Innocence busted

There are occasions when one comes across a piece of information or learning that bursts a bubble of well preserved ideology or belief.  The resulting conflict and confusion is quite terrifying. Children most often are seen to undergo such phases when they are learning new things. 

The other day a teacher was narrating how in his class, while discussing about human food and diet, he found a boy looking totally stunned and shaken.  When asked what was the matter, the boy asked in utter shock,

Are the animals killed when they are alive?

Well, that would have been a hard day of learning for that little boy!  

Dissent and dissection

In the early Church Paul and Barnabas travel back to Rome to discuss with the apostles and elders about the right way of going about concerning the pagans joining Christianity.  The issue being whether they should first become Jews or need not.  The apostles decide that they need not. But this does not go down well with the Pharisees who were converted to Christianity. 

These days the German bishops are seriously discussing and debating about the distribution of communion to non-Catholic partners.  Like Paul and Barnabas, these Bishops too are zealous disciples seeking the best way forward.  And like Paul and Barnabas, they too trace their steps to Rome.  Wonder what will come of this discussion. 

Wonder what Jesus would have said?  Perhaps it would not have become such a big issue after all, if he were to have said a word about it.  But even in his own times, there was dissent and difference of opinion.  When he spoke of him being the bread of life and his body their nourishment, some of his faithful disciples did not like it and left his side.  So there is no big surprise that there are disagreements and differences of opinion even among the leaders, or frontline protagonists on the same side. 

It made me think of a surgery to remedy an ailment.  A cut is made, the remedy done and the wound stitched up.  The wound may heal but the scar remains.  What is once cut will never regain the original bond.  These debates concerning the betterment of religion, while debated in good faith, need not always yield perfect solutions.  (Perhaps ayurvedic treatment is better... no side-effects, but takes time!)

Nature's royal colours

With the glorious sunshine, warmth and the good rains in the past few days, the whole country is now green!  While the grass is all green on the ground level, the trees offer a variety.  With different trees at different stages of spring growth, there are varieties of green.  The only other colour bursting forth and providing an excellent contrast to the various shades of green are the occasional red or purple colour plants or trees.  Got to see and admire this lovely sights around the Founder's block at Royal Holloway. I think it is the Purple Beech tree or the Red leaf maple. Whatever the name, it looks gorgeous!

The Founder's West block in the backdrop

Concealing - revealing

Often we use different tactics to cover up our faults and failings.  We twist words, design a behaviour, manipulate feelings to our advantage.  Most often politicians and lawyers use language to manipulate meaning and convince their hearers into believing them, most often of things they know are not true!

Modern media and communication channels, far from merely portraying reality, are rampantly used to basically present a very biased picture of reality, convincingly.  The camera lens and the newspaper ink are not really rear-view mirrors.  Gleaning through these messages and information to sift and find out what actually is the case is not always easy. 

However, every time one generates a subtle message, or acts in a particular manner for the public, those words or actions cannot be totally classified as concealing or hiding.  They actually reveal what kind of person one is!  If one is careful to see through, the words or actions, one will notice what's hidden and real and not be bluffed by what is projected or presented.  In this process one gets a glimpse of not only the other person, but of oneself too!  

Defining human nature

Human rights are sometimes based on human nature.  Meaning that there is something special about the human species that qualifies it to be treated in a more dignified manner than say a chair or a lamp post.  But this human nature is not merely something natural.  For that matter even animals have a nature. So if we consider naturality the chief characteristic of a nature then there would be nothing special or unique about human nature.  The emphasis needs to be on 'essential trait' but this cannot be something static or frozen.  There are aspects of it which change but others that ensure continuity.  So perhaps, the following definition (as found here), could be taken as a functional one...

Human nature is best conceived of as a cluster of homeostatic properties, ie of traits that are dynamically changing and yet sufficiently stable over evolutionary time to be statistically clearly recognisable.

And just like life cannot be shown apart from living, human nature is not something that can be identified apart from the human person.  It is not something that exists independently or abstractly.  It inheres.  

Shifts and changes

It is almost a year and half since I came to the UK and looking back I can certainly see that there are areas of life that I've grown in and others not so.  I certainly have a different take on religious life and spirituality but certain other things still remain the same.  Among the new things that I've gained - besides the extra kilos I've put on, thanks to my rather sedentary life - is a growing interest in gardening.  Perhaps it has much to do with my own need to keep myself busy, an alternative to get out of the room!  But even that is not a regular activity I can keep myself busy - thanks to the British weather! However, gardening is certainly one area that I've tried out new.  

On the other hand, my habit of keeping up-to-date of Salesian matters has drastically taken a back seat!  Leave alone, reading Salesian material or texts, I'm not really sure of the latest developments about the upcoming General Chapter!  So has my social and public interaction!  Given the situation wherein we are living, away from the school and the parish, there is hardly anyone I meet other than Katie, besides the community members.  From being surrounded all the time by so many students or children all time, everytime, to hardly seeing anyone has been the greatest shift in my regular life.  

Am not very sure where study of philosophy fits in: better or worse?  All said and done, am happy to have this opportunity to see life and the world differently.  

Reincarnation and driving

While talking about the tyre and the replacement of it with a new one, I expressed surprise that we had to replace the whole tyre rather than repair the small hole.  I stated that back in India, I have driven vehicles with torn, patched, stitched and stuffed tyres - and am very well living to tell the tale!  Fr Kevin humourously interjected: "Oh, driving in India!!  I'd never drive in India!!  Not only there but in any place where they believe in reincarnation!"

Well its true that traffic in India is chaotic - in fact, crazy, in comparison to the organised traffic adherence here in the UK.  For most Europeans the first and most vivid memory - in fact, the most horrifying one - of India is the traffic they see as soon as they come out of the airport.  I've seen and heard the experience of people myself, back in India whenever someone came from Europe to the Provincial house and even now listening to people who have been to India!

However, there is some method in the madness - if one may be permitted to call it so.  According to statistics in the year 2016, in India, there were 1,50,785 deaths; while in the UK there were only 1,792 deaths and 181,384 casualities.  But compared to the overall population and the state of affairs, the Indian figures though big, are relatively small - if not, a small miracle!  (A bigger miracle would be getting our Indian population follow traffic rules!)

Tyres and times: old and new

Last weekend one of our cars was indicating low tyre pressure.  After a while I found out that there was a screw stuck in the tyre. However, was surprised to be told that the whole tyre needs to be replaced rather than mending that one small hole!  It was not as if the threads were worn out or anything, just that the 'tyre was damaged'! 

Photo source: An old news article on 'illegal tyres'

I remembered the old jeep at Ramanthapur.  The tyres stuffed and stitched and patched and what not, and still running in perfect condition.  The jeep itself was very old but I loved it, much more than the other new vehicles in the house.  It was tough and functional.  It could be used for anything and everything: transport for people (remember taking 15 children in it was no bit hassle - not even for the children), distributing bakery products, getting tons of provisions (sacks and sacks of rice, flour, sugar...), getting goods for the technical school (wood, metal, cloth...)... and even when it was parked in the house, the boys would use it as a jumping board to jump from!  The tyres of that sumo jeep were anything but old - leave alone new! 

I was told that the insurance would not cover costs in case there was an accident and it was found that the tyre was not replaced.  Furthermore, the hole could not really be repaired! Really??  I wonder if there is anything that is 'repaired' in this country; everything is mostly replaced with a new one! 

Son of a carpenter

'What part of Joseph's personality did Jesus imbibe or exhibit?', was the question that Fr Kevin began his homily with, this morning during the Mass of St Joseph, the worker. 

• Was it his relational skills which saw him relate to practically everyone in his surrounding with the same respect and dignity?  
• Was it his workmanship which saw him be dedicated to what he considered was his primary duty?
• Was it his ability in recognizing that he is not the only one at work in the society and hence form constructive alliances and build a network of hard working people from different backgrounds?
• Was it his attitude towards the working class of the society, whom he treated with equal dignity and compassion as any intellectual or civil servant?  
• Was it his concern and affection for the women who followed him or met him during his journeys and visits to the different regions of Israel?  
• Was it his calm and serene nature that helped him stay focused and polite, even when the whole crowd was against him? 
• Was it his down to earth use of imageries in communicating the richness of the Kingdom to his listeners? 
• Was it his grace to be able to mingle and be at home with the hoi polloi of the society, even though he was the son of God?
• Was it his words and phrases and accent and gestures? 
• Was it his dressing sense, his hairstyle, food habits and 
• Was it his knowledge of farming and fishing which he clearly used lavishly in his various anecdotes and parables (surely much more than carpentry!)? 

Matthew 13: 55 expresses the amazement of those who witness Jesus' ministry and ask: "Isn't he the carpenter's son?..."

St Joseph the worker

(A hymn to St Joseph, as found in the breviary, on this feast day of St Joseph the worker)

Joseph, the scriptures live to trace

the glories of thy kingly line;

Yet no succession of thy race, 

no long posterity was thine... 

And though thy Son were God indeed, 

over that home no angels sang, 

but still, through years of toil and need, 

hammer and mallet bravely rang;

And surely 'twas a gracious thing

when, standing at this father's knee, 

the world's great Craftsman and its King

not king but craftsman learned to be.  

Indeed a very humbling but powerful testimony of the role and person of Joseph.  Will certainly appeal to anyone who has seen life in its ups and downs and yet not been carried away or bogged down by anything, always striving to maintain a sensible balance in both the divine and the not-so-divine...