By Irudhaya Jothi
Mirga, August 30, 2026: As part of the Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC) training of the Catholic Diocese of Asansol, I had the opportunity to spend a day with BEC leaders and some clergy reflecting on the present challenges faced by Christians in West Bengal, particularly the growing pressures from certain fringe groups.
Our reflection went beyond merely asking, “What is happening?” We asked more difficult questions: Why is this happening? Why are such things being permitted to happen? What are the forces behind them? And, above all, what should be our response as followers of Jesus Christ?
The BEC leaders and clergy participated actively in the discourse, deliberations and discernment of a way forward. It became a genuine space for listening, questioning, analysing and searching together for a response rooted in faith rather than fear.
The central point I tried to emphasise was that we are living in a privileged time—a Kairos. It may be uncomfortable, uncertain and even threatening at times, but precisely for that reason it can become a moment of grace and renewal.
Perhaps we need to rediscover the experience of the Christians of the first century.
The early Church had neither political power nor social privilege. It lived as a small and vulnerable community in the midst of a powerful and often hostile environment.
Yet the Christians did not disappear. They did not allow fear to determine their identity. They gathered in community, prayed, cared for one another, served the poor, proclaimed the truth and bore witness to Christ with remarkable courage.
The Acts of the Apostles repeatedly presents this pattern: when confronted with opposition, the disciples prayed for greater boldness, not for an easier life.
That may be one of the most important lessons for us today.
Our response cannot be fear.
Our response cannot be hatred.
Our response cannot be retaliation.
Our response must be deeper faith, stronger communities, courageous witness, intelligent engagement with society, solidarity with the vulnerable, and an unwavering commitment to truth, justice and peace.
We need Christians who are not merely afraid of the times, but Christians who are prepared to interpret the signs of the times.
Perhaps God is inviting the Church in West Bengal today to rediscover something of the freshness, courage and missionary spirit of the early Christian communities.
We may not have chosen this time—but we have been given this time.
And therefore, the question is not simply “What will happen to us?” but:
“What kind of Christians will we choose to be in this moment of history?”
A deeply enriching day of discourse, deliberation and discernment—after many days of reading, study and reflection. A reminder that even difficult times can become privileged moments for the renewal of Christian faith, community and witness.