FEAST OF ANNUNCIATION

March 25, is celebrated as the Feast of Annunciation, which refers to the announcement of Angel Gabriel to Virgin Mary that she would become the mother of Jesus. 10 months from this day would be December 25 - Christmas. As we celebrate the Feast of Annunciation, let us also remember it is includes the message of 'Renunciation'... since Mary replied 'Here am I, Your servant. Let Thy will be done', knowing that her commitment would cost her to risk many things, much more than any of us could even imagine. It is easy to celebrate the Feast of Annunciation as a worshiper. But, the challenge is to practice the message of renunciation, as a disciple. May God bless you all!!!

mailto:gayathrijayaraj@mm.co.in "Response to 'Women's World' - March 19, 2011"

Dear Gayathri,

Greetings from the Church of South India.

Let me introduce myself.

I am Rev. Viji Varghese Eapen, a Priest in the Church of South India.

I belong to the Diocese of Madhya Kerala, Kottayam, but presently serving at the CSI Synod Secretariat, Royapettah, Chennai (this is the head quarters of CSI) as the Director for the Department of Ecumenical Relations and Ecological Concerns.

As you may know, the CSI has always been committed to the social and ecological cause and continues to be. Through our Department of Diaconal Concerns, we involve in Women Empowerment and Girl Child Empowerment, focusing mostly in the rural villages of South India.

Well, Gayathri, I mail this to applaud you for the letter you had published on March 12, 2011, in the News Plus under the title 'Penn Nagarm'. And in your subsequent article in 'Women's World', Metro Manorama, March 19, 2011, you have expressed your disappointment and frustrations in many not positively responding to your letter cited above (except three).

I just want to assure you that we all are there with you for this just cause. In fact, let me tell you that I myself has read your letter in the church where i had led the Communion Service on March 13, 2011. (For the past three years (2008 May -2011 January) I was the vicar of the Holy Trinity CSI Malayalam Congregation at Vepery, Chennai. As part of this huge congregation, we have a small church in Mogappair, Chennai too. Though the Church of South India celebrated March 8th as Women's Sunday, we celebrated Women's Sunday on March 13th.) During the service, just before the Public Confession, I read out your letter to the congregation, quoting your name, and led the confession in the light of this. The same letter was read just before the intercessory prayers during one of the Area Prayers, held at Kilpauk.

Gayathri, your letter is so moving, and we express our solidarity with your stand, and at the same time we the Church of South India, pray for a transformation of our society, that no more Anna Mammen, Radhika Thanvar and Soumya repeat...

May be we can even think of the Church and the Media joining hands together in conscientizing the public, not only bringing the churches together but bringing youth of different faiths together, championing against such social evils. After all, to foster a spirituality without sensitivity is to be like a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal, na?

Well,

I pray that the Almighty would continue to use you. Do continue to voice out.

Also, I thank God for the vision and mission of the Malayala Manorama. It is my hope that God would continue to bless the Malayala Manorama more abundantly so that all of you would be a blessing for others.

Yours Sincerely,

Rev. Viji Varghese Eapen

CSI EUCHARISTIC LITURGY

You are requested to go through an humble effort, "Church of South India Eucharist Liturgy: Celebrating 60 Years of ‘Intra-Pluralism’ and ‘Inter-Pluralism’ " by me in the book, "The Church and Culture in India, Inculturation: Theory and Praxis", Edited by Paul Pulikkan & Paul M. Collins

(Published from ISPCK, Delhi, 2010, pp. xx, 306. ISBN: 978-81-8465-097-6 Price: $ 15 £ 9 Rs. 325)

TSUNAMI HITS JAPAN: PRAYERS REQUESTED

DEAR ALL,

LET US BE ON OUR KNEELS FOR A MOMENT AND PRAY THAT NORMALITY WOULD EMBRACE THE SHORES OF JAPAN.

LET US STAND ON OUR FEET FOR A MOMENT AND REMEMBER ALL THOSE WHO HAVE LOST EVERYTHING.

LET US MOVE ON OUR HEELS AND OPEN OUR HANDS OF LOVE AND SOLIDARITY.

Below given is the NEWS of Tsunami. Courtesy : SIFY NEWS (http://www.sify.com/news/tsunami-damages-northern-japan-10-nations-on-alert-news-international-ldlo4phiaei.html )

North east Japan was hit by a massive earthquake on Friday, which rocked buildings in Tokyo and triggered a tsunami that dashed ships onto Japan's northeast coast and sweeping cars through the streets of coastal towns. The first earthquake measuring 8.9 on the Richter Scale struck at 2.45 p.m. local time about 237 miles northeast of Tokyo at a depth of 15.2 miles, the US Geological Survey said, revising the magnitude from an earlier 7.9.Ten nations are said to have issued tsunami-related alerts. Warnings have also been issued along the Pacific coast.

According to The Telegraph, among the countries that have issued a tsunami-related alert are Australia, Chile, Indonesia, Mexico, and the Mariana Islands, New Zealand, Peru, the Philippines, Russia and Taiwan. The Indian coastline has been declared safe as of now. The Japanese Defence Ministry has sent up ten aircraft to obtain an aerial survey of the damage caused by the wave, which early warnings said could be up to 10 meters high. Along Japan's coast, television footage showed massive damage from the tsunami, with dozens of cars, boats and even buildings being carried along by waters.

In Tokyo the car park of Disneyland was reported flooded. A large ship was swept away by the tsunami and rammed directly into a breakwater in Kesennuma city in Miyagi prefecture, according to footage on public broadcaster NHK. In Tokyo several fires were reported and the underground railway was evacuated. More than four million buildings reported a loss of electricity in the wake of the calamity. In downtown Tokyo, large buildings shook violently and workers poured into the street for safety. TV footage showed a large building on fire and bellowing smoke in the Odaiba district of Tokyo. In central Tokyo, trains were stopped and passengers walked along the tracks to platforms. Footage on NHK from their Sendai office showed employees stumbling around and books and papers crashing from desks.

Thirty minutes after the quake, tall buildings were still swaying in Tokyo and mobile phone networks were not working. Japan's Coast Guard has set up task force and officials are standing by for emergency contingencies. Several quakes had hit the same region in recent days, including a 7.3 magnitude one on Wednesday. Japan’s Earthquake Research Committee has warned of a 70 per cent chance that a great, magnitude-eight quake would strike Tokyo within the next 30 years. The last major quake to hit Tokyo was in 1923, when the Great Kanto Earthquake claimed more than 140,000 lives, many of them in fires.In 1855, the Ansei Edo quake also devastated the city. More recently, the 1995 Kobe earthquake killed more then 6,400 people. (ANI)

STATEMENT ON SITUATION IN LIBYA Released on February 24, 2011

The Church of South India is deeply worried about the political situation in Libya, where hundreds of protesters are reported to have been killed in the ongoing clashes with Libyan security forces. The escalating violence, arising from mass protests and wide scale use of forces, including fighter jets, by the government, have caused high number of causalities from the civilian population.

We strongly condemn all acts of violence, including the blood shed, targeting the innocents, violating international norms and common decency.

We express our disapproval of the disproportionate use of force against those who follow their fundamental rights to protest, and to the freedom of expression.

We affirm our solidarity with the people of Libya in their fight for universal rights, including the rights of peaceful assembly, free speech, and the freedom to determine their own destiny.

We urge all parties to respect the human rights of all people in Libya and calls for an immediate peaceful and political solution to the violence.

The Church of South India joins with all faith communities around the world, praying and hoping toward the establishment of peace with justice, upholding the aspirations of the Libyans for freedom and democracy.

RESPONSE OF THE CHURCH OF SOUTH INDIA ON SUPREME COURT’S VERDICT ON DARA SINGH RELEASED ON JANUARY 21, 2011

On Friday, January 21, 2011, the Supreme Court of India upheld the life imprisonment for Dara Singh and Mahendra Hembram, both accused in the killing of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons in Orissa's Koenjhar district in January 1999. The Church of South India, which believes that Jesus, the prime mover of mission, has commissioned the Church to carry on the mission of God to be the agents of transformation and channel of Grace and Peace (Reference: “THE CONSTITUTION OF THE CHURCH OF SOUTH INDIA”, Chapter III “The Mission of The Church”, Paragraph 3) joins with the family of Mrs. Gladys Staines and the Christian Community in India, in welcoming the verdict upholding the Orissa High Court verdict in 2005, commuting the death sentence imposed by a sessions court, on Dhara Singh, to life imprisonment. We believe, all of us should affirm the value and integrity of any life at any stage and that every person should be given opportunities to realize his/her mistakes and to repent.

Moreover, the Church of South India welcomes the ‘modification’ made by the apex court of India on Tuesday, January 25, 2011, on its earlier verdict pronounced on January 21, 2011. Instead of its earlier view that the crime was driven by a passion to teach Staines a lesson for converting poor tribals to his religion, the Bench has said that a lapse of 12 years since the incident was the reason for it agreeing with the Orissa High Court decision to award Singh a life sentence. The Church of South India believes, as the Body of Christ, in her life and work, the Church should endeavour to bear witness to the Gospel of love. Mission is not aggressive propaganda but a way of life. True mission is carried out in a spirit of openness to and respect for other faiths, avoiding any attitude of triumphalism. (Reference: “THE CONSTITUTION OF THE CHURCH OF SOUTH INDIA”, Chapter III “The Mission of The Church”, Paragraph 7). We believe that the Supreme Court of India, through the modification made on the earlier verdict, has affirmed that, it is this dimension of the ministry and mission of the Church that was evident in the mission carried out by the Australian Missionary Graham Stuart Staines, who was working among those infected with ‘Hansen’s Disease’ in Orissa, while sharing the love of Jesus Christ.

Further, the Church of South India continues to pray for the families of Mrs. Gladys Staines, Mrs. Esther Staines and Mr. Dhara Singh, that God would continue to bless them in order that they all would toil toward the continuance of love, justice and peace.

IMMANUEL? Yes... IMMANUELS? NO...

Often we celebrate Christmas, overlooking the very essence of Christmas. For most of us, Christmas is merely a time of shopping, caroling, feasting, partying, greeting, decorating and presenting gifts. To realize the true magnitude of Christmas, I assume, we need to understand Jesus Christ, the Messiah, through the eyes of ‘Immanuel’. As we all know, Immanuel means ‘God be with us’. But, we need to be aware of the fact that this ‘Immanuel’ is not just one of the names of Jesus, but His own very nature of being with us. Therefore, I do believe that, it is integral to the celebration of Christmas to have a full and perfect understanding of Jesus as Immanuel, residing with us.

For certain, as the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, He is with us world without end, in our pains and pleasures, sorrows and joys, tears and smiles, and despairs and hopes. He can take us through the thick and thin and hold us in our ups and downs, lead us through the rifts and ridges. His love never ends, mercy never dries and care never fails. The manger in which He was born, the cross on which He was nailed, the grave in which He was buried (and of course from which He resurrected) prove how faithful and indisputable is His ‘Immanuel-ness.’ And, therefore we ought to celebrate His Advent, not just as a season but as the very reason for this season.

However, the fact that He is Immanuel, meaning ‘God be with us,’ is not just a matter of celebration but also a matter of contrition. He was born as the most vulnerable stranger in a manger, born to an unmarried couple, through a virgin, cradled in a stable and saddled on a donkey. He was born as the Immanuel in and through these conditions. AND HE CONTINUES TO BE BORN TODAY as ‘Immanuels’ outside the fringes of the society, as strangers, born to many unwedded mothers having no diapers, cradles, feeding bottles, baby-sitters, and toys. The tears of their mothers drench their face, the weeping of their fathers becomes their lullaby, rubbish for many becomes food for them, and junk for many becomes precious gift for them.

Yes…HE IS WITH US ALWAYS…as the IMMANUEL …VULNERABLE. Do we see Him? Do we know Him? Do we love Him?

Our lives are so packed this season, aren't they? There really isn't any room for anything other than shopping, preparing, decorating, partying and caroling. Our lives are so busy and so scheduled. We pay little attention not only to the voice Immanuel from heaven, as God in Christ is still trying to find a way to get in to our lives but also to the cries of many Immanuels born outside the margins of our society craving for love and acceptance. Just as Christ had come into this world, in the grubby reality of a manger in Bethlehem, so are they born as strangers; they too are Immanuels who long to find rooms somewhere among our schedules and our busyness this season. As we pack our days and spend our money and busy ourselves with so much, will we make room for ‘Immanuel’ as well as ‘Immanuels’ this season?

DISFIGURED CHRISTmas!!!

Maybe, you don’t know me tight,

But I am sure you know my name quite right.

With Yuletide round the corner,

You go and search all corners –

Food and fun, ham and bun;

Caroling, feasting all the way,

And then, my name you blame.

You make trips to pricy spots,

You take sips from frothy pots,

You go berserk, my creations you hack;

I gave you light, you burn all night,

And then, my name you blame.

It’s harvest for sellers,

They flock at the tellers

For a fortune they make, all in my name.

Movies and soaps take life off your lives

You lull on your couch,

And then, my name you blame.

Thee, my flock, you await my day

To lend your hand; it’s charity, you say;

But, lo! what makes you vary

From that good ol’ Pharisee?

Set apart is a day, it's my Birthday you say!

Did ever you know, it's not the right day?

At my house you gather, else you don't bother

Oh! two more days, Good Friday and Easter.

In case my name you still haven't figured,

I am the One whom you disfigured

The One, who...

Many call Christ...

Some call Messiah...

My name is, Jesus!

But only a few…a very few who really know me as Immanuel...

COMMUNION OF CHURCHES IN INDIA

The Communion of Churches in India is the result of a deep longing on the part of the three constituent churches namely - the Church of South India (CSI), which was formed in 1947 by a merger of protestant denominations belonging to Anglican, Presbyterian, Congregational Methodist and later, Basel traditions, the Church of North India (CNI), which was formed in 1970 as a result of the merger between protestant denominations of the Anglican, Presbyterian, Congregational and Baptist traditions and the Malankara Marthoma Syrian Church (MTC) which is a reformed branch of the Syrian Christian Community in India with an oriental heritage. It was with the objective to manifest the God-given unity in Christ beyond a full communion relationship that the unity was initiated. In fact, the original name of this unity was Joint Council of CNI-CSI-MTC.

The path towards the formation of the Joint Council was opened when in 1975, the Joint Theological Commission of the three churches issued a five point declaration among which the call to constitute a Join Council was one important element. More vividly saying, the Joint Theological Commission in 1975 recommended the formation of a Joint Council consisting of Bishops, clergy and laity from the three churches, “to express our joint concern for the mission of Christ in our country today, to give concrete expression to the relationship of full communion already existing and also to continue or initiate negotiations for a wider manifestation of the unity of the church, so that the world may believe”.

The very existence of the Joint Council was a visible manifestation of the unity of the three churches. Although the Joint council had only advisory powers in relation to matters internal to the constituent churches, the council could act on its own in matters relating to common responsibility and action, so long as the decisions were acceptable to the individual churches. In fact, the council was to act as a great prompter to the three churches to move a head in unity and not to be satisfied with the present manifestations of unity. Recognizing the need for working together and growing together in the spirit of unity, all the three churches came together as a body consistituting 30 representatives from each church including 5 bishops, 10 presbyters and 15 members including 5 women.

Thus the Joint Council was formed and inaugurated at Nagpur in 1978, as the visible organ for common action by the three churches which recognize themselves as belonging to the one church of Jesus Christ in India, even while they remain as autonomous churches, each having its own identity of the traditions and organizational structures. The functions of the council were to explore possibilities of common action for the fulfillment of the mission of the church in India. To consider questions of faith, worship, order and other issues emerging out of their relationship; to undertake new programmes and projects to work together; to appoint boards, committees, regional councils etc and with specific tasks as and when needed, to respond to specific socio-political situations in the country as a whole or in communities.

Following were the measures taken as Joint Council:

1. The Celebration of the Festival of Unity: Every Year the second Sunday in November was set apart as the festival of unity on which day the local congregations were urged to celebrate the Eucharist in a rite other than one’s own. However, whether the celebration is still confined to a few select congregations or has it achieved the status of a festival at the level of the local congregations as a whole is a question to be thought about.

2. Publication of Common Book of Worship: In order to familiarize the people with the Eucharistic rites of all the three churches and to encourage the celebration of the Eucharist in rites other than one’s own, the Eucharistic liturgies of the three churches were to be published as a single volume.

3. Publication of the “Information Booklet”: An information booklet describing and introducing the Joint Council was to be published to pass on information to people at the grass root levels.

4. Formation of Regional Joint Councils: Regional joint councils were to be appointed to manifest the unity at the regional levels.

5. Joint Meetings: A series of jot meetings for youth, women and clergy were to be planned and these were in the process of being carrying out. The purpose was to increase good will among the members of the three churches, to build up joint leadership and to provide opportunities for common reflection.

6. Joint Evangelistic Mission: Preliminary plans for a joint evangelistic mission in Sikkim, one of the north eastern states of India were approved. The work was to be undertaken by the Darjeeling diocese of the church of North India with sharing of resources by the other two churches.

7. Participation in Decision – making bodies: A beginning was made for mutual participation in the decision-making bodies of the three churches. Though at that moment the participation was to be symbolic, later it was to lead to a genuine sharing of power in the years to come.

8. Widening the Horizons: The possibility for more churches like the Lutherans and Methodists to join the joint council was laid open.

It was with the intension for a new ‘Oikumene’ – the household of God, that what was begun in 1978(in Nagpur) as Joint Council, the visible organ for common action by C.S.I- C.N.I- Marthoma Church, was reformed as “The Communion of Churches in India" in 2001. This transformation from being a Council to Communion, by transcending the liturgical and traditional divisions was a paradigm swing from being a body of persons appointed or elected to act in as advisory, administrative or legalistic capacity to a concrete act of sharing or holding a common participation in faith. This communion, as a visible organ for common action which recognizes themselves as belonging to the Church of Christ in India, was expected to remain autonomous even as respecting each other. In other words, the autonomy of the member churches was granted not at the cost of mutual respect.

Basing upon BEM (Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry) document as one of the foundations for all the understanding of matters of faith and ministry, the Communion, made a huge leap with the decision to share a common lectionary. And today, we have a common liturgy, titled, “The Common Liturgy of the Eucharist for the CSI, CNI and Marthoma Churches”. These examples underline the commitment with which the member churches were participating towards the goal of recognizing themselves as belonging to the Church of Christ in India.

Moreover, down through the years, the member churches were committed to each other in being transparent, even as upholding their integrity and autonomy. In other words, there has been an absolute transparency in the process of joining in concrete acts of sharing or holding a common participation in faith. This proves that it is with transparency, integrity, commitment and respect to each other that the communion has been progressing since its formation.

GOD OFFERED...SO DO WE...

On Thursday, September 30, 2010, in the Ayodhya title dispute judgment, delivered by Allahabad High Court, it was observed that the spirit of divine ever remains present everywhere at all times for anyone to invoke at any shape or form in accordance with his/her own aspirations and it can be shapeless and formless also. Ages before that, around 960BCE, Solomon prayed, “But will God really dwell on earth with men? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!” (2 Chr. 6:18). It has always been a matter of mystery how to understand the nature of God, who is abstract but concrete. The One who is beyond time and space lives in history and culture. The One who is spirit and eternal, becomes flesh and dies upon the cross. The one who is not only omnipresent and omniscient, but also omnipotent becomes the most vulnerable. The question is how can the spirit of divine that ever remains present everywhere at all times, the shapeless and formless, the One who dwells in heavens, even in the highest heavens, embodies Himself into the limits of space and time.

Not a myth, not a legend, not a mere story, but a truth that He dwelled with us and for us, not as an angel, not as a nymph, not as a phantom, but as a human being, not out of ambition, not out of adventure, not out of monotony but out of love. Yes, the One who could have remained above the firmament, offered Himself to be emptied, to be tortured, to be crucified and to be buried, just because He loved us. Love, for Him was not merely an emotion, springing up and spilling over for a moment or for a brief period, but His own self, his life and power. His ‘becoming not’ was on account of His love towards us with the hope of our ‘becoming’. In other words, the key to His ‘becoming not’ – from divine to human – was His willingness to offer Himself out of His love for us. Thinking along the same lines, the key to our ‘becoming’ – from human to divine – too should be our willingness to offer ourselves out of our love towards Him.

As it was not just an expression but the very nature of God, integral to His being, to love and offer Himself for us, we too should offer ourselves, not just a part of what we have but the whole of what we are.

DAFFODILS, BLOOM NO MORE....

One of the poems that I have studied during my good old school-days and which still remains afresh in my mind is ‘The Daffodils’ by William Wordsworth. The poem was such a lovely piece of art, that whenever I heard or read or recited it, the host of golden daffodils not only fluttered besides the lake and beneath the trees, but also within me, in the garden of my own mind. To anyone who believes in ‘emotions recollected in tranquility’, it is no surprise that Daffodils present what wealth a show, not only to be gazed and feel gay and glee, but also to be a flash upon the inward eye and a bliss of solitude. Of course, the poem ‘Daffodils’ is as sensuous as the daffodils stretched in never-ending line along the margin of a bay continuous as the stars that shine and twinkle on the Milky Way.

Nonetheless, it is also true as steel that, daffodils can steal our lives. In the bulbs of daffodils are present, lycorine, a toxic crystalline alkaloid which is highly poisonous and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and convulsions. Indeed, on May 1, 2009, it was reported that a number of school children had fallen ill in a school in England after adding a daffodil bulb to soup during a cookery class. The bulbs could often be confused with onions, thereby leading to incidents of accidental poisoning.

It is interesting to note that the botanical name of daffodils which enjoy being the national flower of Whales is Narcissus pseudonarcissus. The etymology of the term can be traced back to the Greek myth of Narcissus, who was an extremely good-looking Greek youth, born to the river god Cephissus and the nymph Leiriope. At his birth, Tiresias prophesied that Narcissus would enjoy a long life as long as he would never know himself. Many women and men fell in love with him. He rejected all of them including nymph Echo, who at the rejection faded away, until only her voice remained. Ameinias, another admirer, was so devastated by Narcissus's indifference towards him that he killed himself. Before doing so, however, Ameinias called on the gods to punish Narcissus and he was punished. One day while Narcissus was gazing into a pond, he saw his own reflection and he fell in love with his own image, and trying to touch it, fell into the pond and got drowned. There where he died, a plant sprang and that is believed to be the Narcissus plant, commonly known as daffodil.

In fact, it is based on this myth that the word Narcissism has originated. Narcissism, which defines a tendency to love oneself excessively without any regard for others, leads one to hate others, ultimately leading us to Darwinism, with the motto, ‘kill or be killed’. Daffodils, therefore, should be seen not only as an object of romantic beauty to be admired and glorified, but also as a symbol of narcissism or selfishness, which is as poisonous as the flower narcissus.

It is our call as Christians, followers of Christ, to counter Narcissism and foster agapaic love, to love as our Saviour did. Let us stand as a corrective to narcissism, not only in becomingpreachers of love, but also in continuing to be part of Christ, voicing against anything that defies true love. Let daffodils never bloom in our garden of mind. Let narcissism never conquer our spirit of unity and fellowship. Let not the poison of selfishness and hatred be felt in the blood, and felt along the heart and passing even into our purer mind. Let for oft, when on our couch we lie, in vacant or in pensive mood, what that flash upon our inward eye, as a bliss of solitude, not be daffodils but THE CROSS, the symbol of true and selfless love, and then let our hearts be filled with pleasure and dance in harmony and tranquility.

imagE-nation

As we are on the threshold of another Independence Day Celebration of our nation, let us thank God for the mercies that the Almighty has bestowed upon us as a republic, throughout last year.

On July 15, 2010, while re-affirming India’s growing economic strength, the Indian government brought out a symbol for Indian Rupee that would reflect and capture the Indian ethos and culture. The symbol is a combination of alphabet ‘R’ in English and ‘र’ of Devanagari script. It is announced that this symbol would soon be introduced on computer keyboards and banknotes in India. It is expected to take a year or two for it to be fully implemented. However, experts opine that implementing a new currency symbol can be a costly enterprise. For example, when the euro was introduced in 1999, it cost Europe's biggest companies more than $50bn to update their computer systems to tackle the changeover.

Nevertheless, the ethos this symbol represents, should urge us towards a ‘psychological changeover’ in terms of our patriotic and social responsibilities. In the new symbol, the parallel lines on top (with white space between them) make an allusion to the tricolor Indian flag depicting a sign of equality which symbolizes the nation's desire to reduce economic disparity. As patriotic Indians, let us be reminded of our commitment towards safeguarding the sovereignty of our nation. Any thought or word or action that impairs the secular, democratic and socialistic fabric of our nation, be it terrorism, religious fundamentalism, cultural nationalism or extreme regionalism, ought to be avoided at any cost. Moreover, as responsible citizens, it is also our duty to foster equality and justice, fighting against all agents of discrimination and disparity. We must channelize all our efforts towards the goal of taking the country to a higher level of all- round national development. We cannot recline till we accomplish our goal which is not at all possible as long as the gap between the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ continues to increase. Such ‘psychological changeovers’, or transformation, to be precise, need not be expensive or costly but definitely precious and valuable.

Nonetheless, as Christians, our responsibility and commitment do not end in our earnest patriotism; rather it extends to our loyalty to the Kingdom of God. When Pharisees asked Jesus if it was lawful for Jews to pay taxes to Rome, He held up a coin and asked whose image was on it, and the Pharisees replied that it was Caesar's image. Then Jesus said, “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21). Jesus tells them to give to Caesar that which is due to Caesar and give to God what is due to God. What is due to Caesar is the coin upon which his image is engraved; similarly what is due to God is we ourselves, who are created in His own image. Yes, we are His Currency. God Himself is the monitory authority; exchange rate is His own life and the monitory policy is not one of accumulation, rather sharing. And our currency symbol is Cross, the mark of divine love.

Let us give to God what is due to Him and our nation what is due to her. Let us commit ourselves for the cause of the CROSS and uphold the ethos that the new Rupee symbol represents. Let us revere and worship our Lord who gave His life for us; let us also remember and respect our foreparents who gave their lives for our nation.

refRAIN

In my mind, day was breaking

And around, it was raining.

In my mind, night was falling

And within, it was raining.

IX-892 : I AM CRASHED!!!

For many, it is just another morning, but for me it is the morning that I was waiting for the past three years. It was a love at first sight in 2007 when we met for the first time in my house and a week after that first meeting, we got married. But the joy of living together lasted just for two days since he had to rush back to Dubai on an emergency call from his company. Though our life together lasted only 48 hours, I can tell you that he is the gem of a person. There is not a day or night that has passed without us calling each other. Not a moment in my life I have lived without remembering him. Not only his photograph that lies beneath my pillow tells the depth of my love, but also his love that is filled in my heart and spread through my blood. Yes, and the one whom I loved most in my life…he is coming this morning.

*** *** *** ***

My parents and his parents have gone to collect him, but I have not. I wanted to make everything perfect here at home to welcome him.

“My beloved is all radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand.

His head is the finest gold; His locks are wavy,

Black as a raven.

His eyes are like doves, besides springs of water,

Bathed in milk, fitly set.

His cheeks are like beds of spices, Yielding fragrance,

His lips are lilies, distilling liquid myrrh.

His arms are rounded gold, set with jewels

His body is ivory work, encrusted with sapphires.

His legs are alabaster columns, set upon bases of gold

His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as the cedars.

His speech is most sweet, and he is altogether desirable.

This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.”

What more do I want in my life but to see him face to face for one more time and to hug him and tell him…O! dear, it is for you…for you alone that I was waiting!

*** *** *** ***

Yes, it is all set to welcome him. I think I can relax now for a while as I wait to see him. Let me watch TV for sometime as I keep my ears sharp to hear the voice of our car. But to my shock…

BREAKING NEWS

“An Air India Express aircraft IX-892, carrying more than 160 people, crashed off Bajpe airport near Mangalore. The flight from Dubai overshot the table-top runway at the Mangalore airport this morning and crashed into thick vegetation in the valley below, killing 158 persons on board. Eight passengers had a miraculous escape.

The aircraft overshot the touchdown area of the runway and crossed the spillover area of 90 metres before it crashed into the forest. One of its wings hit the concrete localiser instrument, a navigation aid at the end of the spillover area, and fell down. The plane broke into two after the crash and fire broke out in the fuselage.”

*** *** *** ***

Oh! God…"May the day of my birth perish, and the night it was said, 'A baby is born!'

That day--may it turn to darkness; may God above not care about it; may no light shine upon it.

May that night be barren; may no shout of joy be heard in it.

May those who curse days curse that day, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.

"Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?

ASCENSION: AN ASSENT TOWARDS MISSION

Ascension stands not as an end to Christ’s mission but in continuity with His mission to be continued through the Church, His body. In other words, Ascension reminds us not only of the event of Jesus ascending into the heaven, but also a call for us, His disciples, to descend down to the valley to bear witness.Hence, as a church, let us not waste time looking intently up into the sky in awe. Rather, let us hurriedly walk down to the valley and work toward the extension of His Kingdom as a servant community, for the same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back soon in the same way we have seen Him go into heaven.

MARKS OF LOVE

I asked Lord, “ Lord, do you love me more than these?”

He said, “Yes son, you know that I love you.”

I said, “ Lord, grant me the car ‘Maybach’ , 5.5-litre, V-12, twin-turbo engine with a five-speed automatic transmission, which is capable of producing 550 bhp power and has a top speed of 250 km/h..”

A second time I asked Him, “Lord, do you love me?”

He said, “Yes son, you know that I love you.”

I said, “ Lord, grant me an amazing mansion brimming with grand hallways and ballrooms, an indoor squash court, a bowling alley, helipads, a 50-seat cinema, a garage giving space for eight limousines and then a heated marble driveway to add to the splendid glamour..”

I asked him for the third time, “Lord, do you love me?”

My Lord, did not utter a word, but showed His wounded hands and pierced side.

I replied, “LORD, I NEED NOTHING BUT YOU.”

THE HILL BETWEEN TWO GARDENS

In the beginning, it was in the garden of pleasure, that death was born, when the first Adam yielded to it.

Centuries later, in the garden of sepulcher, death died and was buried, when the second Adam conquered it.

In the beginning, in the garden of pleasure, it was a woman who ushered in the death as it entered into the world.

Centuries later, in the garden of sepulcher, it was a woman who first witnessed death making its way out.

In the beginning, in the garden of pleasure, when death temporarily conquered life, the immortal came in search of the mortals, and the latter was hiding.

Centuries later, in the garden of sepulcher, when life conquered death, the immortal was sought by the mortals who could no more hide themselves.

In the beginning, the garden of pleasure turned out to be a garden of sepulcher.

Centuries later the garden of sepulcher turned out to be a garden of pleasure.

What that transformed the garden of pleasure into the garden of sepulcher was nothing but disobedience to the Father and selfish love.

What that transformed the garden of sepulcher into the garden of pleasure was nothing but obedience to the Father and selfless love.

Where there is obedience and love to the point of ‘death at the Cross’, life blossoms.

The distance from the garden of sepulcher to the garden of pleasure is just a hill away…the hill of CALVARY… the hill of obedience and selfless love.

YES, the Hill of Calvary is not a FATE or an OPTION but an OPPURTUNITY and IMPERATIVE to transform our ‘gardens of sepulchers’ into ‘gardens of pleasures’.

'SPIRITUAL FRONTAGES'

“Housed in a converted church, this restaurant and bar has stained glass windows, timber paneled walls and wrought-iron grills. The chef serves up classic European comfort food with a twist, like mac and cheese with black truffles. Count your blessings!”

Last month, as I was reading through the ‘Appetite The Buzz’ column of Tiger Airways Magazine’s Jan-Feb 2010, I was thoroughly shocked to read the above lines about the ‘White Rabbit Restaurant’ in Singapore.

The White Rabbit Restaurant, for me, stands as a symbol of our own so called spirituality. That which appears to be a church is a bar and that, which is promised as a blessing, is merely an extensive and expensive dinner. Aren’t we Christians too, who often tend to wear spiritual facades, like this church converted White Rabbit Restaurant? I do feel what we often appear to be are not what we really are and what we often promise to give are never what we ought to. It is high time that we realize that our spirituality is jeopardized as we have become mere ‘spiritual frontages’. Therefore, as against what we hear time and again from the pulpit to go out into the ‘world’ preaching gospel and converting individuals and communities, I do feel, the religious concern of our time should be positioned more upon our own re-conversion.

What that makes a church is not its architecture or its ecclesial paraphernalia, rather the spiritual attitude of the members, the Body of Christ. Lent, the season we spend more and more time in the presence of God speaking to Him and listening to Him, is an appropriate time to recommit our lives towards this purpose. However, the issue here is neither the quantity nor quality of time that we spend in the presence of God. Rather, I feel it is our quality as people of God that matters.

It is important at this point to examine what is it that which stops us from living as real disciples of Christ instead of mere appearances of the same. In other words, why do we choose to be Christians with no genuineness? When I asked this question to myself, I heard an inner voice asking me a counter question, “What is it that which encourages you to be an appearance than a real Christian?” The only answer that I could find was ‘Judas’ Attitude’, the mind-set of Judas who appeared to be a disciple but who in reality was a betrayer. By ‘Judas’ Attitude’, what I mean is the driving force within us which urges us to protect our selfish interests even at the cost of crucifying God’s purpose for our lives.

Often, we are possessed with our selfish interests to earn, to grow and to prosper as individuals, as families and communities. We believe these are the things that make us accepted in the society. And hence, we invest our wealth, health and time more toward that course. At the same time, we also know that it is essential to be associated with the church life and present ourselves as holy and devoted to God, to be integrated and accepted as part of her. It is in this process of composing ourselves in a manner that we would be accepted and respected both in the world and church, that we become mere ‘Spiritual Frontages.’ To achieve this goal, we do not even bother to understand God’s purpose for our lives, same as Judas who lived and walked with Jesus for forty two months as part of his discipleship, never ever trying to recognize the purpose for his life.

Lest we not turn to Him, we would continue to be like the White Rabbit Restaurant that just APPEARS to be a church, but which in reality is a restaurant and bar that offers wrong promises of blessings.

A FEW NEWS REPORTS

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Terror_recession_become_themes_of_Xmas_sermons/rssarticleshow/3888572.cms

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/Carbon-fast-on-as-Lent-goes-green/articleshow/4273666.cms

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Priests-log-on-to-stay-in-touch-with-congregation/articleshow/4821104.cms

http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/mobile.aspx?article=yes&pageid=4&edlabel=TOICH&mydateHid=26-7-2009&pubname=Times%20of%20India%20-%20Chennai%20-%20Front%20Page&edname=&articleid=Ar00406&publabel=TOI

Disappointment Vs. Hope

Disappointment fills our minds when our wills are not accomplished. But hope fills our minds when we wait for God’s will to be accomplished.

Disappointment fills our minds when we feel everything has gone out of our control. But hope fills our minds when we realize nothing has gone out of God’s control. It is not just that He is still in control; but that He is always in control.

Disappointment fills our minds when we are forced to take a path which we never knew and which we never wanted to take. But hope fills our minds when we realize that no path is unknown to Him. The One who has called us will not leave us in the middle of our journey.