To Change and to be Changed
We are reflecting on the theme: to change and to be changed. Let us reflect for a moment how the hostel atmosphere has changed each one of us; and how we have changed others for the better.
Today we are happy on more than one count: We are completing the academic year; some of us are completing our studies in Loyola; we gratefully thank God for our safe passage through the crisis of corona pandemic; and we think of our parents with thanks who have supported us in all possible ways; and we feel with gratitude for our friends we earned during our stay here. We also look at ourselves, the growth and the change for the better in ourselves. We have grown year by year and we have grown in maturity and confidence as well as in knowledge and wisdom.
At the same time, we have heard from others, observed in our friends, and realized in our own lives that change is the non-changing phenomenon in life. Just think of our physical and intellectual growth, change in our attitudes and goal in life, increase in our expectations, vision or ambitions etc. We could trace out these changes – sometimes subtle and sometimes obvious. These changes could be internal or external. Externally speaking, it is said that onion and union are similar: Onion is made of many layers and union is made of many members. If the layers are removed one by one in an onion or if members leave a union one by one, then both onion as well as union comes to nothing. The question is, should we stay together by all means or at any cost? Much depends on our values and the needs of the time. But any external change for the better precedes change from within. We expect many changes to take place in the world: we want justice, fairness, equity, equal opportunity etc for all. These external changes should first start within us as internal change in attitude, starting with our perception and understanding of events in life. We realize that we need to be the change that we want to bring about in our neighbourhood and in the world at large.
The starting point of any change is the heart. We need to change our attitude and then attitude concretizes into action for the good of others. Finally, this other-centered action transforms the society. Once a Zen master was very thirsty. He asked one of his disciples to fetch some water for him. The disciple went to the nearly pond and found the water muddy as just then a bullock cart passed through it. He did not want to take the muddy water for the master. After a while, the Master asked the disciple to check back again. This time also the water has not cleared up. For a third time, the Master reminded the disciple. Now, he found the water clear and brought some to quench the thirst of the Master.
Our heart also is like the pond – At times it is disturbed or troubled and there is confusion. But when it is clear, the heart is supposed to be loving and compassionate. In the Gospel, we encounter Jesus and a person who was paralyzed for 38 years. There is no one to help him – Nobody bothered about the existence of this person as each one was busy with his own life. But Jesus, on seeing him, is moved within. Perhaps, Jesus put himself in the shoes of this unfortunate and neglected person; and Jesus might have felt how discriminated or neglected this paralytic would have felt. Jesus who felt for him, become him. He heals him even without the sick person asking for any help. So, Jesus observes people with keen interest and his focus is on the needy. First, Jesus’ heart goes out to the discarded in the society; He thinks of the welfare and wholeness of others and naturally action follows. Sympathy becomes empathy.
The origin of this good work is the basic dynamic spirit of love. St Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians describes the essence and importance of love. He brings home the point what it is and what it does. In the hostel: we stay, meet many fellow students. Some become acquaintances, a few become friends for a few years, but a couple of them would become friends for life – That is based on knowing the other, feeling for the other, becoming the other – It is based on love: love does not feel jealousy but rejoices when someone does better than us. First, Paul establishes that however great and powerful you are, if there is no basic love for others, you are worth nothing. And if there is love, then there is no inequality, discrimination, negligence, etc but rather there is accommodation, acceptance, admiration, and accompaniment. Love has the power to make a person or to break a person – Much depends on our attitude and how we live out this love for the good of others.
We may be fortunate in the world but whatever we have, we have received from the bounty of God. Let us also remember that all we have is in view of reaching it out to the needy. And we receive in giving. When we help a helpless person, we receive his or her blessings that could build us up, for the blessing of a poor person is the grace of God. In other words, we become a bridge between God and the needy; and we bring the goodness of God to the helpless in the society. So we need to share not only goods but our goodness itself with others.
We appreciate and admire people for all the good they have. Our appreciation of others becomes friendship with others. Then, we make a world of unity and harmony. Hostel day is to admire and appreciate that we have come from different parts of the state and the country with varying religious and cultural background. But we find the common denominator that we are here to get educated and to be formed as men and women for others. And this noble task begins with my roommate, extends to my floormates, spreads to the block-mates, goes on to classmates and college batch – A mini world of friendship emerges.
This friendship attitude, then, extends to unknown people. The person at the pool of Bethesda was a total stranger to Jesus but Jesus had sympathy for him. It is the heart that goes out to the needs that matters. There is an episode: A train was overcrowded. Those who had already reserved the seats were sitting and others were standing. An elderly person came in – Obviously he did not have a reserved ticket. But no one got up to give him a seat. Finally a young girl got up and offered her reserved seat to the elderly person and she was standing. When the train came to the destination, people noticed she was limping. She was physically challenged person and had only one leg. She was moving slowly with the help of a crutch. But she was so rich in her sympathy for the elderly. We need to put on the heart of sympathy.
It is sympathy that is going to make all the difference in our lives. On the last day, the Lord would not ask us how much we have studied or how much we have earned. He would only ask: Did you feed me when I was hungry?; did you clothe me when I had nothing to wear?; did you help me when I needed some help? etc. When we help the needy, we recognize and honour God in them. As Paul advises us, let us be filled with love that understands others and extends a helping hand to the helpless. And let us have the heart of Jesus to understand the needy and offer our sympathy. When we celebrate the hostel day, we ask ourselves what binds us together?; and what makes us feel one in mind and heart? It is the common ability to love each other; and it is the common goal to help those who are discriminated, ignored, and overlooked. It is this love that Paul proclaimed to the Corinthians and it is this sympathy that Jesus lived out that make us agents of change in the world. Let us do what brings fullness of life to others.
Finally, let us live a full life. One of the top five regrets of the dying is: I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends (The Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware 2012). Amidst busy life, find quality time for the family members and friends. Jesus did find time for others, especially those who needed his loving touch and his words of comfort, as He was propelled by love for others. The Principle and Foundation of our life should be compassion which makes us do our work with love. Let us go forth and do the same for others as Jesus did.
Francis P Xavier SJ
21Apr2022