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oday’s world is characterised as scientifically and
technically advanced world. The man today has discovered magnificent and
marvellous machines and technology. Every day we see him constructing some new
huge and glorious structures. He has
succeeded to explore the height of the moon and the depth of the oceans. True
indeed, with his God-given gifts of reason and creativity he has tried to
transform the face of this planet. Yet, we witness that he has not been able to
solve the riddle of human problems. In spite of so much progress and
advancement, we see so many people living in abject poverty and misery. And
still there are some who are left with no choice but to beg for their survival.
We very often criticise and look down upon such people. We despise them and
call them lazy, good for nothing.
In such context, how can we, Franciscan Capuchins give
meaning to the religious questing in the contemporary world? Is it still
relevant today? Is mendicancy or questing still worth today? This essay
entitled as “Religious Questing in the Contemporary World” is an attempt to
answer these questions in the light of the Rule and the Constitutions of the
Capuchin Friars Minor.
St Francis, the Poverello of Assisi lived his life in
the footsteps of Christ. His was truly a Christo-centric life. In everything he
did and said he tried to imitate the Poor and Crucified Christ. While on earth,
Jesus chose to live in poverty and humility.
Christ did not possess anything and together with his disciples He lived
without roof and begged as they travelled from town to town preaching about the
kingdom of God. Thus Jesus’ emptying Himself of everything was for Francis a
pressing invitation to total renunciation.
But this renunciation did not mean for Francis and his companions being
passive or live idly. While committing themselves to the Lord and his service
they worked with their hands and sustained themselves.
The first chapter treats about questing in the
Franciscan-Capuchin tradition. Before understanding the concept of questing, we
need to bear in mind that for Francis work was a gift and to work was a grace.
Daily work was first of all, the means of livelihood for Francis and his
friars. This penitential life of work is something, which the friars learned as
they laboured alongside laymen and women in the alms-house and leprosaria of
the day. Work, in the hands of the early followers of the movement, was a tool
of social transformation that made people “subject to each other.” A person
engaged in work as a common task in order to promote the dignity of the
neighbour. This notion stood in stark contrast to that of Assisi’s competitive
society where work existed in order to accumulate property, to appropriated,
and to acquire status and power.
There were practically no limits to where the friars
worked or the type of work they did. Every field of activity was open to them,
including intellectual work. The only prerequisites were that the work be directed
toward the community rather than the individual, that the work be carried out
faithfully and with a sense of dedication as the Rule required, and that the
work not destroy the spirit of prayer and devotion to God (LtAnt).
The notion of
work was not only considered by Francis as the opportunity to serve God and
neighbours but also to develop one’s own personality. Besides this, Francis
quickly learned that work was holy and provided a pathway to achieving
sanctity. In the midst of the hard working townsfolk, Francis and the first
friars devoted themselves to the task of sanctifying daily labour and bringing
it back to a right relationship with God. The true meaning and value of work
had been destroyed by love of gain and personal ambition.
Only when the work was unavailable, that Francis
recommended his friar to go for questing. Later on because of the increasing
number of friars and due to the innumerable priest friars who committed
themselves more to spiritual or pastoral animation of the faithful, that friars
dependence on generosity of benefactors and God’s providence became their
life-style. The examples of many Franciscan saints who spent their lives in
questing prove how they attested to the Gospel values such as humility,
simplicity, charity towards the poor.
The second chapter brings out the relevance of
Franciscan ideal of questing vis-à-vis modern ideal of welfare state. The
overall development and progress of all specially those marginalised should be
the raison d’être of questing. Franciscan friars tried to give meaning to the
lives of the poorest of the poor and transform their tragic situation by
sharing the material things that they received through the magnanimity of
others. Pope Francis reiterates that today the Church should be for the poor
and of the poor. Here I try to highlight the social aspect of the questing that
goes beyond all confines in bringing the much needed help, solace and relief to
those living in periphery of the society. I have also included within this
chapter the laws of State and Church that help the poor and which need to be
observed sincerely.
The final chapter of this dissertation throws light on
the religious dimension of work and questing. An honest attempt has been made
to show how and why even in our time these aspects are relevant for us. By
working together and by our questing we manifest our solidarity with the common
man. In the world where ‘having’ receives priority over ‘being’, they can be an
effective medium of proclaiming the joy of the Gospel. In and through the
questing we can bear witness like the apostles to the evangelical way of life.
Today’s
world is enslaved by the many vices which crippled the social-moral-spiritual
life of the society. So work and questing together constitute a powerful witness
to counter culture all these negative forces. When we are involved in the world
of work it makes us to be present to the others. It brings us face to face with
the necessities, difficulties and problems of fellow human beings. We mutually
exchange the joys and sorrows, ups and downs of others. Thus it makes way for
the person to person evangelisation. Finally this chapter shows that whether we
give or receive through work and questing, both these are the gifts of God.
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