This is a four-part series from 2003.
In part three, concerning fasting and almsgiving, (with a focus on the latter) the author speaks about visiting Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, and was taken to a shelter for destitute men, some of whom were disabled. He was to bathe them by hand, and found the prospect intimidating. But he did it, prayerfully, and describes the nonverbal communication, especially the eye contact, he had with one young man. The feelings connected with his comfort zone in the situation were set aside as irrelevant, as trivial, in light of need for this service he had taken on.
He relates this encounter with Orthodox Christian lenten disciplines; its not about how we feel about it, its simply about leaning forward and doing it, and letting the deed transform our inner disposition.
http://www.antiochian.org/lenten-transformation
As of last year, according to Princeton Theological Seminary’s Class Notes, the author is working on a doctoral dissertation; he is studying Christian-Hindu interaction and dialogue in India.
