At the April 17 meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and representatives of other religions, five young adults will present the Holy Father with symbols of peace from their faith traditions.
Dr. Ravi Gupta will present a gift from the Hindu community. Dr. Gupta is beginning his academic career as an Assistant Professor of Religion at Centre College, Kentucky. With a doctorate in religion from the University of Oxford, he is the author of The Caitanya Vaisnava Vedanta of Jiva Gosvami: When Knowledge Meets Devotion. A recent participant in a USCCB-Hindu consultation, Dr. Gupta is committed to pursuing interreligious dialogue in both his professional and personal capacities.
Dr. Gupta will present to Pope Benedict a gift of the sacred syllable Om in brass sculpture. Hindus believe that Om is the primordial sound of creation itself, in which God is disclosed and where the worshiper experiences peace. Bronze or brass is widely used for Hindu liturgical ornaments. Flames and incense in the sculpture represent ritual worship in a Hindu temple.
Dr. Gupta described his feelings about participating in this gathering as follows:
I am deeply honored and humbled by the opportunity to render this service. When religious leaders come together in a spirit of friendship, this sends a very strong message to the world about the need for understanding and cooperation between religious traditions. This is the first step in a long process of change. It is important for each one of us to return to our own communities and build this cooperation at a grassroots level. Education is key here, for ignorance of other traditions leads to misunderstanding and intolerance. Here in the United States, we have a wonderful opportunity to make this happen. You see, many of the religions being represented at this event have their majority membership outside the United States, but the U.S. community nevertheless carries much influence back home and our voices are heard carefully. I certainly hope all the delegates take this responsibility seriously and put it into action.
