Today
was a day for pilgrims. Our fair group
journeyed to Medak, a very holy place in the northern part of the state where
we have been living these past 10 days in India, Andhra Pradesh.
While we
were there we met other pilgrims people from all over the country who come to
this holy place for blessing and building a closer relationship with God. Which religion they followed from the outside
can seem like an ambiguous question.
The Medak Cathedral is run by the CSI, the Church of South India. A Christian institution, this eccumenical
church appears to truly practice the heart of the gospel as I understand it -
sharing the love of Christ with people where they are and on their terms.
In
Medak, this means recognizing that the culture of Indian culture, which is
largely influenced by the Hindu faith and subsequent superstitions. At times this recognition can appear to stand
in contrast to the Western Christian church.
For
example, in the Hindu faith, there are those who split a coconut as a symbol of
how they are breaking their heart open for their god. They will often leave half the coconut for
their god and eat the other half in recognition of how they are blessed by
their divinity.
At
Medak, people crack coconuts at the foot of gigantic white cross. From an outside perspective, this may seem
like a fairly un-Christian think to do.
The CSI, however, recognizes that this cultural expression of piety is
more cultural then religious. To shun
such actions would be to deny the believer a part of their cultural
identity. To embrace such actions is to
celebrate that all of our history, culture and customs are a part of what
brings us to the cross of Christ. God
loves us not only in spite of but because of our history and culture. Whatever expression of showing gratitude to
God is welcomed, sacred, and pure.
As a
pilgrim in a new land, I find myself often struggling between the joy of my
experience and the weight of American privilege I often feel. It is tempting to over-think one or deny the
other. But like the coconut, God has
brought me to this place because of my history and with potential for my future. God beckons me into a relationship in the
way I need it most, even if there are times when my thoughts, actions or status
may appear from the outside to be un-Christian from a stereotypical perspective.
This is
the blessing of being freed from the brokenness of a fallen humanity. As long as my heart is pure and faithful, I know
that it does not matter in God's eyes if I don't live in the most liturgical
way, the most western way, or even the way of the most humble pilgrim. My
coconut of faith is still accepted, valued and loved.
It is
because of this acceptance that we make the pilgrimage. In doing so, we can begin to show our faith
and learn to express our love for God in new and vibrant ways.
