Mar Barnabas-the real hermit

With Mar Barnabas leaving this world for the heavenly abode,MOC lost a role model for real hermits.It is relatively less difficult for a human being to observe the rules of monastic life in the detached atmosphere of a monastery.Mar Barnabas had never been attached to a monastery,but his life is certainly a role model for all who takes up monastic life.He has proved with his own life that even in the day to day worldly life,it is possible for being a hermit for the right kind of persons.

The three cardinal principles of monastic life-Austerity,Obedience and Chastity -are observed more in its breach than in compliance.Monasteries are amassing wealth and have no qualms of showing it off also.But here we have one,who was formally not part of any monastery,had lived in many different places,most part of the time without much of like minded people for company,leading a life that is awesome for any monast.

While being a malpan at Orthodox Theological Seminary ,Kottayam,Fr.K.K.>Mathews was a familiar sight riding a bicycle,not only in Kottayam town,but also in 10-15 KM radius!!!Many youngsters who lived in Hyderabad-Secondarabad twin cities in early 1950s fondly remember
a young priest chasing them if they scooted church attendance on a Sunday or two,or if they tried to evade Holy Confession in a great lent period.Achen himself set an example by not missing a single yama prarthana or fasting days.It is easy to prescribe things for others,it is a different thing to lead others by example.

Ascetic life was never relaxed even after taking up the responsibilities of a Bishop.The Church utilised Thirumeni's services in many different places-Kottayam,Idukki,Ankamali and finally US.But if Thirumeni could choose a Diocese,it would certainly have been Idukki,the poorest diocese.Obedience to Synod decision made thirumeni to go to US as a trouble shooter.Having taken up a mission,it was not in his grain to leave the job half done.The environment in US was not something Thirumeni could come to terms with,so was the case with many of the folk in US.But thirumeni's life away from the maddening crowds ignoble strife that is the order of the melting pot of human civilisations ,made many realise the virtues of oriental austerity.

 

Ascetic life was not limited to visible things like travelling on bicycle/bus/sleeper class rail boggies/economy class air travel or wearing rough saffron cloths,wooden sleeba/coir fibber mala so on so forth.It was much deeper.It was a detachment from the world while being in it-like the leaves of a lotus plant which does not absorb any water while being afloat.

 

Let us hope that we will have such hermits in the generations ahead.