By Fr Francis Gonsalves, SJ
Thirty-plus Nishant was so shy that, after ten years of courtship, his fiancée Nisha felt he was never going to propose to her; so, she’d have to do the needful herself. So, sitting by the seashore, Nisha asked, “Nishant, will you marry me?” Pindrop silence. Then, Nishant muttered, “yes.” Longer silence. Overjoyed, Nisha cried, “Darling, Nishant! Say something! Why don’t you say something?” Nishant whispered, “Nisha, I’m afraid I’ve said too much already!”
Y-e-s! Three-letters. How often have you said ‘Yes’ to your truest self? To others? To life? To God? Saying ‘Yes’ to bankers and powerbrokers is easy since you’ll reap rich returns; though, sometimes, you might go broke. But, saying ‘Yes’ and banking on God is a leap in faith, pact of love, bond of hope; for, one never knows what a ‘Yes’ to God will reap.
Today, Christians celebrate the feast of Saint Joseph—just man, silent worker, steadfast protector—also remembered on May 1, International Workers’ Day. Joseph of Nazareth—foster-father of Jesus and legal spouse of Mary—was a carpenter. The poor ‘Holy Family’ of Jesus, Mary and Joseph laboured through life’s ups and downs with many ‘Yeses’ to God.
The Bible doesn’t record even a single word Joseph uttered; yet, his silent ‘Yes’ to God, Mary and Jesus, spoke volumes. Through an angelic apparition he was first advised to accept pregnant virgin, Mary or Miriam—who Christians and Muslims believe conceived through the power of God’s Spirit—as his wife. Next, at Jesus’ birth in the most trying of times, he was told to flee to Egypt with Mary and Jesus, to escape the murderous designs of King Herod. He said ‘Yes’.
From Egypt, Joseph is told to return to Nazareth. The Bible says that he unfailingly protects his family and promotes Jesus’ growth “in wisdom, in stature, and in favour with God and other people.” Heroically, through toils, trials and travels he banks on God, becoming patron-saint of parents, workers and protectors.
In a world wherein we often say ‘No’ to newness, to change, to love and serve selflessly, why don’t we say, ‘Yes’ more frequently? Here, we’re not referring to yes-men whose yeses are loaded with self-interest, but of yeses that make living and loving lovelier. Saying ‘Yes’ involves uncertainties and risks. It makes one venture forth from one’s family and everything familiar to the frontiers of faith, where one says ‘Yes’, investing on others and banking on God.
Tomorrow we celebrate ‘International Day of Happiness’ with the theme ‘Happier Together’. Happiness comes not from isolation but from inclusion, openness to others, and faith in some Absolute larger than ourselves. Despite virus vitiation and Yes Bank bankruptcy, let’s say, together, “Yes! Tathastu! Amen!”
Fr. Francis Gonsalves is a Gujarat Jesuit, former Principal of Vidyajyoti College, Delhi, and currently Dean of Theology at Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune. He is also the Executive Secretary of the CCBI Commission for Theology and Doctrine. He has authored many books and articles and is a columnist with The Asian Age and The Deccan Chronicle national dailies.