The heart of the Andes

 There is painting of the American artist Frederic Edwin Church, titled 'The Heart of the Andes' that I had set as my laptop desktop background image for a couple of years now. 

Initially I thought the painting was 'The Church in the Andes'... I had mixed up the name of the artist and the art piece itself. Today while reading something more about the same painting I learnt that it was a tribute to the philosopher naturalist Alexander von Humboldt. So basically it is a piece of art depicting nature. The title given to the painting also is this justified - nature being the most prestigious element of South America. 

Nonetheless, I found asking myself, what is the cross doing in that painting? More specifically, what is the cross doing in the HEART of the Andes? One could brush aside this question attributing the cross in the painting to the artist's colonial and Catholic affiliation. Perhaps there is an element of truth there. But why is it there at all? That too in that size. The cross isn't central. Neither large nor immediately evident. It is part of the whole natural landscape. But it is there!

I interpret it as God being part of one's heart. Not overriding or displacing everything else, but an integral element. Greater still is the artist's depiction of the people in the painting: near the cross. Not bathing, not working in the field, not elsewhere. 

In a way the painting is, for me, a microcosmic depiction of the human being: the human as one tiny part of nature and reality; and at the same time a macrocosmic aspect: God at the heart of all reality.

Religion: inside out

 Here's another piece of reflection from Johnson Kottaram, about religion which is quite challenging, and true! 

Faith or Faction? 

When religion leaves the quiet space of conscience and enters the public arena, it stops being sacred and starts being strategic. It no longer redeems; it recruits. 

 When Jemimah Rodrigues thanked Jesus after her cricketing triumph, it was an intimate moment of gratitude. But in a country charged with religious fault lines, her words became ammunition. 

 The devout saw divine favour; the hostile saw provocation. What should have united us in admiration divided us along belief. 

 This isn’t an Indian peculiarity; it’s a global malaise. 

 In the Vatican itself, Pope Leo XIV’s recent permission for ultra-conservatives to celebrate the Tridentine Mass inside St. Peter’s Basilica looks less like pastoral generosity and more like an act of appeasement—a cautious nod to figures such as Cardinal Burke who equate faith with form and liturgy with loyalty. 

 The altar, once a place of communion, becomes a negotiation table between warring factions. 

 Even the brilliant Mahmood Mamdani, admired for his intellect and moral clarity, finds himself reduced to a “Muslim voice” by opponents who cannot see beyond labels. 

 In every corner of the world, identity has begun to shout louder than integrity. 

 The problem is not faith; it’s its exhibition. When belief is worn like a badge, it stops being a bridge and becomes a barricade. 

 A faith that needs applause is already insecure. 

 Real spirituality works inward—it refines, questions, and softens. Public religiosity, by contrast, hardens. It demands allegiance, not understanding; conformity, not compassion. 

 Until we learn to keep faith where it belongs—in the inner sanctum of the self—it will remain a divisive force, beautiful in symbol but toxic in practice.

Means and ends

 The Gospel of the day was another stark reminder of a similar, if not the same, principle of belonging and opting for Christ. Perhaps somewhere down the line, and this sequence of events is natural, we as a congregation (for that matter any organisation) have shifted our focus from empowering the young to safeguarding our institutions. Now, this is quite natural outcome of the growth of any initiative: the wider and bigger a movement grows, structures, rules, regulations and procedures come into play. And eventually, there comes a time when these start to take an upper hand or even override the charism of the initiative. This tussle is healthy – as long as we are open to discerning the Spirit and the times. 

 Between the young and our institutions, the one criterion we need to always bear in mind is that our institutions and structures are FOR the young. If and when, the institutions become an end in themselves and stop being a means of reaching out to the young, then we’ve strayed far from Don Bosco’s charism. Delving a bit deeper, if and when we as individuals (Salesians) become and behave as the end, when all our plans and thoughts and efforts are all geared towards our own selves (comfort, ease, success, positions, name, fame…) then we have not just strayed from the charism, we have sinned!

In and for Christ

Last night I spent a couple of hours reading the discussion that took place in GC29 about the point of making Brothers superiors of the community. The exercise of collating the various reasons for and against, while jotting down my own personal reflection about the same was enriching. 

And naturally, when I woke up this morning and was in the Chapel for prayers, some of those points were still doing the rounds in my mind. But there was one particular point that I strongly felt last night and I jotted it down separately! And call it coincidence or serendipity, the Scripture reading of the morning prayers today (Wk 2; Friday) reinforced that very idea of mine when it says thus: 

For Christ himself has brought us peace, by making the Jews and Gentiles oen people. With his own body he broke down the wall that separated them and kept them enemies. He abolished the Jewish Law, with its commandments and rules, in order to create out of the two races one new people IN UNION WITH HIMSELF, in this way making peace… he united both races into one body and brought them BACK TO GOD. (Eph. 2: 13-16) 

While we can go on debating endlessly about Brothers and Priests, if we miss out the point that if we are not together IN and FOR Christ, then we’ve totally lost the plot!

Prayers and adjectives

 Attending Mass the other day in one of the convents, and listening to their commentaries and descriptions at various points of the Mass and even before and after, it occurred to me: the use of adjectives should be banned in formation houses and convents!!

This is not the first time that I have heard words and commentaries being abused to such an extent that very beautiful words sound horrible!! Of course, there are always occasions when the Mass or any event is celebrated beautifully with great reverence and just right amount of creativity.  But there are also occasions when there is an overdose of creativity and everything is exaggerated.  The emphasis is mistakenly placed on impression rather than devotion. Or as someone corrected me, that's their way of expressing devotion.  

I wonder if any of these people who wish to express their 'devotion' through such intricate frills (words, actions, events...) do the same with their own parents when they relate to them everyday, or even on special occasions. 

Devotion and reverence, especially for us religious, is not a decoration; it is our basic lifestyle! 

Sanctity and relationship

 Fr Thomas Santiagu began his sermon the other day, saying that to be a saint is to choose to be eternal.  For a saint is someone who has opted to be related to Jesus and that relationship is eternal.  For this relationship and the person himself or herself to be eternal, there is no shortcut.  And all that one has is this lifetime...long or short does not really matter. What counts is the intention and the intensity. 

Truly, just like prayer being a relationship, rather than a string of words or rituals, so is sanctity.  And to be holy, is to actually enter into a relationship with the Divine.  This is not a one day achievement, rather it is a life time work.  But one who genuinely has opted and worked for this relationship, he or she has become eternal.  The person continues to live on even after death.  The good that the person has done resonates in different ways in the lives and works of those still alive.  

On the other hand, there are some who wish to have a quick shot at fame or name.  Perhaps they should join the film industry.  Perhaps some of us religious too are in the wrong field of life!!! 

Stages of growth and accompaniment

Last month we had a session on accompaniment, wherein Fr Raja spoke quite lucidly about the four different stages or levels of spiritual growth and the type of recommended accompaniment at each stage. The first stage is a very shallow level where individuals are basically self-centred and selfish.  Those at this stage need to be supported and encouraged to engage in an honest self-appraisal, rather than be endorsed or consoled! 

The next level of faith, is institutional.  Most of us fall under that category.  God is seen as external, formal, rigorous, legalistic and dogmatic. Accompaniment at this level is gentle, with a slight nudge towards internalisation and the next level. 

The third level is a more mature level, but hardly follows any order. This is perhaps the most unsettling stage for young people who find it difficult to balance the traditional faith inherited from their parents (second level) and the disconnect they feel within themselves to accepting this faith.  Hence the inner turmoil.  This is a stage where people tend to explore, not with the intent of rebellion but a genuine interest in deepening one's idea of God, spirituality and religion.  People herein seek logical answers to their queries; rather than magical rites. They tend to take ownership of their own faith. Accompanying them, one shouldn't push them to engage in traditional religious practices, which they often rebel against. They do not reject faith as such, but inherited faith. 

We keep shuffling between these three levels, never stuck at any one particular. Maturity lies in moving towards the third stage; and touching the fourth stage (mystical). 

The last stage is mystical, where interconnectedness is emphasised, community is valued greater than individuals, lack of answers and logic does not perturb much, and is perhaps a mix of the second (dogmatic) and the third (rational) stages. 

Listening to him, I asked myself: Are we as a Province (confreres put together) at the third stage of religious consciousness/spirituality; whereas the orientation of the accompaniment offered by the leadership is of the second stage!?? … our emphasis on the routines, rituals, dogmas, whereas individuals are undergoing a phase of faith-loss, and in the process of search for truth. That said, there are some clearly very much in stage one (self-centred and even anti-social).

Jesus: In or out?

We had our monthly recollection this evening. Sitting before the Lord, in the Chapel at the Holy Spirit centre, I had the wisdom to ask the Lord, why was it that I wasn't able to plan and envision something for the next three years of my term in office.  After all, it was I who was insistent with the Council to set our priorities for the next three years.  And I was quite critical of the whole procedure and outcome. 

Looking back at the last three years as Economer, I wouldn't grade myself as having achieved anything significant.  Because I didn't set out to achieve anything grand!  I had clearly told myself when I accepted this role, that I wasn't the first, nor the last.  But I certainly would continue to be who I always strove to be.  So in that sense, I'm certainly not disappointed in what I've said or done.  

But today, talking to Jesus one thing struck me very powerfully.  Perhaps that's also got something to do with the next three years as well.  All that I've attempted is to get our basics or fundamentals right.  Of course, in finance and administration.  But I've also realised that these are still (even though our Province is more than 30 years old; and quite a few of us much more than that) found lacking.  Our financial and administrative inadequacies are not managerial, but mostly because of lacking fundamental religious values right. Or at times, human values right. Ok, I understand religious values are radically lived out human and Christian values.  And that's the main issue. 

So we are stuck in a rut.  We make no progress, because we are only going in circles, and that too at the periphery itself.  Neither deeper, nor wider!  So having a wider or grander vision is a bit of a challenge when one's foundation itself needs to be set right.  

But what touched me most, this evening, is perhaps the fact that I haven't really asked where and what does Jesus have to do with all of this.  In all my thoughts, plans, efforts He has never been part of it.  Not that He is not involved... He certainly has been blessing all our efforts and plans so very graciously. It is just that I have kept Him out.  So the question that is haunting me this evening is: what's the relevance and meaning of my religious life? Without Him being made part of my life and work, what meaning is my religious life?  Is being honest, good and hard working enough?  But for that I don't have to be a religious.  

The worst I feel is when I ask myself: Is it that I've not involved Jesus now, or that I've barely ever got him in the picture earlier as well?  

Filled with the Spirit

On the feast of John the Baptist, there is a phrase from the prayers and Mass that struck me... a simple description of the person of John, the Baptist.  

The description was of him as 'filled with the Spirit'.  I've heard it many times. Read it many a times.  But reading that phrase then, it struck me as an amazing complement!  To describe someone as 'filled with the Spirit' leaves nothing more to explain.  

There's everything good and holy, all summed up in those four words.  And I'm not talking in charismatic terminology, just pure common sense.  To be imbued with the Spirit, is to say everything good and perfect; without having to see what 'else' one has, or does, or needs to do.  

That's perfection!

Peter and Paul

Today is the feast of two stalwarts of the early Church. Two totally different personalities, yet founding pillars of the Church. 

One totally uneducated and a daily wage fisherman; the other a highly educated scholar.  One who went more by the heart than the head; and the other who went more by the head than the heart; one an introvert and diffident person; the other, fearless and daring.  One had the opportunity to spend time with Jesus in person atleast for three years. The other, only encountered Jesus, after the latter's resurrection.  

Nonetheless, what saw them work together was the one person, Jesus.  

So I ask myself: Do I see Jesus in what I do? Or is it only the work that I see? 

Lord, help me see!

Election of the Pope

 Now, with Pope Francis buried and the whole mood shifting towards the upcoming conclave, everyone is keen to decipher who would be the next Pope.  

A particular news article carried this headline: '... Potential candidates as the Pope' I could only smile reading the headline alone. I never read the article. Not a line of it.  That very phrase 'potential candidate' is a weird one to be used in the context of the election of the Pope.  Perhaps we can speak or discuss about the same 'possibilities' while speaking about a political leader or the head of a small well known and knit group.  But to speak of 'potential candidates' for the Papacy is a paradox or contradiction.  

As one cardinal rightly replied, on being asked after the funeral of Pope Francis, if the next Pope could be an Asian, pointing heavenwards, 'Only He knows'. 

And even if one is still keen to discuss potential candidates, let that be based on virtues of what Pope Francis himself lived during his Papacy: a life of witness, simplicity, love for humanity in its fragility and brokenness, a deep connection with God, a total detachment from wealth and luxury, works and policies marked by mercy and love rather than adherence to tradition...

Between Easter and Pentecost

The period between Easter and Pentecost, in its maiden chronological occurrence would have been an interesting time to view at, from a historical distance.  Imagine, an event taking place (the resurrection) which has been totally not unheard in reality for ages happening in our midst.  Not even the apostles were sure or clear about what actually was happening, leave alone the others. 

Strange reports and narration of experiences.  Weird social context.  All things put together, it would have been a totally new experience for the Jews, especially those who were close to Jesus.  Never were they really prepared for it. 

For us Catholics we believe in the Holy Spirit and hence the Pentecost marks a significant turn in the history of salvation and the Church.  But sociologically speaking it would really have been a point where the uncertainty, confusion, doubt and anxiety about Jesus' death and the subsequent resurrection paved the way for a communal conviction and belief in the actuality of both.  Even without the spiritual dimension, the very sociological mood and mode itself would have been a great ferment.   

Nonetheless, it is significant to note that what marked this sociological shift in mood, was actually built on individual testimonies and witnesses.  That there were times when Jesus appeared a group or crowd of people is true, but it was his personal encounter with individuals that really made the impact.  But more than that singular encounter, I believer it was the shift in their personalities, after the encounter with Jesus, that truly made the difference.  That post-resurrection encounter was something remarkable in the lives of those whom Jesus met; if not, Pentecost would have been another Passover! 

Glory and power

This morning for the morning prayer and meditation, there was this particular Psalm that we were reading personally.  The opening stanza reads thus: 

O give the Lord you sons of God, 

give the Lord glory and power... 

The first impression on reading this was a sense of diminishing oneself and exalting God, above and over oneself. It is as if God needs that sort of glorification and power and that we need to surrender that to Him.  The feeling was not very comfortable; that of giving up of oneself in order to merely increase His power and majesty.  

Nonetheless I continued reading the Psalm, and a few verses down this is what I read

The Lord will give strength to his people, 

the Lord will bless his people with peace. 

And what really hit me instantly was this great realisation that all the glory and majesty the Psalmist was exhorting us to surrender to God, for his sake, what apparently seemed to be self-negation for His luxury, is actually being utilised by God to empower me!! So all the glorification and praise and exaltation, is coming round to actually benefit us; benefit me!  

And of course, unless one is willing to undergo that act of diminishing oneself, of self-negation, of passing through the dark night of losing oneself, one cannot expect to be open to being strengthened by God.  To be blessed with peace, and even to cherish it, when one receives it, one must be willing to undergo the turmoil or uncertainty of oneself.  

Grace before repentance

In our regular understanding and expression we most often think that repentance comes first and God's forgiveness follows.  It is as if God is responding to us.  

But I personally believe it is God who makes the first move. It is his Grace that moves us.  

In the Gospel of today we hear the incident of the prodigal son.  The son is repentant, after having lost all his possessions, and then thinks of his father.  His decision to get back to his father is not primarily because of his guilt; what precedes and supersedes that guilt is the trust that his father will take him back. Perhaps not as his son, in his earlier status, but at least as one of his hired servants... nonetheless, the son knew for certain that his father would accept him back!  

That benevolence of the father is the bedrock of our hope, our trust, our repentance. It is that same benevolence of the Father that draws us to approach the sacrament of reconciliation. Our repentance is in response to that benevolent grace; not the other way around. 

Being on God's side

During the US civil war, a group of pastors met President Abraham Lincoln and while at breakfast stated, "Mr President, at this time of the civil war, we pray that God is on our side." To which Abe replied, "No gentlemen. Let us pray that we are on God's side!"

True indeed, a great reminder for each of us to seek God's will rather than expect God to support our desires and fantasies.  That religion is more about being open to God than using God as a means to do what we want.  

God-experience over prayer

I do not have the answer to the question that I am asking myself but certainly I feel that there is something missing in our prioritisation and process of stressing on prayer and a meaningful prayer life. 

The insistence on prayer (especially community prayer) is a very common reminder that I have heard of since my initial years of formation and training.  Nonetheless, I fear that we have consistently misplaced our importance.  That we have put the cart before the horse. That we have missed stressing the core and have focused on the accidentals or sure by products.  

For me, the insistence and effort should be at offering our young people, our formees and certainly ourselves, a profound personal God-experience.  A sincere thirst, a passion for God.  Now how exactly do we do that, I have no magic formulas.  But if I truly taste God and have an experience of him, no matter how fleeting or far-in-between my many days on earth, I will find may own ways of staying in touch with him, relishing him.  Prayer, attendance at the Eucharist, partaking in the sacraments, will all happen by default thereafter.  

Aim big, achieve big. Dream small, achieve small!  Certainly God-experience is no small aim. 

Definition of sanctity

Perhaps the best definition of sanctity is what was said by St Francis de Sales: 

Doing ordinary things in an extraordinary way!

For us Salesians and for our young people, I don't think there can be a better way of putting across the notion of sanctity than this. 

Vine and the branches

One interesting thing about the branches of a vine is that they can never of their own accord get detached from the stem.  Neither is it in their nature to seek independence.  They always stay connected to the main stem and draw energy from it.  

The mistake is to treat the branches and the stem as individuated parts.  As if they were different part put together to form the vine.  It is we who call the different aspects of the plant as stem, branches, fruits and leaves.  For the plant itself it is one life.  

So it would be good to ask ourselves this Sunday, as we reflect on the gospel of the vine and the branches if we are looking at our relationship with God as outsiders or as from within that relationship.  If the latter then we are one; if we view our relationship as an outsider then we are different beings brought together and assembled into one.  And if assembled, then we can as well be un-assembled.  

Be inspired or object

When a mighty tree falls, it falls heavily.  The news report of the abuse carried out by Jean Vanier, the founder of the L'Arche, has truly hurt very many who looked up to him as a modern saint. 

On the one hand, there is the importance and value we attach the person rather than the work one does.  In that sense, Vanier's personality and credibility was one of the chief reasons for substantiating the work carried out through the L'Arche movement.  On the other hand, there is the undeniable motivational impulse and ripple effect carried on through the works of L'Arche and its members.  Can these two be disengaged from one another?  Perhaps not! 

So what's the option left:  Reject and disassociate with everything related to Vanier? Or continue as before, discounting what Vanier actually did besides the good he initiated?  Extol public virtues vs condemn private vices? (The roots of the latter lie in the ancient Greek philosophers who spoke of the unity of virtues - if a person has one, he'd have it all!).

I personally have read some of Vanier's writings and honestly recommended the same to others some formators in our Salesian houses.  So I choose to look at the goodness, beauty and the truth of what is before me, rather than blot out everything out of anger and hatred for one, based purely on what he did to 6 people, in comparison to the thousands who did and continue to do amazing work, taking inspiration from the same source. 

I choose to be inspired by the good and beautiful, rather than resist doing anything at all, out of anger and hatred.  So what of Jean Vanier?  I think his name descends from the list of inspirers and saints to being an anonymous footnote to the great works carried out in his name.  

Action reflection

The readings of Sunday, very sharp and going around in vicious circles for me!  They present a down to earth spirituality, on one side and on the other, shows the height of its conceptualization.

The first reading from Isaiah is the practical spirituality:

Thus says the LORD: Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; Your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

To do good, one does not need high level thinking and reasoning.  Just do it!  Do it for the less advantaged, those marginalised, those in need! Just do it!

Then comes the second reading, the lofty part of spirituality:

When I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive (words of) wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

If I'm to carry out what is good and needed, as Jesus did, I need to know Jesus!  Now understanding why he did what he did, is no easy task.  That requires great amount of reflection.  Merely imitating what Jesus did, will not take us far... sooner or later, we'll get tired of doing it or lose our sanity, unless backed by great amount of motivation and inner strength.  And from where do we gain that? From knowing - not merely an intellectual discovery - why he did what he did! 

However, one clue to resolve this going round in circles, one chasing the other and being chased, lies in the last phrase of the second reading: power of God.  Doing everything (action or reflection) all by ourselves may land us in that merry-go-round.  But if we let ourselves be guided by God's hand, perhaps we stand a better chance to actually get going!