fought.  His motive was divine, not his approach (by any standards then, not by any standards today)!  His mind was pious, not the Salesian society (check the introductory note of Fr Lens to the abridged Annals of the Salesian Soceity).  In short, he was a reckless founder for whom the means didn't matter, as long as He was with his boys and for the good of his boys. 

Save ourselves

During my dining table talk with Fr Louis during supper, we almost covered everything under the sun!  However when speaking about the quality of formation and the type of Priests that are today found in the society, he used a phrase which he heard during a conversation he had with the Professor of a college.  The Professor seems to have said, “Fr it is time we save ourselves!”

There were times when the Priest or religious was envisaged as Christ – a means of salvation. The truth of it may still be true, but is it also envisaged so?  Or have the laity lost all hope in the salvific role of a Priest and religious?  Or better still, have we (religious and Priests) made the laity lose all their hope in us?

Food as Eucharist (2)

Jesus' institution of the Eucharist, as food and drink... a memorial tool of Himself had evolved over the centuries. What Jesus really intended was a community celebration of oneness and thanksgiving for the graces received. What better time to do this than at a meal: every member of the family is there, it is a happy occasion, it comes everyday (more than once)...

From the initial fellowship meal where the bread (and word) was broken and shared, we have moved on a long way. Beginning with the initial abuse of the bread (in different ways, some even mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, itself) to this day's celebration of the same around an altar with all the regalia, we have somehow tried to preserve the sacredness of the same. The effort has been to make this as occasion that stands out and is used for its intended purpose. But I ask myself: Does the Eucharistic celebration really help me 'remember Him', does it really 'nourish' me, is it something that I 'do in His memory'? Granted that at a community/family meal there are too many other things, 'distractions' that prevent me from rightfully acknowledging God's gracious presence in the person of Jesus, but it is precisely for this reason that the Holy Mass has been carved out. Do I really use this 'specially tailored moment' to 'remember Him'?

I must acknowledge that most often Mass is just another activity in my daily list. I wish and pray that I become more involved in Mass and that the Eucharistic sense pervade all my day! Help me, Lord!

Jesus 'my' Messiah?

Fr Sivam Vijay Bhaskar in his introduction to the procession with the holy palms pointed out that when the Jews initially welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem with hosannas and palm leaves, they indeed were welcoming the Messiah. They were sure that He was the One. And so Fr Bhaskar reminded us that as we walk in procession to the Church, we too profess our belief that Jesus is our Messiah.

For me the procession today was almost like the Way of the Cross. I found myself asking if I've ever felt Jesus as my Messiah? Did I ever accept Jesus to be my Saviour? Worse still, I realise I've never felt the need for a Saviour at all! I live content with who and what I am, without Jesus! Is it that my 'righteous' living automatically places Jesus at the centre of my life? I have my doubts.

Anyway Lord, help me!

Jesus' death and our salvation?

During the heated discussions during the Anthropology class, there was something I said... something akin to this: Jesus Christ would have been our saviour even without dying on the Cross. Later one of them came to me asking if it were really possible? I told him that, had Jesus any better option than the cross, He would have chosen it. His goal and mission was to redeem mankind, not merely dying on a cross.

I remember reading and discussing something like this in my theology classes in Shillong (if I am not mistaken with Fr Gomes). But now I forget what answer or 'way out' of this dilemma was given. Hope I'm not kicking off a heresy or some idiotic principle.

Whatever it be, if I'm able to get my fellows to think a little, leave alone think different, then I'm blessed!!!

What if Judas did not betray Jesus?

I thought Thankachan was only fooling when he said today was 'Spy Wednesday'... anyway...! I do not know who is the spy, Thankachan or Judas? However, looks like poor Judas is made to carry the whole blame! Even Jesus speaks very crudely about him. Of course, to 'breed' a traitor is always painful but I would (only in retrospect) ask this question: What if Judas did not betray Jesus? Would Jesus have still been crucified? I fear the answer is 'Yes'! It only happened to be that Judas was the one who politically betrayed him. Given the socio-political situation of the existing period, those baying for the blood of Jesus would have somehow got rid of him - by hook or by crook.

Mister God... hurling oneself at him

After long I picked up Mister God .... even though just for a while:

"Mister God ain't got no bum" wasn't a joke, she wasn't being naughty or just a silly child. It was just an eruption of her spirit. With these remarks she hurled herself at Mister God and he caught her. Anna knew that he could, knew that there was no risk involved. There was really no other way; it just had to be done. This was her way of being saved. (p. 130)

What a beautiful way of expressing devotion. It looks so silly and simple, yet it is perhaps the most profound way of living up to God's call... hurling oneself at God ... knowing well that there was no risk involved in dealing with him... it just had to be done!

We hunt for ways and means of expressing devotion, try new means and moan that God is not hearing. But here is Anna telling us 'just hurl oneself at God' ... he will do the rest.

Jesus and my salvation ministry

This morning a thought struck me as I received the Holy Communion... it had struck me the same time around a couple of days ago. Today it was a prayer: Lord you did Your part for the world, help me do my little part for the Province and Provincial house! In fact a couple of days ago when this thought first struck me it was like 'Did Jesus have any tension during his whole salvation ministry?' I do not question the amount of work he had... quite a bit, I know, but did He have a 'headache' going about doing His work. Reflecting further, it dawned on me, perhaps not! May be he really did not have any such 'migraines' or 'anxieties' because He was not doing His work but that of His Father! Reflecting on my own life and the tasks I perform, I suffer from 'useless anxieties' - that's Fr Ronnie's phrase - and tensions because, I feel it is all my work.