I was struck with the picture on the cover of the essential writings of Abhishiktananda. There is something about the picture, maybe the small grin on his face or the tilt of his head or the wisdom in his eyes. This man is joyful. The obvious poverty (I was reminded of the pictures of the dustbowl) does not destroy but uncovers an inner joy to this man.
Reading the story of his life that begins this volume revealed a man who was exceptionally passionate and sensitive. He loved everything good, true, and beautiful and was willing to hold the tension that this love required. Instead of solving these tensions superficially and being satisfied with that, Abhishiktananda allowed this tension to drive him deeper into his own soul. It was the inner conflicts and tensions that shaped this man. He was trying to live the VCII teaching of rejecting nothing that is true and holy in other religions (NA 2) before VCII proclaimed it. It was the tension of loving the other, in this case other religious traditions, that drove Abhishiktananda's spirit.
I am also fascinated by the mysteriousness of A's call to India. It seems like there was no obvious thing to attract him except a deep, inner call. Much like Mother Teresa's strong sense of call, A seemed to have a clarity that few of us have about where we are to go and what we are to do.
I'm excited to read A's actual writings. Reading the first entry I found this beautiful sentence in a letter to his friend in France.
"You make me dream, relive those things which I usually push into the background in order to be able to live my life in peace." (p. 43)
A never stopped loving something he once loved. He refused to compromise. Writing of his monastic calling he wrote,
"a monk cannot accept mediocrity; only extremes are appropriate for him."
I hope that I can catch some of this monastic passion.
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