When I watch a symphony, what amazes me is the number of musicians playing a wide variety of instruments. There is no single musical instrument that is not so important and at the same time not so dominant. Yet they all play together in unison. Though the instruments are completely different in some ways, they come together under the baton of a conductor into harmony and delightful music to the ear.
There is not a single student movement is the world so varied as the YCS/YSM in India, Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, students from the towns, cities and different languages and castes form part of this great movement. Just name a category and you will find a student in the Indian YCS/YSM. What brings such variety into a harmony is the master conductor called the Indian YCS/YSM.
As a student, when I am intimidated into the YCS/YSM. I cannot forget my identity. My religion, class, language, remains with me. My Family, mu upbringing and my culture will be a part of me. I am definitely someone special. I am different from the other. I enjoy this difference. The world will be such a boring place if we all came from the same religion, same culture, and same language. Just imagine the Indian Cricket Team having all eleven world class batsmen. For an effective cricket team, we need a combination of batsmen, bowlers and all rounders.
In as much as I am special and different, I must also learn to not just tolerate but appreciate everyone who is different. Just as I am special, so is everyone in the sight of God. When I join the YCS/YSM. I am entering a world of variety. I will encounter a Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Jain, a Parsi, a Sikh and a variety of persons. I begin to appreciate this difference and contribute my widow’s mite to harmony that will arise out of this difference.
What the India YCS/YSM has taught the nation and the world at large is this:
That religion, language, class, caste, culture of student is different. But the students behind the religion, language, class, caste, culture are the same. They want to live in love, peace and harmony.
Fr. Dominic Sequeira SDB
Former Regional Chaplain
Karnataka Region