| Having sat down
at His Grace Mar Gregorios’ feet for many hours and read most of his writings,
I had such influence of Mar Gregorios in my life that I cannot explain. We
have an extremely interesting person in Mar Gregorios. When analyzing
Mar Gregorios, one can see that unreachable and unfathomable knowledge and its veracity, one always wonder how that person becomes meaningful to the cotemporary ordinary man who becomes the strongest fiber of the common man. Mar Gregorios’ humble origins and superior sophistication that he attained as he lived through the hut-to-palace experience with its full richness or essence, one may still ask a question what does an ordinary man learn from him? It does indicate one thing that I heard from his own lips, “when a person presents himself/herself unto the hands of God, God will make use of him/her the most.” His Grace is such a model. Is that model just one of the specimens for the elite and sophisticated minority or was he capable of touching the ordinary man of the lower strata? Is that philosophical torrent a real cry of the common man? One way, we cannot blame him if he went forging ahead with unimaginably strong wings to fly up into the heights with many philosophers and philosophies all the way from India (from Sri Sankara to Sree Narayana Guru) through the Middle East (the Cappadocian Fathers) to the so called elite West and the most modern theologians (St. Augustine to M. M. Thomas). Comprehending the philosophers is a hard job. He did comprehend all of them well and perhaps the world of philosophy filled his brain without his own knowledge. But his strong conviction as an Indian Orthodox Christian and his influence on the philosophical universe took him to en entirely different corner of the human history. Exalting his teaching, writing and interpreting abilities, where would a common man like to see him? How much of his brain can be grasped by the ordinary? If the upper class, elite and the powerful (rulers or administrators) could grasp him well, how was his philosophy accepted by the thinking people? How many such people’s minds were changed or influenced? It was interesting to read from his own autobiography that he could not work with Pathrose Mar Osthathios the bishop of the lowly and downtrodden. He did not elaborate that part and perhaps he found that that ministry was not challenging or exciting. Did he lose interest for the ordinary and common? One thing we used to experience at the Seminary was that when beggars came to the Seminary His Grace gave them large amounts and never grumbled over that. Also, his weakness was children. Mar Gregorios becomes a child when he sees a child. The way he communicated with children and played with them was amazing. At the same time his architectural etc. tastes were of the luxurious kind. Perhaps after seeing the world with his own eyes with its flamboyance, he may have reconciled himself to that taste without even questioning it. Being a bishop of a traditional church, he loved to be at the helm of affairs and is justified to be so. He was just like another metropolitan of a Kerala Church, liked the pomp and glory. His cry for some particular food at the Seminary is known to all. He did not allow people informally visit him. The extent of unapproachability that we see among top church leaders was clearly seen in him too. He was a sage as far as his observances, life style etc. are concerned. Prayer, meditation, conducting of liturgy etc. were so serenely done and with utmost sincerity and holiness. He can take us up to the heavens through the sermons and leading of worship. However, did that spiritual power make him a humble soul? Was he among those who learned about Christ so well but found it difficult to be one among the ordinary? It is at that juncture we see how unfittingly our leaders compare themselves with Jesus Christ. Jesus knew everything and was capable of convincing his people, educated (Sadducees and Pharisees) or the ordinary people (fishermen and farmers) but maintained his simplicity. He never tried to become an administrator or a popular figure. His message was so simple. The disciples found it difficult to understand it for some time but later on they knew that the way of Christ is unique. I, when read all these great teachers, thought to myself, why was it not possible for all these highly intelligent people to follow the way of Christ and teach that to our people? It is my struggle too. I know my imperfection very well but I would like to follow the way of Christ in its perfect sense. Do I have to be a philosopher or orator? Not at all. But I feel that I will be alienated if in that struggle. My wife and children may not like it. My parishioners may not like it. What is my answer to the world? If Jesus is the ideal way to the NEW HUMANITY that Mar Gregorios wanted to teach, how will we acquire it in this materially, scientifically or technologically and philosophically corrupt world of today. I am sorry to use that terminology of “corruption” because it is my conviction that all those areas of studies have not so far succeeded in bringing out the New Humanity in Christ where no one is greater or smaller than the other. Why people think it is impossible or just utopian? Didn’t Jesus say, “that which is impossible for man is possible with God?” This is my personal struggle. I am not making up an argument for the sake of it. I am sharing this openly so that if anyone else who goes through the same struggle feels the same, may join together as a small community (that was the purpose of the Church) through which the Kingdom of God can be witnessed more realistically and powerfully. Even the Marxists feel themselves closer to Christian thinking even though the Marxist’s way is more a violent one than peaceful. Both Marx and Mar Gregorios melt down in front of the ideals of Christ. The lowly cannot find any better a person than Jesus though Christians pictured Jesus as a God that alienates them from other people. Where is the missing link? The present world slowly started thinking that all sophistication is alien to the common man. What they need is the real touch of God in their life, like Jesus did during His ministry. Is there any answer other than that we find in Jesus? Shall we listen to the Marxist version, the Gregorian version or the modern scientific version of Christ or the simple truth of Christ so vividly delineated in the Life of Christ? |