By Varghese Alengaden
Indore, April 10, 2020: Covid-19, an invisible microbe which originated in Wuhan, China, in mid-November 2019 has attacked over 198 countries in the world killing 88,528 people and infecting over 1,519,066.
This invisible enemy has not spared even the most developed countries which have powerful armies and limitless stockpiles of nuclear weapons. The powerful US has already lost more than 15,000 people and more than 435,000 are infected. Similarly Italy, Spain, France and England together have lost more than 40,000 of their people by 9th April when this write up is prepared. In fact, the whole world is going through the experience of Good Friday of anxiety, tension, fear, suffering and death.
In fact the number of people KOVID19 snatched away is not larger than the number of people died in the two world wars or at the time of Spanish flu. While the First World War killed 20 million people, the Second World War killed 75 million. The Spanish flu killed 17 million.
In India, tuberculosis kills 220,000 people every year, but no media reports about it, may be because those who die are the ‘last and the least’ in the language of Mahatma Gandhi. Similarly it is a reality that 2.5 million people die of hunger in India every year. More than 800,000 children die every year in India for lack of food and medicine. Around 800,000 people commit suicide every year in the world. While thousands die in natural calamities, many thousands are murdered every day in different parts of the world.
The world which is so indifferent to millions of people who die every day suddenly became alert with the attack of Covid19 which started killing people in smaller numbers. The death of millions in the first category did not affect many. They happened only in different countries or regions. Those who die of TB, hunger and other diseases are the ‘last and the least’ of society who did not matter for those who run the governments.
The coronavirus pandemic brought the whole world virtually on its knees. Experts warn of more deaths in a couple of weeks. The virus has not spared even the heads of governments and celebrities. For the first time the world is witnessing complete lockdown for social distancing, the best way to prevent the deadly virus.
The world economy is hit very drastically. People all over the world are strictly ordered to stay inside. Those who are obsessed with rituals and traditional prayers are upset about the shutdown of the worship places. People who believed in praying to God and perform various rituals together in their worship places express their disappointment over depriving them of their right to worship their gods. They also question God for this pandemic and closure of houses of prayer and worship. The priests and god-men who claimed to possess special powers of healing the sick and casting out demons also don’t dare to venture out for fear of Covid-19.
For Christians who are deprived of various devotions and solemn celebrations during the Holy Week, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday Holy Saturday and the most solemn Easter Sunday, it is a an opportunity to contemplate on the mysteries of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection and explore new possibilities of living their faith in the risen Lord.
Instead of grumbling at the loss of opportunity for routine Bhakti Marga of religiosity of rituals they should contemplate on the realities of the sufferings of humanity. Instead of feeling sad for missing the ritual of the traditional ‘way of the cross’ they could mediate on the plight of thousands of migrant workers who were walking hundreds of kilometers without food to reach their villages.
If they could see the real Jesus walking the way to Calvary among these ‘least and the last’ of the society they would abandon their Bhakti Marg and become proactive and prophetic Karmayogis. Similarly if we could meditate on the realities of our country and world at large where millions of people who die of hunger, TB and other diseases we don’t feel sorry for not having the traditional Good Friday rituals. If we only meditate on the plight of more than 1.5 million people infected in different parts of the world and 82,159 people who died of coronavirus infection we require no long and pious Good Friday rituals with a large crowd in the church.
Those who feel sorry for missing the yearly ritual of washing the feet as a symbolic act of service and the institution of the Holy Eucharist on Holy Thursday should contemplate on the selfless service of thousands of medical doctors, nurses and other health care workers, spending their day and night in the hospitals, to save life of KOVID 19 victims.
They are away from their own homes. Many of them have already become victims of KOVID 19 while serving the infected patients. They are living the Eucharist 24X7. Instead of staying glued to the channels to watch Holy Mass and other rituals in the comfort of our closed homes it is more sacred and motivational to watch live the services of medical staff, police and other volunteers risking their lives.
Prime Minister of Ireland Leo Varadkar, a doctor, the joined hospital to serve the Covid-19 victims. Similarly, Miss England Bhasha Mukherjee, another physician, returned to work in a hospital to serve the coronavirus victims. They are ‘washing the feet’ in real life and walking the way of the cross with Jesus, not performing rituals. They preach through their life of service instead of preaching eloquent sermons through you tube channels.
Going beyond the Bhakti Marg of religiosity of traditional pious devotions and contemplating on these living examples will prompt us to get out of the churches and temples to take the mission of Karma Yogis to worship God in flesh and blood. May these days of Holy Week help us to venture into making action plans to express solidarity with Jesus who is suffering and serving outside the churches! It is time to switch off the Bhakti Marg channels and watch hundreds of Veronicas and Simons who walk with the suffering Jesus in millions who suffer from pandemics, regular diseases and conflicts all over the world.
God is not in the churches, temples and mosques. He is out there in hospitals, villages, slums and prisons. Let these worship places and religious markets be locked down. Jesus had told us to worship God in truth and spirit and meet Him in flesh and blood of our fellow beings irrespective of color, creed, status and nationality.
After the suffering and death of Good Friday there comes Easter. God doesn’t want humanity to perish. The risen Lord wants all human beings to have life and have it abundantly. This is possible when humans rise from their death culture of pessimism, ego and pride. Covid 19 has attacked every country despite their military might and scientific development. Everyone in the world is busy attacking this one common enemy.
As the world has survived all kinds of pandemic and wars in the past this will also pass. The death and destruction we face now should enable us to rise above all narrow divisive politics and beliefs.
The mystery of resurrection shall be converted to history by renewing the minds and hearts of people and restructuring the world order. The following tips could be used for our contemplation, Dhyana Marga to celebrate Easter 20 to be a land mark resurrection of individuals and of the whole humanity.
1. Break walls of division and build bridges:
Building walls manifests fear, insecurity and exclusion. In the past, kings and emperors erected walls around their cities to protect themselves from the enemies. After the world war Germany was divided into two parts by a wall. After 40 years it was demolished to unite the two parts into one nation. US President Donald Trump declared to build a wall against Mexico. The presidents and Prime Ministers build walls of armed security personnel around them to protect themselves from the attack of hostile forces.
Walls are built between people of different religions, regions and cultures. Everyone is afraid of the other. Walls are made to exclude the other. Walls are also built among the members of the same family and same political groups. There is lack of trust of the other. Fear and suspicion deprive people and nations of greater fellowship and collaboration.
Two neighboring countries, Germany and France had a history of hostility for 300 years. When they demolished the wall of fear and hostility with the power of trust and friendship they could influence other counties also to join this fellowship and friendship which gave birth to European Union. They could realize a borderless Europe with single currency Euro. There was a resurrection of a continent which witnessed death of millions and destruction in several wars over the years.
Post Covid 19 world will be one of resurrection from divisions, exclusion, mistrust and create a world of inclusive and universal solidarity at all levels. Walls will not protect us from any deadly virus like Covid 19. They only prevent human solidarity and friendship.
2. Counter pride and arrogance by washing the feat of the other
Jesus set an example of a new way of leadership by washing the feet of his disciples. In Jewish tradition washing the feet was the job of slaves. By washing the feet of his disciples he was presenting a counter culture against the imperial and priestly leadership. “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (Jn 13:1-17). He was setting an example of servant leadership for the leaders of all ages to come.
Generally people want to occupy positions of leadership to rule over others and enjoy perks and privileges. The power and privileges make the leaders proud and arrogant. In democracy minister means servant. Unfortunately the leaders at all levels have distorted the leadership role. Even the leaders in the Church who are expected to set example of servant leadership adopt the style of kings and emperors.
The leaders who have more power and money exhibit their pride and arrogance. Similarly the leaders of those countries who have more wealth and powerful military dictate terms to weaker nations and threaten them. Recently struck by the panic of pandemic coronavirus, US President Donald Trump with his usual arrogant way demanded India to send hydroxychloroquine, an old malaria drug which India produces. He wanted to experiment the drug to prevent Covid 19 spread in US. He was more concerned about his reelection for a second term in November by managing the Covid 19 crisis than saving the lives of people. In India also politicians play politics aiming at winning election to secure their power and position while they work to manage the crisis due to a pandemic like Covid 19.
All who felt deprived of the ritual of washing of the feet in the church shall learn the selfless service to COVID 19 victims by medical doctors and nurses risking their lives in the midst of deadly virus. Their service is no less than the soldiers who risk their lives in the battle field. Holy Thursday during COVID 19 should enlighten us to opt for a servant model of leadership wherever we may be. We do not require an yearly ritual of washing the feet on Holy Thursday, instead shall offer our service at any time to those who are in need and celebrate Holy Thursday every day in our life. Let everyone, irrespective of the status and position, make service with humility and simplicity his/her hall mark.
Why should we exhibit out weakness and insecurity through pride and arrogance? What guarantee is there for our lives?
3. Walk the ‘way of the cross’ with those who are hungry, exploited, voiceless and discriminated
Pandemic COVID 19 made the whole world to lockdown and stay inside the safety of the house. The religious performed their prayers and rituals inside their homes. They ate and engaged in various entertainment and hobbies. How many ever seriously contemplated the plight of millions of daily workers in different cities of India walking long distance carrying their little children and their baggage to reach their homes in distant villages? The hungry poor who were deprived of their daily earning became homeless when they were abandoned by their employers in the cities. Though the media discussed about them for two days, nothing was spoken about them later. Similarly who cares for 10 million sex workers who are jobless after the outbreak of COVID 19? Can we condemn them as sinners and allow them and their children starve?
If we could continue reflecting on the miserable condition of millions of such hungry people all over the world we can see Jesus Christ still continue carrying the cross daily to Calvary along with the millions of exploited and oppressed people in the world.
Easter 20 in the midst of COVID 19 should give us courage and sensitivity to express solidarity with these millions of hungry and homeless people. Our solidarity should go beyond doing some charity works during pandemic and other calamities. We have experienced God’s active presence among people especially after the coronavirus closed large churches. Why should we rush to the churches again to worship and pray to God when He is really present outside the walls of the church, in the streets, slums and hundreds of brothels. Instead of locking Him in a small box why don’t we bring the millions of homeless gods who remain on the foot paths and roads to these large churches and unused institutions?
Why don’t we welcome those who work in our institutions to share the meals with us on the same table as Jesus did with His disciples at the last supper? Why do we exclude them as in the feudalistic / caste system? These gestures are greater than the ritual of washing the feet in the Church on Holy Thursday and doing the devotion of the ‘way of the cross’ kneeling at 14 stations. Let this Easter 20 may be a radical renewal for the disciples of Christ.
May the Easter 20 enable us to “identify the cause for which we should die” and live a life of resurrection with our determination to “become the change which we want to see in the world”. With the spirit of Risen Lord we shall face the crisis we face now due to Pandemic COVID 19 and prepare ourselves to face any such crisis in the future.
May Easter 2020 inaugurate a world of universal solidarity of friendship and fellowship free from greed, hatred, consumerism, imperial expansions, wars, fundamentalism and religious industry of god-men. Let there be mutual support and collaboration at all levels ensuring dignity and equal sharing of resources to the ‘least and the last’.
Let there be ‘we feeling’ at all levels of humanity. May the universal vales of freedom, equality, fraternity and dignity of individual accepting, appreciating and promoting diversity be the uncompromising spirituality of all men and women in the world. Then the world will rise again, Hallelujah! Hallelujah.
Varghese Alengaden