We are people of celebrations and we celebrate life in varied fields and through different events, occasions, feasts, zatras and other festivals. These are opportunities to strengthen our bonds and build interpersonal relationships with God, humankind and the creation. These days we have number of people flocking to Sancoale to pay homage to St Joseph Vaz, son of the soil, in gratitude to favours received and to pray for various needs. People of all faith have devotion to St Joseph Vaz, St Francis Xavier and Venerable Padr Agnelo.
Every year a theme runs through for reflection and assimilation as pilgrims to emulate their virtues for they lived their lives on this earth as human beings. No doubt the Word of God proclaimed is for all especially those who have willingly offered their lives for the sake of the Kingdom of God like St Joseph Vaz. For as followers of Jesus Christ people expect to feel, touch and see what the disciples and people of Jesus’ time experienced. A life of witness is what people look out for, to be good Samaritans. That is what St Joseph Vaz became for all.
An incident flashed my mind. Grandma took her grandchild to show the decorative crib that was set outside the church. It was a delight to see it with modern techno savvy illumination and creativity. The beautiful landscapes, the sky, a small culvert and the big palace! After explaining everything the grandma with her finger pointing to Jesus said this is baby Jesus. See there are no clothes, no pillow, and…The grandchild interrupted and remarked with a twinkle in his eyes looking at grandma saying softly: Grandma, the baby Jesus in the crib is same as what I saw last year! Is he not growing like me?
Well, this incident brings to mind couple of reflections and waves of thoughts coming ashore. Is the baby Jesus in the crib same as what I had seen last year? As if saying, has my life changed or grown in 2020? Is my faith the same as it was last year or has it increased? I am the same as far as my inner world is concerned! My comfort zone, spiritual, emotional life, linked to my behaviour patterns, compulsion, attitudes, character? How about my social life…, relationships within the family, relatives and friends? What about my thought processing… thinking capacity… my goals and vision? It is for us to introspect how far I have grown in my faith, or are only celebrating feasts year after year with different themes?
The life of Joseph Vaz was like a grain of wheat that falls and dies and bears fruit. The road that Joseph Vaz travelled was the road less travelled, through the narrow gate. The theme: ‘Following in the footsteps of Joseph Vaz, go and you too become a missionary’, has a lot to reflect, introspect, emulate and witness. What does it mean to say ‘following in the footsteps of Joseph Vaz…? Leave aside the second part of the theme. Is the theme a call especially to those who have willingly offered their lives for the sake of the Kingdom of God like St Joseph Vaz to introspect their footsteps? Can we imagine in depth the footsteps of Joseph Vaz? Are we willing to be missionaries?
