Fr. P. A. Chacko S.J.

There are those who think that their ritual is right and that those who opt for a different posture are absolutely wrong! The second group thinks that they have a cause. This is the tragic situation that is playing out in Kerala leaving the Catholic faithful in the lurch.
It appears that there is a rightist group and there is left of the centre group, and both are having a tug of war to a scandalous proportion. But, both belong to the Holy Roman Catholic Church!
Jesus Christ comes on to the scene of this street theatrical. Imagine how he would react? The rightists tell him: ‘Jesus, your sacrifice on the cross was a mystery and, when we re-enact it on our altars, we have it done as a mysterious mystery. Being a mystery, we feel that this awe inspiring act should not be exposed to ordinary people, whom the Church calls the faithful.
‘The priest who enacts it has to do it in mysterious surroundings without people observing it with naked eye. Otherwise, the mystery aspect will lose its meaning! And, we want to have it our way. The fifty-fifty way! That is to say, fifty percent of the ritual should be shrouded in mystery. The rest fifty percent could be open to public view. We resolutely believe that we are absolutely right by observing this ritual pattern.’ Jesus is expressionless!
Jesus moves on to the ‘rebel camp.’ The group is on hunger strike. His pastors who are supposed to feed the flock are themselves starving. He asks them, what is this drama all about? ‘Yes, Lord, this is indeed a movement for a cause. The living cause that is you! You being here with us, we can feel you, hear you, touch you as our father Thomas once did to strengthen his belief. You allowed him to do it. We can converse with you.
‘Our problem does not end here, Jesus. You instructed your first group of future pastors to feed the flock. We belong to that tradition of your pastors who sat around you at the table of the Last Supper. They heard your words of solace, words of warning, words of glad tidings, words of friendly instruction as you called them your friends. You enacted that mystery of breaking the bread and sharing the cup as a symbolic gesture of your death on the cross and your coming to resurrected life by having victory over death. We believe that you were that mystery seen, heard and felt by your disciples. We strongly believe that we belong to that tradition and we want to share this Good News, that is you, with the faithful, your sheep.
‘How could we go wrong when we present you Jesus to the people as a living reality by enabling them to participate in the Eucharistic celebration just as you did it on that great day prior to your crucifixion? We want your sheep, our people, to witness that enactment as a living reality. We believe that such participation will increase their devotion to you and the Eucharist. That is to say, we wish that you the Mystery need to be seen, heard and felt by the believers. That will mean full participation.
‘Time was when the Eucharist was performed in a language unknown to the faithful. The priest would perform it by turning his back to the people except to do the last blessing. The language was Syriac. But, we have come a long way by changing the language of the Mass into vernacular. For the faithful it was a great relief and it bettered their devotion. If such a change could take place, why can’t we offer the mass facing the people so that the faithful would see you as a living reality in the Eucharist in front of them? May be our logic is not understandable to some.
Jesus was speechless. But understanding! He did not utter a word. But, as he departed, he gave his blessing. They all knelt, felt purified and strengthened and rolled up their mats and got back to meet their fellow Christians in their churches.
Jesus chooses his way to the Gethsemane. May be the Pharisees will come to take him along the Way of the Cross to make sure that his life would end up on the cross!