The Susegad Christ metaphor can be taken as a sacrament. This metaphor is never a mere flourish of language but it explains the structure of reality and, at the same time, evokes a lived response and becomes a symbol, a doorway through which meaning and experience pour together. The Susegad Christ of
Goa is exactly such a symbol. The image of a calm, smiling Saviour, arms open in unhurried welcome, is not a decorative label pinned into Jesus. It is a sacrament of words and wood and pigment that communicates both the meaning of revelation and the experience of Goan peace!
The Susegad Christ explains how the Gospel does not show ordinary Goans why the ancient law of love reaches its fullness not in heroic defiance but in prudent day-by-day fidelity. The fisherman mendung net at dawn, the grandmother lighting lamp at duskeach discovers that their ordinary rhythm is already inside the divine rhythm. The metaphor explains without lecturing; it simply lets the eye rest on the wooden statue in the village chapel and whispers: “This is how the divine looks when it wears your own face.”
Unlike F. Nietzsche who declared the death of God and died restless arrogant death, Our Lord is Susegad not because he lacks power, but because His power has already done everything. A Goan is susegad because he knows what is to be done and he is doing it. He is not restless and greedy. He is satisfied the way God is working for him and he is working with God.
That has been my life all along; I have faced many oppositions and persecutions as I embarked on many projects for the Lord in the Church in Goa and in the world. I have achieved because the Susegad Lord has already carried it out for His glory and for the good of mankind. I am only His tool. So I have been going on inspite of tempests and turmoils as I know that it is the Lord’s work I am doing and the Lord is with me.
The only bad experience in my pastoral life was in this parish. The habitual woman robber – identity is not known, but picture is available- at one of her many attempts committed second robbery from my small residence where before you finish entering you land into the our door or exit. She entered quietly and ran away with the bag of Christmas collection and the members of the institution had the conscience to blame the Parish Priest and make him pay the loss. I paid one lakh about 30,000/- more than the amount stolen as inflated amount was announced in the confusion. I am susegad about it. add to this some sent a complaint letter to the Bishop without signature and all their efforts to denigrate me only reflected their character. I remain susegad Goan like Susegad Christ and keep doing my best for every one as my mission.