Practicing the Rule of Life

3150 km, 46 hours trip (on condition there is no traffic...). These are the indications offered calmly by Google maps to help make the trip from Bangalore to Hojai, in the state of Assam where we are told that the population is 64,9% Hindu, 30,9% Muslim, and 3,7% Christian (there are also Sikh, Animists and Buddhists). Let’s remember that we are talking about a population (mainly rural) of about more that 31.000.000! Something tells us that Father Arul SCJ, superior of our community in Hojai, must often meditate on articles 128 and 129 in our Rule of Life.

Article 128 - We recognize that…“there exists among so many individuals and peoples, thanks to the action of the Holy Spirit, a hope, perhaps unconscious, to know the truth of God, about humanity, and the path that leads to freedom from sin and death.”
We wish to be faithful to the teaching of our founder: “I know that God never stops speaking in the depths of souls. I know that in these depths, there is an incessant fermentation, animated, powered by the hand of the Creator, and which asks as from afar in the midst of
shadows, of groaning and noise of all kinds, to respond and to abandon oneself to the divine purposes of God.”

Article 129 - As religious of the Sacred Heart we seek in other religions and cultures, those longings for God, “rays of that truth, which enlightens all men”, “seeds of the word” and “riches that by his generosity, God dispenses to all nations”, “sown in the spirit and in the hearts of men through the rituals and customs of peoples”.

Jesus is our mirror. Our Lord Jesus is our role model in all we do. The 1000 days of his public life shows us how He lived with all the walks of life, different faiths, different authorities. As Our Founder St. Michael Garicoits rightly puts things in clear saying this and one has to imitate Him closely.

Following the footsteps of our Founder in following Our Master, I too find joy in practicing our way of life among the other religions. I feel that in practicing the rule there is always some struggles, joy, peace, sometimes disappointments and at times one gets wisdom.

As I am newly appointed to be the mission in charge of the North East of India that is Assam, the first thought ran into my mind was, “Am I worthy to take up such a huge responsibility?” I am not experienced enough to handle situations that arise or the issues to solve. But thanks be to God for all the strength that He gives me. Thanks to my community members, Fr. Jesuraj and Bro. Michael, and two religious sisters’ communities namely the Sacred Heart Sisters and the Notre Dame Sisters.

After the Resurrection, Mary Magdalene’s encounter with the Risen Jesus is the strengthening passage for me personally. In that episode we would see that Mary wanted to cling on Jesus but Jesus would commission Mary to tell the disciples that He would meet them in Galilee. It means to me that Jesus is going ahead of His disciples to Galilee to prepare the place, settle the issues, solve the problems etc; I too am experiencing the same joy that the disciples felt meeting Jesus in Galilee. In my case, before I could reach Hojai, He was already there to guide me and to prepare the way for my mission.

Assam is the State with various languages, cultures, ethnic groups, tribes and religions. Hojai, being part of Assam, reflects the same. Hojai in particular is like Jericho of the Old Testament and the New Testament. As I compare Hojai with Jericho, it is a city with majority population of Muslim and Hindu Communities. Our Christian population is very minimum. Here only I am strengthened to witness my way of life. Before coming to Hojai, I was in a parish as an assistant Parish Priest in Bangalore. The place as well as the people were familiar to me. I picked up the language quiet well; there I was happy and comfortable to live my life as religious and as priest. It gave me greater joy. I used to go for house visiting, praying in the houses, praying for sick etc, so to say I had created my comfort zone so strongly. Breaking that comfort zone and coming out was really a tough one. But in Hojai things are different.

Here in Hojai I have to play a dual role. To be the Administrator and the Pastor. As an administrator and head of the institute, I meet various kinds of people from all walks of like. In my meeting with them I try to put some Christian understanding to them whether in dealing with the parents of the school children or children themselves. “This priest is different from other” - That is the compliment people give. It is all because of the formation I received as a formee. At the end of my conversations with the people ,I shake hand with them and wish them “God bless”. This simple gesture of blessing touches many and they find in it something new and comfort.

Couple of months ago I had an opportunity to be part of an Ecumenical Dialogue which was organized by Brahama Kumaris (kind of religious Sisters in Hinduism). There I met a Hindu woman sage and a Muslim leader. Everyone had to talk on different theme. I spoke on “Insensitiveness of the human beings towards the other person.” I had prepared it in the light of the Gospel, but I cited also the examples from the Holy Quran and Bhagavat Gita, the Holy books of Muslims and Hindus respectively.

It was an open minded dialogue; many benefited out of that dialogue and came to the deeper understanding of each other.

Then I meet people who are in government offices and I have good rapport with government officials. They too appreciate the work the Church is doing for the poor and downtrodden. In my relationship with them I remember the words of Jesus, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give to God what belongs to God.” Recently I succeeded in getting some government help for our poor Catholics: mainly a cycle rickshaw, five spraying machines and three sewing machines.

As a pastor and priest I have different roles to play in the parish. The presence of Catholics is less. We have only 16 catholic families in and around Hojai. Some live in isolated areas. Being with them is joy. Being part of their lives is glory. Along with the help of the two sisters’ communities we re-evangelize them. Bringing them under one umbrella as Catholics in spite of their diversity gives meaning to our presence here. Fr. Jesuraj, our Parish Priest, giving his full energy in making regular visit to their houses and organizing prayer meetings and Bible sharing makes them feel that there is someone to guide them. They too develop the sense of belongingness to the Church.

Our brothers in Hojai: Fr. Jesuraj, Fr. Arul, Br. Michael

In a way I am happy that at the end of the day we could make some changes in their lives and make their living condition better. Every one of us lives by a spirituality or belief system.

The Church has walked these many miles to reach the people those who are reachable or untraceable before in the North Eastern region of India. Now the people have their identity. Yet not all. My wish is that the Church and our Congregation should go little more further to reach the unreachable with the mission and vision of St. Michael. When that dream comes true I can boldly say we the Betharramite missionaries in Hojai have extended the Kingdom of God to further more kilometres with the help of God.

Arul Gnana Prakash scj