By Varghese Alengaden

Indore, May 19, 2020: Covid 19 pandemic has forced an unprecedented worldwide lockdown.

The most shocking was the closing of churches, temples, mosques and other worship places. However, the priestly class kept busy by broadcasting their sermons, rituals and sacraments online. They instructed the laity to participate in the rituals at home as they did in the church, in order to fulfill their religious obligation.

Important Christian practices such as Lent, Holy Week and great festivals like Easter were made available online. Even the Vatican City where millions of people used to gather remained empty and Pope Francis went online to address the faithful all over the world. Bishops, parish priests and preachers of big retreat centers were forced to adjust to the virtual world.

The laity and religious nuns were satisfied by the virtual set up and did not complain about the absence of regular and routine solemnity with large crowds. In fact, many young people and intelligent laity found this system more convenient. None felt the absence of the routine rituals in churches. They realized that they can practice their faith without the mediation and direct control of the priests.

With Covid 19 has emerged a new world order. It is a golden opportunity for the Church leaders to introspect and renew themselves. The long period of lockdown, the death of thousands of people all over the world, deprived of a regular burial in the presence of the dear ones, miseries of millions of migrant workers across India, their death on the roads by accident and starvation, the emerging new challenges, financial implications across the world and conflicts between countries and communities should provide plenty of food for contemplation to the leaders of the Church, priests, nuns and laity. Surely we cannot face the world in the same way as we have faced so far.

God sees and knows all that happens in every corner of the world. In fact, Christ has set an example for making our lives relevant and effective in every age, even in the most adverse situations. Jesus did not envisage an imperial Church with political and commercial religious structure.

The complicated rituals, sacraments, dogma, canon law, priests and high priests were not in the plan of Christ. Disgusted by the institutional, political, commercial and priestly Jewish religion Jesus launched a new spiritual movement which He called The Way. He gave an open invitation to all to be part of this new way of life demanding to observe only One Law and a single identification: Love One Another.

Unfortunately, the Jewish traditions, Roman materialistic administrative system and Greek philosophy, all that Jesus had rejected and condemned, were brought back to institute the Church and replace ‘The Way of Love.’

Now Christ is giving us an opportunity to go back to the roots. The closure of churches and suspension of rituals/sacraments in churches are God’s plan to make us realize the depth of vision of Christ and to “worship God in truth and spirit.” Deeper contemplation of these words will help us to meet God in flesh and blood, i.e seeing God in humans and worshiping Him by loving and serving them, by ensuring justice, liberty, equality and individual dignity.

The long walk of millions of migrant workers through the roads of India during the lockdown days provides us many apparitions of God.

Two young workers, Amrit and Yakub, who lost their jobs in Surat, wanted to reach their homes in Uttar Pradesh They had to pay 4,000 rupees each to get a standing space in a truck filled with 60 workers.

While passing through Madhya Pradesh Amrit became sick near Shivpuri town due to heat and exhaustion. He started vomiting. Doubting he was infected with Coronavirus all others in the truck wanted him to be dropped. When he was pushed out, his friend Yakub also got down to take care of him. In the hot sun Yakub was cradling his friend Amrit on the road. He cried and asked for help. Some people called for an ambulance, but by the time he was brought to the government hospital at Shivpuri Amrit died. Although Amri’s death shattered him, Yakub stayed back with his friend’s body.

Yakub was not afraid of the consequences. Yakubb and Amrit belonged to two different religions. While all others in the truck were afraid of getting Covid from Amrit, Yakub risked his life to remain with his friend. This is genuine love, fruit of spirituality, not of religion.

Yakub, a Muslim, was practicing what Christ had asked his disciples, “No greater love a person can have than dying for his friend.” The sacrifice of risking his life was more genuine sacrament than the ritual of breaking of the bread in the Mass in the church. There was no need of a church for Yakub to offer this sacrament of love, the true Eucharist. Hundreds of doctors, nurses and other volunteers are offering more genuine Eucharist than the rituals offered online by hundreds of priests.

It was reported that a group of religious leaders under the leadership of Cardinal George Alencherry, head of the Syro-Malabar Church, requested the Kerala chief minister to open the churches and permit to have religious ceremonies. The reason they put forward was the distress and psychological conflicts people experience because of the absence of public worship.

How much distress do the bishops, priests, religious and the pious Christians experience when they see the plight of millions of migrant workers and their children walking many hundreds of kilometers on the roads, thousands of people who are anxiously waiting to return home from different countries and thousands of medical personnel giving day and night service in hospitals risking their lives?

There are hundreds of Yakubs who risk their lives to manifest genuine love for those in distress. They do not go to churches and temples daily to participate in the sacraments and rituals. Learn from them how to worship God in truth and spirit. They are worshiping God in flesh and blood daily without participating in real or virtual rituals.

Jesus went to Jerusalem temple or local synagogues to teach people about His new way of spirituality, not to perform any kind of rituals or prayers.

Even after the lockdown regulations are lifted why don’t we use our large churches and retreat centers to teach people how to follow The Way of Christ instead of practicing routine traditional rituals and night long vigils? Why not priests and high priests prepare the faithful to worship God among people who are suffering injustice, oppression and violence? Why not the consecrated men and women along with dynamic lay people in India take up the mission of mobilizing and motivating the millions of migrant workers who have lost their jobs to get justice and dignity guaranteed by the Constitution?

For this new mission it is important to use “new wineskins” without exhibiting our evangelical zeal with external banners, the religious attire. Christ had condemned all kinds of exhibitionism. Christ wants his disciples to give up traditional identities and be recognized only by the Uniform of Love like the early Christians. If we do this, we can avoid the allegation of making religious propaganda and converting the poor to Christianity.

“New Wineskin” of concrete and radical strategies and action plans are to be planned in detail by each diocese and religious congregation. Time during the lockdown should be made use for contemplation, renewal and restructuring. What Christ demands from us is a ‘U’ turn, not any patchwork. Are we ready?

(For further insights and practical suggestions writer can be contacted: usmindore93@gmail.com)