Sermon on the Mount: Love your Enemies

CHRIST has truly risen alleluia!!!
For us this is an expression of an intense freedom and of gratitude to God. What happened in a small town outside the city of Mysore, India is a direct result of that love that the young people of the Neocatechumenal way experienced on the night of the Passover, and felt called by God to offer it freely to the people of that town. These young people, out of gratitude to God, went about the town announcing the Risen Christ to anyone who was ready to listen. The events that transpired on this day inditcate clearly the persecution that the love of God induces. This article is in no way to condemn the people of that town but to show you, the reader, that Christ died for the sinners; especially for those who persecuted him.
At 12 o clock on the 1st of may, a group of pilgrims belonging to the neo-catechumenal way were taken by a village mob to the police station. Alleging “forced conversions” by the pilgrims, an RSS backed mob surrounded the two buses of the pilgrims. The mob of delusional people numbered a huge 300 compared to the 75 pilgrims. Earlier the pilgrims, who were on their way to Bangalore, stopped by the village of Hunsur (near Mysore) to speak to the people about their Christian experience. The RSS stirred up a mob on the pretext of protecting their village from forced conversions. The police arrived in the nick of time and prevented a outbreak of any sort of violence and quickly escorted the two buses to the police station. The pilgrims were kept in the buses with no food and water while the police tried to calm the mob which had formed outside. For hours the pilgrims were detained with little hope of release. After 10 hours the priest Fr. Robin Das, Mr. Dennis Vincent, Mrs. Soundary and Mr. Aaron Carvalho were formally arrested and the rest sent away under Police escort. The pilgrims meanwhile were kept inside the bus and were instructed to lock their windows. Under the sultry heat and with no food from the morning's breakfast the youth suffered similar to Christ; not one word of malice uttered against God in frustration.


Returning from Coorg where they had gone for a pilgrimage, the two buses full of Neo-catechumenal youth decided to stop over at the village of Hunsur to tell the simple people about the experiences of God's Love in their life. Misunderstanding, fuelled by fanatical elements, caused the people to gang up against the pilgrims. The pilgrims were told to leave by the police but since the driver was missing the mob caught up with them. Later they were escorted back to the police station. the mob began to harass them and jeered at them from the windows. Fortunately the police were guarding the doors. Tv reporters came and videotaped the pilgrims portraying them as criminals. The pilgrims kept in touch with their communities and parents through their cell phones but nothing could be done immediately. Their bibles were confiscated and the bus searched. Slowly, however, the crowd dwindled away but the pilgrims were still stranded. Later in the evening they were given food to eat, and after sometime sent away.
The cops have now released the two buses and the pilgrims have reached their destination at 2:30 am while the four detained are still in custody. An FIR has been filed against them and they will have to go to court. I hope this will be an opportunity to give witness like Paul did in front of the leading men of judaea.

This blog will be updated asap with experiences and latest developments of an amazing and eventful day in Hunsur, Karnataka, India.