I wasn’t expecting him to speak, but he did. “Sunil, Can I ask you one question?”
“Of course, Stefan... Shoot!” was my reply.
“Are you a Christian?” Stefan asked. I was sitting with Stefan, the business analyst, to discuss some important project work when he stopped me in between. I smiled. Stefan repeated his question.
“Are you a Christian?” this time question was answered “Ya, kind of”. Now Stefan too smiled.
“What does that mean?” was the next question for me. I knew this is not going to be easy. So I picked up the notes, inverted those and drew the diagram. While Stefan watched what I was doing, I started labeling those concentric circles, and spoke –“Every religion consists of three parts, the outer part being mythology, the central being ritual and the inner most being Spiritual Crux. If you go in depth of every religion, the outer two may be different because of time, region etc but the third inner most part is same for all. Be it Catholic, Protestant etc, all of us are trying to follow teachings of Lord Christ. So where’s the difference? Remove styles of eating, dressing, mode of prayer etc etc what remains? We are praying the same Lord, so aren’t we same? Religion for me is just spiritual crux; rest two will change every moment. So, Yes I am a Christian but in normal day to day terms I was born in a Hindu family.”
I never tried to know whether he understood what I spoke. I was busy, caught up with my own thoughts and thanking Almighty, “Wow!! United Kingdom, Financial Institution, Business Analyst, Project Meeting and Spiritual Crux??” I couldn’t have dreamt of speaking all this in such atmosphere. Mind, body and intellect stand apart when you come in picture.
People walking around the bank, carrying pounds in their pockets, crossing with thoughts of mortgages, tax saving schemes – No one knew what these two different colored gentlemen were discussing. Had they heard, they would have understood that a bridge was under construction.
A bridge which can help two hearts to touch each other despite all differences of color, race, language, culture, diet etc.
“Of course, Stefan... Shoot!” was my reply.
“Are you a Christian?” Stefan asked. I was sitting with Stefan, the business analyst, to discuss some important project work when he stopped me in between. I smiled. Stefan repeated his question.
“Are you a Christian?” this time question was answered “Ya, kind of”. Now Stefan too smiled.
“What does that mean?” was the next question for me. I knew this is not going to be easy. So I picked up the notes, inverted those and drew the diagram. While Stefan watched what I was doing, I started labeling those concentric circles, and spoke –“Every religion consists of three parts, the outer part being mythology, the central being ritual and the inner most being Spiritual Crux. If you go in depth of every religion, the outer two may be different because of time, region etc but the third inner most part is same for all. Be it Catholic, Protestant etc, all of us are trying to follow teachings of Lord Christ. So where’s the difference? Remove styles of eating, dressing, mode of prayer etc etc what remains? We are praying the same Lord, so aren’t we same? Religion for me is just spiritual crux; rest two will change every moment. So, Yes I am a Christian but in normal day to day terms I was born in a Hindu family.”
I never tried to know whether he understood what I spoke. I was busy, caught up with my own thoughts and thanking Almighty, “Wow!! United Kingdom, Financial Institution, Business Analyst, Project Meeting and Spiritual Crux??” I couldn’t have dreamt of speaking all this in such atmosphere. Mind, body and intellect stand apart when you come in picture.
People walking around the bank, carrying pounds in their pockets, crossing with thoughts of mortgages, tax saving schemes – No one knew what these two different colored gentlemen were discussing. Had they heard, they would have understood that a bridge was under construction.
A bridge which can help two hearts to touch each other despite all differences of color, race, language, culture, diet etc.
