OF late, priests, godmen, gurus and other religious leaders are showing a sordid side of themselves! Rape, molestations, blackmail, assaults, greed and debauchery seem to be springing from their sacred loins, and seeing this there seems to be a growing disenchantment for all things holy! “If priests are like this, what’s the point of being spiritual?” many ask. “If religion can’t keep them from wickedness, how will it keep us from the same?” ask bewildered followers.
Many years ago, there lived an old lady, who was a close friend of mine. She lived in an old folks home, after her husband passed away, and reached the grand old age of ninety. She used to ask me to pick her up, once a month and take her for a drive. Once, while driving back, I told her about a priest who I felt was quite corrupt. “How can he call himself a priest?” I exclaimed angrily.
“Bob!” she said turning to me, a youngster who she knew was disillusioned, “Behind those priestly robes, lies a man!” I have never forgotten her words. What she meant I realized was like all other men and women, these priests are also tempted, are also a prey to the lust of the flesh and can become a victim to greed.
They have the power to withstand temptations as long as they focus on God. The moment they look away, they become but men. Decades ago, I flew down to Kentucky to attend the ordination of my brother, as a priest. It was a wonderful ceremony and later as we were about to have lunch, he turned and asked, “Any advice, big brother?” “Yes!” I said, “But it’s not about a Christian priest I’m going to give you the example off. It’s a swami in Kolkata!” My brother leaned forward. “This swami,” I said, “had many devotees, but he had a peculiar way of blessing them. When they bent down in front of him, he blessed them with his feet!” “What’s your point?” asked my brother with his eyes. “Sometimes,” I said, “A woman would bend down and as she did, her sari would fall away from her shoulders! Immediately, the swami kicked her out of the way!” “He kicked temptation out of his sight!” said my brother softly to himself. What these fallen priests didn’t do was to kick temptation out of their sight. Even as we are appalled by what priests do, understand they are but men behind those priestly robes. Stop tempting them with praise and adulation, because some won’t kick temptation away when a sari falls. Stop focusing on these messengers, focus instead on the Giver of the Message: God Himself..!
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