Lessons from my Hindu Neighbors

For this post I just wanted to say something about my neighbors. I don't want to make this a long post but I do want to pay some respect to my neighbors. They are Hindu from Fiji, and very nice people. I can't complain about them. Their household consist of a mother, father, two kids as well as the elderly parents. A nuclear family who know how to take care of each other. The husband, Amitesh and his wife work, while the grandparents stay home and the kids go to school. 

in 2021 when my uncle Frank died these neighbors brought cases of water, and food to my aunts house on a couple occasions. And they never stopped saying "is there anything we can do for you?" Maybe it was because my aunt always made sure to give them some of the bread that we made every year for Saint Joseph's day, or her Italian cookies that everyone loved. But I think it is also that they are caring and neighborly people. 

When my aunt was getting sicker this family never hesitated to ask about her and how she was doing. And they always make sure to say hello to us as well as other neighbors daily. I guess I should mention that our street where we live and I grew up is a great neighborhood. Some of the people been there a while and some are newer. But I say right now we have some pretty good people living here. 

 So what lessons have I learned form them?

Now this post is not about the neighborhood but these neighbors in particular. Like I said this family is not a Christian family because they are Hindu, and I am not sure how much exposure to Christianity they have had. But they certainly got Christian values, and even better than some Christians that I have met. Even though I pray for their conversion I think that we Christians can take a good lesson from them. This is why I decided to write this article. 

Not only have I noticed and experienced how much these people care for others, I have also seen some other things worth mentioning. Like I said this family always say hello to us and fellow neighbors. And they are always smiling and happy. I never heard not one bit of negativity coming from their home or lips. Even the children are happy and always playing near the watchful eye of their father of course. 

I never seen the husband and wife arguing out front or even heard yelling from inside their house. Unfortunately they can't say the same for my home. Although things are not always chaotic at my house there have been more times than I would like to admit where there was anger and screaming at each other taking place for one reason or another. 

Oh what they must think of us Christians at times. I would like to admit that I have not always acted in a Christian way and at times have been a very bad example to these people who do not know Christ. It is not that I haven't been taking steps to conform my life to Christ. The truth is I have been a lukewarm Catholic for my whole life. I have not always made the right choices. And I have not always listened to God, and done things His way. And I am admitting that my behavior at times has been the work of Satan himself and not Christ. 

I am a work in progress but I have to work on it. I know I am not alone. But it seems like Christian virtue just comes naturally to these people who are not even Christian. This makes me wonder how many people in the world would be converted to Christ, if the Christians around them would just start acted like CHIRISTIANS! Perhaps they are not Christian because they just haven't met Christ yet. 

I just read something like that in a book I just finished. We are all called to be Christ in the world, to help people encounter Him in a tangible way. Christ was kind and not preachy. He taught with authority and truth but not judgment. 

As a Christian I know that some truth is written on our hearts so we don't need revelation to understand basic truths of kindness and compassion. This family knows this 

Not only kind but a model family for Christians!

Not only can us Christians take a lesson in kindness, and the virtue of charity from this family, they are also an excellent model for our own families! Often when I get up in the morning and go outside my house, I can witness my Hindu neighbors praying. Like I said they are not Christians so they are not praying to The One True God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but that is not where I want the focus to be in this article.  

When I happen to witness them praying outside, they are PRAYING TOGETHER AS A FAMILY! I see the father leading the whole family in prayer. I don't know what they are saying because they do it quietly or the spoken portion is done inside at their Hindu shrine. I used to be close friends with a Hindu family so I know a little bit about that. But I see them doing their prayer routine together and poring their holy water out into the plants outside as an offering to their gods. 

But it is clear that the whole family including the kids participate, and it is clear that their FATHER LEADS THEM THROUGH IT. This is a family who understands the unique role that each person plays in a family, especially the father as the leader, and cultivator of faith in the home. Something that we definitely need to see more of in American homes and especially Christian homes.  

Especially since WE CATHOLICS HAVE THE FULLNESS OF TRUTH, we should be doing a better job communicating that to the world and to other faiths. And if we have true love for our neighbors we would do well to take some lessons form my Hindu neighbors. True love seeks the ultimate good, which is God for our neighbors. No, we don't need to go knocking at their doors saying, "have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior?" 

Evangelizing by example without being preachy

I often think to myself, "if this is how they act as Hindu, imagine how they would be under Grace in the Church." I feel it would be refreshing for them to know that the values that they seem to naturally live by are actually key to living a faithful Christian life. In a way they have inspired me to be a better Christian and in turn person. I know enough about Hinduism, to know that it is a false religion that worships false gods, so not converting lol! 

But knowing what I know about my own faith in Jesus Christ and His Church, I can humbly see that I need to live in line with that. And not just once a week or on the holidays, but all the time! Not only for my own well being but for those around me who may be watching. People almost always will notice how you ACT, more than they care to know what you believe! This is the truth...

This is how many other religions get people to follow them. Have you noticed that? I have studied the beliefs of many denominations over the years. And I still wonder sometimes how they get so many followers. But I have learned in my life that people don't necessarily care about what is true, but what makes them feel good. So as soon as they meet a group of people who are friendly and tell them what they want to hear, they cling to it. 

While those who do have the fullness of Truth, or access to it in The Church, leave once someone is mean to them or tells them something they don't want to hear. This is unfortunate! But if those who have the fullness of Truth actually acted like it and lived their life according to it ALL THE TIME they would win so many more souls over to Christ and His True Presence. 

On the flip side you should not throw away the truth and access to it over someone else's actions. We do not follow man but God! I am just speaking on human nature. And Jesus knows human nature perfectly, which is why He wants us TO ACT LIKE CHRISTIANS! It is not enough to say we believe, we must act like it too. 

Thank you and God bless! 

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JU

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