Beyond the Clouds by Fr. Jacob Nampudakam, S.A.C. | Page 28

and would reach the next day.
This made me reflect. Yes, there were obvious dangers in traveling by that
tiny helicopter, and the thoughts of the crocodiles and piranhas waiting for me
never completely left my mind. But I dared to fly.
Life is, beyond a doubt, like a journey in an airplane- big or small. We are all
aware of the risks involved, but we trust the pilot; because in trusting, we feel
safe. An accident, like a lottery, can happen to anyone of us. But even with
that fear, we do not remain confined to our houses.
If humankind has made progress, it is because someone has dared to risk his
life to discover something new. That is the story of each discovery- of the very
plane itself. New lands and continents were only placed on the map because
someone was willing to travel to the unknown. St. Augustine of Hippo tells us,
“the world is a book. Those who do not travel read only one page.”
Now, we are looking for life in outer space on other planets. It is very probable
that we may find life in some form or the other elsewhere. What is this earth?
A tiny spot in the universe. What is a human being, and what are his
intellectual capacities? Yet our little mind could unravel many mysteries.
Christian life itself is supposed to be such a journey in faith; the travel to the
promised land. It is an exodus. Indeed, we may never arrive at the promised
land or glance at it. Yet we move ahead, trusting in the promise of God. Again
recalling the great St. Augustine, “faith is to believe what you do not see; the
reward of this faith is to see what you believe.” And that is trusting in the
promise of God. We know He will never fail us.
This must be an essential characteristic of the Church and our religious
communities. We are people of faith. We are never expected to settle down and
rest comfortably. We are always moving; leaving behind our own lands, and
never placing our securities in things and persons known to us. We walk to
what is unknown by us, but what is known to God, the Master of our own
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