February 12, 2015
Another travel day – this time involving a bus ride and two flights – with Chennai (Madras) on the southeastern coast of India as the destination. The photos today are simply shots from the bus to give you a feel for the street life.
I took advantage of the ride, flights, and waiting lines to invite several of my fellow pilgrims to share a highlight of the experiences lived thus far. One of two that regularly surfaced, albeit for different reasons, was the afternoon and evening in Nepal at a mountain village where we were welcomed by Buddhist monks, dancing shamans and villagers, and ended the day watching the warm light of the sun illuminate the snow-capped mountain peaks of the Himmalyas.
“We had the privilege of sharing in their spirituality,” said Mary Ward. “They were so welcoming!”
Mickey Brucken was touched figuratively as well as literally by “their sacramentals: the red paste dot on our foreheads, the welcome scarf placed around our neck and shoulders.”
Elena Dautremont shared how in the temple service with the Buddhist monks, looking at the different representations of the Buddha (the Buddha of prosperity, the Buddha of compassion, (etc), “I realized that there is some similarity here with our devotion to various patron saints that we turn to in the different circumstances of our lives.”
For Zenaida Samaniego, the time in the village was special because she could sit with the local women surrounded by the beauty of nature in their clean and well-kept village. “In India, the experience is often one of polluted air, garbage strewn about, and the incessant blaring of vehicular horns.”
The other experience that repeatedly surfaced as a highlight for people was, in Father Mike McGarry’s words, “the rickshaw ride through the streets of Varanasi down to the Ganges and our boat ride with candles by starlight.”
Pilgrim Father John Beckley reflected: “I understand better now Thomas Merton’s interest in these Eastern religions.” He noted that there are clear areas of resonance with themes in their spirituality and our own. “Benedict and Ignatius also carefully sorted through what’s important and what isn’t as did the Buddha. I’m appreciating the opportunities this tour is giving me for a better understanding of Hinduism and Buddhism.”
The interreligious encounter is often the occasion for our taking a fresh look at our own religious practices and coming to a deeper appreciation of them. For Bob Jones, the Mass celebrated by our group in Nepal in the home of our Jesuit guide was a highlight. “The informality and sense of community took me back to the ‘60’s,” he said. “There was a freshness to what we were doing, and it was wonderful.”