The Woman Who Gave up Everything for Christ: A Tribute to Sr. Jaya FSLG
On Sunday the 15th
April, when I was at the Sardhana shrine- fulfilling my long cherished dream
and the vow of offering the Holy Eucharist, I was informed that one of the
daughters of Our Lady of Graces had bid farewell to this earthly life. I wasn’t
moved much, until I heard that she was the pioneering missionary in my diocese
of Bongaigaon, Assam. I knew who it was: Sr. Jaya, the ever eager and committed
religious to be the servant of Christ at Magurmari parish! I had known her to
be a dynamic nun with a lots of initiatives to help the poor children with moral
and intellectual education. Hence, I cut short my Sardhana trip and proceeded
to Meerut for the funeral service held at 3.00 PM.
I was reminded of an incident
mentioned in the Gospels- “As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their
gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small
copper coins. ‘Truly I tell you,’ he said, ‘this poor widow has put in more
than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but
she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on’.” (Lk 21:1-4//Mk
12:41-44). That’s it! There may be religious with great accomplishments to
their credits, yet for me Sr. Jaya (54) was a missionary par-excellence. In no
time she could gauge the pulse of the people, feel the need of the place and
put all her resources into the ministry until ‘the end’!
It was an abrupt end. Being the
Thursday of the Easter Octave, no doubt she was on a ‘spiritual high’-
celebrating life. During the funeral service, Bishop of Francis Calistus of
Meerut reminded her mourning siblings, Religious Sisters of FSLG, the priests
of the diocese and others present, “We the celebrants are wearing white
vestments, singing Gloria on this last day of the Easter Octave, believing
firmly that our sister Jaya is received into Everlasting Life”. 
Sr. Jaya FSLG (Franciscan Sisters
of Our Lady of Graces) was always busy- ‘doing her Father’s business’. On
Thursday after her village ministry she returned to the convent late in the
evening, had her dinner and went early to bed. At around 11.00 PM she called
Sr. Jancy and complained of some discomfort and breathing problem. Sr. Sophie,
FSLG in Mushalpur was also informed and Fr. Sushil the parish priest was woken
up at midnight to attend to the emergency situation. Fr. Sushil immediately
rushed her to the hospital at Kokrajhar, about 6 Km away. Sr. Jaya was
breathing heavy and fast and was praying aloud- “Jesus have mercy on me”. At
about 1.00 AM when they arrived at the hospital, there was no trace of life in
Sr. Jaya, and the doctor declared- ‘she is brought dead’! Shock and disbelief
descended upon all of them. I cannot believe it either. Yet, Sr. Jaya knew
where she was going... that is why she was calling on the name of Jesus.
A colossal loss to her dear ones,
the Congregation and of course her dear community at Magurmari. A huge vacuum
that exists now. “Wherever Sr. Jaya went there was life”, declared Sr. Rajini
in her obituary message. I can vouch for it, as I have seen it for myself. Now,
Sr. Jaya from above will surely intercede for us poor missionaries to be more
committed and eager to do God’s Will. May her soul Rest in Peace. 
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