WHEN HISTORY WAS BEING MADE, WHERE WERE YOU? FIVE PLACES! | KAIROS GLOBAL | APRIL 2024

Author: Dr Edward Edezhath

My city, Cochin, hosts a big art extravaganza called Kochi Biennale. Creative minds from around the world gather and showcase their talents. Though I don’t have a background in art, I try not to miss these festivals and exhibits. A few times, I welcomed some artists. I also would organise group visits. The principle is, ‘I want to be at the fireworks, not just hear about it.’ I suppose that is the God-given gift of enthusiasm, without which we would miss the real work of the Holy Spirit.

What is your share and your place?

When I look at the events in the Bible, I try to picture the various actors and their positions. It comes alive as if in a drama.  In the healing of the lame beggar at the Beautiful Gate, in Acts chapter 3, Peter becomes the lead actor. There is at least one supporting actor, John. Very soon, a third group of general participants gather, including the healed man ‘walking, leaping and praising God.’

Interestingly, in most social events, the three categories complete the circle. However, in most biblical anecdotes, there is an ever-present fourth group, those who refuse to be enthusiastic but are ready with a negative view and are overly critical. In the above-hinted incident, fast forward to the beginning of chapter 4, and we see this group quite annoyed at the developments. I want to add a fifth group, the disengaged. These last ones are unconcerned with what is happening in the community but have too much of ‘their own business.’

If you revisit the events in Jesus’ life or many Old Testament scenes, you see these layers of involvement. Look at the life of Moses. Moses leads the group in most places, and a few others help. At one point, 70 leaders actively collaborate with the main leaders, fulfilling various responsibilities. Then, there are the great many who are partaking in the journey. But all the while, some work overtime to find problems and criticise. And finally, there is a set of people who are either uninterested in any of these things or ready to be carried away by anything.

Thus, when history is being made, there are five degrees of involvement and so five types of people: 1) the key players, 2) the active collaborators, 3) those who share the journey, 4) the detractors, and 5) the unconcerned lot. And our point of self-reflection is, when the Kingdom of God is being built in my vicinity, in which of these positions am I?

How come we take these positions?

Maybe some people are youthful and enthusiastic by nature. I know one Charles and his family, very joyful people; whenever something good happens, they make it a point to be present. They enjoy life, and they, in turn, become a blessing to so many.

In my city, I tried organising various events and groups at different times, some spiritual and others cultural. Despite his busy professional responsibilities, Babu has been a person who would come to most of my initiatives and be present there, very often with a few friends. However, there are others who are very negative about everything that goes on around them or never bother to get excited about anything except something that would bring some personal benefit or profit. The last set will be seen only in the long queues to get something free of cost. Otherwise, they conserve their energy. 

Now the question is, what makes this difference? I will give some allowance to each person’s basic nature and demands of circumstances. Some people are quiet and withdrawn, and a second group is weighed down by life’s responsibilities or limitations that are forced upon them. However, what makes a major difference is your vision of life, priorities, and fundamental values.

God is building His Kingdom

I like this definition of spirituality by a famous Indian thinker, ‘In all our activities if we live from the dimension of depth, we are religious.’ There is a danger of looking at spiritual life as saying many prayers or performing endless rituals or activities. Instead, for Christ's disciples, the core of spirituality is seeking God's Kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33) or living with an awareness that God is acting here and now, and a desire to have a part in it.

Have you seen children when there is some get-together at home? They never want to miss the action. Elders will tell them that it is late now; go and sleep. But they don’t want to miss the fun. I am sure later in life, the rich treasure they will have will be the memories of these moments of love and community. 

This vision and understanding make a big difference: the meeting I attend, the discussion, or the visit is something that will change the course of history. This is one important stone in the big mansion that Jesus is building, as in the song, ‘God is building a house that will stand. He is building by his hands with the lively stones of man.’ This ‘dimension of depth’ will move me to the centre of action when some events happen.

This Kingdom sense makes one an active Jesus Youth.

In 1978, as we began our networking efforts, I would invite some enthusiastic youth from different parts of the state to come and brainstorm. We would gather in the Basilica Hall in Ernakulam for a day-long discussion. One person I remember well is Chacko, from a remote hill area in the far North, who would never miss any meeting. Years later, I visited his home and was baffled to note the trouble he had taken for those simple discussions, travelling great distances. After a couple of years, we started meeting monthly in a fellowship called the First Line group. Each member knew they were part of something big that the Lord was preparing. And so, they never missed a month, came late, or left early. This I call the Kingdom sense.

Pope Francis sums it up beautifully, ‘Faith means believing that he marches triumphantly in history with those who are called and chosen and faithful (Revelations 17:14). Let us believe the Gospel when it tells us that the kingdom of God is already present in this world and is growing, here and there, and in different ways. . . May we never remain on the sidelines of this march of living hope!’ (The Joy of the Gospel, 278)