Walking through the entrenchment in religious living


WALKING THROUGH THE ENTRENCHMENT IN RELIGIOUS LIVING

Cl. Mario D’Couto SDB

            This is a short reflection which comes from an article written by Fr. Xavier E. Mananeth CMF. In fact the above title is taken as it is from Fr. Mananeth’s article. I found this article very insightful since it proves to be a good source of examination of the way we as religious live our lives (I am writing this article first, keeping in mind that I myself am a professed religious and of course this would apply more for those committed to the priestly and religious way of life. Of course, there are lot things that even the laity can pick up. But a lot of issues that are mentioned in the course of this article apply directly in the priestly and religious context).

            It has been observed that in the life of many religious and priests, there is a great tendency to fall into a ‘box’, a ‘box’ of institutionalism, routinism, ritualism, doctrinalism, legalism, fanaticism etc. In the name of apostolate, we lose out on our inner selves. It sometimes happens that some people get so stuck with their apostolate that they almost come to a crisis wherein they feel that there is no difference between them and other social workers outside. For all that a religious or a priest would do is also done by a social worker. Hence what is the difference?

            There is a nice statement which the author quotes in this article and that is, “Where religious life is routine, life is dead. Where religious life is bent or being socially safe and legally proper then life becomes dead. When religious life is more an ember than a fire, life becomes dead.” Keeping this as the background, he shares a very meaningful story. The name of the story is “Night Watch”. This story is based on the life of the famous painter, Rambrandt. It once happened that Rambrandt had painted a picture called “The Night Watch.” It was quite popular since it was noted for its contrast between light and darkness. After the death of Rambrandt, his admirers, in an attempt to keep the painting fresh added a layer of varnish over the original painting and every succeeding generation also did the same. Finally the painting became very different from the original. Surprisingly, however, when the original was discovered, many expressed shock at the original saying, “This is not Rambrandt.” They know only the painting with layers of varnish over it so much so that the original when discovered, was strange to some and scandalous to others.    

            A similar thing is seen in religious life. Some religious end up clinging unto the security, power and comfort of their institutions and their corporate presence rather than offering a personal Christ-like presence to the people and especially to those who are on the frontiers and margins of the society, although,  these were people that Jesus served; the unknown, the unwanted, the anonymous. This is to say that religious life has come to be understood as a ‘profession’ and not as a ‘CALL’ to serve God and others or to give Christ to others through the work that they do.

            What then do we do? RE-VISION! Today, the time has come for a re-visioning of consecrated life with all its values, structures and traditions. There is the need for a ‘re-thinking and re-grounding’ of all that we profess and live. Some of our structures and traditions may be too ill for a meaningful and relevant existence today. We are unable to let them go because of fear, fidelity or blind conformity to certain forms or due to ignorance of other ways that we could be and act. Many of our renewal attempts are about re-arranging the dock chairs on the Titanic. Re-visioning would call for dying of customs, of ways of thinking, of modes of behaviour, of world views, system and traditions in genuine freedom. Reverence for the past traditions alone may not be enough anymore. These traditions too, as Barbara Fiand says, “had their interdisciplinary roots and must be understood and criticized within their historical situation. Past behaviours and values may not be ipso facto holy.”

            What then do we conclude? We must understand that authentic values can be lived in a variety of forms and styles more in tune with the needs of the Church and the world. For a re-visioning, what is most important is the willingness to question the ‘why’ of things without fear of rejection or worry about giving scandal. Such, a questioning does not imply a negative attitude or the desire to do away with what has been valued for so long. But it provides an opportunity for an honest self-examination of our motives in an attempt to arrive at a more authentic meaning and proclamation of what we have been called forth by the Spirit of God who will certainly assist us in this open search.

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