Is It Tough To Follow Christ?

There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man and only God can fill it.  -Blaise Pascal

Clarence and Robert McClendon were two Christian brothers who did well in their careers. Robert was a prominent lawyer and Clarence was the author of a popular book. Clarence was deeply involved with the interracial action-groups of the 1950's and 60's, in Georgia, USA. Once Clarence asked Robert, now a politician, for legal help, which he refused, because his political ambitions would be jeopardized. To rationalize his refusal, Robert told his brother: I follow Jesus up to a point. I follow him to the cross, but not on the cross. I am not getting myself crucified. To which Clarence replied: Robert, you are not a follower of Jesus; you are only an admirer of his.

     
Perhaps Clarence could repeat those words to us. We bear the name of Christ, Christians, but prefer to formulate our own code. In Europe, the Christmas Holidays are called the Winter Holidays. Why? Ostensibly, they do not want to wound the sentiments of people of other religions. Perhaps some segments of Christians, in other parts of the world, have joined their European brothers in switching to the changed terminology, for the same reason.

     
The Hindus have not changed their festival Diwali to something more akin to Christian idiom. The Muslims have not renamed Ramzan to appease their Christian brothers. Why are we ashamed of the word Christmas? Is it because we are ashamed of being identified as Christians? To those of us, who are embarrassed of being Christians, Jesus has a warning. In Matt. 10:32, He says that in the presence of His Father He will not acknowledge those who are ashamed of Him, in the eyes of men. The Master never makes empty threats. Do we hear the alarm bell?

      
We are Christians, but will not attend Church Services. A Christian young man I know tells me that he goes to Sunday morning service only when there are no good movies on TV. Some offer an excuse for their non-Christian attitude. They say that they are scandalized by the behavior of some Pastor/Priest and dissociate themselves from anything Christian. Are we Christian because of some Priest/Pastor, or even because of the Pope? We are Christian because of Christ, who is sinless and blameless. Do we stop using our family name or stay disconnected because of some black sheep in the fold? We refer to Biblical Stories as Christian Legends to distance ourselves from their veracity. We are Christians who do not want to profess Christian beliefs. Do we not profess our political affiliations? Democrat or Republican (USA), Labor or Conservative (UK), Congress or BJP (India)? We join elite clubs and are proud of our membership. We work for Fortune 500 Companies and will let others know of the connection. But Christ, the Son of God, we leave out in the cold. We exclude Him from our network. Alone, He will hang on that cross.

      
We try to run away from Him, but He comes panting after us, as The Hound of Heaven, whom Francis Thompson faithfully portrayed. In an unhurrying chase, at an unperturbed pace, He will not give up following us. Gently, He reminds us, all things betray thee, who betrayest me. We try to hide from Him, but He will seek us out. We shut our ears to His words, but He will play music that we cannot silence. We close our eyes to Him, but He will tenderly lift our hands off them, to lovingly gaze into our troubled eyes. What a Christ we have! Yet, we are ashamed of acknowledging Him. Would we do to our friends, what we do to Him, the truest of all?

 In my reckoning there are a few reasons why we behave the way we do.

1) We are the instant people who demand instant gratification. We want Him to be the genie we can command. He would willingly oblige us, if only all our wishes were for our good. Often, we desire that which will harm us. He sees it; we don’t. So, He shuts some doors through which we wish to enter and opens new doors, if only we have eyes to see.

2) We want to be in control, to march to our drumbeat. To surrender, to submit are against our grain. We like to be in charge of our lives; and extend that power by taking control of Him. The paradox is that He does not want to control us. He will not place limits on His gift of free will. Of our own, if we love Him and seek His protection, He will accept our friendship, and not a forced alliance.

3) We mistake His goodness for weakness, because He does not react even when we act in defiance or choose to ignore Him. His Infinite Patience and Forgiveness are never tested. For that very reason, we tend to take Him for granted.

4) We enthrone false gods in our hearts. Wealth, power, fame and pleasure are some of the deities we enshrine, dislodging the rightful owner. Does He complain? No, He waits for the time we will turn away from those false gods and return to Him, like the Prodigal son. In a question that also holds the answer, Job asks: Has anyone resisted Him and found peace? No wonder, the scholarly Saint Augustine wrote: Our hearts were made for you, O God, and they shall not rest until they rest in you.

      
Mistakenly we believe that we are doing Him a favor when we pray or live a life by The Book. Hugh Blair exposes our folly: It is for the sake of man, not of God, that worship and prayer are required; not that God may be rendered more glorious, but that man may be made better. We need to reflect on Hugh Blair's words, because a Perfect God needs nothing from us. He would not be God if He needed anything from us. He is complete in all respects. With unmatched love He persuades us to reform for our sakes, not His.

      How do we reform? By being the salt of the earth, and light to the world. Salt dissolves in food to lend it taste and flavor. Light dispels darkness. Like salt, when we make ourselves useful to others, and as shining examples, when we shed light for others, we become lovable. And when we become lovable, we can be sure that Jesus’ love is in us. Aptly, Bishop Fulton Sheen explains what that means: When the Lord puts His love in us, then we become lovable.

      There is no doubt that it is tough to follow Christ, but the rewards far outweigh the effort, and the peace that comes from it cannot be matched. Ordinary people have done it. Are we any less?

The Best Things in Life are Free

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The best things in life aren’t things.  -Art Buchwald

Some years ago, in Bhopal, India, poison gas leaked into the air through an industrial mishap. Disaster struck when people living in the vicinity of the factory inhaled those noxious fumes. Hundreds died and hundreds more were crippled for life. Even today memories of that dreadful day haunt those who survived, when Death came brandishing his blade, riding on the very air they breathed.

For most of us, what happened in Bhopal is a freak accident, not likely to happen to us. Although we pollute the air, we can breathe it, without the threat of disease or death, because gales of pure air drive out stagnant clouds of pollution. It is God’s way of continuing the free supply of air. And He levies no charges for His services.

Consider water. Could we live a normal day without it? Do we pay for it? Not really. The paltry sum we pay for the supply of water to our homes does not give us a true sense of its value, so much so we waste it. The abundance of water around us gives us the assurance that the waters of the earth will not run dry. That God will replenish dwindling stocks through life-giving rain.

What about the sights, smells and sounds of Nature? Watch a breathtaking dawn, when darkness cannot linger as the gates of morning are opened; or the grandeur of a sunset, as night drives back day, and you witness the Divine Artist at work. Wait, the show is not over. As evening lowers its dark mantle over the earth, a blood-red tropical moon casts its eerie glow. Wait a little longer to see twinkling stars adorn the dark sky. What a sight to behold, when night takes a deep breath and holds it!

Marvel at the flowerbeds – in a riot of colors - nodding their heads in the breeze. View unending lush green lawns or throw your head back and laud sturdy trees climb the sky. Take in the exhilarating fragrance of flowers and fruits, or taste delicious fruits that hang low from drooping branches, and you are beside yourself with unexplained joy. Or, stand in awe as jagged bolts of lightning touch the turbulent waters of the sea; or, be amazed at the power of the storm as it uproots and splinters giant leaf-clad monarchs of the forest; or, be stunned at the dexterity of the wind as it hurriedly sculpts the waters of the ocean into moving mountains. Even in its fury, Nature is beautiful!

Watch the seasons unfold. Spring, when the earth is unlocked, and the air is filled with the perfume of promise. Summer, when vegetation seems fulfilled, and fruit is abundant; and when hesitant summer rain cools your face. Listen to the music as your feet trample fallen autumn leaves. Watch the first snowflakes land lightly on expectant earth, as winter bids autumn goodbye. Gently the seasons make their entries and exits.

Be thrilled with the music of Nature – chirping birds and rustling leaves, whistling winds and the lapping of waves on the beach, rumbling thunder and rain pelting scorched earth.

We buy tickets to visit Art Galleries and Art Exhibitions, and to attend concerts and watch magic shows, but do not pay a penny to rejoice in the works of God. It is easy to dismiss these wonders as manifestations of Nature. What is Nature, but an outstretched finger pointing to God!

Have we stopped to think of time? Each moment is a gift because we do not know if the next will be ours. Yet, we are guilty of wasting precious time, because God gives it to us free.

His crowning gift is His love. Nothing that we do will diminish His love for us. His love brings with it an abiding peace. As an extension of His love for us, we receive love from those around us – parents, siblings, spouses, friends and others. And all the genuine love we receive is free.

Because we have life, we can plan and execute, perform and win praise, follow our creative urges, love and be loved,

raise a family, and cherish the love of children. It is true that death is an end to one phase of life – given to us free - but Death asks us to live life, when we have it.

We can enjoy life to the full only when we have bodies that house our souls. Rejoice at the miracle we call the body. Every single cell of the entire body is changed once in seven years. The average person possesses 500 to 700 different skills and abilities. The brain can store one hundred trillion facts. The nose can smell ten thousand different odors. Human touch can detect an item 1/25,000 of an inch thick. The tongue can taste one part of quinine in two million parts of water. The list goes on.

God is too good to be unkind and too wise to make mistakes. So, in His Infinite wisdom and mercy, He continues to shower us with His blessings. Neither will He stop giving nor will He take back any of His gifts. We are blessed. If we are to put a value to the gifts we receive from Him, we are millionaires, many times over.

Are we conscious of our indebtedness? Do we sincerely thank Him? Life in the mainstream has become a pavement-pounding activity in quest of profit, pleasure and possessions. We have little or no time to think of God. Even if we do, we try to keep Him out of our lives.

It is time we realized that the best things in life aren’t things and that they are free. It is also time that we gave Cicero’s words some thought: Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all. A thankful heart enjoys blessings twice – when they are received and when they are remembered.

-Ignatius Fernandez

Does Evil Serve a Purpose?

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“Virtue cannot be destroyed, while evil inevitably destroys itself.”

Does evil serve a purpose? This question has been asked from the beginning of time. And at different times in history, scholars have offered answers. Here are a few thoughts – not a scholarly paper, born of study, but an opinionated response to the puzzle. Perhaps some readers of this article will share my thinking.

Broadly, evil confronts us in three ways:

1) Self-inflicted – when poor judgement shoves us to rash actions. 

2) Beyond our control – when we do not have control over the situation. For example, we incur losses through floods or an earthquake.

3) Perpetrated by evildoers – people who have power over us, through their position or physical power. 

Whatever the source of evil, it is not welcome. What possible purpose does evil serve? Let us examine that question.

1) Without evil we would not fully appreciate what is good.

 Consider the behavior of people – both good and bad. How would we appreciate the loving spouse, the devoted child, the outreaching neighbor, and the understanding boss, if we did not have in contrast the indifferent spouse, the uncaring child, the quarrelsome neighbor and the unfeeling boss? It is the contrast that shows good behavior in good light. The juxtaposing of the two helps us recognize good behavior and praise it. It also brings to the fore another truth – unless we hate what is evil we cannot love what is good.

2) Out of some evil much good comes

Let us look back at our lives – the bad times when we suffered some form of pain. We cursed and bemoaned our misfortune. We hoped it would end quickly. Sometimes it did; at other times it went on. Only in retrospect do we thank God for what was apparently bad – the period of illhealth which restrained us from a dangerous misadventure; the financial squeeze that prevented us from spending money wastefully; the loss of a good job only to find a better one; the breaking of one relationship to discover that we were spared prolonged unhappiness. We become wiser from such experiences – learning that evil has a good side to it.

3) Some good people become better.

Horrified by the ferocity of evil around them, the good choose to become better. Some even become crusaders. Martin Luther King Jr. rose giant-like with the slogan – ‘stone them with love’ – to counter racial discrimination in the USA. Mother Teresa, through compassion, battled the scourge of hunger, pain and destitution. During WWII unsung heroes emerged to carry on their mission of defending and protecting victims of savagery. Today, there are people who are standing up against the violence women and children suffer – raising their voices, mobilizing action and getting some results. They sacrifice time and money, and put in long hours in defending the defenceless. They realize that evil happens when good people do nothing to prevent it. In good people there is a swell of compassion that waters the least expected places to let heroes sprout. There is no doubt that if we cease to be better, we will soon cease to be good. Not to advance is to retreat.

4) A chance to return good for evil.

They say that to return good for good is human, but to return good for evil is divine. When we are confronted by evil from evildoers, we are raised to sainthood by doing them good. We refuse the easy way out of returning evil for evil when we are patient, tolerant and forgiving. The example of Mahatma Gandhi, the frail fakir of India, comes to mind: When he was abused and beaten by the British he would not protest or strike back. His action won him grudging praise even from his tormentors. Meekness is not weakness, but strength harnessed for service.

5) The evil ones find solace in repentance and conversion.

A Sunday school teacher asked a class what the word ‘repentance’ meant. A little boy said: “It is being sorry for your sins”. A little girl also answered: “It is being sorry enough to quit”. The little girl made a valid point – true repentance leads to conversion. Of course, there is the probability that evildoers do not repent at all and persist in their ways, or show repentance with a motive, only to return to their old ways. That evil may continue does not discount the fact that some evildoers could truly repent and mend their lives. The small number of such conversions adds to the number of good people in the world. That is a substantial gain.

6) Those who suffer are drawn to God.

“Man is born broken. He lives by mending. The grace of God is the glue.”  -Eugene O’Neill

When we have suffered from evil, when all else fails, in our brokenness, in the silence of our hearts, where there is only pain, God’s grace works its wonders. He heals our wounds. He fills our souls with a peace that can come only from Him. Only those who have suffered much have experienced this peace; they find God; they discover that to be rich in God is better than to be rich in goods.

Evil in any form leads to suffering in some form and suffering in no form is welcome. Like the slave toiling in the noonday heat longing for sundown, we want to opt out of suffering. Yet, it cannot be denied that much good comes from some evil. As someone remarked, rather seriously, that ‘evil is necessary’ for the best part of man to combat the worst part.

Discussion: What do you think? do you think evil has it's place? What do you consider to be evil? post comments below:

*Editors Note: If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. -Mark 3:5
No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. -Luke 16:13

Ignatius Fernandez blogs at:  http://thechildisfatheroftheman.blogspot.in/

HE DIED FOR US

“The measure of love is to love without measure.” -St. Augustine

In her enthralling book, In My Own Words, Mother Teresa recounts an incident. A woman suffering from AIDS confided in her: “Mother, when I can hardly stand my headaches, I share it with the pain Jesus must have suffered because of the crown of thorns. When the pain moves to the back, I share it with the pain Jesus must have felt when the soldiers gave Him lashes. When my hands hurt I share that pain that Jesus felt when He was crucified.” That was the measure of love one woman had for her crucified Savior. She knew that He loved her not because she was trying to be good, but because He loved without measure. Archbishop Desmond Tutu puts it succintly: “We are loved not because we are good. We are good because we are loved.”

The Gospel writers often make the statement: He died for us. Those words have lost their meaning because we no more reflect on them. It happened 2000 years ago; now, it is not relevant to our daily lifes. We concern ourselves with other things and lose our sense of gratitude to Him who gave His all, loving us without measure.

If only we stopped to think, we would discover that His dying for us was the greatest act of love in history. Let us consider the implication: Jesus is God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Son of the Eternal Father. He need not have become man and suffered for us. But He chose to suffer to redeem us from the wages of sin; an act of unmatched love for an enormous cause. It is the cause and not merely the death that makes the martyr. And, He chose the most ghastly death in becoming a martyr for humankind. For a moment, let us picture a master choosing to give up his life for his slave. Laudable! We would praise the master and hold him up as a model; the slave would find no words to thank his master. A billion times more significant is Jesus’ death. Yet, do we thank Him enough? His love remains unrequited!

In the Gospels we read of the passion and death of Jesus – the condemnation, the scourging, the crowning with thorns, the carrying of His cross and the brutal crucifixion. Much of what He suffered on the night before His death remains unknown to us. Sister Mary Magdalene ardently desired to learn of His secret sufferings. Jesus fulfilled her wish by revealing to her the fifteen secret torments that dehumanized Him. “They considered me as the most wretched man living on earth”, Jesus said in a deeply sad voice. That is why they struck Him with stones (imagine soliers doing that), and burnt Him with blazing embers and torches. They tied Him to a post and made Him stand, barefoot, on an incandescent metal sheet. They poured on His wounds liquid lead and resin and forced Him on to a chair that had nails sticking out. They found twelve other ways to brutalise Him, revelling in torture that their saddism devised. Did He protest or resist? No, He suffered meekly because of what was at stake – the cause. But, He did lament: “I looked for one that would comfort me, and I found none”. (The devotion to the fifteen secret torments of Jesus has been approved and recommended by Pope Clement II, 1730-1740.)

Why would a man choose to suffer such inhuman punishment? What would prompt him to be reduced to a mass of flesh and blood? Only love. We hear and read of sacrifices made by parents for their children, of spouses for each other, of friends for one another. But they all pale in comparison with the excruciating pain and horrific suffering Jesus took upon Himself to redeem us.

So, the next time we read the words – He died for us – let us stop to ponder the sufferings of the Lord and His love without measure; loving even the unlovable. Then the story Mother Teresa told would be purposeful. That woman offered her pain to her suffering Master – to be one with Him in His pain. Following her example, can we resolve to perform two acts of love: 1) Try not to make much of our discomforts and pain. In perspective, they appear to be no more than pinpricks. 2) Offer that pain – of mind and body – to Jesus, recalling His passion and death? When we have done that our pain would be sublimated and sanctified.

During a drought a tree drives its roots deeper into the soil to find water, so too sufferings push us beyond self-reliance to reliance on God. When we rely on God we shall harvest joy from the field of pain. Another lesson will quickly follow: that pain comes not to obstruct, but to instruct us. In such a state our faith will be confirmed, hope fortified, charity inflamed, and grace infused! Enriched, we will discover that before we are used greatly, we have to be wounded deeply – when God turns our wounds into badges of honor.

Ignatius Fernandez is the Author of the blog: http://thechildisfatheroftheman.blogspot.in/

Chasing After God

“What you are is God’s gift to you; what you do with yourself is your gift to God.”  -Danish Proverb

At Christmas and Easter time we exchange gifts, as a sign of goodwill. We give and receive gifts on birthdays and anniversaries; and on special occasions. In our families and social circles, gift giving is customary. But with God, how is it? Our hands never weary of receiving gifts from God, but they are seldom proffered with gifts in return. How one-sided can His giving be?

In Luke 17: 11-19 the story of the 10 lepers is told. Of the ten who were healed, only one returned to thank Jesus, the others, rejoicing in their healing, forgot the healer. The same story is told time and again. We ask and receive, yet do not acknowledge and thank God. Perhaps we are yet to learn the lesson that Gotthold Ephraim Lessing has to teach: “A single grateful thought raised to heaven is the most perfect prayer.”

What have we received from God? The list will run into pages. Briefly it will read: life, health and senses, material gifts, family and friends, and the earth with its abundance. Do we really understand our total dependence on God? Do we realize that without Him we are nothing? Do we thank Him enough? Sometimes we try feebly, but fail most of the time. Yet, God does not stop giving. He is lavish in His giving. He does not count the cost of His generosity.

A poor man prayed to God. God surprised him with His presence.

“What do you want, my son?” God asked, with great concern.

“I have nothing. I need money.” The man pleaded.

“How much do you want?” God checked.

Realizing that this was a once-in-a-life-time opportunity, the man pitched: “One million dollars.”

“Isn’t that a lot of money?” God asked.

“I have nothing. Look at John down the street. He has a big house and a big car, although he does not go to Church. I have nothing.”

“Do you really believe you have nothing?” God probed.

“Yes, I am penniless.”

“Well then, if I give you a million dollars, what will you give me?” God negotiated.

“I have nothing to give.” The man protested.

“Suppose I ask for your eyes, would you give them to me?” God tested.

“No. No. I will not be able to see.” The man argued.

“Let us not touch your eyes. If I asked for your hands, would you give them to me?” God continued.

“Not at all. I will not be able to work. I will be helpless.” The man refused.

“My beloved son,” God reasoned, “you refuse me your eyes and your hands because you value them. You value them more than a million dollars. Just think of it; you are already rich with more than two million dollars. With all the other gifts you have you are a multimillionaire. The problem is that you have eyes, but will not see.”

The vision ended abruptly. The man realized that he was not dreaming. He touched his eyes; they were in place. He felt his hands; he had not lost them. He ran his hands over his body; it was the same he had before God’s visit. He appreciated, rather late, that he had gifts with which he could earn an honest living and stop comparing himself with others.

The story is allegorical, but the lesson is profound. In the words of God: we have eyes, but will not see. We have gifts that we cannot put a value to; we have gifts that we cannot count. Like the one grateful leper who was healed, we need to turn to God and thank Him. Not that we can thank Him enough, because we will always be in His debt. We will always have to play catch-up with Him. 

What can we give Him in return for His numberless gifts? Money? No, because He owns the Universe, although He would like us to give our money to the needy. Time? No, because His time is eternity, although He would like us to spend time to comfort the troubled. Effort? No, because He has billions of angels at His command, to carry out His bidding, although He would like us to reach out to those in distress. Will we be giving Him something when we give others in His name? Jesus left no doubt when He said that doing things for others was doing things for Him.

Besides these what else can we give Him? Ourselves. “Give me your heart” is His plea. When we surrender to His holy will and place ourselves at His command, as the angels do, we are giving Him what He wants of us. Because He is God, He needs nothing. But He asks for our hearts for our sakes. When we give Him our hearts we are choosing the highest good – there is no good higher than God. Would the scales be balanced when we give Him our hearts? No, because He is topping His earlier gifts with more and more – each new day with new opportunities is a package of gifts, if only we use our eyes to see. The process will not end; the catch-up process, I mean. Our helpless state, is best described by the poet:

“When I contrive and plot to prove something,

 that may be conquest on my part,

Thou still, O Lord, outstrippest me.” Anon

-"Playing Catch-up With God" Ignatius Fernandez is the author of the blog: http://thechildisfatheroftheman.blogspot.in/

How To Forgive Those Who Offend You

Never does the human soul appear so strong and noble as when it forgoes revenge and dares to forgive an injury. -E. H. Chapin.

Louis B. Mayer, one of the founders of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), told the story of his boyhood experience. One day, he had a fight with a boy and
came home with bruises. As his mother tended to his bruises, he complained to her about the boy who was rude and unfair and was to blame for the fight. His mother was silent. After she had comforted her son, she took him to the backyard of their home. In the distance they could see the hills that looked beautiful, drenched in sunlight. 



She told her son to call the boy who hurt him all the bad names he could imagine. Louis was pleased at the prospect. In a hate-filled voice he shouted accusations and swear words. 

The echo from the hills was music to his ears. His mother stood listening. When he finished swearing, his mother appealed to him to shout: God bless you. Confused, Louis stood back for a moment. Then, he obeyed his mother and shouted: God bless you. The hills echoed: God bless you. Louis never forgot the lesson his mother taught him, without preaching on forgiveness.

• Treat others how you want to be treated, the energy you put out comes back to you.

How do we respond when we are offended? Most often, we want to strike back. We wish harm on the person who caused us pain. We publicize the wrong done to us and continue to malign the offender. Then what? Life goes on, for the offender and for us. Not one wee bit is changed, except that our hearts reek of hate and our minds are sullied with wicked thoughts. Is it worth it? Of course, there is pleasure in tit-for-tat. There is smug satisfaction in putting down the offender. But for these intangibles, there is no tangible benefit in striking back.

However, there is a huge negative that might follow – the blame game might never end. On the contrary, when we forgive there are some positives. What are they? One, the offender is stunned. He expected retaliation; now he receives forgiveness. Two, because of that he is in our debt. That would make him uncomfortable. Which means that revenge through forgiveness is a better option. Three, we do not carry around a load of bad memories and much pain. Instead, we cast away that load and resume our lives with no hint of the incident. Four, without intending to, we grow taller in our own eyes and in eyes of the wrongdoer. Without doubt, the merits of forgiving outweigh those of retaliation. We do not realize the benefits because we do not reflect on them. On an impulse we react, to regret our fallen ways.

Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years, during which time he suffered painful persecution and abject humiliation. When he became President of South Africa, after his release and a massive mandate from his people, he could have struck back and had his vengeance. Instead, he forgave his enemies and begged his compatriots to forgive the wrongdoers. Real power is when you have it and restrain yourself from using it. That was Mandela’s response. With that act he became an even taller leader in the eyes of the world. Like him, Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi led by example. The example Jesus gave from the cross is the most edifying of all.

Even ordinary people, in their ordinary lives inspire us. During the days of Apartheid, in South Africa, a black woman and her two children were walking down a street, when a white man passing them spat at her. Unfazed, she wiped her face and said: Thank you, Sir; now, for the children. In the face of such an unexpected and brave response, the white man stood shamed and motionless.

• Ask God to help you. There is limitless love in the spirit.

Forgiveness does not come easy. Only the courageous can forgive. Not the cowards. They nurse grudges and wait for an opportunity to get even. Only the courageous and mature see the blessing in overlooking the faults of others. Only the compassionate can find space in their hearts to accommodate offenders in the spirit of peace. Such grace and strength can come only from God, when we ask for help. Ask and it will be given you. Matt. 7: 7. We will need to be asking often because we are persuaded to forgive not once, but seventy times seven Matt. 18:22.

-Ignatius Fernandez

Are God's Ways Strange?

“If God only used perfect people, nothing would ever get done.” -Rick Warren

History throws up many events where God’s ways seem strange. We find it difficult, with our finite intelligence, to comprehend the actions of Infinite wisdom. We are puzzled, but realize that the results of God’s actions are always better than expected. Let us sample a few of these events.

Moses was not articulate and lacked confidence; yet he was chosen to lead the Jews out of Egypt into the Promised Land. He found that the odds were stacked high against him, but persevered with God’s help. The tougher things got, the easier God made it for him. Moses accomplished his goal, not through his abilities, but obedience to God. By choosing Moses who was weak, God established His strong presence.

In Jonah, God chose to act through a reluctant prophet. He was ridden with fear and would not face the people of Nineveh to admonish them against their evil ways. So, he chose to run away from the mission God gave him. But God had different plans. He ordered a series of events that altered Jonah’s course. The ship Jonah was travelling in, was caught in a fierce storm. To save the ship, he was thrown aboard; to save him from the turbulent waters a fish swallowed him. After three days in the belly of the fish he was spat out on a beach. Now Jonah knew that he could not run away from God. He had to obey; which he did with amazing results. By picking Jonah for His mission, God showed that He could achieve His purpose even through a frightened and fleeing prophet.

Peter was headstrong, implusive and given to boastful expressions of loyalty. But when he faced the threat of torture and death, his bravado deserted him and he fled. The paradox in him stood exposed. Yet, God gave him the grace of repentance and ensured that his place as the first Apostle was unchanged. Why did God choose Peter, a man so full of contradictions, to lead the Church? The answer is the same – His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways.

Saul was an enemy of Christ. He was bent on punishing any Christian he could find, until he was struck down on his way to Damascus. Through a strange transformation Saul becomes Paul the Defender of the church. Paul is one more testimony to God’s strange ways.

Perhaps the strangest of all is the way God chose to treat His only son, Jesus.  As an infant He was hurried off to Egypt, a long distance away, with Mary and Joseph, to flee the slaying soldiers of Herod. God did not choose to eliminate the evil Herod. Instead He sent His Infant Son in haste to Egypt to be out of Herod’s reach.

In our lives we are set on a course, which we think is right for us. Then things happen. Hurdles one after another threaten progress and we slow down. There is no rational explanation. The logic is that God is sending us a message that we have chosen wrong – we need to make a course-correction. We stubbornly refuse. God is Infinitely patient and He waits. More problems come our way until beaten, exhausted and drained of confidence we give up. When gold is melted and rid of impurities it is ready for the goldsmith. When our pride and self-will are drained, God steps in to shape our lives. 

To let God transform us is not easy. It calls for surrender. It calls for trust. We must let God take control. Rick Warren had the right words to describe the state: “Surrender is not for cowards or doormats. It does not mean giving up rational thinking. Surrender is not repressing your personality. Surrender is best demonstrated in obedience. Another aspect of a fully surrendered life is trust.”

God's time span is infinity. So, He is not in a hurry, but is always on time. He will let us exhaust our defiant ways. When we are empty, He acts strangely to fill us with His Mercy. He will not leave us friendless. He will come, hands filled with gifts, and raise us out of our misery. His ways are strange...to us, but His love is constant.

Ignatius Fernandez blogs at The Child Father Of The Man

photo credits: chasing after Jesus, keep calm  o matic

A Visit to the Cemetery

“Oh, heart, if one should say to you that the soul perishes like the body, answer that the flower withers, but the seed remains. This is the law of God.”  -Kahlil Gibran. At the best of times, a walk in a cemetery is not a stimulating exercise. It is an eerie and spooky place. Ghosts make unearthly noises, it is said, as they roam from tomb to tomb. Surely, not a nice place to visit. Despite these warnings, I ventured into the cemetery alone. On earlier visits I had others with me. I found my way to the spot where my beloved parents were laid to rest. As I stood at the foot of their graves - side by side – and prayed for the repose of their souls, my eyes fell upon the epitaphs inscribed on the granite slabs. My father’s had the words: “He gave even when it hurt”, and my mother’s extolled her love: “A life of love”. I had read those words many times before; now they gave me a new insight – those words summed up their lives and were not just tributes paid to them. My father gave until he had nothing left – money, time and effort. Those who came to him did not go empty handed. Even when he was cheated, by manipulating con men, he would console us: ‘He needed the money more than I’. Many stories of his acts of charity were told to us after his death. The words of Erich Fromm came back to me: “Not he who has much is rich, but he who gives much”. Indeed, my father was rich. I felt blest to be his son. If only I could open my heart, like he did! My mother was the personification of love. She made no difference between family and friends, and between friends and acquaintances. She reached out to all, not stopping to consider what it cost her. She rejoiced in giving. How I wish that a spark of her love inflamed me! As I stood lost in thought, my eyes traveled to an adjoining tombstone. The name read Terrance Gomez, who died 20 years ago. The inscription on the slab stated that he had left behind a sorrowing wife and two children. Perhaps they were a happy family. Now he lay embalmed in the soundless depth of their affection. Next to him was Tony Jacob. This stone gave no clue of family or friends who grieved for him. Was Tony a loner? Was there no one to pray for him? Dying friendless on earth, did his soul fly free like a bird over endless seas? Right next to Tony was a small slab – Jennifer Bond (5). There were no words that followed her name. Were her parents so full of sorrow that they found no words to express their grief? Perhaps they dreamed that Jennifer’s life would be like Nature’s progression – seeds to sprouts, buds to blossoms and flowers to fruits. When she was born the air was filled with the perfume of promise. Then the winds of change blew away the fragrance, leaving her parents with only the smell of damp earth. As I looked around, I saw row upon row of tombstones – so many dead and so many stories buried in silent tribute – keepsakes for heaven. With Kahlil Gibran, I will affirm that the soul does not perish; it will live on forever. One day the bodies that once housed indomitable spirits will come alive and praise their Creator. For now, I imagine that they have taken abode in the stars and shed their gentle light as a sign of love for us, who await our turn to occupy other stars. We know with our minds, but believe with our feelings. Standing there I believed that the love of my parents still enveloped me. The gentle light from the stars that is home to them brightens my path. That would not change with time. Like the beggar who mistakenly comes to his own door to beg, I stopped at my door – at my life. What kind of life was I leading? Surveying the debris that surrounded me of failings and failures, I felt sick in my heart. Resources and opportunities were given to me in plenty, but I squandered most of them.  After many years there was not much to show for a life well spent. As indolent hands turned the pages of the book of life, I found many pages were blank. And, like the slave in the Parable that Jesus told, I too buried many of the talents that were given to me. I have few gains to report – only promises that were not kept and potential lying fallow. Was mine an unfulfilled life, I pondered? Even in my reverie, I figured that there was no point in mourning the past. I had to find the courage to beg God for unconditional forgiveness and start anew using the gifts that He had given me. Without letting the river of regret drown its banks, I had to cling to hope and find safety in the thought that ‘tomorrow is another day’.  Much can be achieved if I try. Death is a sobering thought. The irony is that, the more you come to terms with death, the more you learn to live. To gain that insight a visit to the cemetery turned out to be a good idea.  Ignatius Fernandez is a contributor for Breath Of Life Daily. His blog is http://thechildisfatheroftheman.blogspot.in/ photo credit: christian wallpaper, military