WORD BECAME FLESH

It is a great privilege and pleasure to share some reflections on the solemnity of Christmas. At the outset I am most beholden to God for having given us this wonderful opportunity to assemble as one family to celebrate the divine Presence, Emmanuel (God-with-us).

The angel said to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid, for see — I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah” (Luke 2: 10-11). Therefore, do not be afraid, but rejoice because the Messiah is born in the city of David. Christmas celebration is the festivity of joy, blessing of peace, beauty of hope, spirit of love, comfort of faith and community of fellowship. It is also a time of healing and renewing our strength.

However, Christmas is a blend of joys and sorrows: it is joy for those who have more, but it is sorrow for those people who have not; it is joy for shopkeepers, but sorrow for parents who don’t have extra money to buy gifts for their children, family and friends; it is joy for drunkards and addicts to make merry, but it is sorrow for their families. It is joy for coming together as one family, but it is sorrow for those who miss their loved ones due to unavoidable reasons. Amidst these confusions, conflicts, contrasts and confrontations; the question which needs to be reflected upon is, ‘what is the real message of Christmas?’

For some people, the true meaning of Christmas is warmth and love of their families; a celebration of home/homely atmosphere. For some, the real meaning of Christmas is love for the other or good will towards men and women. For some, it is singing of carols; and for some, it is making a fabulous, attractive and charming crib. But the real meaning of Christmas lies in the doctrine of ‘incarnation’ or “word becoming flesh” or the transcendental God becoming immanent God. ‘Word becoming flesh’ does not mean that we have to learn to be fleshy. It means that we become more like God in our words and deeds. In other words, Jesus has not come to appreciate our status of life in which we live; rather he has come to give us a life that cannot be achieved through our flesh.

Therefore, the ultimate aim of Christmas is to recognize the presence of God, as three wise men recognized the Presence in the least expected place (manger). How to recognize, where to recognize and when to recognize is not the matter of our thought. For, the Real Presence is with us (Emmanuel). Recognizing the Self through the self is a greatest challenge. If I am able to recognize it, I automatically become light to the other. This will ultimately enable us to build up our community with love, friendship and fellowship. Recognizing the divine presence in our community will enable us to find the Presence in the little ones, poor, downtrodden and marginalized. This is the real Christmas, and this is the greatest joy. This joy is being communicated through our external activities. Let us recognize the Presence in little ones and enjoy the Christmas with a meaningful celebration.

Wish you all my well-wishers and readers 

Merry Christmas 

and

grace filled New Year.

Raju  Felix  Crasta

THE GRASS IN THE OTHER SIDE IS GREEN

A few months ago one of my priest friends asked me to pray for his ailing father who is suffering from Cancer. He is diagnosed from that sickness a couple of years ago. Back to back, I had a sudden call from home. My dad was seriously ill due to severe breathing problem and Asthma. When I went home another news was awaiting me. One of my childhood friends who is now a priest, told me that he lost his father due to cancer a couple of days ago and yet his grandfather who is 98 years old is still strong and healthy.  

These incidents do not stop here. I started to think about priests and religious who have sacrificed willingly to the service of God. How God is awarding them the sweetness of the Cross. All the priests who are serving in the near and far away places have some similar story to tell. One has his mother ailing, the other has his father bedridden, the other suffering from unknown disease, one has lost his parent in the early age, one is suffering himself due to some miserable accident and so on and so forth.

This is not the only case with priests. Ditto is found among the women religious too. Though at times see ‘all is well’ there is something miserable underneath. One of my nun friends told me that she is unable to pray and do her work when she thinks about her parents. She wanted to be at home to take care of the parents. Another nun too has a similar story to tell who has lost her both parents. Her only brother who is the backbone of the family, is now seriously sick and has no one to take care.

I was happy to see my brother taking care of my bedridden father. Once he told me this, “if there is a priest or a nun in any family, one of the family members will be seriously in need of care and service especially the parents.” For me these are the prophetic words and they are very much true. Only a deep religious person can utter those words. By that service they raise their mind and heart to God. Their sacrifice and service to the ailing person is itself a prayer and devotion to the creator.

At times, the sickness, loss of our parents, is a divine providence. They happen for the greater good. There is nothing in the world happen without the knowledge God, so much so, a leaf does not fall from the tree without a silent approval from the Creator. So too with us, who have willingly sacrificed ourselves to the divine Call. Every action of ours, every inch of suffering we undergo, every torment we face will not go futile without having yielded its fruit. Everything happens for the good.

A young, professed religious nun once came to me sobbing who had lost her mother in the near past asked this question, “why did God take away my mother?” I told her, “God took away your mother, so that you can be a good mother for the motherless thousands of children. By losing your mother you are experiencing a tremendous pain. God is allowing you to experience this. Much more is the pain of those children who have not even seen their mother. You need to be a mother for them, a sister for them, a teacher for them and a guide for them.” The same is true with the sickness and other problems. A devout and selfless person will experience more crosses and hurdles in one’s life directly or indirectly. This is a fact.

There is a greater trauma in one’s life especially when one is far away from home. At times, I feel very much this, “in spite of having worked selflessly for the Kingdom of God for which God has called me, why is he allowing me to undergo such tension?” When I hear that my dad is sick or my mom weeping over the phone telling me the difficulties they are facing at home, I have no words to console them. I feel emotional. Find difficult to answer. Even, I feel that my study of philosophy, theology, MA or MPh or diplomas and degrees are useless badges. What have they taught? Rut, rut and rut. Which words should I use to console them?

The only solace is the Word of God. A deep conviction and faith in Christ. I assure them that their difficulties will be blessed. They would see the bright sunlight one day. Everything will be alright. As a priest, I remember them all, take all the sufferings put into the Chalice and Paten at the Eucharistic table and say, “Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this bread to offer, which earth has given and human hands have made. It will become for us the bread of life. Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. It will become our spiritual drink.” I believe and is my conviction, that God takes care of the rest.

As a Vocation Promoter, I find difficult to promote the young hearts. Often I hear from the young people I meet, that many Promoters come and show them good pictures, assure bright future, luxury life in religious life and thus recruit for their congregation and they are able to get some candidates. Should I tell the reality or create a false reality and convince them? Vocation is a Gift of God and so too are the difficulties. The first thing when a person approaches me to become a priest or a nun, I tell them is, “It is not easy. The grass in the other side is green. If you are able to face the current you are most welcome.” During the course of formation, some withstand the pressure and some succumb to it. When those who feel that ‘this is not their way of life’ and go back, often their parents ask the question, “What was wrong in the Seminary? Why did they send my son back?” Who has to answer – the vocation promoter, the rector or the seminarian? This kind of questioning is more common among the women than the men.

How often, we realize the truth that a priest or a religious is suffering silently? Though they do not shed their tears in front of others, always eager to help, seen smiling 24x7x365 days this is the reality one faces. Those who cannot read the hidden lines, priest is, ‘always late, lazy, boring sermons, no depth, crazy, modern, luxurious, unavailable….” No doubt, there are such ones but not all. If there are sinners there are also saints. May the life of good of priests and religious inspire all to take the challenges / difficulties of life and make the life palatable and worth living.

Raju Felix Crasta 

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FIVE RUPEES

Few days back I was travelling in the train. A vendor came selling water. I purchased a bottle of water worth 15 rupees and gave him a twenty rupee currency. The vendor asked for five rupees since he had no five rupee coin and I too did not have and said, “I don’t have.” Then the vendor said, “I am the only vendor selling water in this train and I shall give you back five rupees before you alight the train.” After some time, I wanted to have a cup of coffee and there came another man selling coffee. I asked, “How much” and he said, “Five rupees.” I gave him ten rupee currency. This time too neither I had a five rupees nor he had (!?). He too assured me that he would return my five rupees before I would reach my destination. But to make my confusion still worse, there were several coffee-tea and water vendors. Now my confusion was this, ‘which vendor owes me five rupees?’ Every time a Chaiwala or Paniwala was passing by, I had to pay attention to his identity in which I failed miserably. In fact I asked one chaiwala, “are you the one who owe me my five rupees?” He plainly said, “Sir, I am not. May be another man.” I thought it is better to keep quite than getting humiliated. Till I reached my destination, neither of them came to give my due nor I was able to trace them out.

There was a family sitting next to my berth. When at the time of supper, a vendor came selling Vegetable and Egg Biryani.  He bought two Egg Biryani and one Vegetable Biryani. The Vegetable Biryani costs fifty and Egg Biryani costs sixty rupees. Then only we realized that the same food which we ate at noon was charged more by another vendor. We had purchased the Vegetable Biryani for sixty rupees and Egg Biryani for seventy in the afternoon.  Then I asked him in Hindi language, “yah kaise aap sham ke vakt 50 aur 60 me de rahe hain aur dopahar ko 60 aur 70 rupaye lete hain?” Then he told us that the man who sold the food in the afternoon has taken more from us. This time lucky enough, the man who cheated us in the afternoon came that way and my neighbor held him. Without a second thought he returned his thirty rupees and slipped quietly.

These are not the instances happened to me by chance. These are the experiences of several people who travel often. It is not possible to carry coins every time. Vendors take this opportunity to grab from the passengers. The coffeewala had no five rupee to return to me but he had five rupee when a woman purchased a coffee few berths after me.

This does not mean that there are no honest vendors. There are people who serve you with love and care whose motto is, “the customer’s satisfaction is our satisfaction.” I too have come across several such people. They give the right information and service out of their generosity. But few selfish and dishonest people spoil the good reputation of other good people as it is said, “one rotten potato spoils the whole sack.” All the vendors I encountered in the above incident are from the IRCTC who give quality service to Indian Railways to which I am very much indebted.

One can go up to the grievance’ cell and report about the quality and reliability of the service of its workers. One can say, “Why so much fuss for five rupees? After all, you will have to pay another five hundred rupees in order to get your five rupees.” Thus, looking at the complications involved, one will surely back out. But the issue is, how far we are honest in our dealings?  A person who has enough and more things to do will not be able to spend time for such things. Complaining to the authorities concerned, will earn justice to the afflicted person and a time to correct the behavior of the culprit. It can teach a lesson to others. But again, how long and how far?

We need to raise our voice when someone takes undue advantage over us. It is our right and duty. At the same time we need to question the person when we see the injustice to be done. It may be my five rupees or another person’s five thousand rupees. It may be a piece of land or an acre of land. One may not speak or raise one’s voice due to fear or humiliation. It is our collective duty to safeguard human right, dignity and freedom. 

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FREEDOM AT THE CROSS-ROADS

Who

says that being free we are really not free? How dare are you to say, “India is in manacles.” Have we not got more freedom here than there in Heaven? Of course, we do have. Therefore, the question, “Where is thy freedom?” is an unnecessary bullshit! Then, listen carefully, understand and reflect. Am I not right in what I say? Have I no freedom to puke what I want? I will say what I want to say. You may christen me crazy, for you’ve your freedom.

Who

said that we have no freedom to use the world as we like? Peel the plantain, eat and throw the skin on the road. Smoke bundles of bidis and cigars and throw the buts in the public places. Empty the kitchen waste in the main road. Throw your dead pets and animals in the uncovered gutters of the municipality. Let others see and enjoy. Drive your vehicle as you like, honk as you wish and dash into whomsoever you want. No problem! After all it is your vehicle. You’re free to use it. Change the party as you wish at any time. You are free. Pelt stones at public vehicles, shops and offices as you used to throw at the ripe mango when you were young. Not yet satisfied? Enflame them! They are all at your service. After all, it is a democratic country! You have won freedom just a few days ago.

Who

said that we’ve no freedom here? Who said that the freedom given for us is barricaded? To do what you want is freedom. You are given ample freedom and that too coagulated with responsibility. But you say, responsibility with freedom is a redundant absurdity. Rightly you’ve said it, ‘policing in my privacy is curtailing my freedom.’ ‘I dance and sing 24x7, because, I am responsible for my future. Who are you to dictate?’

Who

said our country is in the dark? Climb up to the terrace at night and have an aerial appraisal and see the beautiful panoramic towns twinkling like the sky and sing the rhyme, “twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are…” Who said our country is in BPL? Go for an evening walk, look at your right side, people are living in the castles. Their buildings are touching the sky like the Tower of Babel. Beware, how dare you are to glare at the left side, for there only demons live! Know this, that though our views have narrowed, yet no problem, our roads have broadened. Though we need only one child, the divorce rate has increased. Though our farmers do not get enough seed to sow, don’t worry our godowns are full. Though our children go hungry, we export enough food to alleviate hunger. Are we not good Samaritans? What else do we need?

Who

said we are intellectually abaft? Though our knowledge has weakened, our degrees and diplomas are increasing. Though we don’t get permission to open LKG and nursery schools, no permission is prerequisite for IITs, Engineering and Medical colleges, for they decide the GDP. Though our bullock-carts have not vanished, we ’re successful in organizing space-walk picnics. Though our reasoning has become weak, our aptitude for knowledge has increased. Though diseases have increased, medicines too have increased. The learned proclaim that the “decrease in adult mortality and increase in child mortality” is a sign of social awareness. What a paradox! So they don’t need LKGs.  Though we’ve stopped smiling and cheering, has not our shouting and yelling in the bars and pubs increased? And you say ‘it is modern a gurukul.’ Though we are unable to think afresh, there are enough think-tanks to think for us. So, why worry on unnecessary supranno?  After all we’ve money to pay. Though our appetite has declined, our fast-food centers are mushrooming. Though we’ve not learnt to live, we’ve learnt to live in the towns and metropolis. See how posh we are!

Who

said our spirituality has gone wrong? Though we don’t pray, our shrines on the roads are increasing. Shrines and worships are their needs and not my need! Simony is law of the land. My share is my right! Though we fail to bring people to God, we are able to empower them with our lofty ideals. Though we don’t practice what we ought to preach, the hidden mysteries of the Kingdom of God, our preaching has not gone down with our mysterious agenda. Though we are unable to bring glorious revolution, we are talented to bring gory revolution. Is not Gurudev Tagore ubiquitously wrong, “Leave this chanting and singing and telling of beads! Whom dost thou worship in this lonely dark corner of a temple with doors all shut? Open thine eyes and see thy God is not before thee! He is there where the tiller is tilling the hard ground and where the pathmaker is breaking stones. He is with them in sun and in shower, and his garment is covered with dust….” We want to demolish one mosque and build a temple over there; demolish temple and build church over there, destroy that statue there and erect this one here. Though God protects us, we think we need to protect God! People of the country are the 'uncivilized vanvasis' while the others are 'civilized citizens'! This is the religion. This is the freedom of religion which my country proclaims today! I am proud of it!

Who

said our leaders are bad? Though they are producing and blasting tons of granite, receive handsome black bags and parade in scamy adventures, their hearts are soft like sponge! Today they blast granite and tomorrow weep at the blasted granite. Today they beep up for trekking and tomorrow receive medals of bravado. Though they cannot write their names, they’ve their secretaries to write for them. See, how faithfully they work for you! Every minute and second busy in writing and signing MoUs of MNCs, and other project works. MNS and Corporates, Amabanis and Adanis are their revered guests who only can uplift the poverty in India. They are busy in developmental acts to attend your calls, so don’t disturb them. Let them have the pleasure of serving you when they get time. That is why you have chosen them. Though we’ve no sandals to wear, they are busy funding pedal-less cycles for your sisters in the villages. You are healthy to drink murky water, that’s okay; but if they drink, who will cure them whilst they fall sick? So allow them to drink ‘bisleri’ water. They have passed bills in parliaments for wells and ponds for farmers. But you see, the delay of boring is due the punctured wheels of the trucks! If the present project has not addressed the 250 million farmers; don’t worry, the next 5 year plan will address their needs.

i

I find it difficult to understand what our Father wrote, the day after Independence: “We’ve achieved political freedom, but we’ve not yet achieved economic, social and moral freedom. It is a difficult task to achieve.” Is not Gandhi wrong!? I have the freedom to do what I want. I can raise my moral, social and economic standard. Therefore, I am not enslaved. Therefore, let us rejoice, celebrate and be proud! This is my nation, my country and I am proud of its heritage!

Fr. Raju Felix Crasta

Picture source:

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INNER FREEDOM

The word ‘FREEDOM’ simply means ‘to be free from slavery.’ In today’s world we want to be free without anyone stopping us. People have understood the word ‘freedom’ differently. Freedom means to do what one likes: to be free from all the responsibilities, to be away from all the rules and regulations.

Freedom can be divided into two: outer freedom and inner freedom. The outer freedom is the freedom from the external slavery. This is the freedom that Indians got on August 15^th 1947. But the inner freedom is the freedom from the internal slavery. Let us not forget the fact that we are slave to our own selves. Inner freedom means to be free from within. Only when we are free from within, we can exercise our freedom. “Don’t search for peace on earth with your heart of violence”. It’s true, only with inner freedom we can enjoy the outer freedom, because a person is free when he is both internally and externally free. The person, who has inner freedom, will be happy and cheerful. He will be a man of prayer, man of spirituality and thus a man of God.

Although we have inner and outer freedom we have no right to have authority over the other person. And we should not think that we could do anything we like. Though we are free we should have some rules and regulations to practice our freedom in the community. Rules and responsibilities are the tools to exercise our freedom well. Freedom and responsibilities are the two sides of the same coin. For example, if we pour the drinking water on the table, it is simply wasted, but if we pour the same water onto the glass which is on the table, it will quench some one’s thirst. In the same way we should pour our freedom in the glass of rules and responsibilities.

The real freedom means ‘to love God and do what God inspires.’ It is the free act of conscience. It is a state where a person is capable of being happy in spite of all the tribulations and problems of the external world. It is the state of being free from all the guilt feelings. Finally it is an act of the Spirit, because “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor 3:17).

Wish all the Indians, happy Independence Day

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ST. JOHN Mary VIANNEY: A BRIDGE BUILDER

St. John Mary Vianney, the saint of Ars, is a man of God, a man of prayer and a man for others. There are now a plethora of tasks, activities and movements in which priests are expected to immerse themselves. But the challenges and demands made on priests today should not frighten or confuse them. The new emphasis and requisites only tend to integrate priests with their people, whereas the older theologies highlighted their separateness. They have not only to celebrate the sacred mysteries but also try in their life to epitomise the Word they preach and the sacrifice they make present. To bring about such metamorphosis in priestly life, it demands a profound and radical self-giving. Here St. John Mary Vianney comes to our rescue.

St. Vianney, a heroic model and a persuasive teacher of the practice of piety, virtue and penance, is seen always as a model for priests. Pope John XXIII in his Encyclical, Sacerdotii Nostri Primordia says, Vianney is “wonderful in his pastoral zeal, in his devotion to prayer and in the ardor of his penance to the honors of the saints of heaven, now, one hundred years after his death, offers him with maternal joy to all the clergy as an outstanding model of priestly asceticism, of piety, especially in the form of devotion to the Eucharist, and, finally, of pastoral zeal.” Therefore, he is a model of clerics. “a priest who was outstanding in a unique way in voluntary affliction of his body; his only motives were the love of God and the desire for the salvation of the souls of his neighbors, and this led him to abstain almost completely from food and from sleep, to carry out the harshest kinds of penances, and to deny himself with great strength of soul.” Pope further says that it is very difficult in present scenario to be like him. This task brings us challenge before us.

Over enthusiastic biographers held that Ars was a den of iniquity and a cesspool of immorality. But it may not have been so notoriously immoral. However, to the average citizens, God was not important and the church played no active role in their lives. On the eve of Vianney’s departure for Ars, Fr. Courbon, the Vicar General told him, “There is no love of God in that parish. Go and put some love into it.” And he did just that by his prayer and penance. His bargain with God was, “Grant me the conversion of my parish. I consent to suffer whatever you want for the rest of my life.” Like a true prophet he called his people to repentance; through him, the spirit of penance spread through the land like fire over dry stubble. He was there up to fifteen hours a day reconciling sinners. He penetrated the impenetrable hearts, converted the most corrupted souls, won favour with God and man through his self-giving and simplicity of life, too simple a life, in fact, to express in human words. For instance, his daily meal consisted of a bowl of boiled potatoes and he rested only for 3 hours.

It is sometimes said that we are living in the age of “the lonely crowd” in “concrete jungles,” an age in which the separation and gulf among the hearts and minds of people often find tragic expressions. As an ambassador of Christ the priest must appeal to all people to be reconciled with God and with one another. To those who are lost in the loneliness and isolation of sin he must effectively speak Christ’s word of forgiveness. A priest is a man who builds bridges (pontifex) and breaks down barriers. In fact, the priest himself must be a bridge i.e., a genuine living link between God and people through prayer and selfless service. “Oh! How great is the Priesthood! It can be properly understood only in Heaven... if one were to understand it on this earth one would die, not of fright but of love!” (Pope Benedict XVI in his General Audience on 4th August 2009).

St. Vianney’s very life is a reminder that the aim of all revolution must be reconciliation. If like their patron, priests make the Eucharist the centre of their life and allow it to mold and shape them, they too can attain the power of total giving of self which is needed to live up to the image and profile of a pastoral priest. Then every priest can become a real pontifex, who brings reconciliation in the world. Thus, the simple, gentle and pacific Vianney becomes a challenging Vianney for all priests.

“Dear St. John Vianney, because of your love of God you showed great charity towards your neighbour. You could not preach on the Love of God without burning tears of love. During your last years, it seemed as though you could not talk about anything else or live for anything else, but for love. You sacrificed yourself to your neighbour by consoling, absolving and sanctifying them to the limits of your strength. Your charity inspires me to greater love of God, a love which is shown more by acts than by words. Help me to love my neighbour generously as Christ loves them. St John Vianney, Patron of Priests, pray for us and for all priests. Amen.” 

Fr. Raju Felix Crasta

Towards the Fullness of Life….

Towards the Fullness of Life[i] ….

Being fullness

Īśa Upaniṣad (Ī͞͞͞͞͞śāvāsyopaniṣad) speaks of a mantra of fullness in this way, “Om Pūrṇamadaḥ, Pūrṇamidam, Pūrṇāt Pūrṇmudacyate, Pūrṇsya Pūrṇmādāya, Pūrṇamevāvaṡiṣyate”[ii] which can be translated as, “That is fullness, This is fullness, From the fullness only fullness proceeds, if fullness is removed from the fullness, fullness alone remains.” God is fullness or perfect. When one accepts God in one’s life, the divinity of God does not diminish, it remains constant. Just like a piece of iron acquires magnetic quality in the presence of a magnet, so too, the person who possesses this divinity becomes divine. Perfection, completeness or totality is the key to be an authentic person.

Biblically, fullness can be stated as, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48). What Matthew is intending in saying ‘perfect’ is, to be pure in mind and heart, to be loving and forgiving, to be generous and open-minded. Fullness or to be perfect is a virtue to be inculcated in one’s life. It is not a ‘one-day’ affair, but a journey, a pilgrimage from birth to death, a constant inward search and the experience of belongingness with the divine.

Thus the Biblical perfection can be explained in the following ways:

     a.       To be Holy:  ‘To be Holy’ is a vocation given by God himself to every individual. The gravity of this vocation is made further serious due to the quality of the person who called, “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am Holy” (Lev 19:2, Dt 18:13); “The One who has called you is Holy” (I Peter 1:15-16).

     b.      To be blameless / faultless: The Lord who has called is perfect, has no any taint.  He is a perfect Lamb. Therefore, following His footsteps, the follower has to be blameless and faultless in the blamed and faulty world. This is a real pilgrim journey, a testing ground towards the fullness.

     c.       To be pure: To know the worth of gold, it has to be burnt in fire. The contaminated states, unworthy tendencies, unbecoming qualities need to be burnt in the fire so as to bring out a quality spirit in each and every one of us. In the words of St. Paul,  “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (2 Cor 7:1).

      d.      To be the children of God: It is often seen that a flash of fire is potential to be a massive fire. When the spirit with us is the spirit of the Lord, what less it can be not called member of the same family? However, one truly becomes member of Christ’s family when one lives that Spirit. In the words of St. Paul, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children” (Eph: 5:1).

Non-perfection to Perfection

To fill something in a container, the container should be either empty or half-filled. One cannot fill in the container which is already full. One is not born perfect but becomes perfect. One journeys towards the perfection. We only run the race. The completion is achieved only when we are in the divine paradise.

To be perfect and complete in life, first and foremost, one need to realize the imperfection in oneself. Then only the rest of the things, the divine life will follow. Often when we refer to three areas when spoken about a holistic growth – physical, mental or intellectual and spiritual. All these areas are as important as the parts of the body. Considering the perfection as vocation and a pilgrim journey, one can think of fullness in three other areas as well, viz., personal, family and society.

Fullness in the Personal life or the Self-perfection

It is often said, one cannot evangelize to the empty stomachs. The physical needs are to be catered at the very outset in order to reach the fullness. It is the common experience of most of the people, that when a person is hungry, sick or homeless finds difficult to pray.  In today’s commercial globalized society, as the sicknesses, troubles and health related hazards are increasing, one ought to keep one’s health good with the available ordinary means to one’s disposal. However, one is not bound to use the extraordinary means if they are out of one’s reach. The question here therefore, is not how to pray but how to make this state a spiritual pilgrim journey. A spiritual person offers every sufferings or one’s sorry state at every intervals for a good cause and thus makes it emancipatory. The grace of God follows automatically visibly in the present world as well as after death in hundred folds  (cf. Mk 10: 29-30).

This is very much applicable for the mental health as well. Mental health, does not just mean the psychological well-being, rather, the intellectual abilities and formation as well. Most of the tension in today’s world is due to ‘pressure.’  Parents pressurize their children to excel in the way they want and never see the interest and talent of the child born with. Companies and work places put pressure on the workers to produce more, however, without creating enough work-atmosphere. Even this pressure is being carried to the family life.  Some decades ago, the education regarded to be the sole chattels of elite class and further even among them more so of men. Women were looked down upon. As the reservation policies gearing up, education standards increasing, liberation movements catching up the momentum, one cannot sit idly at the hearth warming up oneself. As it is commonly said, “either you are in or out, but non in-between,” one need to deeply involved in education if one likes to march ahead in the changing scenario of the world.

The spiritual realm stands out from the previous two realms. In fact, this is the power-house to be ‘Complete’ and ‘Full’ in life. Spirituality does not merely mean that one should sit in the prayer room, read scripture and meditate. More than this, what is being read, meditated, must be practiced.  The final step of meditation is called the ‘meditative contemplation’ or ‘nidhidhy āsana’ in the Indian Spirituality. The spirituality one has must be seen in one’s way of life and in dealing with the other. The person has to become more polite, humble, generous, forgiving, accommodating, social, etc. Such a person, in the biblical terminology is termed as, “Perfect as Heavenly Father is Perfect,” in other words, ‘blameless, pure, holy and faultless.’

Fullness in the family or the Family Perfection

Family is the basic unit of the Body of Christ. Just as the body of Christ is holy, faultless, sinless, pure and perfect, so too must be the family. A Family consists of a father, mother, and children; in other words, creators and the created. Each one should assists one another to make the family complete. Without a husband, the wife is incomplete and without a wife, the husband is incomplete. Both become one family along with their offspring.

All the aspect spoken above in the personal life is applicable to each one in the family and together they co-operate Christ to build a domestic Church (Eph 5: 29). It is said, ‘no one is perfect.’ Knowing one’s shortcoming and weakness in the family is not the beginning of downfall, rather it is the genesis of formation an ideal family. No one hates ones’ body, but loves it. As the parts of the body each one has to co-operate to make a family complete.  If one’s spirituality is good enough, would be helpful in assisting the member of a family in helping to overcome the weakness of other (cf. 2 Peter 3: 4; 1 Tim 2:10). In the process of helping to overcome the weakness, at times the family undergoes a great deal of  turmoil. But one should realize, that only after a chaotic atmosphere, a paradise like situation can emerge (Cf. Gen 1 and 2).

Certain practices help to construct a happy family. Regular community prayers, regular meals, recreation and jovial atmosphere, sharing of one’s encounter of reality in life, at times common picnics and outings help the family to move towards the fullness.

Fullness in the Society or the Social Perfection

Society cannot exist without families. The basic unit of a society is therefore, the family. Good of the society lies in the good of the families. The society is maintained and preserved not because of the hundreds of thousands of evil people, but because of few good people. Knowing this, Abraham, the father of faith, argues with the prophet, “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it (Sodom and Gomorrah)?”  The argument ends until Abraham reaches “ten righteous people.” At each time the prophet of God answers, “… for their sake, I will spare” (cf. Gen 18: 16-33).

There are extra-ordinary people who tried to be one of those who tried to spare the society and became one of those “ten righteous people.” People like Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, Helder Camera are such people of the last century. In our own tribal society, missionaries like Constant  Lievance, J.B. Hoffmann, Stockmann, John Deeny and our own tribal leaders – Birsa Munda, Sidho Kanho, are noteworthy here.

Only those can spare the society who are spiritually, mentally and intellectually ‘perfect’ and ‘full’. Only when one has has something, can give out something. Out of one’s fullness, only fullness can emanate. If the person is selfish, he cannot but give only selfishness. If a family is generous, the generosity can be seen in their dealing with their neighbors and the people in need. Once Blessed Theresa of Kolkota took some rice and gave it to a Muslim family who were literally starving for days. Immediately the Muslim Lady who took rice divided it into two parts and gave the second part to her neighbor. Upon Nun’s asking, the lady replied, “They too are starving like us for three days.” Only spiritually moved,  people can do this! They are ‘Perfect and the Heavenly Father is Perfect.’

Is the perfection possible?

This is a common question most of us ask, “Is perfection possible?” At the outset, it seems to be impossible. People think that nobody can become perfect. This is a similar question as whether or not the holiness is possible.  There is nothing impossible when the grace of God is at work. Living a perfect life is a hard task, but not impossible. Nobody can be perfect, yet perfection is attainable and we can become perfect. It is an onward journey, a pilgrimage. Perfection is achieved when we are in the presence of God, when we reach the ‘beatific vision’. Till then ours is a journey.

What does it mean when Mt. 5:48 is tells us, “Be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect?” Jesus wants us to be sinless, blameless, pure and holy. Blameless would mean, like a good vehicle without any complaint. Imperfection in life is a part of human being and this cannot be neglected. However, one can reduce the imperfection and march towards the perfection. God is perfect and without sin and therefore, He expects us to be so.

There are several people in the Bible who marched towards the perfection and fullness. It is not that they were perfect from their very birth. When Isaiah was called by God, he said, “My lips are dirty” (Is 6:5), Jeremiah said, “I cannot speak, I am still a child” (Jer 1: 6),  Moses was a murderer (Ex 2:12), King David was an adulterer and murderer (2 Sam 11:14, 15), and St. Paul was a persecutor of Christians (Acts 8:3). Yet they are the perfect examples for us to follow. What is beautiful in them is, they learnt to become perfect by observing the commandments of God. If God can make them perfect, why can’t us?

In our pilgrimage towards the fullness of life, there are ups and downs. Some of the tidal waves are gift to us. They are to test our steadfastness as God did with Job, “The Lord said to Satan, have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God, and does away with evil?"  The beauty in this test is, “In all this Job sinned not” (Job 1:8; 22). Job walked in the footsteps of God, so too the stalwarts in the scripture mentioned above.

Mary is a perfect example for the fullness in life. From the day of her conception till her assumption she lived for the people and after her assumption, she continuously intercedes for her children. This is the reason, she is called to be the ‘Mother of God’ and ‘Mother of Humanity.’ She kept everything in her heart - all the prophesies about Jesus, all that happed to Jesus in her time and even the way of Calvary. She silently, walked the path with Jesus. She bravely led the fearsome apostles and the newly baptized Christians towards the fullness of life. 

Conclusion

Let us thank God for the gift of Jamshedpur diocese. The preaching of Good News, Spiritual renewals, Faith formation and Catechetical teaching, the number of formal and non-formal educational institutes, different grades of schools, health assistance in various capacities from village to town, social development programmes in various degrees among all the citizens without having any discrimination to any religion and culture in the different parts of the diocese, is itself self-explanatory to tell you that the Jamshedpur diocese over the years has been marching towards perfection  and has achieved a greater part of it. Yet, there are miles to go before we retire. Our ancestors have contributed their sweat and blood and now, it is our duty, the duty of every individuals to contribute and journey towards this perfection. Let’s hope as Christians that we may move still greater success in all these areas and make this diocese a perfect paradise where there is ‘Fullness of Life’ forever.

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End notes:

[i] This article is an outcome of the reflection as Jamshedpur diocese is celebrating its Golden Jubilee, under the banner, “Towards the Fullness of Life…” Part of it is already published in the News Letter of Jamshedpur diocese during the year.  

[ii] ÅWa  iw.kZen% iw.kZfena iw.kkZRiw.kZeqnP;rs AA iw.kZL; iw.kZeknk; iw.kkZesokof’k”;rs AA ÅWa ‘kkfUr% ‘kkfUr% ‘kkfUr%A ¼bZ’kkokL;ksifr”kn~ 1-1½ Narayana Ram Acharya, bZ’kkfn foa’kksRrj’krksifu”kn~ % 120 Upanishads - A compilation of Original Sanskrit texts of 120 well known Upanishads, Mumbai: Nirnaya Sagara Mudranalaya, 1870, p. 1. Translation mine.