The Feminine Face of Discipleship

 

Human being whether male of female, is essentially divine. Often God is understood as male because of patriarchal nature of the society, and forget the feminine aspect, which is equally important than the former. In Christian literature also God is portrayed in the feminine qualities such as generative, sacrificial, loving, compassionate, tender, nurturing, service minded, dedicated and so on. These are also the explicit qualities of the balanced person. Jesus is no doubt a balanced person in all the aspects, who respected and upheld the human dignity at his time in the male dominated society. These are also the qualities Jesus imposes on the person who would like to be called his ‘Disciple’.

In the society we see women subjugated in various aspects. They bear the torture, undergo pain and become subjects of harassment. There are also women, amidst all these problems, bear the pain and ‘stand up’ in the situation. Women are also the ‘masterminds’ to uproot the societal evils. A true disciple of Jesus needs to know and learn these qualities so that he can be ‘another Christ’ for himself and for others and thus to bring the good News of liberation to all.

This is a small effort made to know the qualities of a disciple. It is noteworthy to find out that these qualities are also the qualities every woman possesses specially the women disciples of Jesus. A synthetic approach is being made in the conclusion to inculcate these qualities in the ministry entrusted to us.

1 The Discipleship

1.1 The Qualities of Discipleship

The call for a discipleship involves several aspects. They include, God calls and we accept the call. Once we accept unconditionally, involves our fuller commitment to our ‘yes’ to Him. Finally once when we say unconditional ‘yes’, comes the test, ‘to be identified with the master’.

1.2 A Call to follow

            Whatever we are, wherever we are, God loves us unconditionally, because he wants ‘everyone to be saved’ (1 Tim 2:4) and he ‘doesn’t want any one to be ‘lost’. With this motive, Jesus calls us to follow him. It is a call first and foremost to save my soul and secondly to save souls of the other. His call is a gratuitous call.

1.3 ‘Follow’ – a complete Commitment

God the Father gave the relay baton of salvation to his Only Son Jesus. He won this race through His utmost sincerity and commitment and now the same baton is passed on to me. As a true disciple I must be a person of total commitment and sincerity. For Jesus himself said, “once you put the hand in the plough and look back is not worthy to be my disciple”.

I had a dream of becoming an Engineer but that dream was shattered by the call of Christ. In my following Christ, some time in the middle I was shattered by the attraction towards opposite sex, but I was not shattered. Instead, she by knowing my real intention encouraged me with support and courage.

1.4  The Joy of Discipleship

The story of the Tax collector in Mt. 9:9-17 is a model for Jesus’ gratuitous call of those ostensibly unworthy of discipleship. It is a radical grace enfleshed in the radical demand to follow, a demand which is immediately obeyed. Even though unworthy at the call, after receiving it, the person becomes worthy. The person is spiritually healed, in the very act of physical healing. The inner peace resulting from such grace is noteworthy.

Jesus shows mercy, which is the essence of his messianic mission. He came to call sinners, which imply the recipient’s unworthiness to be called. Jesus shows mercy to Mary Magdalene and latter she becomes the ardent lover and follower of Christ’s mission and thus a role model to be followed by many.

1.5 The Total Renunciation – A Self Denial

The sending of the Twelve among the lost sheep (Mt 10:5-15), incorporates the traditional missionary charge as a sense of reverence and testimony. The rejection of Jesus in his own people and land shows the stringent situation where one needs to work. One is forced to provide new leaders for the shepherdless sheep of Israel.

Missionary needs only basic food and lodging that must be provided as the right by the ones they serve. Wherever they go, are not to seek out better lodging later. The worth of the host is no doubt to be judged by the acceptance of both messenger (hospitality) and the message (faith). Both of them go together.

1.6 Persecution, the Identification with the Master

     The cost of discipleship is the persecution and persecution is the identification of the disciple with the Master. ‘The disciple is no superior to his master. If they’ve called the master the house of Beelzebub, what will they not say his house-hold?” (Mt. 9:34, 12:24).

During the persecution one must not be fearful for He says. “Fear not for I am with you” (Jer 1:7-8). Dispite imprisonment, the persecution cannot keep the Gospel message hidden. It will be out in the light.

2. The Feminine Face of the Discipleship

2.1  Christ’s feminine face to follow

Christ is Son of God and Son of Man and yet He is both male and female. Isn’t this a paradox? Yes, it looks like a paradox. Carl Gustav Jung speaks of ‘self’ as ‘Androgyny’ which refers to the presence of both masculine and feminine qualities in an individual and the ability to realize both potentialities. Thus a human being is both masculine and feminine consisting of anima-animus, personal-shadow, body-mind and conscious-unconscious (Theories of personality by Barbara Engler). A balanced person knows to harmonize these qualities well in one’s life. All the qualities said earlier like mercy, sacrifice, self-denial, persecution, joy can be applied to a woman. She is an embodiment of all these characters. Jesus incorporated all these qualities in his public life, in his existential dealing with the reality, with both men and women.

2.2 The Feminine Qualities

2.2. 1 Courage

To follow someone breaking the boundaries of tradition and culture in the society amidst all the ups and downs needs courage and boldness. Some of the women have shown it like Martha, Mary Magdalene and Mother Mary herself (Mk 15:40-41, 16:1-7).

2.2.2 Self-Denial

‘If you want to follow Christ, leave everything, take up my Cross and follow me”. These words were very much true in the case of Mary Magdalene, the Samaritan woman etc. Once they knew Him, surrendered totally to Jesus. Samaritan woman goes a step ahead, ‘leaves everything’ and announces about Jesus in her village, Martha, forgets everything and chooses the right spot, ‘to listen’ at the feet of Jesus (Lk 10: 38-42).

2.2.3  Persecution

    Mother’s love to the child is unconditional. Likewise, Mother Mary loved her son unconditionally. From the conception till the death of Jesus, in all her sons’ good and tough situations, she was there to assist his son. As Simeon prophesized a ‘sword was piercing’ Mary’s heart at every moment of Christ’s hardship. This is nothing but the authentic example of true discipleship. Jesus moving with compassion for the trouble the women took, feels sorry for them and says at the way to Calvary, “Do not cry.”

2.2.4 Dignity of person

Society looks women down upon. This was true even to the time of Jesus. Knowing this reality, Jesus upheld the right of women. This is clear from the incident where Jesus raised the widow’s son to life (Lk 7:11-17), the story of Mary Magdalene (Lk 7:36-50), the healing of crippled woman on the Sabbath day Lk 13:10-17), woman searching for the lost coin which symbolize the search of lost humanity (Lk 15:8-10), and the widow demanding justice (Lk 18:10-18) etc.

2.2.5 Joy

‘Assurance’ of discipleship can be said to be fulfilled when the person receives inner peace. Because of the tremendous love and concern for the women and their dignity, Jesus blesses them and makes them as the first ‘Apostles’. It is none but the once sinner Mary Magdalene was sent as ‘apostle’ to proclaim good news to his brothers, and not the 12 who were always with him. It was when Mother Mary was present, the promised Holy Spirit descended upon them.

Thus Jesus had a balanced outlook of personality. By being male He had the characters of female. The qualities said to be feminine such as sensitivity, love, service, self sacrifice, or self-denial, hard work, tenderness, commitment were synonymous with his personality. Jesus demands these same qualities from His would be follower.

3. The Synthetic Approach to Follow Christ

The characters said to be feminine are also the characters needed to be a good disciple of Jesus. What Jesus did at His time in society is also demanded of today. Today’s society is mainly male dominated one, except for a few which see women as equal to men. But there is hardly any culture which see women as superior to man, they are always the weaker sex. Today the task given as St. Paul rightly pointed out is ‘to become another Christ.’ Therefore to become another Christ I need to inculcate a balanced personality within. I must have a balanced approach towards everyone.

3.1 Integration into the ministry

     If I go to people with my patriarchal personality, I will be a failure and if I go with the feminine personality I will be of no value. To keep the boat safe and keep going, I must first and foremost have a balanced approach.

There is always a growing tendency to get alienated from the opposite sex. My experience has taught me that ‘women can change’ the society more than the men. Therefore to bring a positive development in the society our main weapons are the women. Therefore to have a good rapport in the workplace, in the social sectors, I need to cultivate the qualities of love, service, sensitivity, joy, peace, perseverance, hard work, self-sacrifice etc which would enable me to be a better disciple of Jesus.

Discipleship is a deep experience or a deep relationship between the master and the disciple. A true disciple is one who follows the footprint of his master. A Christian discipleship is the ever-deeper growing life of faith in Christ or the experience of Christ, and its highest stage is to remain in faith and love with Christ. Thus a Christian disciple is the one who hears, follows, seeks, finds, comes, sees, and remains with him. The women disciples of Jesus in this sense were the true disciples. This fact challenges me to be an authentic person to like those women disciples.

Raju Felix Crasta

A MEDITATION ON HANDS

I am sharing with you a beautiful story which I received a few days ago. It really challenged me and my actions. Hope the readers will appreciate it. The author of this story is anonymous to me. 

A MEDITATION on HANDS

An old man, probably some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the park bench. He didn’t move, just sat with his head down staring at his hands. When I sat down beside him he didn’t acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if he was okay.

Finally, not really wanting to disturb him but wanting to check on him at the same time, I asked him if he was all right. He raised his head and looked at me and smiled.

“Yes, I’m fine, thank you for asking,” he said in a clear strong voice.

“I didn’t mean to disturb you, sir, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were okay,” I explained to him.

“Have you ever looked at your hands?” he asked. “I mean really looked at your hands?”

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point he was making.

Then he smiled and related this story:

Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled, shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life. They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor. My hands put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They dried the tears of my children and caressed the love of my life.

My hands held my rifle and wiped my tears when I went off to war. They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special. My hands wrote the letters home and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse and walked my daughter down the aisle. Yet, they were strong and sure when I dug my buddy out of a foxhole and lifted a plow off of my best friends foot. They have held children, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn’t understand.

My hands have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer. These hands are the mark of where I’ve been and the ruggedness of my life.

But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And He won’t care about where these hands have been or what they have done. What He will care about is to whom these hands belong and how much He loves these hands. And with these hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ.

No doubt I will never look at my hands the same again. I never saw the old man again after I left the park that day but I will never forget him and the words he spoke.

When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and wife I think of the man in the park. I have a feeling he has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God.

I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel his hands upon my face.

Thank you, Father God, for hands.

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 

image source: http://th06.deviantart.net/fs70/200H/i/2010/340/1/1/winter_song_by_kirahero-d34cy6m.jpg

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. 

Picture source:  https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQC3FXShxDhvuzC163eZEH5IwPessjE0ZKpBguPmSJaWzIYli6H

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

Pictures source: http://thejoshuacollective.com/2011/03/

                       http://jennaloveschrader.blogspot.in/

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