Today, we are invited to the celebration of the feast of Exultation of the Cross by Holy Cross sisters, famous in India as Benziger sisters initially for their association with Benziger Hospital, Kollam. They are our friendly neighbour in Sitapur, running Bishop Charles Memorial (BCM) hospital. The hospital, like all other Christian institutions of Sitapur, was built and handed over to them by the late Fr Gerard OFM Cap. They also run a nursing school and a regular school as well in Khairabad of Sitapur. The CMI fathers in Naipalapur and the HC sisters of Khairabad have a very friendly and mutually supportive fraternal relationship.
Today, Fr Clive, the chaplain had invited me to be the
main celebrant for the festal mass. It was some 2 weeks ago that he had thus
asked, and without thinking much, I had okayed. It was only much later that I
realized it was going to be their titular feast and all the priests of our
Sitapur parish (spread around 900 sq km and having some 40 families) would be
present. In spite of being conversant
with the Latin rite liturgy, I am yet to learn to intone the prayers on a
solemn occasion and do the ritual incense properly.
The Holy Cross sisters numbering around 100 from four
neighbouring convents are mostly Malayalees. There are a few from the North
East and Jharkhand as well. The congregation had its origin in Menzingen, Switzerland
in 1844 with the inspired leadership of Fr Theodosius Florentini and Mothere
Bernarda. The sisters were invited by the Maharaja of Thiruvatancore (Travancore)
to assist at the medical facilities of the state. They established a centre at
Kollam and grew fast, leading to branches being established in the North of
India, forming itself into a province. Their motto is: In the Cross is Salvation – In
Cruce Salus.
.jpeg)
The feast of the exaltation of the cross is said to be
about the discovery of the original cross of Christ by St Helena, the mother of
Emperor Constantine. She embraced
Christianity on account of Constantine’s conversion to Christianity. It is said that in 312 AD Constantine,
leading one of the regions of the Roman empire, inherited from his father Constantius, got a revelation in his campaign to
spread his hold against the prominent rival Maxentius – a cross of light in the sky with a Greek caption – ‘τούτω νικι’ (Touto Niki - In this Conquer) – this got famous in the later days as ‘You shall have
victory in this sign’. A related
narrative is about a Greek sign of ‘Chi Rho’ (representing the first two
letters of Christos - X and P - in Greek) appearing to him. His historian Lactantius is said to have
been the interpreter of the sign for him, and it is said that Constantine was victorious
(though not clear as to which battle - thought to be of Milvian bridge) and in 313 through the edict of Milan
Christianity was made the religion of the state – from a persecuted religion to
a state religion. St Helena is said to
have made a pilgrimage or tour to Palestine in AD 326 and is said to have
discovered the Cross. A church was built
at the spot by Constantine named as the church of Holy Sepulchre. Whether becoming a state religion was really
good for the spirit of Christianity etc are relevant questions – did the triumph
lead to the triumphalism of the Church? Did the sign of the cross get transformed into the handle of a conquering sword? However, as simple believers, we could
only say that in God’s plan, this had come to be – with untold benefits to
humanity as well as several acts of omissions and commissions that could never be
justified according to the spirit of Jesus Christ.
The readings today are inspirational - We find in the gospel according to John (3:16 ff)
Jesus’ prediction or promise of being raised like the serpent raised by Moses (Numbers 21:4-9) –
to heal the wounded humanity, and to be raised (upon what is not clear) as a
sacrificial victim for the salvation of the world – indicating God’s care for
the world for which, in human analogy, he is willing to give up even his only
son! The reference to the healing
serpent in the desert cannot be missed. Those who looked at the serpent got
healed (I am still not able to grasp why this measure was introduced by
God. It almost appears like idolatry).
However, here Jesus makes a remark which gets accomplished in his crucifixion
for his bold critical stand for a just, humane and rational society – placing the
traditions in the right perspective – that all this should be guided by the
principle of overall well-being. His meek submission
without resistance and bold embracing of cruel death, have set a path for humans
the world over for confronting the reality and the mystery of suffering –
submit, resist not and accept the unavoidable sufferings of life as part of the
broader plan of a caring God, the loving father of all. The inspiration is to look up to Jesus on the
cross, and learn the lessons of life from him, draw grace and strength from his
life, to be healed. And millions to this day have found that.
In the Syro Malabar Church, this season centred around
this feast is termed the season of ‘Elijah-Sliba-Moses’. It begins remembering Jesus’
transfiguration at Mount Tabor, where Moses and Elijah are found talking to
him. He is presented as the fulfilment of
the law (represented by Moses) and the prophecies (represented by Elijah) – the
transfiguration experience there is replicated with the cross. The sign of
ignominy and suffering is made into a sign of salvation and glory. And the
Sliba (Aramaic for Cross) without the crucified body is seen as the symbol of Christ
triumphing over death fulfilling law and the prophecies. Today, the challenge before every Christian is to be agents thus transforming our life situations and our daily crosses into
joyful acceptance of the will of God, and persistent proclamation of God’s
reign of justice, peace and joy.
The letter to Philippians (2:6 ff) clearly
demonstrates the means Jesus employed to attain the glory of the children of
God – of submission, of giving up self, even not considering his equality with
God as the son of God to be held on to. This
is the Christian challenge to ‘let go’ our petty interests, rivalries and hurts;
refusing to be resentful and be Christ-like in our relationships.
It is interesting to note that in our local tradition, we usually start our day with the solemn sign of the cross. We bless ourselves with the sign four times – on the forehead – signifying our thoughts; on the lips – signifying our words; on the chest – signifying our emotions; and on the arms – signifying our actions. The spirit of the cross should permeate our thoughts, words, emotions and actions so that we are able to surrender our ego and thus triumph over our own selves. We pray, 'Through the sign of the Cross, deliver us from our enemies'. Are we to seek deliverance from people who hate us, or people whom we hate or dislike? Rather, the deliverance Cross should give us is from those enemies that create enemies - vanity, selfishness, wickedness, manipulation, hatred, impurity, and jealousy (Koosappa prayer of Syro Malabar Liturgy before the 2nd Gehanta prayer). After the passion commemoration at the consecration, the third Gehanta continues enumerating the gifts of the crucified Christ - one among them being 'the destruction of our enemies' - which should imply the destruction of the causes of enmity, namely the vices aforementioned.
One way of interpreting the Cross is the triangular relationality the human beings find themselves in - the Cross is the symbol of right relationships - (i) rooted and planted on earth and in this world which God loves - caring for it as its stewards (Gen 2:15), especially against the looming threat of climate change & global warming, (ii) reaching out to people and other beings in mutually enriching love, and (iii) lifting our hearts and minds to God, who transcends all our limitations.
Christian call is to be a sign of the Cross - self-suffering to eliminate suffering and hatred and establish peace!
Three songs come to my lips today:
(i) We hail thee, Saviour and Lord, Thy Cross ever be adored.
(ii) Deep within us, shared among us/ May we ever give/ The Mind and heart of Jesus Christ.
(iii) जो क्रूज़ पे कुर्बान है वो मेरा मसीहा है हर ज़ख्म जो सितम उसका है वो मेरे गुनाह का है
Oh definitely, these days, in spite of all the threat of being a Christian in this belt looming large, still the feast is a celebration - we get together, and the religious and priests from the neighbourhood are there. The food is good. And several 'lives' have been sacrificed to celebrate the rood by its stewards. And the fellowship is joyous.
May our routine lives be marked by the sign of the cross spreading hope and happiness around, even though we have to let go our possessions, our egos, our time and our energy.
No comments:
Post a Comment