A Tribute

A cardinal once said "a mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take."

When I think back on how Amachie (my mother) influenced our lives I have to start from when she taught us how to eat, to her guidance on reading and studying the Bible. Over the years we have come to love her imagination, patience, and creativity in dealing with the everyday things of life.

When I think of the times she has had to get our house cleaned up after a battalion of kids had gone through it during the day, I can imagine that she could probably only keep her sanity by having her office more organized and in order. At home we strove not for perfection, but to learn to love and care for one another.

Amachie’s a good sense of humor when things go wrong, has helped all of us to cope with life’s ups and downs. Her ability to recount our pranks and laugh about them later has helped us to stay away from trouble and grow up much faster. Another of her ways to make us relax and enjoy the little aggravations of the day is to sing and at times clap our hands. Sometimes in our journey it is good to poke fun at our peculiarities, laugh at the depressing thoughts and tease out our trivialities.

Her strong personality and her accomplished career speak volumes about the number of young minds she was able to influence. The fact that both Thoman and Ansu followed after her in their careers speaks volumes to her ability to transfer her knowledge and skills to her children.

Although her career was second to her family, she was successful in both areas because of her determination to succeed both at home and at work. She opted for a field of medicine that allowed her to keep a 9-5 day so she could be around when we got back from play in the evening. As her children, we were able to observe first-hand that it is possible to successfully run a household with dual careers.

When she was called to serve as a lay reader at St. Johns church she was not afraid of what the traditionalists thought of such a role. She fought her way through the tangled issues of traditions and culture without flinching on an issue that was vital for the future of many women lay readers. She always affirmed the best in the cultural traditions.

She is always looking for refreshing ways to approach prayer. She has a spontaneous yearning in her heart to worship, admire, praise, and exalt God. She has an earnest desire to ask for nothing but to cherish her relationship with God, to focus on nothing but God’s love. She enjoys praying, reading, and reflecting on God’s word. She believes strongly in prayer and acting upon her beliefs.

Nature speaks to our senses without words. The glory of God is revealed to us through the works of His hands. The ears that are open can hear God speaking to us through the things in nature. Amachie loves nature. Picnics at college hill, Palamathi, Kailas, or Toad were an important part of our family life. She saw the greatness and goodness of God the creator in every bird that sings, over every hill, and under every rock. She enjoys a refreshing walk through the forest, or by the lake. Bird watching and planting trees and flowers are her hobbies. Simply lying on the terrace on hot summer nights enjoying the cool nightly breeze staring up at the starry skies above was another of our past times growing up.

Appacha’s commitment to CMC enabled her to channel all her passion and hope into an institution she had grown to love as a medical student. Convinced that in serving CMC she was serving the larger vision of Christ to serve the sick, poor, and needy, she was able to put her faith into action that didn’t come merely from her academic background but more from her love for Christ. There were many times when Appacha and Amachie could have made the decision to pursue careers that would have made them more comfortable and better off financially. Yet they stayed their course, they did not turn back on their love for God and CMC. When we let God open our hearts and minds we find that we can go a long way in accomplishing much both physically and spiritually.

It is hard to explain what it means to be a loving family. A loving family is one where a strong commitment to care for one another is an unwritten commandment. It is a call to sacrifice one’s self for the betterment of others. It is the unselfish act of putting the other first over one’s own needs. It is a love that is indestructible, patient, and forgiving. It is to believe in one’s children even when the world thinks otherwise, to continue to polish them and work with them until over time the rarest and brightest jewel starts to shine forth. It is to go beyond one’s heartbreaks and still love and care for one’s own even when all others have given up all hope. A parent’s love remains a mystery even today. We understand how much God loves us when we compare their love with God’s love for us. They constantly strove to make us not to just look at the things that are seen but also at those that are unseen.

Having children of our own has led us to see and understand the price they had to pay for the years they cared for us. Yes, today is a good time to say our thanks to Amachie for the pain she had to bear when we were born to the additional years of pain that she faced over the years. No matter how much older we have grown, Appacha and Amachie still wait, watch, and hope for signs of improvement in us, their children.

Their lives reflect the humility of not having striven after the vanities of this world. They lead simple yet happy lives with not just material things but also the spiritual. This is certainly the way to grow old, to live in a community filled with family and friends who love and care for you and you can care for.

Happy! Happy! Happy! Happy Birthday Amma!!

Trinity

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:19-20 

 Often God is looked upon as the God of the Old Testament. Do we not look at Jesus as the God of the New Testament and the Holy Spirit mixed up between the Old and the New? There are some who would like to believe that the Trinity is three different stages of God. This view is rendered erroneous by the presence of God at the time of Christ’s baptism. Matthew says that when John the Baptist baptized Jesus, God spoke from heaven and declared that Jesus was His son in whom God is well pleased (Mathew 3:13-17). At that time the Holy Spirit descended upon Christ in the form of a dove (a symbol of the new creation after the flood destroyed all life on the earth Genesis 8). It is also a prophetic voice of David in Psalm 2:7, where God renews his covenant with the people and declares Jesus as his beloved son (Matthew 3:17), the chosen one, who will continue the Davidic line forever. 

As the old hymn goes, “God in three persons, blessed Trinity”. This is the understanding of the Trinity, where God is three persons and yet one in substance. Universally, to acknowledge God as the creator is easy since many people see God as the divine architect and creator of the world. The Binitarians see God as two deities and Unitarians see God as only one deity. Liberal theology tends towards the theory that Christ was fully human, while Jehovah’s Witnesses envisage Christ as a created angel. What distinguishes us as Christians is our faith that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God who came to redeem us all from our sins. We love and worship Him just as we do God the Father. The Holy Spirit is equally worshipped and glorified because we encounter Him in our daily lives. 

 John had been baptizing people with water and he prophesied that God would send someone who was far greater than John. This great man would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Here was John testifying to the fact that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit were different. The Holy Spirit was bestowed upon us by Christ to help us to preserve our commitment to God and to preserve us from the never ending fire of judgment (Matthew 3:11-12). The fire would burn away all those who are worthless because they are proud, unrepentant and do not want to change their ways. Baptism into the Christian faith symbolizes our willingness to obey Christ’s commands and to become His faithful followers. It is representative of the purging of our sins by water and the grace of God (1 Peter 3:21). It identifies us with other believers as being part of the Body of Christ. We live in a culture where we are too scared to let anyone be the center of our lives. A commitment of this intensity, to make Christ the center of our lives, could destabilize our own selfish goals and interests. The gospel of Matthew ends with the Great Commission. The gravity of these words had a tremendous impact on the lives of the disciples as these were Jesus’ last commands to them. This was to go out not only to the Jewish nations, but to all the nations of the world. Christ wanted them to teach all the nations to obey the commands that He has given us. He further expressly commanded them to baptize new believers in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

 From very early on there have been many who question the concept of the Holy Trinity (Arian Controversy). Christ clearly identified the Trinity as being three different entities, and in so doing clearly identified them as one by instructing the disciples specifically to baptize in the “name” and not “names”. We come to see a God who creates through the wonders of His creation, a God who teaches through the life, teachings, and work of Jesus, and a God who is present with us always as the Holy Spirit through our daily encounters with Him. As we live in His Spirit, walk with Christ, and celebrate the love of the Father, we grow in our understanding of the mystery of the Trinity. 

  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14

Tongues of Fire

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:3-4 

 It was during the Passover festival that Jesus was crucified. The city of Jerusalem had a gathering of the diaspora of Jewish visitors from all over the world. They all spoke diverse languages. Many believe that it was forty days following Passover that Christ ascended to heaven. It was on the fiftieth day that the Holy Spirit was given to the believers. 

Pentecost (meaning fiftieth) was the harvest festival that was held fifty days after Passover. (Exodus 23:14-17; Deuteronomy 16:16) Christians today remember this day as the Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given as a special gift from God for the entire world. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit was the fulfillment of a prophecy by Joel (Joel 2:28-32). From a spiritual dimension this was the day of spiritual harvest of 3000 believers who were touched by the Holy Spirit. 

St. Augustine says,“ Pentecost was prefigured in the Jewish Passover, for on the fiftieth day after the slaying of the lamb, Moses on the mount received the law written with the finger of God.” So for some Jews this day became more symbolic of the day when the Law was given on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19-23). It is believed that 50 days after the Israelites left Egypt the Ten Commandments were given to Moses. Just as Israelites saw clouds of smoke rising from Mount Sinai as the Lord appeared to them in flames of fire (Exodus 19:18), the disciples saw tongues of fire descend upon them and they were touched by the Holy Spirit. On that day the believers saw a powerful wind coming upon them. It signified the presence of God in their midst. Then they saw tongues of fire rest upon them as God touched their lives with the cleansing flames of His Spirit. 

Many celebrate the Church's birthday on this day. For us, Christ is the fulfillment of the Law that was given on Mount Sinai (John 1:17). The presence and power of the Holy Spirit renewed the lives of the disciples and empowered them to go and preach and teach the Word of God all over the world. Today we pray that we may be filled with the Holy Spirit that we may do ordinary and extraordinary tasks for God with fervor and dedication. Speaking in tongues has become, in some churches, a very important gift that fosters their growth and understanding of God. 

The story of the the Tower of Babel is still retold as a reminder to emphasize that people should not challenge God through pride and disobedience. It is an encounter with the Spirit of God which has an effect that is the opposite of what happened on Pentecost. It was a time when the whole earth spoke only one language. The people built the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:9) a monument to glorify their own greatness. Some believe that a powerful wind blew or a blazing fire burnt the Tower of Babel down. At that time the rebellious people were scattered all over the face of the earth, as they began to speak in different languages and could no longer understand one another. Pride and disobedience only leads to confusion. However on Pentecost God in his infinite wisdom brought people from different parts of the world to become one great movement of people glorifying God. The same we will all witness when Christ returns we will all gather together from all over the world as we glorify our Savior and Lamb of God (Revelations 7:9-10). 

A sailboat cannot go anywhere unless the sails are lifted up high so that the wind can blow upon them and push the boat onwards. We can see the Spirit of Christ working in our lives only when we are humble and obey the Word of God. It is when we allow the Spirit to work in our lives, and give to others the blessings we receive that we are filled more and more by the Spirit of God. 

Jesus said that He would not leave us alone. He promised to send the Holy Spirit to be our companion, comforter, intercessor, counselor, strengthener, and helper (John 15:26-16:15). He assures us that even when we go through the darkest days of our lives, the light of the Holy Spirit will shine through, strengthen us and enable us to endure the hatred and evil in the world. The Holy Spirit will teach and guide us to be a witness to the life of Jesus Christ and spread the gospel of his redeeming love. What is it that the Holy Spirit can do that we cannot do? By the power of the Holy Spirit our testimony will not only work in our own hearts but also convict the hearts of those who hear our message. Thus the Holy Spirit works in our hearts and minds to reach out to those who are in real need. 

As the lovely hymn goes, "It only takes a spark to get a fire going. That’s how it is with God’s love, once you have experienced it; you want to pass it on". Do you have a spiritual gift or a special gift that can be a blessing to your community? The apostles, once they were filled with the Spirit of God went through a transformation, went out to the entire world to preach the gospel message of love, peace, and grace.

Strangers

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: 

for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 

Hebrews 13:2 (King James Version)

Abraham was stunned to see three strangers standing in front of him when God came to him by the oaks of Mamre. Was Jesus, the Son of God, one of them? Did they have the disposition of travel weary ordinary men or did they have an angelic demeanor? Abraham asked his servants to wash the stangers' feet and he personally served them their food. “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,” is how Hebrews 13:2 says we should entertain itinerant Christians who depend on the support of Christian community. Is this not what Jesus reminded us would be His question on Judgment day (Mathew 25:31-46)? There is a profound spiritual dimension to our deeds of kindness and love to those in need, performed in Jesus' name. Abraham's hospitality to total strangers is the heart of the gospel message. 

 The strangers' appearance and their identity have piqued the curiosity of many of God's people for the last thousands of years. When Abraham saw them, he ran to greet them and welcome them into his home. He treated them like visiting royalty and threw them a worthy feast. When they enquired about his wife Sarah, he told them that she was around and in her tent. They then told him that in due time they would return and that Sarah would have a son. Sarah who was listening at the tent entrance, started to laugh. Here they stood, a couple well into their eighties or nineties, and these men were telling them that they would have a child very soon. 

Yet the promise of a child was the greatest blessing the couple had longed for. When the child was born, they named him Isaac, which means laughter. Yet in the midst of the good news, they also conveyed some bad news to the couple. They said that Sodom and Gomorah would be destroyed. The decadent lifestyle and inhospitability of these cities had upset God tremendously. Abraham was shocked and pleaded for the people and the cities. Knowing that his nephew lived there, he prayed to God to spare the city if there were at least 50, later 45, and finally 10 righteous people living there. Listening to God and Abraham negotiate, we are thankful that our God is compassionate and merciful. He is always waiting for us to return to Him and seek His forgiveness. We are glad that we can approach Him with our prayers and petitions. 

 Abraham's nephew, Lot, was probably the only one in the two cities who knew about God. Yet he was so in love with the city that at first he was not willing to listen to the warning of the three strangers. Sin had overrun this city. The men of the city were so far gone that they even craved for carnal relations with the three strangers. Finally as the city was being destroyed the three men had to drag Lot and his family away from the city. The family's love and attachment to the city was so intense that Lot's wife turned to look at the city as it burned down, although the three men had expressly forbidden them from doing so. She was turned into a salt statue for her disobedience. Lot and his two daughters escaped, only to go back into their sinful ways. 

 Do we, like Lot, find ourselves so absorbed in our own lives that we have no time to think and reflect on whether our attachment to our material possessions is greater than our love for God? Are we in awe of God's Word and His commands? Although Lot's behavior was far from perfect, God still delivered Lot. The judgment on the people of Sodom and Gomorrah was probably executed by completely natural means, but it is stunning that Abraham has recorded the incident as God working out His purposes. What do we understand about the nature of God from this incident? When Lot was told of the coming fiery judgment of God why did he continue to linger in the city? He had to be physically dragged away from the city. Do you think Lot feared being consumed by the punishment of God?

Christ in a Stranger’s Guise, 

I met a stranger yest’re’een;

I put food in the eating place,

Drink in the drinking place,

Music in the listening place;

And, in the sacred name of the Triune,

He blessed myself and my house,

My cattle and my dear ones,

And the lark said in her song,

Often, often, often,

Goes the Christ in the stranger’s guise;

Often, often, often,

Goes the Christ in the stranger’s guise

(A Celtic poem of hospitality)

Consuming Fire

Wherefore we receive a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:28-29 

Wildfires over a span of 15 years burned down 10,000 homes by the end of 2000 AD. Of these 860 were family homes in the year 2000. The natural vegetation that burned down in 2002, was more than 6 million acres of forests and wildlife habitat. The fires in the West are supposedly burning hotter than they did before because of misguided management practices. Just the practice of trying to suppress forest fires has prevented ecologically beneficial fires from performing their apparent purpose of clearing dense brush and ground fuels. Felling of trees for sale has removed many of the fire-resistant old-growth trees and replaced them with trees that will burn down very quickly. Last but not least, climate changes due to global warming have resulted in longer fire seasons and droughts that cause tremendous pressure on the forests leading to fires. 

 We see fires in many parts of the world that cause damage to property and wildlife. It is so easy for things of this world to burn up fast. Poor judgment and self-indulgence of some people result in irreparable harm causing people to suffer enormously. However, those who are in Christ are part of the immovable Kingdom of God. When fires burn in our lives that we cannot control, our spirits are strengthened in the knowledge and love of God. Are our lives built on the physical and material things of this world or the spiritual? 

 St. Paul is calling us to live a life of peace with our brothers and sisters in Christ. He says we should strive hard to live lives that are clean and holy. By caring for one another we will not miss out on the special blessings that God has in store for us. He is cautioning us to watch out for the bitter roots of unbelief that spring up like weeds in a lush green meadow. For these are like poison that kills and corrupts our spiritual lives. Godlessness and immorality will lead us away from God. 

 In the Old Testament, fire was associated with the presence of God (Deuteronomy 4:24). A forest fire sometimes cannot be controlled even by the most sophisticated equipment. In the same way God's flame cannot be controlled by anything from this world. In the flames of God only that which is clean and holy will be preserved. So let our prayers and supplications to God be with tears of repentance that are not a consequence of bitter disobedience but sweet obedience in the eyes of God. For it is only Christ who can save us from the flaming fires of God by His grace, a free gift from God through Christ. 

 What are some of the fire resistant immovable possessions that will stand the test of the all consuming flames of the living God? What should be our real security in the life we live in Christ? What will protect us from the hotter flames of God that will burn us up if we continue to live lives that are misguided by the false and new age teachings of this world? Are we doing anything that is preventing us from drawing closer to the all consuming flames of God? Are we living in an environment that is causing us to change and pressurizing us to live immoral and sensual lives? Paul goes on to explain, a life that is pleasing to God is:- 

1. Loving one another by doing good and sharing what we have with one another. 

2. Showing hospitality to strangers. 

3. Remembering the prisoners 

4. Remembering those being tortured. 

5. Living an honorable married life and preserving the sanctity of one's marriage vows. 

6. Freeing ourselves from the love for money and strengthening our reliance on God. 

7. Living a life of simplicity and contentment in what one has. 

8. Remembering our spiritual leaders and their lives that we may be imitators of them. 

9. Staying away from strange teachings and thoughts that may lead us astray. 

10. Keeping a clear conscious, being full of joy, and continuously offering sacrifices of praise and worship to our living God. 

 Today we live lives that are selfish, careless, and insensitive. We have lost sight of the flame of God that burns so brightly through the lives of those who love and serve God. We should strive to lead lives that are filled with awe and reverence of the presence of the living God. We should share our lives with all those in need, so much so that their problems are our own. We should never forget that when Christ comes again, all things that were created will be completely burnt up. All of God's creation is transient. A spiritual life that is continuously offering sacrifices of loving service, joyful praise, and true worship to the living God is one that will remain fire resistant, immovable, and unshakable through the consuming flames of God.

Spiritual Temple

“Coming to Him as to a Living Stone,

Rejected indeed by men, but 

Chosen by God and precious,

 

You also, as Living Stones, 

Are being built up a Spiritual House, 

A Holy Priesthood, 

To offer up Spiritual Sacrifices 

Acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

‭‭I Peter‬ ‭2:4-5‬ 

Simon was an ordinary fisherman by profession but after he was called to follow Jesus, became His disciple and joined Him in His early gospel ministry. One day when Jesus asked His disciples who He was, Simon said He was the, "Messiah, the Son of the Living God." Based on this revelation, Jesus changed the name of Simon to Peter. Jesus said, "On this rock I will build my church." Matthew 16:13-29 In an environment where everyone was looking at Jesus as a great prophet of the likes of Jeremiah, Peter called him the Messiah. If Jesus were to ask you that question in a similar situation, what would your answer have been? However it is interesting that the next story recorded by Matthew is Jesus speaking of His impending death. To which Peter said that he would never let anything deadly happen to Jesus. Jesus replies to Peter, "get behind me Satan". Why would Jesus name Peter the rock and still later call him Satan? 

How often do you think Peter thought of the time of Christ's reference to the rock? Peter had said that Jesus was the son of the living God. Thus in all likelihood Jesus referred to Peter's confession as the Messiah, as the rock on which Jesus would build the community of believers. To enshrine that moment of God's revelation to Simon on Jesus's true identity, Jesus changed Simon's name to Peter. However the meaning of the verse has been in dispute where many view St.Peter being the rock on which the early church will be built. 

In his epistle, Peter portrays Christ as the corner stone of God's Spiritual temple and each one of us are living stones (1Peter 2:4-8) . Which ties in well with the concept of Christ is the foundation of the church and we are the blocks. Thus we are described as living stones because in Christ we have a life that lasts forever (1Peter 1:23-25). It is through the enduring and unchanging Word of God that we come to hear and believe in the words of God. As Christians we are a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God. Each one of us are priests because we have Christ who is our mediator and chief priest through whom we have special access to God. As Christians we lay down our lives as living sacrifices to God to lead lives that glorify God. We glorify God when we sincerely love God and one another.

Peter wrote to encourage the struggling Christians to rejoice greatly whenever they faced trials of any kind. We have all been born again into a living hope of eternal life because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This hope is living because it is an incorruptible inheritance reserved for us in heaven (1 Peter 1:3-6). Peter wanted them to see the vision of a Spiritual Building, where we are living bricks that is in the process of being built. By ourselves we are just bricks, but when we find our niche in the temple we see the larger picture. We are all being built up brick by brick into something beautiful for God. Do we see the hands of a builder at work? If you were to watch a mason at work sometimes he chips and cracks the bricks at certain places, to make it fit appropriately into the spot that it best fits. So it is with God the master builder as he shapes and builds and forms us into the perfect position where we will fit in this Spiritual building where God himself dwells and shall be glorified. Do you see the Master Builder at work? 

Peter wrote this letter to cheer up (1 Peter 5:12) the early Christians by reminding them of the grace and presence of God that is always with them. It was a time when Doors of Faith (Acts 14:27) were being opened to people all over the world. People of different ethnicities were being drawn in. However along with this growth in the church, they were suffering through frightful persecution from the Romans. According to some historians, Emperor Nero watched Rome burn while he played his fiddle. They say he hoped to get rid of 2/3rd of Rome so he could build a larger palace. We don't know this for a fact but it was a  time of decadence. Nero blamed the Christians for the fire and he would indiscriminately crucify them and feed them to the lions. 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer called it costly grace where one is called to follow Jesus Christ at the cost of ones own life. “Grace is costly because God gave his son for us” he said. Bonhoeffer himself was executed by Hitler for his faith and has been a beacon of light to the persecuted church with his life and witness from prison. The living sacrifices made by Peter and the early Christians for their faith are amazing. Many people were killed and tortured under the Roman rule. During this period in history Peter was also executed. Peter in his letter refers to, "The end being very near." (1 Peter 4:7) The Christians during that period under went intense persecution and were fervently looking forward to the second coming of Christ. This thought continues to be on the mind of many even today. My inclination is that we not be so consumed by this thought that we are unable to do our daily tasks with equal fervor. The truth is that all of us one day will pass through the valley of the shadow of death. It is not very far away, maybe soon or after a few decades. Are we prepared? 

 Peter says that our faith is being tested to make us pure and strong. Just as fire tests and purifies gold, so do persecution and suffering's fiery trials test our faith (1 Peter 1:7). It is this faith that is more precious than pure gold to God. Peter in the midst of mass persecution was encouraging fellow believers to hold fast to the words of Jesus. He was making them see what blessings they had in store if they continued to hold fast to their faith in God. He wanted them to see themselves as part of God's great plan of being part of a Spiritual temple which is made of living stones that cannot be seen by human eyes, but spiritual eyes. Peter like Paul, is asking us to look at Christ who is the author and perfector of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). It is through the life and suffering of Christ we have the strength to endure. We are convinced that if Christ suffered, so should we as His disciples learn from His life to endure patiently. 

 He further warns us to beware of slipping back into our old ways (1Peter 1:14). He refers to that period in our life when we had not heard the gospel message as one lived in ignorance. He encourages us to stay humble and obedient children of God. As living testimonies to His message of hope. He points out some of the areas where we trip - malice, deceit, pretence to be good, hypocrisy, jealousy and backstabbing (1 Peter 2:1). Then he goes on to describe our role in the church (1 Peter 2:9, 17). He describes our raison d'etre as God's own people, a chosen people, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. He says we should love and respect everyone. He further says we should revere God and our leaders. He exemplifies a Christian life as one lived in Christian unity, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds (1Peter 3:8-9.) What does Peter mean when he says we clothe ourselves with humility toward others (1 Peter 5:5)? He emphasizes that if we have a clear mind and self control we will be able to know exactly how to pray (1 Peter 4:7-8) . He goes on to speak of the potency of love. If our zeal for our fellowbeings is ardent and sincere their faults will be drowned in our genuine love for them. 

How do you picture the church today ? Is it a fallible organization? If so why? Have you ever been hurt by the church and rejected it? How do forgiveness, reconciliation, restoration and healing affect our daily Christian lives? Who are those who are the weakest in the church today? Christ is calling us to serve the poor, homeless, mentally unstable, sick, suffering and the lost. They are the weakest in the church and the least in the world today. How much of our time do we spend with those in need? From Peter's letter we begin to see the church as a community of feeble people struggling to stay together by the power of love of Christ that is the center and dwells in us all. It is Christ the Son of the Living God who is our firm foundation, the rock on which we build our faith. 

Peter asks who can really harm us if we do good? He says even if we suffer we are blessed. Jesus said, God will bless us greatly if we were to suffer unjustly (Matthew 5:10-12). Nothing can destroy our Souls, this is what Jesus said is most dear to God (Matthew 10:28). We humble ourselves before God by casting all our cares and concerns in our life upon him. We learn to trust in him to be our Shepherd. Paul says that even if we get into squabbles with others let us do so with gentleness and respect. If we are to suffer let it be for doing good and not evil. The greatest endorsement that anyone can give to Christian living is if we can live lives worthy of our calling.(1 Peter 2:12). If we set a special place for the Living Christ in our hearts we will always be prepared to explain to people who ask us our reason for hope for the world (1 Peter 3:13-15). Peter is asking us to be shepherds of the flock not because of certain human conditions or money, but because we are willing to eagerly serve our Savior. Let us always cherish in our hearts the consciousness of the earthly life of our Chief Shepherd. The best testimony that we as Christians can give the world is lives lived according to the will of God (1 Peter 5:1-4).

Spiritual Blindness

Jesus healed a simple and ordinary blind beggar at the synagogue on Sabbath day. The Pharisees who heard of this miracle were enraged. They called him and his parents and questioned them. They wanted them to admit that Jesus was a sinner, especially since he healed on the Sabbath. This ordinary probably illiterate beggar could see beyond their intellectual reasoning. He said all I can say is I was blind but now I see. He said he believes in a God who listens to the prayers of them who worship Him and do His will. When Christ confronted Him with who He was, the blind man fell to his knees and worshipped Christ.

It was this spiritual blindness that Jesus talked about. The Pharisee who had studied the law were unable to see the hand of God working on the life of the blind man but the blind man who was healed saw Christ as the prophet/son of God. The one who had performed a miracle that no one in his life time could have offered him before. Jesus had given him a new life where he could enjoy God's creation and beauty.


The blind man was ostracize and thrown out of the synagogue for his faith in Christ. His own parents were forced to disown him in the presence of the religious fanatics. As Christians, Jesus has called us to bear one another's burdens. We are to reach out to those who have lost all hope. To those who are weary and tired we offer comfort. To those who are abused and persecuted we offer our protection. Today family violence still continues to be a problem. Despite all the awareness being created against it, individuals still continue attack women and children. How much can organizations do unless we as individuals also are willing to speak out against it. What are the chances that if we see a woman or child being subject to acts of violence that we will step out to help? Do we know what to say to them? Could Jesus have healed the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees? Was Jesus's ministry to give sight to those spirtually blind or physically blind?


Are we spiritually blind sometimes? Let us turn our backs to outward acts of piety and respectability and express our love with a heart that loves through the power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives. The only way to reach these people who suffer is to tell them about the love of Christ and through acts of kindness instill in them hope that can redeem them from this cycle of hatred and abuse. We as the body of Christ have to be the source of hope and love. Is our home an oasis of love where those who are poor and needy can come and find refuge ?

And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
John 9:39

Jesus said, Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
Matthew 23:25-26

Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.

Psalm 82:3-4

Tried-and-True

Have you been in the company of people whose lives reflect an intense faith in God. They do not display the usual want to be types of the world. If you spend time with them, you come to experience a deep devotion for God. Their deeds towards others, their speech in just the ordinary every day things of life reflect love and compassion for fellow men. As you continue your relationship, over the years you begin to know you can trust them. You are sure they will not fail you or desert you at a time of crisis. Their enthusiasm for life radiates from within them. They display a certain peace and joy in their live despite external circumstances. Their disposition brings a sense of longing within us to experience the same.
In the case of Ruth she continued to be meek and lowly until Boaz agreed to marry her. She remained loyal and obedient to her mother in law. As Boaz and Ruth bond in their new relationship of love, they always had the laws of God keeping within the boundaries of their walk of faith.

What a wonderful way to end the story of Naomi. The poor widow who lost her sons and called herself Mara (Bitter), finds through the birth of a son to Ruth , a child she can clutch to her heart and claim as her own. Is she not reborn as Naomi (Pleasant)? Is this not abundant living even in tough time? The women blessed Naomi saying, “And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.. (Ruth 4:15,16)”

The words of Isaiah come to my mind, “ When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not: for I am with thee: (Isaiah 43:2-5)”

Boaz

The Book of Ruth reminds us that it was a time of wars and rumors of wars, decay in moral values, idol worship, disorder, rebellion, chaos and confusion. Boaz sparks a fire into the lives of Naomi and Ruth after a gloomy life of famine, death and transition. It is here we get a peek into the lives of the remnant of Israel that continued to "walk the walk and talk the talk" of the faithful. The story of Ruth begins to take the charectestic of an oral tale that was treasured by the faithful because of Gods divine intervention and saving grace. The two poor widows see a window of opportunity through which Gods rays of hope come streaming through their spiritual darkness. Boaz was a wealthy and influential business man in Bethlehem. He shows himself to be a caring and understanding man who respects his workers. His workers show a loyalty and good judgment when they gave an opinion on Ruth and her background.

Boaz had a keen sense of business ethics and moral values. He allowed Ruth to glean off his fields. Later under the counsel of Naomi, Ruth approaches Boaz with a wedding proposal. The circumstances could have easily led to Boaz taking advantage of the situation. Boaz could have looked down on her as a poor widow. He could have seen Ruth as a burden for him. However Boaz sincerely went about trying to get things right from the start. He agreed to marry her if the legal issues regarding their marriage were sorted out. Ruth was truly blessed, as she was already getting her reward for her labor of love toward Naomi and her family. To those embroiled in the controversies of a inter-racial marriage, the union of Ruth with Boaz stands as a paragon of stories to support the same. Their chesed (faithful) lives reflect what is expected of them as children of God.

Is it not amazing that we see the godly lives that St. Paul told the Colossians to live, so well expressed in the lives of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, garments of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness (Colossians 3:12,14).

Ruth

When Naomi returns to Canaan, it was the time of the Barley harvest. So she sends Ruth to glean of the harvest of Boaz an influential and wealthy business man. It was a custom where the poor who did not have the means to support, would do to get food for themselves. Here Ruth showed that she was not only willing to be faithful and kind to Naomi but also was hardworking and caring by going out into the fields. She continued to be a loving daughter-in-law.

When Boaz sees Ruth, he immediately takes tremendous interest in her. I wonder if she was a very beautiful lady? What was it that drew Boaz to her? The foreman said that Ruth was the young lady who came back with Naomi. It must have dawned on Boaz that she was the faithful daughter-in-law. Did Boaz see in her a woman he could trust? The foreman said she had been working hard at the field. Did Boaz see an energetic, sincere and hardworking girl who would make any man a good wife?

Boaz immediately goes to Ruth and tells her to stay in his fields and that she would get all the food she wanted. She falls at his feet and thanks him for his kindness and says that she is not worthy to be one of his workers. Does the humility and grace of this poor widow tug hard at the heart of Boaz? Does he see her wisdom and understanding of the situation she is in? Boaz praises her by saying, “The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. (Ruth2:12)”

Ruth’s humility before Boaz makes him bless her even more. Ruth humbled herself before her mother-in-law by accepting her God, now it was God’s turn to bless and lift her out of her misery. The two poor widows cast all that they had into the mighty hands of God.

St Peter says. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.. 1Peter 5:6-7”

Mother-in-laws

Mother-in-laws are world wide painted in a bad light. Whether it is in China , India or America they are a source of much tension and unhappiness. Was it Voltaire who said “Behind every successful man stands a surprised mother in law!!.”

When one is burdened with a lot of problems and does not have any realistic support to lean on, then how does one stay encouraged? What can give us the strength to go on? Our mind is so fragile it can easily be swayed by even the small things in life. There are some who vent over small issues because they have no solution for there larger problems at hand.

The words of Ruth to Naomi continues to give strength to many who read them over and over again. "And Ruth said, In treat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goes, I will go; and where thou lodges, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou dies, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. (Ruth 1: 16-18)”

Do you see the grace of God, working through Ruth as she vows to stay by the side of Naomi until death parts them? Do you see the grace of God working through the support of an alien? Do you see the promise of God for a Messiah being fulfilled through one of the descendents of Ruth?

In their sense of hopelessness they find comfort in one another’s companionship. It is a beautiful story where in their complete loss, they continue to stand firm in their love for God and their intense desire to be in a loving and faithful relationship. As they return to the promised land, they return with the only hope that God will continue to be by their side as support and strength.

Widows Might

Have you been through a devastating experience in your life? Are there moments you feel that life is not worth living at all? Do you know someone who went through a similar experience? Have you ever wished death on yourself? You are not alone. Some of the greatest prophets have felt the same way for various reasons. Both these mighty prophets went through bouts of self pity and hatred for living itself. Yet in time they stood firm and were strengthened through God speaking to them words of comfort. Yet in the case of Naomi in the Book of Ruth, we don’t see any direct words of comfort. She seems to endure through her hardships. Persevere with no dreams or visions or revelations.

Jonah the reluctant prophet who went to spread the message of God, to the people of Nineveh, found that when God showed mercy to them when they repented, he was filled with remorse. He wanted to die. Was he more keen on their extermination than on their reformation? A very difficult prophet to understand. Another Prophet undoubtedly a major prophet was Elijah. God worked mightily through him in casting a period of draught for 3 ½ years following his prophesy for no rain. He could stand up against the whole kingdom of idol worshippers yet after causing fire to consume a water logged sacrificial mound he ran for his life and wished he were dead when the Queen issued a death warrant on him (1 Kings 19:4) .

Suppression of discouragement is a major problem. We need to express it to someone who is willing to understand and guide us wisely. The greatest source of comfort and strength is God. Through the Holy Spirit he comes to us with comfort and strength. He helps us to think through our crisis. Even Jesus on the night before He was crucified went through intense despair, and found comfort in prayer. He did did not hesitate to reveal his feelings to his disciples and ask for prayers.

Discouragement is the greatest tool that the Devil has that works on all men, rich or poor, old or young, man or woman. It is very subtle and we don’t realize it is working inside of us, until it rears its ugly head in the form of a major depression, hatred, anger…etc. We cannot really pin it down to any particular reason. It can come from following tremendous success or even after great loss.

Just like Naomi we need to have the confidence that God is there even in times of Crisis.
The greatest strength during these times is to find a good church that will help us through this crisis of hopelessness and helplessness. We need to realize the extent of the love of Christ for us and His concern to provide for all our needs. We need to reach out to those who will be able to provide us with the help we need. We need to always hope that God will provide for our needs. There may be times we fall, but through the help of the Holy Spirit we will find our way back again.

Jesus loves me this I know
For a preacher told me so
Even when I have no hope
Jesus loves me so

Jesus loves me this I know
For my teacher told me so
Even when I fall away
Jesus loves me so

Naomi

The story of Naomi in the Book of Ruth, happens when the Judges were ruling over Israel. There was a lot of unrest in the land. People had forgotten the living God and strayed away to worship idols. As the book describes, it was a time when they did whatever they felt like doing. 

 Naomi’s family left Canaan with the hope to find a better life in Moab. From one angle it was an act of abandonment of God and His people. They were driven by their need to find food and shelter because of a famine. They had heard that Moab was a rich nation. Moving away from Canaan shows a lack of faith in God’s promise to His people that was their land flowing with milk and honey. Their sons marriage to Moabite women shows a dilution of the faith of the family with other idol worshippers. 

Naomi suffered with sores in her heart and mind. She went through similar sufferings as Job went through. In the middle of her tragic life she allowed the emptiness to fester into a bitterness that was slowly destroying her. She said she left Canaan with her whole family. But when her husband and two sons died in Moab, she is bitter, empty and hopeless. Why has this catastrophe happened to her? 

Naomi’s turning point comes when she humbles herself before God and her two daughter-in-laws Ruth and Orpah. She begs them to leave her and return to their homes in Moab. But one of them, Ruth stays on with her and is a source of great strength for her through out her life. 

“But Ruth replied, 

“Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. 

Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. 

Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.”

‭‭Ruth‬ ‭1:16‬ ‭

Her return to Canaan was an act of returning home to her promised land and her people. In a way can it be viewed as the return of a prodigal daughter, relying on the grace of God and her people to provide for her needs? Here was Naomi so discouraged with life yet she comes to a point in her life where she decides to endure through and remains faithful to God. Would she have ever envisioned Ruth’s descendent would be King David and then even further down to our Savior of the world, Jesus?

 When we go through experiences that leaves us hopeless and helpless how do we react? Are we confident that God will work it out for us if we pray? Do we find peace with God? Jesus told his disciples at the Last Supper (John 16:23), “In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." We realize that even when Christ was on earth He went through many trials but overcame them by the power of God the Father who was within Him. When confronted with the most difficult of circumstances I find confidence through reading the Word and the love of God the Father and His son Jesus Christ. I find strength in the Holy Spirit who helps me to pray and find fellowship with other believers. 

Jesus loves me this I know 

For the Bible tells me so 

Where ever I may go 

Jesus loves me so 

 Jesus loves me this I know 

For the Christians tell me so 

Even when I am poor and low 

Jesus loves me so

Homeless

Today I was listening to Phil Collins’ song “Another day in paradise.” It is an eye opener for how many times I have ignored a needy person on the street. (In a country like India, we have so many beggars roaming the streets, we really don’t know who is a genuine or not.) It is a song about a poor lady who has been crying with blisters on her feet and can barely walk. She looks like a person who has been moved from place to place because she doesn’t fit anywhere. She cries out to the man walking on the street. She says, “Sir, can you help me? It’s cold and I’ve nowhere to sleep.” The song goes on to say that he ignores her cry and walks on. He even pretends to be deaf. He starts to whistle and crosses the street; it almost seems like he was embarrassed to have been there. Phil Collins says in his refrain, “for you and me it’s another day in paradise!”

It is amazing how callous and indifferent I sometimes become to the needs of the poor. I find myself looking at a magazine with the most heartrending pictures of poverty and starvation and just turn the page as if I have a mind block!! There are times when I look at it and then sigh with sympathy and say a prayer for God’s continued support and strength. What have I done after the sighs and prayers?? Today the media reports about even controversies on how money are used by some NGO’s to support the fancy lifestyles of their owners. How do we hold them accountable? We need to pray for the continued work and ministry of all God’s people. When we are unable to help the greatest service we can do is to become a powerhouse of prayer for those who are out there in the mission field who are the hands and feet of the Body of Christ today. They are the ones who are out there are under great stress and even take their lives at risk.

The other day my cousin sent me a picture of an African child and a vulture. The shocking picture depicted the vulture waiting for the starving child to die. This picture supposedly won a Pulitzers award, for depicting the 1994 Sudan Famine. The photographer Kevin Carter, who took the picture was so depressed he committed suicide 3 months later. In real life aren’t some of us like vultures, waiting for the fall of some innocent person so that we can glean off or laugh at or mock at their broken life? When was the last time I spoke to a homeless person? Is there somebody out there I can reach who cries their heart out and feels that no one is listening? It is when we come to God in prayer that the Holy Spirit guides us to do God’s will. 2Chronicles 16:9 says, “The eyes of the Lord roam through out the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are loyal to Him.” The Lord strengthens us when we pray to Him. We rest assured in the confidence that God is working and will lead us to those who are in need of our assistance.

We lead such happy and comfortable lives without realizing how fortunate we are to have a roof over our heads. To be able to read this posting, we have to have access to the internet and other luxuries. We should thank God for His blessings – God has been so good to us. When we are discouraged we find our confidence in Jesus Christ. As for me, I look to the LORD for his help. "Therefore I will look confidently to the LORD; I will wait for God to save me: my God will hear me( Micah 7:7)." We begin to pray for God to save and protect all who are in need. It is through prayer, praise and thanksgiving that we find comfort in the knowledge that God will hear and provide us with all our needs.

Miracles

I came across the other day a blog where a missionary in Africa was trying to understand when one can say that God has brought about a miracle.

From my understanding of the word, If there is complete disappearance of all the symptoms of the disease; then what would have otherwise resulted in certain death or prolonged illness could be termed as a miracle. However if the symptoms persist one will have to continue to do all that is within ones resources to care for the patient and leave that which cannot be provided for in God’s hands to care for. We can humbly be comforted by the words of encouragement that came to St.Paul from our awesome Lord and Savior, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)”

“Physician heal thyself!” Is it really possible to heal ourselves? Only one thing I am certain of, is the new life of a physical, mental, and spiritual reawakening that has come to me in the presence of God, and so shall it be whether in life or in death. Through the eyes of faith we see divine healing and through the eyes of a wise physician we see the patient's medical condition; it is in the intertwining of the two, we find faith, hope and love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Does that mean we are being of double mind? Certainly not! We come to God with all our fears of our limited understanding , to be submerged with that of God’s mind, so that in the end we may be of a single mind that hopes for God’s will to prevail. Jesus’s concluding prayer before the crucifixion to God was, “Not my will but thine be done.”

We need to believe that He is a miracle working God. By being humble and meek we do not try to supersede God’s will. With the help of the Holy Spirit we plead for their lives with prayers and petitions that helps to ease the pressure of our worries and clear our minds of our anxieties of the situation. We need to believe that if it is God’s will, He can do the impossible. We should never forget that Jesus loves them more than we do.

I remember after a major operation, my cousin brother went into a four organ failure. We all wanted him to live. We believed that God could heal him. We all prayed for strength and courage, especially for his wife and two school going daughters. The physicians had reduced his survival to lower than 5%. But we continued to pray that God will give my cousin the will to endure and come out of this crisis. He lived and it slowly dawned on us that what we see through the eyes of a physician is reality, but what we see through the eyes of faith is God’s omnipotent power to heal. Jesus said to his disciples and the crowd that had gathered with the boy who needed healing, "Canst thou believe, all things are possible to him that believeth? And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."( Mark 9:23-24).”

In times of doubt let us make this our prayer, “Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief.”

Broken Spirit

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. (Psalm 51:17) 

 Today there are millions of people who have no healthcare and are living in abject poverty. They don’t know where their next meal will come from. They are abused and live in lands torn by famine, war, disease, disasters, and debt. More than 100 million children go without primary education and are still subject to child labor. Let us pray that world organizations such as UN, UNICEF, World Vision, World Relief, Tear Fund, and others may carry out their mission for the downtrodden. Let us pray for the downtrodden that they might find the right people, resources, and above all meet Christ who makes us whole. Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

1. Forgive us when we forget your people 

Wander in wicked ways 

Lord teach us to be charitable 

Pray for the downtrodden every day 

 Jesu it is your face we seek 

Heal your children today 

 2.Those with minds double 

And the proud you cast away 

You give grace to the humble 

So your scriptures say 

 Jesu it is your face we seek 

Heal your children today 

 3.There are many who tremble 

When they encounter disease, disaster and debt on their way 

Make them strong and gentle 

As their hearts yearn for you always 

 Jesu it is your face we seek 

Heal your children today 

 4. Our passions and pleasures make us stumble 

Malice, envy, and hatred draw us away 

Renew us to be faithful and peaceful 

Fill our hearts with compassion we pray 

 Jesu it is your face we seek 

Heal your children today 

 5. Laws make us quarrel 

Foolish controversies hold us in sway 

Devote our hearts to the poor and feeble 

Renew us with your Holy Spirit each day 

 Jesu it is your face we seek 

Heal your children today 

 6. Lord have mercy on us as we struggle 

It is our broken spirit we display 

We come to you like cripples 

Make us whole we pray 

 Jesu it is your face we seek 

Heal your children today

Sometimes of Spiritual Darkness

(Inspired by the works of St. John of the Cross) 

 1.     Sometimes in our spiritual walk 

         Our thoughts are filled with remorse 

         Lose all pleasure 

         In all those things we treasure 

         Beloved on simple things dote 

         Our hearts fill with divine hope 

 2.     Sometimes in our walk 

         Burdened with guilt of impure heart 

         Fear of evil temptations 

         We begin our spiritual oscillations 

         Make us pure from all that’s wicked 

         White as snow and uncorrupted 

 3.      Sometimes in our walk 

         Overcome with spiritual wrath 

         Like a little child 

         Whose toy has been denied 

         Instill in us spiritual tolerance 

         Grant us divine patience 

 4.     Sometimes in our spiritual walk 

         We forget what we have been taught 

        Look down with spiritual pride 

         On all those people we deride 

         To be gentle and humble 

         Faithful to God and all His people 

 5.      Sometimes in our walk 

         Lost in written works 

        Loss of all feelings 

         In all of our dealings 

         Not on written works and bitter discord 

         Our minds enlighten with understanding dear Lord 

 6.     Sometimes in our walk 

         We ignore all our faults 

        Indulge in spiritual gluttony 

         Prayers, penance and acts of chastity 

         Your strong words employ 

         Fill our hearts with peace and joy 

 7.     Sometimes in our walk 

         We are overcome with spiritual sloth 

        Feed off others praise 

         Our egos on a pedestal raise 

         Wash our hearts so full of dross 

         Our spiritual eye see sacrificial love on the cross 

 8.     Sometimes in our spiritual walk 

         The path is pitch dark 

        Away from the path we wander 

         We cry out loud “Heavenly Father” 

         On His chest are we comforted 

         As He leads us home our loving Shepherd

Breaking the Cycle

I remember as a child walking home after playing on the floodlit basketball court all evening. There were times when the sun had set and I had to find my way back through the darkness. The path back home was narrow and had thorn bushes on the sides. The times I found easy to pass through that path was when the moon was shinning brightly in the sky. On a moonless night I usually would be poked by one or two thorn bushes even though I knew every bush on my path back home. So it is in our lives, if we walk through our paths when everything is sunny and bright we will encounter no problems. On a moonlit night we can feed off the light from another and find our way home. But are we ready for the periods when it is pitch dark and there is no guiding light? 

 Jesus says in Mathew 12:43-45 “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.” This is what Jesus said would happen to people or a generation who tried to only clean up house for a particular phase in their lives. The same evil spirit that dwelt in them would come back with more evil spirits so that they would end up in a worse state than they were before. 

 God assures us that if we confess our sins, God will forgive us. As God is light, if we live in God’s presence, our lives will be filled with light. St. John the apostle says in 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. 

 Just removing bad company and our idols are not enough; they have to be replaced by the Spirit of Christ. It is the Holy Spirit that will break this cycle in our lives. The Holy Spirit will help us to control our lives, instill in us love for God and help us find His purpose for our lives. St. Paul says in Galatians 5:22-23,25, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law….If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” The fruits of the spirit will fill our lives with light and there will be no room for darkness. 

 We need to look to Jesus who is our guiding light. It is He who will lead us to our heavenly home. He has set the path before us and the map has been clearly drawn. We need look to the Word of God daily for directions through reading, reflection, and prayer. It is here that we will encounter the Holy Spirit, the helper who will speak to us and strengthen us for the day. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life (John 8:12).