Nothing human is alien to me

While replying to someone regarding Human Rights and an approach based on it and their effort to see/show how that whole endeavour is not different from a genuine understanding of spirituality (for us, Gospel values), I was reminded of one of Fr Maliekal's "sayings": Nothing human is alien to Christianity.

Trying to see whose quote was that, I came across the fact that the original is slightly different one... and one with a powerful story as well.  The original quote is in Latin and attributed to Terence, a famous playwright who lived in 170 BC.

A Roman senator by name Terentius Lucanus once brought (bought?) Terence to Rome as a slave.  He educated him and on finding his amazing talents and capabilities, set him free.  Terence making the most of the progressive Roman civilization and enjoying his freedom, became a playwright.  The above Latin quote is one of his sayings.  It means

I am a man; I consider nothing that is human alien to me. 

Considering the fact that he was a slave and one who could have ended up in an iron collar all his life or on a lion's platter, could go on to make a life for himself and that too to take life in his stride.  No ill will, no inequality, no 'backlogs'.  To be able to see and appreciate humanity in and through the multitude of dividing factors of socio-politico-religious life.  

Round-the-clock community

We Salesians at Chertsey are really a varied lot.  Not only at table do our food habits not match, but also with regard to our daily personal schedule.  Just like our preferences for food are totally different from one another, so too are our working styles - at least, time-wise. 

One among us is a vegan, another takes only fish.  One does not touch fish, eating only meat (vegetables are not for his plate!).  Then there is one who is allergic to garlic.  Another who does not like smoked meat - he says, it makes him wonder if the meat is cooked!  So one can imagine Katie's menu planning! 

Similar to that variegated food habits are our working schedules too.  As a community we have our morning prayers and Mass at 6.45 am and evening meal at 6.  So everyone is present for those, meticulously - with the exception of myself!  But for the rest, each one lives on a different time zone.  One among us wakes up at 4 in the morning.  A couple of us are late risers.  Two get up punctually at 6 in the morning, come what may.  But when it comes to hitting bed at night, I am one of the last ones.  For one, the world ends when the clock shows 9 pm (and that's not the earlies riser!).  Another has a meal sometime past 11 pm.  So one might as well find someone or the other awake at any time of the day - or night!

And how many are we totally? In the house 7 of us!  We might as well be living in different continents of the world (as it is, by birth we are from 6 different countries!).  Yet the Salesian family spirit that binds us helps us discover and nourish a thousand ways to keep united and connected.  

St Gregory

St Gregory, pope and pastor.

The first monk to be made Pope.
The first one to assume the title, 'Servant of servants'
Specially remembered in England for having sent the Catholic missionary expedition, under the leadership of St Augustine, which greatly aided in the nation becoming Christian. 

Fierce independence

The notion of 'independence' is very much ingrained in the English psyche.  Fierce independence!  The notion that one needs to manage one's own business and that every one can, is something of an innate idea among the English population.  This is reflected very vividly from individual undertaking to national politics.  Take Brexit.  A typical attitude that Europe is actually obstructing Britain's growth.  That on our own we are better off.  This insulation of self, is also reflected in individual attitudes.  I wonder how many residents of this country can proudly claim to know and actually be friends with their neighbours.  Most of whom I know, do not even know their neighbours.  Leave alone interact with them regularly or be friends with them.  I don't think I would be too off the mark to state that this feature is also among Salesians and is a one of our characteristic working style! 

I also see that this sort of "individualistic" attitude does have its advantages and benefits.  It results in a thoroughbred professionalism.  A great experience in focus and system building.  But the downside of it is that it goes again the very social nature of humankind.  I achieve success alone.  I struggle also alone!  We know the other, but not more than at a very very peripheral level.  And we think that that knowledge is more than sufficient.  Anything more is an intrusion of privacy.  We work, but as isolated individuals.  In case I fail, the system will pitch in - not another concerned friend or neighbour.  Nor will I ask someone to help me! 

Tomato season!

First of the tomato fruits ready for harvest!

No twitter

Strange: No twitter of birds this morning. I did not hear any birds twitter this morning.  Strained hard to hear any during meditation, but heard none!  Must have taken off for the bank holiday today! 

The past couple of days have tried to focus my attention on the lovely chirping of birds during meditation.  Found that very calming and melodious too.  A sort of serenity that gently envelopes you without feeling the weight of anything.  Any description of it only adds insult to it!  

With joy

One of the best things a life without heavy (or any!) responsibilities is that there is no strict timetable one has to follow.  I can spend any amount of time for anything I deem fit without worrying if I'll be late for another task.  I realized this while visiting Fr Dan at the hospital the last couple of times in the past week.  He really missed the confreres from his community; but given the state of affairs, it was difficult for them.  Those who can move, have their hands full and hence cannot spend much time with him at the hospital.  Those who are free, cannot move - literally!  They are more or less like him, with the only difference being, they are confined to the bed or the crutches, but at home! 

While with Fr Dan I had nothing else to worry about.  I realized that's the best I could do.  Just being with him when he is lonely and weak.  Also the best I could for others.  I cannot share their workload but can certainly do this bit of being present for one among them.  However, I was with Fr Dan, more as a kind of in appreciation and gratitude for his kindness towards me in the confessional over the past couple of years.  He has been the one I've been to most for my confessions since I came to this place.  He has offered me his support and guidance whenever I approached him and now when he needs some support and I'm able to, why not! With joy! 

Far from...

Most of the saints I've come heard of ended up far from where they actually started.  Not just by birth but their very ministry or adult life itself took them places. 

In our contemporary times, this does not seem much of an achievement.  Given that we travel all the time and are hardly in one place all our life, it is easy to think that every one moves all around. Not always.  In bygone days when travel was necessitated only by urgency or desperation, and means of travel were hardly a luxury, leave alone the cost and danger involved.  Most people, never moved away from their place of birth.  There wasn't anywhere they really needed to go to.

Today people move from place to place either for study or work or family needs.  As a religious have been through so many places.  And each place being a home.  Not just as tourists visiting some new place.  People ask me if it is difficult to pick up one's bags and leave for good, only to repeat the process every couple of years.  Not really.  I think it is the whole attitude of 'being at home' that actually matters.  It is not the place as such but if every place one goes to becomes a home (or is made a home) then moving around does not uproot one.  In that sense, I certainly am far from where I started, but certainly not lost or away. Am at home! 

Under the fig tree?

Today is the feast of St Bartholomew...

The gospel of the day, from John's first chapter, reads...

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him." Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree." Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this." And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

I always thought that there was something not right with this passage. When Jesus says to Bartholomew that he saw him under the fig tree, the latter responds, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."  What and where is the connection between the two statements. Most probably the authors missed out a portion of the conversation here.  Or that's what I thought.  Only today did I come to know that the phrase 'under the fig tree' in Jewish tradition meant someone was a scripture scholar, or atleast someone very interested and immersed in studying the Torah or Pentateuch. That explains Bartholomew's profession of faith to Jesus.  And it has nothing to do with the fig tree!  

Beheading of St Lawrence

Yesterday was the feast of St Lawrence.  Deacon and Martyr.  My connection with this saint goes way back.  The parish from which my parents hail, from Mangalore, is the famous shrine of St Lawrence.  That's where my parents were baptised, grew up, and later got married.  My brother's middle name is Lawrence.  Even he and my sister-in-law were married at St Lawrence's.  Papa is a great devotee of St Lawrence - and perhaps, that's the greatest connection I can think of. 

And of course, there is that unforgettable incident of the cricket ball 'beheading' St Lawrence! My brother and I were so shaken by this accident! We managed, with Mum's help to stick back the head and place him back on the family altar.  That evening when Papa returned home and, as usual, went up to the altar to pray, he did not notice anything unusual.  The three of us however, breathed only after he finished his prayer!  We never told him of that incident! 

Only of late did I come to know that St Lawrence is the patron saint of comedians and cooks.  The latter I understand, given that he died being grilled - literally!  The former attribution took time for me to connect.  Comedians??  Well, only after a while it hit me, that even that is associated with his martyrdom, being roasted on fire!  It is said, that while being grilled, he said to his executioners, "This side is done. Now turn me over!"  Am not sure, how humorously did his tormentors take that, but for one to be so 'cool' when on fire and at the point of certain death, one indeed has to have lots of courage.  However, am not sure if he was that humorous during his life as well.  Would have been, I guess.  Only, haven't found any evidence for it yet!