25th December 2021 While our country is going through difficult times, turmoil of unpredictability and uncertainty;
when the Central and many State Governments instead of focusing their vision on the development of their citizens, are engaged in passing draconian bills, projects, and erecting monuments which instead of uniting us as a country with rich heritage of diversity, are engaged to drag our country to medieval dark age for destruction; while our nation is torn apart by religious fanaticism, violence, unlimited corruption, nepotism, and countless forces of evil; when we are surrounded on all sides by clouds of darkness and hopelessness; while politicians are dividing us and making the mockery of democracy and its citizens; while day by day the Satanic forces leading our country from TRUTH to untruth, from LIGHT to darkness, from LIFE to death; besides praying for my country, I thought of doing something positive and beautiful in my own little way and did it. This year, I celebrated Christmas in a quite different way compared to the past years. I enjoyed it to the fullest. I share it with you not for self glorification but to prove that no Bills or Laws can prevent us from sharing and bringing the Good News to the marginalized and neglected ones. I had Christmas lunch with one 3L family who are labelled and treated as as “Hindu Schedule Caste”. Two small kids from another 3L family came on their own to greet me. I asked them to join me for the lunch. They were delighted to hear my invitation. A Muslim friend of mine who is part of 3L Mission to construct decent homes for them had come to meet me. He too was asked to join us for the lunch. Thus Hindus, a Muslim and myself a Catholic Jesuit priest had Christmas lunch together. I brought chicken, mutton, kingfish, vegetables, curds, and ice-cream. Delicious food was prepared by a 3L lady. All of us (4 adults and 4 children)enjoyed the meal and the company of one another. I want to tell those who are obsessed with forcible “conversion”, there was true conversion of hearts and minds of us through conversation and sharing. In the company of 3L, each day I am getting “converted” to become more loveable, generous, and humble. If we truly believe that we are children of ONE GOD, then we do practise inclusivism where there is no room for exclusivism. Until and unless all of us live the prayer of Rabindranath Tagore “Where the mind is free and the head is held high…” there is no hope and future for our country which is heading towards chaoticism. Today on Christmas Day -which reminds us that GOD out of his infinite LOVE became one of us -, in my little way I lived the prayer of Tagore, the enlightened prophet. Pratap Naik, SJ 25th December 2021
