A PERSONAL PRAYER BEFORE PREPARING SERMON

Lord,

Let me be proud to preach Your Word,

But,

Let me not preach Your Word with pride. AMEN.

A PRAYER TO LIVE TRUE RELIGION

LORD,

WHERE THERE ARE MANY WHO BELIEVE IN THE RELIGION OF LETTERS - OF DOS AND DONTS...

WHERE THERE ARE MANY WHO BELIEVE IN THE RELIGION OF SYMBOLS - OF SIGNS AND WONDERS...

HELP US TO LIVE A RELIGION OF LOVE.

LORD,

WHERE THERE ARE MANY WHO BELIEVE IN THE RELIGION OF VIOLENCE - OF VENGENCE AND RETALIATION...

WHERE THERE ARE MANY WHO BELIEVE IN THE RELIGION OF STATUS - OF POWER AND AUTHORITY...

HELP US TO LIVE A RELIGION OF SERVITUDE.

LORD,

WHERE THERE ARE MANY WHO BELIEVE IN THE RELIGION OF PROSPERITY - OF BLESSINGS AND RICHES...

WHERE THERE ARE MANY WHO BELIEVE IN THE RELIGION OF NARCISSM - OF SELFISHNESS AND SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS..

HELP US TO LIVE A RELIGION OF SACRIFICE.

WE PRAY THIS IN THE NAME OF JESUS, THE CHRIST, WHO TAUGHT US WHAT IS IT TO LIVE A RELIGION OF LOVE, SERVITUDE AND SACRIFICE. AMEN.

Freedom To Move Or Freedom To Be ‘Moved’???

On the night of 14/15^th August 1947, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru addressed the Constituent Assembly of India,

“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.”

Yes, it is 62 Years since we have awakened to life and FREEDOM…since we have stepped out from the old to the new… since we have pledged towards the service of humanity.

But the question is how far we have used this freedom. Indeed a much more pertinent question is how well we have understood the meaning of freedom. Is freedom for us just the liberty or privilege to move around freely? Or does freedom mean much more than movement?

What we forget here is the fact that 62 years ago, what we attained was not just the freedom to move, but also the freedom to be ‘moved’. Each time that we pledge, ‘All Indians are my brothers and sisters,’ it is a commitment to bear it upon our shoulders to save one life...save ones life...not because the one who needs our help and care could be our brother or sister...but because he/she IS our brother/sister.

It is about this freedom that our Lord Jesus taught us through His life and mission. He was not just a man who moved around the streets of Palestine, rather, someone who was moved at the sight of the deceased, ostracized and pulverized in the society. In fact, He had a kind of kindness that enabled him always to try to do something that would be part of the answer and not part of the problem. This kindness is one of the most creative and powerful things that any of us can do for another human being. It is not just confined to the first century, it’s not just something that happened long ago, rather every one of us has within our reach this ability to show kindness and mercy to other people.

Yes, we have the ‘FREEDOM TO BE MOVED’ and it is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of RE-DEDICATION to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity… to be compassionate and no more be (e)motionless at the sight of violation of human rights.

HAPPY INDEPENDANCE DAY!!!

LET US NOT BE {E}MOTIONLESS...

In VANITHA (July 15-31), a fortnightly magazine, published from Kottayam, Kerala, India, i read about a celebrity by name MALIKA who 'risks' herself to save the lives of many caught in road accidents. What that really urges her to take this 'risk' is her own bitter experience of the loss of her father in a road accident. Her father would have been saved if at least one person who passed besides him had the kindness to take him to the hospital on time. But they all preferred to be part of a busy moving but 'motionless' crowd. Had the crowd, at least one of them, transcended their/his/her 'motion' to be 'motionless' he would have been saved.

Often we tend to be passive observers in such cases of accidents. In this busy world, for us, such cases of accidents are just part of a 'landscape'... and we opt to be 'motionless' or to be accurate, 'emotionless'.

No...

Next time we see an accident...we should not remain '(e)motionless'. Let us stop moving and 'be moved'. Let us bear it upon our shoulders to save one life...save ones life...not because the one who lies there could be our brother or sister..but because he/she who lies there IS our brother/sister.

Lord! Thank You for this day...BUT WHY?

I celebrate my birthday

Not just because I got one more year...

Not just because I am not sure whether I would have another one ...

Not just because I want to be loved and greeted by all for one more time ...

But,

BECAUSE I WANT TO CELEBRATE MY LIFE WITH ITS JOYS AND SORROWS

To say 'thank-you' to God for all the comforts...

To say 'thank-you' to God for all the pains...

To say 'thank-you' to God for all my dreams that are accomplished and unaccomplished...

To say 'thank-you' to God for all that I am and all that I am not today...

To say 'thank-you' to God for all that I have and all that I do not have...

To say 'thank-you' to God for all that He has taken away from me...

Yes,

To celebrate this life with all its thicks and thins which is a gift from Him.

LORD! THANK YOU SOOOOOOOO MUCH. AMEN!!!

FACE JESUS' FACE ON FACES FACING OUR FACES

We seem to be concerned more about 'discovering' the faces of Jesus on the walls of the churches and to convert them into pilgrim centres...of course we are profited by this.

But, we fail to see the face of Jesus, which is reflected, not upon these dead walls, but upon the tortured faces of millions around us.

Why? Have we lost our focus?

Or do we overlook this fact because we know that it would cost us rather than profiting us?

Let us remember what Jesus said...

Jesus said "Whatever you do unto the least of my brothers and sisters, you do unto me"

So, let us face Jesus' face upon those faces facing our faces.....

KNOWLEDGE, TRUTH & FALSE

True knowledge is the knowledge of Truth. But false knowledge isn't the knowledge of false, rather, truth that appears to be truth, but not.

BE + VE

(This is a Sonnet in Iambic Tetra Meter with aaaabbbb, bbbcca rhyming scheme.)

The dark-fledged night is here and near,

And moon-lit night is found no where.

I thought for days why days are rare,

And found no ways to end my snare.

I then looked up to sky so far,

And through the clouds I saw a star.

It smiled at me from way that far,

That twinkling beam thus healed my scar.

I got to know that nights not mar,

And need no days to fill my jar.

If I can be a shining star,

Then nights can turn to days for sure.

All that I need is try to cure,

The dark-fledged night without a fear.

'NEWS-VALUE' Vs 'VIEWS-VALUE'

Given below are examples of a striking similarity that appeared in the media, in the way in which the death of two important celebrities were reported.

When on June 17, 2009, the sarod maestro Ustad Ali Akbar Khan died at his San Francisco home, the media reported, “The magician’s death has left a void, but the magic remains.” [Harji Malik, “That Unforgettable Concert in Paris…,” The Hindu Friday Review, 26 June, 2009, 1.]

And on June 26, 2009, when the global pop super star Michael Jackson died at the UCLA Medical Centre, Los Angeles, the media reported, “The “Thriller” may be gone, but the thrill will always remain.” [“The Thriller Gone, But The Thrill Remains,” The Hindu (Chennai), 27June, 2009, 19.]

Despite the considerable variations initiated in the media these days, the mass media to a large extent still seem to hold on to the established ways of selecting and treating news events in a stereotyped way characterized by a set of conventional ‘rules’. And therefore, it need not be a mere coincidence that the media language in the two reports cited above which mediate the deaths of two celebrities appear to be very similar. In fact, the language used here is not only similar but also powerful. They powerfully communicate the charisma of two legendary musicians whose personalities are hoped to linger in the minds of many, for generations. This in deed seems to be in line with the studies in the field of media which underscores the importance of the power and depth of any language in communicating the ‘news-value’ of any news determined by its ‘timeliness,’ ‘prominence,’ ‘proximity,’ and the ‘bizarreness,..

Time and again the ‘news-value’ of an individual or society or place is given excessive importance in today’s world. In fact, often, a person is respected and remembered for his or her ‘news-value.’ Though in the reports cited in the beginning of this editorial, it is the media that have attributed respect to the ‘news-value’ of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Michael Jackson, we should not overlook the fact that there are many around us who try to create a ‘news-value’ for themselves even using any unjustifiable means. In fact, no individual, society, organization, or religion, seem to overcome this temptation of creating impressions of towering ‘news-values.’ Christianity is no exception.

Three striking examples of people in the Bible who had no much ‘news-value’ but ‘views-value’ are the lad who sacrificed his five loaves and two fish, the Good Samaritan who was moved with pity towards the man who was half-dead, and the widow who offered everything that she had. None of them had any ‘news-value’ in the community they lived. They were unrecognized by the ‘media’. No ‘media’ reported that their ‘magic’ or ‘thrill’ would remain. But we remember them for the ‘views-value’ they held…yes, their love and sacrifice. In fact, they are not only to be respected and honoured, but also to be emulated.

The Bible also speaks about a number of persons who demanded respect and honour by acting to be people of high ‘news-values,’ some examples being the Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, and the Priests. They appeared to act as individuals of high spiritual, political, and social profile. Jesus indeed refuted that kind of attitude out-and-out, calling it as sheer hypocrisy. For Jesus, what seemed to be of importance was not ‘news-value’ but ‘views-value.’ Any individual or society, according to Him, was to hold to its heart, lofty views and values of love, care, and sacrifice, which was hoped to transform individuals as well as the society.

In fact, Jesus Himself is remembered for His ‘views-value’ that ultimately led Him to his death upon the Cross, through which the world was redeemed. In other words, if we have a ‘news-value’ now, it is just because of the ‘views-value’ of Jesus, founded on love and self-sacrifice of which the ultimate expression was His death upon the cross. This in deed demands us to be a community committed to high ‘views-values’ through which we would be able to redeem the society around us. There are many around us whose ‘news-value’ is denied, which could be redeemed if and only if we hold on to the same ‘views-value’ of Jesus, i.e., love and sacrifice.

So, let us no more try to create 'news-value' for us rather uphold 'views-value' through which we can make this world a better place to live in.

SOLILOQUY - 1 - 3

1. I asked myself, why the world is so big?

I answered, " The world seems to be so big for me not because it is that big, but because I am too small."

2. I asked myself, why the love is so rare?

I answered, " The love seems to be so rare to me not because it is that rare but because I do not know what is love."

3. I asked myself, why the night is so dark?

I answered, " The night seems to be so dark for me not because it is that dark but because I believe it would not be night otherwise."

JOHN, THE HARBINGER, PROPHET & BAPTIST

John the Baptist is remembered as the one who lived for truth, one who challenged all kinds of political and social evils and one who died for truth. Nevertheless, his personality is not confined to just that. We can understand him better only if we know his context.

The very first air he breathed contained the fresh fragrance of a priestly legacy as his father Zechariah was a priest himself and his mother Elizabeth belonged to Aaron’s lineage. This means that he was born into a community which belonged to a fixed status. And it is no mistake to gather that being born into a priestly family, he had the call and responsibility to defend the ethos and values of his community.

However, it is believed that he was orphaned in his early age and hence was adopted by the Qumran community which was a closed monastic community. Therefore, as he grew his ministry too was associated with Qumran. In fact, it is in the light of this that we should read Lk. 3^4-6, which is borrowed from Isa. 40^3-5, which indeed was a text important to the Qumran community. It is also to be noted that his Spartan diet and apparent ascetical behavior paint fairly good analogies with Qumran. Moreover, the water rites that he practiced were in continuity with Qumran.

Hence, by birth and life there was a chance for John, the Baptist to be born and to die as part of closed communities. But, what is important here is that he could burst open from that…he opened himself to the world outside. In the Gospel of Luke we find that he preached to Jews as well as to ‘others.’ Soldiers were not Jews, for under Roman law Jews were exempt from military service because they would not fight on the Sabbath. When crowds asked John what they should do, he does not tell them to keep the commandments of the Torah. In the third gospel John’s message is the same for Jews and Gentiles. To repent, they are told to share their clothing and food with the poor, and to be honest and fair. (Lk. 3^10-14)

In a world where we tend to live as part of closed communities, withdrawing ourselves from our social commitments, disassociating with others, forming our own cliques and groups, the life and ministry of John the Baptist stand as a ‘controversy’ - a life in discontinuity and disagreement with the flow. Yes, his was a life that burst open from his closed communities to the world outside. It is this courage that he showed that made him the ‘Harbinger of the Good News’, ‘Prophet of a New World Order’, and ‘Baptist of a Social Change.’

We too need to break our cliques and burst to the world outside, so that we would become ‘Harbingers of the Good News’, ‘Prophets of a New World Order’, and ‘Baptists of a Social Change.’ For this, what we need is not just a life of tolerance but the courage to live a life of harmony with the world outside. Let us not forget that we believe in a God who did not remain to his closed heavens, rather the one who reached out and loved us as we are… who had the courage to live in harmony with us, who came as the herald of the Good News, established a New World Order by challenging and transforming socio-economic and religious ethos.

'LABOUR DAY' - MESSAGE

‘Labour Day,’ which is celebrated in most of the countries on May 1^st, is no more considered by the Church as a ‘secular’ day, and thus is no more cornered away from the spiritual life of the Church. The celebration of Labour Day, which has its origins in the Eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours of work, eight hours of recreation and eight hours of rest, has already become part of the Church of South India (CSI) liturgical Calendar. In fact, this day is celebrated by the CSI as the day of ‘Joseph, the Carpenter’. There are dioceses within CSI which observes this day as an occasion to gather all the labourers and maintenance staff in the diocesan institutions. One of the related themes for this year is, “We are co-workers of God.”

In countries like Sri Lanka, the Christian Workers’ Fellowship organizes an annual ecumenical liturgical celebration on May 1^st, called the ‘Workers’ Mass’. While maintaining the core of a Christian liturgical event, the Workers’ Mass takes greater liberty in introducing symbols, readings and prayers that are meaningful to the labourers. [This year’s ‘Workers’ Mass’ was scheduled to be held on May 1^st at St. Michael’s Church, Polwatte in Kollupitiya. The main celebrants will be Colombo’s Anglican Bishop the Rt. Rev. Duleep de Chickera, the Bishop of Kurunegala, the Rt. Rev. Cedric Illangasinghe and the president of the Methodist Church, the Rev. Ebenezer Joseph.]

Nevertheless, despite all these efforts from the part of the Church, the believers do not seem to be convinced of the need to celebrate ‘Labour Day.’ There may be at least a few who would say that Labour is a political or sociological term which has nothing to do with spirituality. This, I am afraid, is a wrong understanding, due to the following reasons:

1. To labour is within God’s nature

Bible pictures God as a ceaseless worker, whose first great work was the work of creation which was purposeful, creative and above all ‘good.’ Moreover, in Genesis, we find a God who formed man out of dust from ground (Gen. 2⁷), planted a garden for him (Gen. 2⁸) and made a wife for him (Gen. 2^21-22). A few other images of God as worker in the Bible are God as cosmic caretaker (Ps. 104^10-22), God who neither slumbers nor sleeps, but is always busy protecting people (Ps. 121) and God who rescues (Ps. 107). In the New Testament Jesus himself is depicted as a carpenter. During His public ministry he repeatedly spoke about his purpose and work (Jn. 4³⁴, Jn. 9⁴, Jn. 5¹⁷).

2. To labour is within God’s purpose

Quoting Gen. 3¹⁷ (“… in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life…”) and Gen. 3¹⁹ (“By the seat of your face you shall eat bread…”), labour is often understood as a punishment. But, this is not true. The concept of labour was there in the very design of God’s purpose for us. In Gen. 2¹⁵ it is said, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.” Here human work is shown to have worth and dignity as a service to God as something that gives purpose to human life. Therefore, work or labour is a God-appointed necessity for human life. The Psalmist, for that reason, depicts work as part of a natural rhythm - “People go out to their work and to their labour until evening.” - (Ps. 104²³).

In fact, in the Bible, there is no stigma attached to being a worker. Rather, it is an expected part of life. Therefore, labour which is considered as a secular entity, in reality, belongs to the sacred space and hence to celebrate ‘Labour Day’ is to praise God for He is a worker and to thank God for He wants us to be co-workers. This indeed is also a time to commit ourselves to carry out the call that He has given us to ‘till and keep’ this garden of Eden, in whatever role we are assigned. Moreover, it also urges us to maintain the sacredness of the work we do by being just and honest in whatever we do.

Most importantly, ‘Labour Day’ is a day also to remember all those who toil hard so as to remain grateful for their service to the society. The bread and wine we use during the Holy Eucharist are not only symbols of His body and blood, but also products of human labour. Therefore, as we participate in the Holy Eucharist, the bread and wine should remind us not only of the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, but also the sufferings of many around us who pulverizes and squeezes themselves; who labour towards the service of humanity, especially the ones working in mines, construction sites, sanitary projects, factories and for our security, happiness and prosperity in our offices, at our backyards, gardens and even in our kitchens.

May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, Love of our Father and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us now and for ever more. Amen.

CHRISTIAN JOURNEY!!!

Christian Life is an ADVENTUROUS JOURNEY!!!

A journey of MOUNTAINEERING...ascending to the mountain-top to be equipped and descending to the valley to equip.

A journey of TREKKING...long journey carrying loads of dream and pains...of ourselves and others'.

A journey of SURFING...balancing ourselves on the narrow board of faith as we surf in this vast ocean of ragging waves.

A journey of WALKING IN THE MOON LIGHT...as the one who during one of the full moon days walked to the Garden of Gethsamane...where his blood became sweat.

But never,

A journey of GLIDING...where there will be many 'winds' around us to drift us away from the purpose of our lives.

CELEBRATING LENT CREATIVELY

As against the Christmas season, which is considered to be a time of celebration, Lenten season is often regarded as a season of mourning. This may be due to the fact that Bible offers a number of evidences where communities (Israel, Nineveh etc.) and individuals (David, Mordecai et al. ) mourned and fasted for days and nights. But, I do believe that the mood of Lent is not to mourn, but to celebrate, because the whole intention of this season is to turn away from our sins and to turn towards God. And, of course, to turn towards God is a matter for delight and not lament. Therefore, this year let us CELEBRATE LENT.

Further, it is important that we celebrate lent CREATIVELY. Our fasts often have a tendency to orient towards rituals like giving up food or certain forms of entertainment, which of course is beneficial spiritually. But, as Clare Ukken says, there are many other creative ways by which we can welcome Jesus’ healing touch and be united with Him in His passion, death and resurrection: fast from anger and hatred; fast from judging others, fast from discouragement, fast from complaining, fast from resentment and bitterness; fast from spending too much money for oneself, fast from selfishness etc.

Therefore, my hope is that this year’s Lent will become a very special occasion for all of us, as we try to celebrate it creatively.

MOTHER...'THERE'

Today I met her

In her best attire

But could not utter

A word or whisper

For, I met her far

Away so far

In His hands with scar

Holding her so dear

Looking at her with care

Yes, with Him is my Mother,

Amma! Your son is here

Without any fear.

HEED NEW EAR TO NEW YEAR

It is not the NEW YEAR that makes the difference; rather it is the NEW CREATION that makes the difference.

Another Christmas is gone. For many it is time to pack Jesus along with the stars, stockings and Christmas Tree. And then, another year …a new year without Jesus. How pity!

No new year is really a New year because every new year falls in continuity with the old year. Therefore, it is foolishness to forget all the follies that we had done during the past one year. All that we can do is to remember them, laugh at them and try not to repeat them.

EPIPHANY OF COMMUNION Vs CACOPHONY OF COMMUNALISM

Every New Year comes with a lot of promises and hopes. But towards the end, as we count the stock, often what remains may be a handful of sorrows and pains. Year 2008 which ended in violence and terror attacks where scores of people were killed and fourscore were handicapped and where the dreams of many were shattered was of no difference. The bomb blasts in Mumbai coupled with riots and bloodshed in Orissa have left deep scars in our hearts, for sure. As 2009 dawns, our prayer is that the New Year will be one of a difference - a year of just peace, a year of selfless love and a year of mutual respect.

Nonetheless, to accomplish this prayer, it is not enough to sit back and hope that the New Year will gift us these merits. Rather, it is equally important to urge and strive for the same in order that we will be equipped by the Almighty to realize this dream. This, however, is not an easy task since the issues that we are to address, be it religious violence or terror attacks or economic recession, are more complex than what they appear to be.

One of the greatest challenges that we as a nation face today, as we move on to the 49th year since we became a Republic on 26th January 1950, is communalism Vs Secularism. Whether it is a majority communalism or minority communalism, it is a true fact that the secular fabric of our nation is at high risk. Dr. K. N. Panikkar, President, Indian History Congress says, “Protagonists of communalism masquerading as historians were seeking to besmirch the secular heritage of Indian civilization.” [“Culture emerges as site of struggle: Panikkar,” The Hindu (Chennai), 29 December 2008, 13.]

The problem with the communalists, who are interested in their own ethnic group than in the society as a whole is that they are unable to accept plurality of religions. They believe what they believe is true and advocate for homogenization. On the other hand, secularism (in India) respects plurality and allows peaceful co-existence of all religions. India is not a society rather a harmony of many societies. It contains not one, but many traditions owing their origin in part to the different religions that exist here. It is this beauty of our secular fabric that we should not risk at the hands of the overpowering communal ideologies which seek not to acknowledge but destroy the ‘other’.

Here, that the message of Epiphany has got a vital resource to counter communalism is a significant aspect to be realized. On the day of Epiphany, which falls on January 6th, while the Western Christians commemorate the visitation of the Magi to the Child Jesus, which is Jesus’ manifestation to the nations, the Eastern Christians commemorate the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River, which is Jesus manifestation as the Son of God. Be it either, in short, Epiphany is the celebration of the ‘revelation of God in human form.’ The underlying message in Epiphany is the mind of God to accept another reality (flesh) not just to be used as a medium to reveal His glory but as a form to be born and lived.

Jesus - the Jew- revealing himself to the Magi representing ‘gentiles’, and Jesus -the sinless- identifying with the sinners, open up a new way to see the ‘other’. God, who denies no one rather accepts everyone, wants us, His children, not to be communal but to be in communion with others. To understand secularism in a Christian way, it is this aspect of communion that is the underlying principle of secularism. And our celebration of Epiphany should inspire us towards this aspect of ‘communion with each other’. Yes, if we have the courage to commune with each other, without the fear of the ‘other’, we can counter communalism and foster secularism, which can lead our nation to a year of just peace, selfless love and mutual respect. Let the EPIPHANY OF COMMUNION echo over the CACOPHONY OF COMMUNALISM. AMEN!

IMMANUEL - God With Us, Us with God, and Us with Us

Christmas - though is supposed to be a season of joy and peace, this year, unfortunately, we are going to celebrate Christmas in a context of pain, fear and distress. Therefore, I feel, it is the need of our times to re-define Christmas and examine how relevant is the message of Christmas in today’s context of terror attacks and violence spreading all over the world. So, my effort, this morning is to look at Christmas from the eyes of the victims of recent terror attacks in Mumbai and violence that happened in Orissa.

Well, one of the names given to Jesus is IMMANUEL which means GOD WITH US. Often this is understood from the perspective of our ‘rights’ as children of God. Infact, this is my first point which I want to emphasis this morning. The moment we hear ‘IMMANUEL as God with us’ we think about a God who is with us in our troubles and crisis. Definitely this is true. Truly this thought of IMMANUEL - ‘God with us’ appears to be very much relevant in the context of recent terror attacks in Bangalore, Ahammedabad, Delhi and latest in Mumbai and in the context of Orissa violence. It reaffirms that our God is not far away from the sighs and grieves of the bereaved family of Hemant Karkare and his fellow men and women who sacrificed their lives for our nation, not far away from the scores of people who lost their lives, who are amputated, whose dreams are shattered both in Mumbai and Orissa. The bomb blasts in Mumbai coupled with riots and bloodshed in Orissa have left deep scars in our hearts, for sure. But, it really comforts us to realize that God is with the wounded and the tortured.

But, I want to affirm another aspect of saying IMMANUEL - God with us. This is my second point. The thought of IMMANUEL: ‘God with us’ is not only to be understood from the perspective of our ‘rights’ as the children of God, but also from the perspective of our ‘responsibilities’ as His children. The real experience of ‘God with us’ implies a two way relationship where God lives with us and where God wants us to live with Him. Two opposite entities cannot go together. If God is a God of love, and if He lives with us, the demand upon us is to live with Him as a loving community and not as a community that fosters hatred. If God is a God of justice, and if He lives with us, the demand upon us is to live with Him as a just community and not as a community that fosters injustice. If God is a God of peace, and if He lives with us, the demand upon us is to live with Him as a peaceful community and not as a community that fosters violence. Had we all realized this aspect, irrespective of our religion and culture, I am sure that Mumbai terror and Orissa violence would not have happened.

Lastly, the thought of IMMANUEL- ‘God with us’ should lead us to the whole aspect of God in all glory and splendor, the one beyond spatial and temporal limits, being incarnated as a human. This, as we all know was for our redemption. Our God is a loving God, who in order to save us, decided to incarnate to our experiences of fears and woes. This aspect of incarnation teaches us the valuable lesson that true redemption can happen only if we can incarnate into the pains of our neighbors. As we celebrate this years Christmas, let me ask you, are we ready to incarnate into the painful experiences of others. Let alone incarnating, are we at least ready to remember those denied of celebrating the joy of Christmas, those living amidst terror, fear and hopelessness?

Dr. P. C. Alexander, Former Governor of Tamil Nadu, in his message during the Madras Ecumenical Christian Fellowship Carols-2008 challenged us to restrain from celebrating a MERRY CHRISTMAS, at least for this year, in solidarity with the ones who have lost everything during the Mumbai Terror attacks. In view of the Mumbai terror attacks, President Pratibha Devisingh Patil has decided not to have traditional christmas celebrations this year at Rashtrapati Bhavan. As a mark of respect for the victims of terror attacks, the President will not hold traditional Christmas celebrations, including the singing of Christmas carol this year. Instead, she will be sending grocery items such as Rice, Sugar, Dal and Ghee to orphanages in Delhi on the occasion. This year as a Church, we too have visited a number of orphanages and asylums during this Christmas season. True! Now, it is time as families and individuals to carry on this spirit of incarnating into the pains of others and extending ourselves unto their needs. Then and only then our celebration of Christmas shall be a meaningful one….a purposeful one.

To conclude, Christmas urges us to recognize the presence of a loving God amidst our painful experiences…yes, GOD WITH US. Christmas also urges us to recognize our responsibility to live with the God of love, justice and peace as a community that fosters love, justice and peace… Yes, US WITH GOD. Further, Christmas demands us to incarnate into the pains and pathos of our neighbours as our loving God had incarnated into our experiences 2000 years ago, which we celebrate as Christmas... Yes, US WITH US. Amen.

CHRISTMAS: A CALL TO WORSHIP HIM “WISELY”

Yuletide greetings!

As we all know the month of December is one of the most significant months to us for the simple but valid reason that Christmas falls during this month. Christmas is celebrated with high spirits in various parts of the world which includes caroling, feasting, greeting, decorating and gifting. While for some, this is a festive season spreading over a week, for others it is a month long festival that starts with the Advent (Sunday next to Nov. 26^th) and ends on the Epiphany (Jan. 6^th).

One of the ways by which Christmas is celebrated is by re-enacting the nativity scenes which includes incidents related to Jesus’ birth and visit by the Magi. The visit of the Magi, which is narrated in Mtt. 2: 1-12 teaches us significant lessons about human commitment. What is often remembered in association with the Magi’s visit is their ‘positive offering’ of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus. But then, what is conveniently forgotten is their ‘negative offering’ which resulted in the massacre of thousands of infants below the age of two years.

By ‘positive offering’ what I mean is their mentality to present material gifts to the Lord. And, this is often celebrated as a model of ‘worshipping.’ But then, what needs pertinent attention here is that, on their way to this ‘worship’ they had contributed to the ‘most unkindest cut’ by Herod. Though they started their journey focusing upon the star, in their course, they started trusting in their own wisdom. And thus, they got misguided to the palace, the wrong place, the consequence of which was wailing and weeping. In other words, they had the mind to offer material gifts to the Lord but they forgot to offer their own very mind before that. And this is what I mean when I refer to the ‘negative offering’ - their unwillingness to present their own very mind in humility.

The magi stand here as a microcosm of today’s church. The decisive factor of our worship is often considered to be the quantity of our offerings, be it in terms of our time, tithe or talents. On the other hand, what is forgotten is the fact that true worship is an overflow of a truly surrendered mind, a mind that is free from narcissism or egoism. One needs to be on and again reminded that if we forget this fact, how much ever piously we worship in the church, we may be knowingly or unknowingly contributing towards great ‘massacres’…’wailing and weeping’ outside the church.

Today, the universal church is blessed with wealth and infrastructure because of our mind to make considerable material offerings. But, are we able to make a proportionately significant change in the society? Are we today a powerful corrective force in the society? Are we in anyway redeeming the world around us or are we voluntarily or involuntarily contributing to its ‘massacre’?

REMEMBER, Jesus did not offer us any gift during the first Christmas, rather he offered Himself by being born into this world as one among us. Therefore, his life, from the womb to the tomb was a worship through which He redeemed thousands. It is high time that we as a church realize that Christmas is more than offering gifts. It is offering oneself - surrendering our mind, body and soul- to be steered by His love and guidance towards the redemption of this world. And when that happens, we will be worshipping him wisely, instead of just making mere offerings of our ‘gold’, ‘myrrh’ and ‘frankincense’ and foolishly think that “Oh! How wise am I.”

SIGHT!!!

Yet another day…

Knowing not whether the sky was still blue and the day was still bright, I sat there waiting for the low-rolling coins tossed towards me from the high-minded pedestrians strolling and striding at a higher and lower pace. It is the tinkling of those coins as they roll toward me that cause the twinkling in my otherwise useless eyes.

But today…no coins, just the time is rolling. I called, I cried, I screamed. But, no one seems to be listening.

It is then that I heard a crowd drawing near from the far. What a noisy crowd! In their shouts and cheers, murmurs and whispers I could hear one name and that was Jesus. I have heard that name before… Yes, I had felt the same name in my pains and pathos, hopes and aspirations too? I was sure that he could change the trajectory of my stalemate life and deadlocked dreams. I waited for the crowd to come near me.

As the crowd reached me I heard someone asking, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Oh! How senselessly cruel and insensitive was that question! I just hoped that the question was intended not towards me.

The discussion that followed, let me say, I didn’t understand a word of it.

And then, I could feel someone touching my eyes with some paste. Oh! What a consoling touch! Then I didn’t understand what it was, but later someone told me that it was not any paste, rather mud with saliva spread upon my eyes by my Lord.

Then he asked me to go to Siloam and wash my eyes. Though my mind couldn’t comprehend the sense of the command, I just obeyed.

I went to the bank of calm Siloam, arched my back and bent on my knees, dipped my palm into the icy cold water of Siloam, gathered a scoop of water and raised it to my face...eyes and washed softly away that salivaic mud from my eyes. I could feel the scintillating sparks running through my veins as I made each move. And with roaring waves in my mind I opened my eyes…and then…and then…in the smiling tranquil ripples of Siloam, I saw not the face that launched ten thousand ships, not the nose that changed the course of Rome, not the eyes that charmed the kings and emperors…but the reflection of my own face…my own life.

I then simply could not wait there. I just ran to Him…my Lord, Jesus.

And I shouted, I CAN SEE. I CAN SEE.

But, he stood as tranquil as Siloam and asked tenderly, “What did you see, my son?”

I said, “Me, My face.”

He then smiled, “Yes, now that you have seen yourself, you are healed.”