When history was being made, where were you? The five Positions! (BJRE077)

When history was being made, where were you? The five Positions! 

(By Dr. Edward Edezhath. Published in Kairos Magazine in 2024) 

My city, Cochin, hosts a grand art extravaganza called the Kochi Biennale, where creative minds from around the globe gather to showcase their talents. Although I don’t have a background in art, I try not to miss these festivals and exhibitions. On a few occasions, I welcomed some artists and organized group visits. I follow this principle: “I want to be at the fireworks, not just hear about them.” I suppose that is a God-given gift of enthusiasm, without which we would miss the true work of the Holy Spirit.

What is your share and your place?

When I look at the events in the Bible, I try to picture the various actors and their positions. It comes alive as if it were a drama.  In the healing of the lame beggar at the Beautiful Gate in Acts chapter 3, Peter takes on the role of the lead actor. There is at least one supporting actor, John. Soon, a third group of general participants gathers, including the healed man ‘walking, leaping, and praising God.’

Interestingly, at most social events, the three categories complete the circle. However, in many Biblical anecdotes, there is an ever-present fourth group: those who refuse to be enthusiastic and are ready with a negative view, being overly critical. In the earlier incident, fast-forward to the beginning of chapter 4, and we see this group quite annoyed at the developments. I want to introduce a fifth group, the Disengaged. These individuals are unconcerned with what is happening in the community, as they focus too much on ‘their own business.’

If you revisit the events in Jesus’ life or many scenes from the Old Testament, you will notice layers of involvement. Take the life of Moses, for example. He often leads the group, with a few others assisting him. At one point, seventy leaders actively collaborate with the primary leaders, each fulfilling various responsibilities. Additionally, many others participate in the journey. However, some continuously seek out problems to criticize, while others are either uninterested in these matters or easily swayed by anything.

Thus, when history is made, there are five degrees of involvement and five types of people: 1. the key players, 2. the active collaborators, 3. those who share the journey, 4. the detractors, and 5. the unconcerned. Our point of self-reflection is this: when the Kingdom of God is built in my vicinity, in which of these positions do I find myself?

Why do we take these positions?

Perhaps some people are youthful and enthusiastic by nature. I know a man named Charles and his family; they are very joyful individuals. Whenever something good happens, they make it a point to be present. They enjoy life, and in turn, they become a blessing to many.

In my city, I have organized various events and groups at different times, some spiritual and others cultural. Despite his busy professional responsibilities, Babu has consistently attended most of my initiatives, often bringing a few friends with him. However, there are others who are very negative about everything happening around them or never seem to get excited about anything, except for opportunities that offer personal benefit or profit. This latter group can typically be found only in long queues for something free of charge; otherwise, they conserve their energy. 

Now the question is: what makes this difference? I will allow for each person’s basic nature and the demands of their circumstances. Some people are quiet and withdrawn, while another group is weighed down by life’s responsibilities or limitations imposed upon them. However, what makes a major difference is your vision of life, priorities, and fundamental values.

God is building His Kingdom.

I appreciate this definition of spirituality by a renowned Indian thinker: “In all our activities, if we live from the dimension of depth, we are religious.” There is a risk in perceiving spiritual life solely as saying many prayers or performing endless rituals. Instead, for Christ's disciples, the essence of spirituality is seeking God's Kingdom and righteousness (Mt. 6:33) or living with an awareness that God is acting here and now, along with a desire to participate in it.

Have you seen children during a get-together at home? They never want to miss the action. Elders tell them that it is late and they should go to sleep. But they don’t want to miss the fun. I am sure that later in life, the valuable treasure they will have will be the memories of these moments of love and community. 

A distinct vision and understanding can make a significant difference: the meeting I attend, the discussions, or the visit will change the course of history. This is an important stone in the grand mansion that Jesus is building, as expressed in the song, “God is building a house that will stand. He is building with his hands using the lively stones of man.” This “dimension of depth” will lead me to the center of action when significant events unfold.

This sense of the Kingdom makes one an active Jesus Youth.

In 1978, as we began our networking efforts, I used to invite some enthusiastic youth from different parts of the state to come and brainstorm. We gathered in the Basilica Hall in Ernakulam for a day-long discussion. One person I remember well is Chacko, from a remote hill area in the far North, who never missed any meeting. Years later, I visited his home and was baffled to note the trouble he had taken for those simple discussions, traveling great distances. After a couple of years, we started meeting monthly in a fellowship called the First Line group. Each member understood that they were part of something significant that the Lord was preparing. Therefore, they never missed a month, arrived late, or left early. This I refer to as the Kingdom sense.

Pope Francis summarizes it beautifully, “Faith means believing that he marches triumphantly in history with those who are called and chosen and faithful (Rev 17:14). Let us believe the Gospel when it tells us that the kingdom of God is already present in this world and is growing, here and there, and in different ways. . . May we never remain on the sidelines of this march of living hope!” (The Joy of the Gospel, 278)

Topics:

Enthusiasm, Gift of

Journey of the JY

Synodal process

Degree of commitment

Leadership