I saw him when I was 20 as he was celebrating mass sitting
on a wheel chair. I met him when I was 24 in person. Fr Jacob is a Catholic
Priest belonging to the Salesian Province of Hyderabad. Hailing from a vintage
parish in Kerala he was a youngster who loved to enjoy life with his friends,
wear baggy and bellbottom pants, go for films and like every other youngster
wanted to chase his dreams in life. Joined seminary (a place of formation for
Catholic Priest hood) as a good seminarian he spent his 12 years of life in
forming himself to be adept at human relations, self search, Meditation,
learning Philosophy and theology. All this he did to serve the divine and the
human.
Fr Jacob never realized that God had a different plan for
his life. Yes definitely he is goanna be a priest but a priest of Silent Proclamation
of the word of God. That's why he is a subtle but profound inspiration to me.
Ohh I am sorry, let me come to Father's life. Unfortunately, Father Jacob had
met with an accident. What I heard was
that he was dashed from behind by a lorry as he was passing the road. From then
on Fr Jacob was on bed or on wheel chair. He is paralyzed from waist below. A
life of a young man who dreamt of becoming a hero of his own dreams as a PRIEST
watered down with one knock. It's been 18 now that he is on the wheel chair
deploying his priestly duties. In spite of all the difficulties,
discouragements, humiliations all these years Fr Jacob has remained a man of
HOLY JOY and SERINITY which no one who is earning 1lakh a month can get. He is silent, regular for his prayers, meals
and he spends time chatting with armatures like me. Telling us silently how to
relish life as it comes in our way in its own varied forms. He did not teach me
any big dogma or about his past achievements but he spent his time with me. He
connected me in silence and I could see that thing called "holiness"
in him.
