Reading the signs of times in the light of GC 34
(Servants on mission, justice and culture)
By Macwan Alpesh Josephbhai SJ
Introduction
During my Juniorate studies Fr. Scott Fernandes SJ from Karnataka, used to remind us time and again, 'prepare yourselves from ten year now when you come out as a Priest the world you are going to face.' It is apt for those in formation and the formators to read the signs of times and respond them adequately.
The world we live in is very complex and pluralistic society, where in there is richness of many religions, traditions, cultures, languages and opposite to it there is a naked reality of the poorer become poorer, they are marginalized and exploited, tribal displacement, the growing religious fundamentalism and fanaticism promoted by the political powers (2002 riots in Gujarat/ Shabari Khumb Melo/ Jehad) and, Patan incident open our eyes to the plight of women in Gujarat and in the world. Also we need to open our eyes to this reality of two extreme poles. We face an age of modernity, where we experience the trends of the age in the cultural phenomena manifested in the development, scientific discoveries, fashion, speed, technology, liberalization, globalization, consumerism these have left tremendous impacts on the lives of the people at individual
and social life. The rich and intellectuals project consumerism, individualism, money power, as 'the best' for success in life. One hand we face the bombardment of consumerism, globalization, and ecological hazards as the consequences of the developmental projects and on the other hand we witness the human struggles for the identity, dignity, respect, equality, preservation of life and justice. Amidst this situation, we cannot evangelize, proclaim the Word Incarnate and render our services to the people without understanding, respecting, assimilating - religious traditions, cultural heritage, languages, foundational history, life-styles, art, etc. of the people.
Thus, for us Jesuits spread in the world, it becomes necessary and essential to know, recognize and get rooted in the culture of the people of the place in order to be effective in breaking of the Word and fight for justice and the rights of the oppressed and marginalized. How do we creatively respond and interpret this reality as Jesuits today? GC 34 reaffirms our stand in relation to social reality founded and supported by late Superior General Father Pedro Arrupe. GC 34 stressed justice, culture and inter-religious dialogue in our mission.
Servants on Christ's mission:
GC affirmed that our service especially among the poor has deepen our life of faith which has become more paschal, more compassionate, more tender, more evangelical in its simplicity.
[1] There is a growing awareness among us regarding the changing structures and developments in and around the world. We have engaged ourselves in various ministries. As in Asia, we are engaged in the struggles of the poor and the indigenous peoples for justice and in dialogue with other cultural and religious traditions in order to put the Gospel in touch with the Asian life which brings the richness of the Asian culture to the living of the Gospel.[2] Our mission today is a single but complex reality which develops in variety of ways and in accordance with our charism the Jesuit mission is the service of Faith and the promotion of Justice. It calls us to recognize that without faith and without the eye of love the world remains fragmented, broken and evil. We as servants on Christ's mission are called to manifest his love to the world scarred by sin, often broken by the injustice done to the neglected people, children, women, adivasis, Dalits, blacks, aborigines of America, Australia. In this light our vocation is to serve faith and promote justice of God's Kingdom. We are called to transform from solidarity of sin to solidarity with him for humanity,
[3] following the example of Christ through his life, death and resurrection. GC 34 stresses, 'deep personal love for Jesus Christ,' and calls us to imitate our Father Ignatius "to be contemplative in action." It is an action which must be 'in solidarity with the most needy.'
Our
We the Jesuits have set out on a journey of Faith that does justice in the words of Gaudium et Spes n.1 suggests us we open up ourselves to "the joys and the hopes, the grief and the anxieties of the men and women of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted." The promotion of justice has been integrated into our traditional ministries.
GC 34 brought to the light the urgent situations of the world:
The marginalization of
A few dimensions of Justice and Faith in our Province:
We have become part of the afflicted and marginalized people in their struggle for human dignity as being already realized by our Social Apostolate in
Our
What is culture? Culture means the way in which a group of people live, think, feel, organize themselves, celebrate and share life. In every culture, there are underlying systems of values, meanings and views of the world, which are expressed, visibly in language, gestures, symbols, rituals and styles. Their culture is value system to them. Their externals may change but the core remains sacred. It is essentially a system based on the values of equality; renew ability of the natural resources and respect for the whole community, past, present and future.
The 34th General Congregation of the Society of Jesus, in its decree on "Our
It focuses on the process of inculturating the Gospel of Jesus Christ within human culture, and in all the diversity of human experiences. It means the proclamation of the Gospel and people's response to it are mediated by the cultures. Pope John Paul II also stressed that evangelization has to bring the power of the Gospel into the very heart of culture and cultures, so that they may bring forth from their own living tradition, original expressions of Christian life, celebration and thought.[5]
The Efforts in
The Christian Gamit Tribal community is spread around Vyara, Mandal and Unai parishes of
The community renews its baptismal promises and performs Beda Bedi vidhi. The lively singing in local language and the prayers intertwines the tribal ritual for harmony and peace. Those who are at conflict with each other assemble before the community and ask for pardon from each other. Similarly at Mass, the priest and four elders symbolically exchange and drink water from leaf-cups, reminding us of the beda-bedi vidhi thus reconciling ourselves to one another, to universe and God.[6]
Cultural heritage - a museum at Bardipada:
Fr. Galdos SJ has collected the artifacts which give depth knowledge of the meaning and importance of birth, death and the marriage in the tribal life. Few of those things are not available today. His efforts encourage keeping alive the tribal culture. The boys and girls of the school are given the understanding of the rich heritage they possess, like the dances, skills and the material artifacts that their great grandparents used in the olden days in the region.
We need to learn to be a recipient before we give to others. Our openness to others will help us to feel "at home" in different settings and let other feel 'at home' among us. Our message would become relevant only when the content of the message is communicated meaningfully in the thought forms of the people, their life situation, setting, symbols and signs, words give them the meaning, yet at the same time remain faithful to the content of the message.
Conclusion:
To adequately respond to the challenges we need young men with intellectual and a vigorous spiritual formation. GC concludes by exhorting all of us to be "men sent, always available for new missions," and "ever searching for the Magis." Currently we are on the thresholds of completing the GC 35, which also reminds us like GC 34 to focus our attention on these prevailing issues, predominantly to respond to the continent of
[1] Cf. GC 34, no.15
[2] Cf. GC 34, no.18
[3] Cf. GC 34, no.36
[4] Redemptoris Missio, no. 52, 1991
[5] Seminar on Inculturation, by Alpesh Macwan SJ, p.2
[6] Cf. B.Th Paper on Adivasi Assertion for identity, Alpesh SJ.
