Geese In The Barnyard

Text: Mark 8: 27 – 33

Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”

 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”

Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Message

In the passage that we are going to meditate we are with the disciples at Caesarea Philippi when Jesus asks them the most important question. “Who do you say I am?” I can picture Peter being the smartest boy in the classroom who always has his hand raised up to give the answer. “You are the Messiah” is his prompt reply.  It is a high point in his life as a Disciple to be the first one to Declare Jesus as the Messiah. But before we wait too long, Jesus tells the disciples that His journey to the Cross is through suffering, rejection, death and finally rejection. This was not appealing to Peter who took Jesus to his side and rebuked him. He could not imagine his Messiah being so vulnerable and weak. He did not imagine suffering, rejection and death the ideal for the Lord he was following. He had much more spectacular expectations from his Messiah. And how did Jesus respond? “Get behind me Satan” “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”  Peter like most of us was ready to have a Messiah and declare him as one but wanted to follow him in his own terms. Being a disciple to a Messiah who was a Superman was great. He healed, He walked on water, He taught with authority. But a Messiah who was going to suffer, was going to be killed was not to the liking of Peter.

Recently the movie “Man of Steel” the Superman movie was released. I did not watch it yet but there was an article that said that this Superman was designed on a Jesus archetype. It feasts on a savior complex of us where we need a savior who cushions us from all sufferings and the fear of death. It has increased our obsession as people of faith to be more and more obsessed with ourselves. We want a Superman who will fulfill all our needs and keep us safe. But in act of faith we seldom think of sacrificing or suffering for Christ.  So lofty ideals of sacrifice, loving your neighbor, purposeful living, Feeling the presence of God, are more matters that sound good in sermons or books. Let us also remember that even though our faith practices has made us self centred, we still love to hear the great stories of people with faith, who sacrificed and laid their life for the Lord. We become all emotional and content to live this vicarious life. Soren Kierkegaard explains this phenomenon in a beautiful parable. It goes like this.

"A certain flock of geese lived together in a barnyard with high walls around it.  Because the corn was good and the barnyard was secure, these geese would never take a risk to fly beyond the barns. One day a philosopher goose came among them. He was a very good philosopher and every week they listened quietly and attentively to his learned discourses. 'My fellow travellers on the way of life,' he would say, 'can  you seriously imagine that this barnyard, with great high walls around it, is all there is to existence? I tell you, there is another and a greater world outside, a world of which we are only dimly aware. Our forefathers knew of this outside world. For did they not stretch their wings and fly across the trackless wastes of desert and ocean, of green valley and wooded hill? But alas, here we remain in this barnyard, our wings folded and tucked into our sides, as we are content to puddle in the mud, never lifting our eyes to the heavens which should be our home.”

The geese thought this was very fine lecturing. 'How poetical,' they thought. 'How profoundly existential. What a flawless summary of the mystery of existence.' Often the philosopher spoke of the advantages of flight, calling on the geese to be what they were. After all, they had wings, he pointed out. What were wings for, but to fly with? Often he reflected on the beauty and the wonder of life outside the barnyard, and the freedom of the skies.

And every week the geese were uplifted, inspired, moved by the philosopher's message. They hung on his every word. They devoted hours, weeks, months to a thoroughgoing analysis and critical evaluation of his doctrines. They produced learned treatises on the ethical and spiritual implications of flight. All this they did. But one thing they never did. They did not fly! For the corn was good, and the barnyard was secure!"

We are very secure in the World of Malls and Online stores. It all cushions us from all realities of life. We draw great security from the things that we can buy and own. It gives us stability and calmness. This is the reason why retail therapy is catching on. So as long as I grow more and more selfish and self- obsessed, things will keep falling in place. I do not have to worry about anything. My biggest worry is “I now have iPhone 4, when will I Buy the next.” Or “This particular car is my dream, when will it be mine”. We are conditioned to believe that these are very essential to our life and circumstances. We will keep rationalizing with ourselves and at the same time feel very happy to read the verse ‘Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’ (Matthew 16: 24). As a Church we have a huge cloud of witness that have laid down their life, sacrificed and became heroes of faith. They denied themselves and took up the cross to follow Jesus. Today these heroes make us feel proud. We own them. We feel all emotional that they are part of our tradition. We may also trace our ancestry to them. But we will not fly. For the corn is good and the barnyard is secure. The living presence of Christ that moves people to action, to lay their lives down for God and their neighbor is now lost.

As a child the song that I ridiculed the most was the classic Malayalam song “Ennod Ulla Nin Sarva nanmaggal Kay”. This is song No 67 in our Kristhiya Keerthanam. Whenever there is any material or familial fulfillment like a House is bought or at the time of the Girl about to leave for the wedding this song is ritually sung. It is a song that articulates thanks giving in the best possible manner. One day when I was talking to my friend Rev Abraham Thomas, who is the Youth Chaplain of Bangalore, he told me the story of a man of faith, P.V. Thommi. He was an evangelist who ministered to the villages in Kunamgullam, in Kerala. He was a great witness. Because of his preaching and works, many people came to faith. One day the epidemic of plague broke out in one of the villages. Many well-wishers advised him to leave the village and run for security as the epidemic was fast catching up. But Thommi said that “I have thus far preached about love. Now is the time to practice it. I am going nowhere. I am going to serve my people in this time of crisis.” With his relentless work,  exhaustion caught up with the 38 year old Thommi. He too became the victim of plague. He had a choice of running for security. But he decided to deny himself and carry the cross.  Holding his 5 year old daughter close to him he sang this song which is credited to him “Ennod ulla Nin sarva nanmagal.” He looked into the eyes of death and suffering and sang a song of gratitude and hope. Because for Thommi after the suffering and death, there is the resurrection that Jesus has promised. The song writer of Classics like “Innu pagal Muzhuvan”, “Enth athisheyamme Daivathin Sneham” wrote his ever beautiful song “Ennod ullla Nin sarva nanmagalkay” on his death bed. The faith in Jesus challenges us to embrace suffering and death in our stride so that we can fly in the hope of resurrection.

Like Peter we too wish to be secure in faith declarations. That is important. But when we are faced with real choices in life to practice faith, we run for security and comfort. There is too much of noise around us but if there is silence we can hear Jesus rebuking us “Get behind me, Satan! You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Rev Merin Mathew

Mar Thoma Syrian Church

Guwahati

Paul What Were You Thinking? Pray Without Ceasing?

Text: Psalms 139: 1- 4, 23-24

O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

    you discern my thoughts from far away.

 You search out my path and my lying down,

    and are acquainted with all my ways.

 Even before a word is on my tongue,

    O Lord, you know it completely.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

    test me and know my thoughts.

See if there is any wicked way in me,

    and lead me in the way everlasting.

Message:

Psalm 139 written by King David talks to us of a God who is inescapable. He is everywhere. He is a God with us. He is Immanuel. Before we go further down that road let us take a break and find out if it is so in ourlives. Is God so present in our lives? Do we actually believe that? Ok if we believe that do we live like that? Psalms 139: 4 says “Even before a word is onmy tongue, O Lord, you know it completely.” That statement has a lot of implication for our times. Rev Jacob Thomas, whom we called JT, is one of the most dynamic speakers that I have come across. As a teen he was talking to usand he asked us a question. What is that one word that comes to your tongue when you are angry? There was a long silence. The silence prolonged. He broke it by saying “I am sure that it is not God Bless You.” And we roared in laughter. We understood what he meant. I am sure even the readers have guessed it. It is 4 letter magic word that starts with ‘F’. Osho has a very interesting analysis of how this word became so prominent. Fredrick Neitzche propounded the philosophical statement that “God is Dead.” When this statement became accepted in the American Culture, Sex was the next obsession that took over. So this 4 letter word displaced God from the conversations. So this word espoused all the various range of emotions. More than a bad word it became an adverb which defines various ranges of emotions like ecstasy, anger, frustration, beauty,irritation and curiosity. This seems to be a very apt analysis. This 4 letter word is indispensable to our conversations. It is splashed out in our mental landscapes. You have songs, movies, dialogues all splashed with these words. If one follows Facebook this word is used very liberally and extensively. ‘WTF’ has become part of our accepted cool dude lingo. Now why am I insisting so much on this word? It is not just a word but it displays our attitude. Unlike the Psalmist, we feel that God is Dead. We act like that. Or if not that radical,we have assigned God to private spaces of prayer, church and songs.

Apostle Paul completely believed in this Psalm. That’s why he exhorted the people of Thessalonica to “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17). He does not talk about taking some time to pray or an hour to pray or about the benefits of having a quiet time. He says something more radical. He says pray without ceasing. Now the question arises is that “How is it possible?”The answer we may come to is “It is impossible.” This is because of our understandings about prayer. We normally divide our daily life into thoughts about God and thoughts about people and events. Therefore we have assigned God a space and time where we converse with him and think Holy thoughts and say holy things. God is therefore removed from our daily life and events. But Paul reminds us that Prayer is an unceasing conversation with God. It means to think and live in the presence of God. It is the joyful affirmation that God knows our minds and our hearts and that nothing is hidden from Him. Prayer is the presentation of all thoughts divine and mundane, ugly and pervert, daydreams and night dreams to our God. When I write it I know how easy it is to write such wonderful sounding good thoughts. But in my personal experience this is far from easy. This is asking too much. There is a deep resistance to making ourselves so vulnerable, so totally unprotected. I indeed want to love God and worship Him, but I also want to keep a huge part of my inner corner for myself,where I can hide and think of my own secret thoughts, where I can nurture my hatred, where I can fan my lust and speak whatever I want to. And when I come to pray I select the thoughts carefully and make it sound very pious and lofty.My fear is, can God tolerate what goes in my heart and my mind. Can he handle my cruel fantasies, shameful dreams, inflated illusions and my deep seated selfishness?Sometimes we just want to hold on to these things.

Paul is asking me to get into a fearless conversation with my God where I bring my good and bad, ordinary and extraordinary, evil and divine thoughts and deeds to the Lord. From unceasing thoughts I am asked to move to unceasing prayers where the touch of God heals my deepest contradictions and pains. Only then can we pray along with David with confidence “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me,and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalms 139: 23, 24) But then when we come to this point, I am reminded of a conversation where my friend asked “How do we feel God in a world that is so brutal and nasty. In my workplace and in the market it is very difficult to feel the presence of God. And to pray unceasingly is so much tougher in such circumstances. It is easier to worry than to pray.” Whenever we say this or that is difficult i am reminded of the words of Dr P. C. Mathews, who is a personal mentor to me. He says "Who told you that Christian life is easy? Who told you that being a disciple is a cake walk?"

John Newton, was converted to Christianity when he was on the sea and a terrible storm broke out. He cried out to God and he was saved. But even after his conversion he continued the trade slave that he was involved in.  He traded many African slaves. He prayed everyday but he also traded slaves. He was inhuman in his dealings but never missed to read the bible and pray. He had a friend in John Wesley who showed him that his prayer life and his practices are contradictory. But John Newton kept resisting it. But once in midst of prayer he felt convicted of his ways. He quit his life of a slave trader and became a crusader against Slave trade. It is in midst of his struggles that he wrote one of the most immortal songs“Amazing grace, How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.” John Newton owned his wretchedness in the presence of the Lord and found that he was blind. He felt found by God and started seeing and feeling the presence of God.

In a world that denies the presence of God, we are called to‘Pray without ceasing.’ Prayer is a protest against the godlessness and thechaos of the world. Let us enter into a fearless, unceasing conversation with aGod who searches our thoughts and minds and still loves us.

Let us close this meditation with a song that sums our life and journey as Christians.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

When we've been here ten thousand years

Bright shining as the sun.

We've no less days to sing God's praise

Than when we've first begun.

Amen.

Rev Merin Mathew

Mar Thoma Syrian Church

Guwahati

Sleeping With The Frogs

Text: Exodus 8: 8- 10a

Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron, and said, “Pray to the Lord to take away the frogs from me and my people, and I will let the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.” Moses said to Pharaoh, “Kindly tell me when I amto pray for you and for your officials and for your people, that the frogs maybe removed from you and your houses and be left only in the Nile.” And he said, “Tomorrow.”

Message

The biggest dread for me as a schoolboy was when the reports were distributed and parents were called. I consistently showed bringing low marks was an art that only few could manage. My mother tried to smile at the teachers who had nothing good to tell about me. My mother gave that look which would make time freeze and silence deafeningly unbearable. On our ride back somebody had to break the silence. And I took the initiative by saying “I will sincerely start studying from tomorrow. I will not keep things for the last moment.” But from experience mom knew that tomorrow was a comfortable land that I loved to live. Exams and semesters came and went but my trend to put things for tomorrow continued with some wonderful consistency. Reading John Ortberg’s “God is Closer Than You Think” I found I had a close associate who too lived in the mystical land called “Tomorrow.” Moses is challenging Pharaoh to free Israelites and God sends a series of plagues for Moses to have a bargain. And frogs were all over the land and the palace of Pharaoh was run over by frogs. What do Pharaoh’s magicians do? They create more frogs. How intelligent? It is here that Pharaoh summons Moses and Aaron to pray to the Lord to take away the frogs. He decides he has had enough with this nuisance. Moses obliges and asks him when  to do the needful. Pharaoh without a blink blurts out “Tomorrow.” Tomorrow? In all possibilities he has been sleeping with the frogs jumping all around. When he was about to take a second helping of food,the frogs jump out. Frogs rule the landscape. I am sure he was seeing frogs in his dream as well. And when the moment to deal with it is here where all the frogs will be gone, he waits. He waits for tomorrow. He settles for another night with the frogs for company.

We too are like Pharaoh. Instead of taking a decision or dealing with a problem, we would prefer to sleep with the frogs, hoping that miraculously the frogs will disappear tomorrow. Why do we do this? Why does the present moment elude us so much? Why don’t we deal the problem when we are faced with it? In psychology this is called motivated irrationality where people tolerate and maintain faulty behavioural patterns that will destroy their lives. It is the inability to deal with the moment that we encounter. The encounter of the Rich young man shows us this problem. He was meeting Jesus to know how to earn eternal life. He knew Eternal life is tomorrow. It is in the future. It is way distant from now. But Jesus asks him to sell everything that he has and follow Him. The rich young man was interested like us in the abstract attraction of tomorrow. But Jesus demanded he do something right now. Take a decision this moment. But the Young man wished to sleep another night with the frog. But the most important time is now. If you are having a problem with someone, the time to resolve it is now. If you have hurt someone and you know you are wrong, let us be honest. Passing of time will never heal the wounds. Gather the courage and say sorry now. If your life is going in the wrong direction and more often than not, you know it, the time to act upon it step by step is now. If you are contemplating on making a decision and this decision is big, the time to make the decision is right now. This very moment is God’s irreplaceable gift to you. This moment matters the most because this moment is where God is.If you are going to be with God, there is no need to wait for a perfect time or day. You must be with him now, in this moment. This is the day of reckoning. Today is the day to act. Therefore the Psalmist sings “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalms 118: 24). Jean Pierre de Caussade coins this very beautifully by calling it “The Sacrament of the Present Moment.”Sacrament is defined as “means of grace.” It is where ordinary objects like water in baptism and bread in Eucharist , becomes the vessel for the extraordinary, for the divine. Similarly Caussade says that each moment of our lives can be a sacrament, a vehicle for God’s love and power. “ The present moment holds infinite riches beyond your wildest dreams, but you will enjoy them to the extent of your faith and love. To discover God in the smallest and most ordinary things, as well as in the greatest, is to possess a rare and sublime faith.”

 In our busy lives even prayer is kept for tomorrow. Prayer is believed to be done when one has no other recourse and all the options are beyond us. But prayer is inviting God into the present moment to partner with us. As we move burdened with the enormity of a problem, believing that by delaying to act upon it, things will change ,is foolishness. Prayer is developing the patience where we listen to God telling us ““Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”(Matthew 11: 28- 30). But the invitation to do it is now. One always feels that growing closer to God is somewhere in the future. “When this phase will get over I will be at peace.” “When the children have grown I will have time tostudy the bible.” “Once I retire I will have more time for mission and Church activities.” And we continue to sleep with frogs in the night, always waiting for tomorrow.

Naveen Alex is the son of my favourite teacher in the Seminary, Rev Dr Alex Thomas. Naveen has had to deal with the horrors of ragging when he was a student in a college in Chennai. But he dealt with it very positively. After passing out he got a secure job. At the same time he used to take workshops for school children and guide them. Once when we were chatting he told me he was contemplating on quitting his job and do full time mentoring of children who need guidance, focus and direction in life. His focus was teenagers and therefore he formed a group called ‘TeensMAD’ (Teens Making ADifference). The next I knew was he had made the decision and followed his heart. He truly is making a difference as a Mentor, Resource Person and Animator. He is an inspiration for the childrean and youths alike.  When he was faced with a decision he did not wait for a secure time and security of tomorrow. He just took the plunge. I know it is not easy but encountering God in every moment is an act of surrender. We do not need to sleep with the frogs but by surrendering to God we can take our decisions in the present moment. The time to act is now.

More than a meditation, this was a dialogue with myself. I have problems with surrendering to God. I have problems making decision in the present moment. I would rather procrastinate it till it vanishes. Prayers always are the last resort for me. If this is the case with you also, join with me in the meaningful prayer of Charles de Foucauld.

“Father, I abandon myself into your hands. Do with me whatever you will.

Whatever you may do,I thank you. I am ready for all, I accept all.

Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures.

Into your hands I commend my spirit. I offer it to you with all the love that is in my heart.

For I love you, Lord,and so want to give myself, to surrender myself into your hands.

Without reserve and with boundless confidence, for you are my father. Amen”

Rev Merin Mathew

Mar Thoma Syrian Church

Guwahati

Listening to the 'Gentle Whisper'

Text: 1 Kings 19: 11- 13

The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak-over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Message

One of my all-time favorite movies is ‘A Beautiful Mind.’ Based on the true story of John Nash, a genius in every respect shows the depth of human vulnerabilities. He is credited for the thesis on the dynamics of human conflict which eventually revolutionized economic theory that helped him win the Nobel Prize. When youths decide which college to go, he was working on an economic theory. When one dreams of beginning a career, Nash was already a distinguished professor at M.I.T. But atthe height of his career Nash suffered a psychological break down. He started getting hallucinations. He interrupted a lecture to announce that he was on the cover of Life magazine disguised as the Pope. He claimed that foreign governments were communicating with him through the media, and he turned down a prestigious post at the University of Chicago because he said he was about to be named as ‘Emperor of Antartica.’ In the movie we see that the character hears these voices that exist only in his mind, unconnected to reality. They made him feel important, as if he was the centre of the universe. They made him feel miserable and played on his darkest fears. When he listened to these voices, they destroyed his relationships, distorted his perceptions, made him obsessive, irrational and terrified. These voices slowly led him to death while he was alive. In the times when this illness advanced for Nash, psychiatry did not have enough medicines to deal with a paranoid delusion which is one of the toughest to deal in psychopathology. This is what makes the story of John Nash very incredible. He over time learnt to discern the voices that he heard. He learned to test the voices, to find out which ones were false and which ones were true. He had to learn to not listen to the ones that lead to death. He learned how to defy these voices and resisted to do what they requested. And while he was not completely freed from his illness, he discovered that overtime their hold on his mind could be greatly weakened. The best line of the movie is when Nash describes how in a way his battle is a battle of all of us. “I’m not so different from you” he says to his friend. “We all hear voices. We just have to decide which ones we are going to listen to.”

I think that statement is a starting point for us today. I believe today the air is saturated with voices that we keep hearing. Voices that say “You are important because you have money.” “You are ugly because you are fat.” “You are useless as you have done nothing significant yet.” “You need to prove your worth. Ordinary people like you cannot survive.” “This world is favorable to the young. Old people have no place here.” “Morality has no place in the market. The mantra is to compromise and move forward.” These voices are like the powerful wind, the earthquake and the fire. All three forces that we see in the text in front of us have a very devastating effect. It is powerful and it compels our attention.These voices of spectacular effect drown out all other voices. These voices are everywhere that we go. We cannot escape them. It is common logic that the voices we hear are the voices we replicate. We are not just victims of such voices stated above. We are the perpetuators of the said voices. These voices determine our relationships. These voices determine our understanding of community and family. These voices help us decide who is worthy to be called a human and who is not. It dictates our every part of life. These voices also end up in deciding who we are. We are always at the mercy of outside voices that sets conditions based on our utility. One is judged on the basis of being productive. That is the rule of the market. Let me give you a simple example.We are in the I.P.L. season and all kinds of ads hit us. But one of the most offensive ads is by an online internet portal called Quickr. In this ad we have a presenter who points to a person in cricket outfit with his back facing the camera. The viewers can see on the T-Shirt, the name “Bopara” (or Gibbs in a different setting.Both are cricketers from England and South Africa respectively). The presenter says “This is Bopara ( or Gibbs). In the auction of IPL, no franchise bought him. But had he been a product (like a mobile or a bike), he would have been instantly sold.” Then you have crazy guys going bezerk to buy the mobile named “Bopara”or bike called “Gibbs” on this portal called ‘Quickr’. Another online portal is“OLX” which says “Sab bikta hai”.

The more we believe in such voices the more absurd our life becomes. We become an emotional wreck and competition looks like the only way to survive. It is interesting that the word ‘absurd’ is derived from the Latin word ‘surdus’ which means being deaf. So we are deaf to what? “After the fire came a gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19: 12b). That gentle whisper was the voice of God. This voice says to us “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29: 11) or like I mentioned in my previous note “This is my Son/ Daughter, the Beloved,[a] with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17). But are we listening to such voices or are we turning deaf to it? The word 'obedient' has its roots in the Latin word ‘audiere’, which means to listen.Being obedient to God is to listen to his voice that is a gentle whisper. Listening to God is a discipline that we need to cultivate in the midst of the noise that we live in. The identity of Jesus’ followers are those who listen to his voice.“My sheep listen to my voice, I know them and they follow me.” (John 10: 27).

Prayer is that discipline that helps us listen to the gentle whispers of our God. As Henri Nouwen says “The toughest thing to do is, is to pray. Because the moment I remain silent I hear all the voices of the world that make me feel worthless. The silence makes me restless and to overcome it I start to talk to God. But I have to learn to listen to the gentle whispers of my Lord.” There are some voices that lead to death and destruction and some voices that lead to life and eternity. We are called to discern the voice of God that calls us “Beloved.” And when we listen to this voice, we spread this voice around us. We become a blessing to the people we work with and meet.Instead of gossiping, criticizing and spreading negative words, we become a blessing wherever we go. That is our calling and purpose of our life. 

Prayer- Lord you have created me and you have a plan for me. Help me to hear your voice to battle the noise that is around me. Help me to hear your 'gentle whispers.' In Jesus name i ask. Amen

Rev. Merin Mathew

Mar Thoma SyrainChurch

Guwahati

God's beloved: Are you....?

Text: Matthew 3: 13- 4: 11

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan,to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water,suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son  the Beloved,[a] with whom I am well pleased.”

Chapter 4

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered,“It is written,

‘One does not live by bread alone,

    but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,

‘He will command his angels concerning you,’

    and‘On their hands they will bear you up,

so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written,

‘Worship the Lord your God,

    and serve only him.’”

Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

Message

Henri J. Nouwen says that Jesus at the time of baptism heard the words of God for our sake. “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” Jesus came to this world so that all of us can hear God say to us “This is my Son/ Daughter, the beloved,  with whom I am well please.” Jesus revealed to us God’s unconditional love for us. We are the beloved of God not because of any merit of ours but because of who God is. That is our identity. It is our song. We are God’s beloved. It is in this context that we need to see the Temptation of Jesus. The First temptation was where the ‘Tempter’ tried to convince Jesus that fulfilling desires is the most important thing. “You are hungry. If you are Son of God, turn the stone into bread.” (Matthew 4: 3) There is an ad of Limca that is doing the rounds where we have Kareena Kapoor suggesting us “Pyaas badhaao” which actually means increase your desires. We live in times that tempt us that it is not good to be satisfied.You have to increase your appetite to dream big.  What happens is we are left restless and dissatisfied. This leads us to the next temptation of Jesus where the tempter says “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down”. Here Jesus was asked to do something spectacular to prove Himself. He had to jump down to catch the attention. Prove himself. Is this not a very common temptation that we face? We live in times where we have to keep proving ourselves. Who cares how good a person you are. You have to prove your worth. You need to perform. You need to compete. What does this lead us to? We have youths who are perpetually dissatisfied. When I was in college I was depressed at how ordinary I was. It created inferiority complex that kept saying you are not good enough. I am sure many have gone or are going through this phase. The temptation to prove ourselves leads us to the third temptation of Jesus “All these I will give you,if you will fall down and worship me.” (Matthew 4: 9). Temptation here is to worship not out of gratitude of life but worship so as to get something in exchange of worship.  There is a saying that in the age where market and market forces rule, one must worship any thing and anybody to get ahead in life. Ethics don’t matter, morality does not matter, being nice does not matter. Recently when I switched on the television, I saw testimonies of people who proclaimed that after coming to a particular Church, they started to prosper. One persons business expanded, he bought cars and he was high on the social ladder. And the pastor concluded with a smile, Bible says“Ask and you shall receive.” Worshipping God is not because He is the Creator but these churches proclaim it is profitable to worship. You will live your dream.

How do we overcome these temptations? Jesus overcame these temptations as He heard the voice of God that called him Beloved. We need to hear the voice of God like Jesus did. We need to know we are ‘Beloved of God.’ Being Beloved of God gives us the identity. We are not defined by our desires. Our identity is not the car that we have, or the locality that we live or the iPhone that we possess. We are “God’s beloved.” If we are sure about that we do not need to prove ourselves. He accepts us as we are.That is his grace. With all our weakness and failings we are ‘God’s Beloved.’ When we are sure about that worshiping does not become a compulsion, it flows out of our gratitude for the God who has made us His Beloved.

There is a tribe Sierra Leone  called the Himba Tribe where the birth date of a child is counted not from when they were born, nor from when they are conceived but from the day that the child was a thought in its mother’s mind.And when a woman decides that she will have a child, she goes off and sits under a tree, by herself, and she listens until she can hear the song of the child that wants to come. And after she’s heard the song of this child, she comes back to the man who will be the child’s father, and teaches it to him.And then, when they make love to physically conceive the child, some of that time they sing the song of the child, as a way to invite it. And then, when the mother is pregnant, the mother teaches that child’s song to the midwives and the old women of the village, so that when the child is born, the old women and the people around her sing the child’s song to welcome it. And then, as the child grows up, the other villagers are taught the child’s song. If the child falls, or hurts its knee,someone picks it up and sings its song to it. Or perhaps the child does something wonderful, or goes through the rites of puberty, then as a way of honoring this person, the people of the village sing his or her song. In this African tribe there is one other occasion upon which the villagers sing to the child. If at any time during his or her life, the person commits a crime or aberrant social act, the individual is called to the center of the village and the people in the community form a circle around them. Then they sing their song to them.

The tribe recognizes that the correction for antisocial behavior is not punishment; it is love and the remembrance of identity. When you recognize your own song, you have no desire or need to do anything to prove yourself or usurp what is not yours. 

This practice of the Himba tribe is very poignant to us. Psalmist says “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.” (Psalms139: 13). God formed us in our mother’s womb. We are His beloved. When we face a tragedy in life, when everything seems lost, like the Himba tribe that sang the song to the person to remind his/her identity, Let us hear the Voice of God that says, ‘This is my Son/ Daughter, the Beloved,[a] with whom I am well pleased.’ When people question our worth and make us feel worthless just remember that we are God’s Beloved. My identity is that I am ‘God’s Beloved,Merin Mathew’. What is yours? 

Rev Merin Mathew

Mar Thoma Syrian Church

Guwahati

Encountering Pain: Resignation or Resurrection?

Text: John 21: 15- 19

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter,“Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do youlove me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.  Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you andlead you where you do not want to go.”  Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

Message

There are some people on the dinner table who are called the fast eaters. As soon as the grace for food is said the morsel is in their mouth and the food is over. Some are the conventional slow eaters who eat less and talk more. They take ages to finish the food testing the patience of hosts and guests alike. I belong to the latter category where I have had the most intense conversations regarding bible, faith and world affairs over a dining table having breakfast, lunch or dinner. Friends in seminary have had dried hands talking to me, patiently waiting for me to finish my task of eating. But the conversations over the dining table have been vital in cementing relationships and friendships.  In the text above we are at a breakfast table hosted by Jesus after his resurrection. Dining has been very important to Jesus ministry pre and post resurrection. After the Last Supper where Jesus had fellowship with his disciples, we had one of the disciples betray Jesus and one who denied Jesus 3 times. Let us turn to John 18: 17 and 18. The woman said to Peter, “You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the slaves and the police had made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were standing around it and warming themselves. Peter also was standing with them and warming himself. What is interesting here is in vs 18 we see a Charcoal fire where Peter denied Jesus. Here after the resurrection where Peter and the rest of the disciples come to the shore after having caught 153 fishes,what do they see? “When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals therewith fish on it, and some bread.” (John 21: 9) Here before sitting for breakfast we have burning coals. It is in the background of the burning coal,that Jesus after the breakfast asks Peter 3 times “Do you love me?” It is in front of a burning coal that he denies Jesus 3 times and now it is in front of the burning coal that he affirms his love 3 times for Jesus.

On the Table after having breakfast, Jesus and Peter have the most important conversation. The question Jesus asks is what Peter would have loved to avoid. Peter always liked to avoid pain and this is evident from his response to Jesus at Caesarea Philippi where he rebuked Jesus for talking about suffering and crucifixion. (Mark 8: 31- 33) His 3 times denial also indicated this trend. So Jesus questions to Peter of “Do you love me” evoked pain. It caused deep hurt to Peter. But this pain was necessary. After every question Jesus commissioned Peter as “Feed my lambs”(21:15), “Tend my sheep”(21:16)and “Feed my sheep”(21:17). His commission was to be a Shepherd. This should be read in conjunction with the Good Shepherd Discourse by Jesus in John Chapter 10. “and I lay down my life for the sheep”(10:15b). So when Jesus said “Follow me”, it was a commission for Peter to lay down his life. An invitation to engage with pain and death. Today we have made Resurrection very commercial. Walter Fernandes says that “Trouble with faith in the market oriented faith is that we have become consumers. We are interested to follow Christ because we believe we will receive his blessings. It is a deal where prosperity of the self is the main concern.   Peter Collins says “I deny the Resurrection when I see poverty, anguish and pain all around and do nothing about it.” It is an indictment on our faith that encourages a self centred life style.  But resurrection is the call to engage with pain. It is a call to be messengers of resurrection. It is a costly call of sacrifice. We are not called to be consumers but co- workers with the Risen Christ to bring about Resurrection in situations of pain, poverty and tragedy. John 21: 18 and 19 signifies the sacrifice that Peter had to give where he was crucified upside down for his faith.

In some ways we are like Peter. We would choose to avoid pain and painful situations. In our culture even talking about disease or death is a taboo. We dread hospitals. With so much of injustice and poverty around us, we live in total denial of it. We have enough entertainments to help us forget about these things. Huge malls and online shopping has helped us live in a parallel world. For us, the virtual looks more real and consequently real has become distant and virtual.  We all are guilty of this. But resurrection is a call to engage with the pain and struggles of the people. 

Recently I met an incredible person in a Conference on Globalization conducted by North East Social Research  Centre (NESRC), Guwahati. I got to know her even more over a conversation at the Dining table during the Lunch break. Her name is Sister Mary Scaria. She told me “I was a teacher. I love teaching. My turning point came when one of my tribal students was raped. This disturbed my conscience. I was deeply troubled. I had to do something. I just could not be a spectator. That is when I decided to enroll myself for law.” Today Sr Mary Scaria is an Advocate with the Supreme Court. She champions the cause of women who face atrocities. Her clients are those who cannot afford legal aid. She encountered an event in her life that caused immense pain. She chose to behurt. She decided to be the wounded healer.

It is a challenge in front of us to respond to injustice that we encounter in our society. Sometimes we become so helpless and bitter that we resign to the circumstances. We tell ourselves that nothing can be done. As a people who believe in Resurrection, we are called to sacrifice to bring the hope of resurrection for people who are voiceless and suppressed.Or else like Peter Collins says “We deny Resurrection by remaining silent on issues that cause pain.” Martin Luther King Jr said it well “Our Lives begin to end when we become silent about things that matter.” Let Resurrection be evident through our actions of faith. Let us hear Christ say Loud and Clear “Follow Me.” Are you ready to follow this costly commission? May God give us courage to bring Resurrection where the forces of death have conquered. In the wake of the rape of a 5 year old child in Delhi we are burning with anger. But i also see a sense of resignation that is becoming paramount. We cannot stay silent. We cannot just accept the reality as it is. Let us ask ourselves how we plan to respond to this collective pain. May the Holy spirit guide us. Amen.

Rev Merin Mathew

Mar Thoma Syrian Church

Guwahati

"You Are My Refuge": The Experience of Resurrection in the Midst of Pain

Text: Psalms 142: 5

I cry to you, O Lord;

    I say, “You are my refuge,

    my portion in the land of the living.”

Message

This Psalm is written by David when he was being chased by Saul and his men. David was running for his life.  David had quick victories, one after the other before this. From a shepherd he became a hero of the masses after killing Goliath. He was trusted by the King Saul and had his favour. But once jealousy took over Saul, David was on the run. He lost his wife Michal. On the run David wanted to be with his mentor Samuel. But Samuel was too old. In his escape he had the comfort of a never ending friendship of Jonathan. But he still had to run  Last he came to the cave. All that he had near and dear to him were lost.He was in this cave called Adullam.(1 Samuel 22) Death roams free outside the cave. He is completely helpless. In one sense he is bitter. In this Cave of failure he sits and writes this beautiful Psalm. If you look at this Psalm in entirety,we see the words of desperation in this. Everything is lost. There is no hope.In such a point he encounters the cave. He realizes cave is not his refuge. In the cave he realizes “You are my refuge.” God is our refuge.

Son of David i.e. Jesus Christ lost all his credibility. The friends and disciples deserted him. The people who glorified him when they witnessed his miracles called him a fraud. His enemies got the better of him.They crucified him. After crucifying him they disposed his body in a cave(tomb). Here they thought that they had defeated him. But in the Cave where everyone thinks all is lost, God resurrects the dead. When we feel everything is lost and there is no hope, that is where in the cave of failure God brings about a resurrection. This is the truth and power of resurrection. God is our refuge. When we are in the cave of devastation, where we feel all is lost, we feel like the disciples where they too closed the doors in fear of the Jews.  It was a cave experience for them. (John 20:19- 23). But in the midst of the cave experience the Risen Christ comes to them and says “Peace be with you.” It is in such cave experience we realize God is our refuge.

If anybody who is troubled today, feels like he is in a cave, my brothers and sisters, God is talking to you. Everything is not lost. God is our refuge. He is our strength. You may be disturbed and devastated, but in this cave,  like David, let us too realize “You are my refuge.” This is not just fake optimism or power of positive thinking. This is the promise of God that is experienced by his saints.  God is ready to hold us. The power  of Resurrection is awaiting us. It will be our experience as well. 

Let me introduce you to a man that by providence became friends with me on Facebook. His name is Father  Michael Lapsley. I got curious and researched about this incredible man. Fr Michael was born in New Zealand and was Ordained as a Priest in Australia on 2 June 1949. He is an Anglican Priest who joined the religious order of Society of the Sacred Mission (SSM). In 1973 he arrived in Durban, South Africa, as an undergraduate student. Soon thereafter, during the height of apartheid repression, he became chaplain to students at bothblack and white universities in Durban. In 1976, he began to speak out on behalf of schoolchildren who were being shot, detained and tortured.

 Fr Michael, as he is known, was taking a stand against apartheid in his role as national chaplain to Anglican students, a position he held at the time. Because of his position against the ruling government of South Africa, in September 1976, he was expelled from the country. He went to live in Lesotho, where he continued his studies and became a member of the African National Congress and a chaplain to the organisation in exile. During this period he travelled the world, mobilizing faith communities, in particular, to oppose apartheid and support the liberation struggle of Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela. After a police raid in Maseru in 1982 in which 42 people were killed, he moved to Zimbabwe. It was here that in 1990, three months after ANC leader Nelson Mandela’s release from prison, he was sent a letter bomb by the Civil Cooperation Bureau, a covert outfit of the people who were against him because of his anti- apartheid stands. The letter bomb was hidden inside two religious magazines. Thanks to the letter bomb Fr Michael lost both hands and the sight in one eye , and was seriously burnt. This was his cave experience. His enemies thought they had defeated him. But Cave is the place of resurrection. This vibrant priest did not stop. He carried on.

In 1993, he became Chaplain of the Trauma Centre for Victims of Violence and Torture in Cape Town, which assisted the country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). This work led to the establishment, in 1998,of the Institute for Healing of Memories (IHOM) in Cape Town. Father Michael knew the danger of devastation and wounded memories. This man who was in a cave became the wounded healer. Today the Institute of Healing of memories plays a pivotal role in helping people cope with traumas. The people who feel they are in a cave. This institute is pivotal in promoting religious and racial harmony.

It is when we read stories like this that we experience the power of resurrection. Such people who are wounded and bruised in life direct us to the Resurrected Christ who had wounds. ‘Redeeming the Past: From Freedom Fighter To Healer’ is an apt title for an autobiography of an incredible man who in the midst of devastation showed the world the power of Resurrection.

“You are my Refuge”

Rev Merin Mathew

Mar Thoma Community Centre

Guwahati