The Faction Factors and the Friendship Matters

A Call on NCCI Sunday towards Unity amidst Diversity

Grace, peace and unity to you all in the name of our God who is one in unity and diverse in manifestations. Let me bring to you all greetings from the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) on this NCCI Sunday,25th January 2009 which is observed as Unity Sunday in some churches, Ecumenism Sunday in some Churches, a day of fasting for Zimbabwe and as a concluding day in observing the Global Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

The NCCI has been a nonageniric in its life and witness and is marching towards a centenary in 2014. With 30 member churches, 17 Regional Councils, 17 All India Christian Organisations, 7 Related Agencies and 3 Autonomous bodies, the NCCI has been moving from strength to strength in discerning the signs of our times, in interpreting the gospel of Jesus Christ contextually and transforming the communities in coherence with the values of the reign of God. We at the NCCI have 7 Commissions to carry on as vehicles the mandate of NCCI. Today is a day to thank God for God’s faithfulness to the ecumenical movement in India lead by the NCCI, today also is a day to thank God for all those ecumenical stalwarts who have worked hard for the sustenance of the ecumenism and is a day to get challenged to become active companions with God in carrying forward the rich legacy of ecumenism.

The Sitz im Leben

Factions – Denominations, different sects, different confessions, different faiths, different affirmations etc.

Frictions – Conflicts in the name of caste, in the name of region, in the name of class, in the name of gender, in the name of religions, in the name of property, in the name of politics & elections etc.

Fractions – Doctrinal divisions, ritualistic divisions, Eucharistic divisions, ecumenical vs evangelical divisions, gospel vs culture, faith vs science, etc.

Fictions – Hermeneutics of convenience, arm-chaired Christianity, exclusivism (no salvation in other places, no truth in other faiths)

The Message
(John 10:16) – Jesus said, “And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd.”

1. The Frontiers of the Mission - “I have other sheep that are not of this fold”. The boundaries of the church are beyond our own four walls of denomination, confession and faith. ‘Enlarging of the tents’. This reveals the Good Shepherd’s reach, for he reaches the unreachable, he reaches the ones with no reach. He has similar sheep who are in other folds. It is not similarity that binds them, but the diversity among sheep, which still he says he has other sheep in other folds.

2. The Friends in Mission – “Other sheep in other folds”. In colour the sheep would differ, in size they would differ, in their nurture they would differ, in their diet they would differ, yet the Good Shepherd says that they are all his own. Thereby creates that unity among its entire sheep affirming their pluralities. For after all the sheep are either friends or would have been kith and kin but are divided due to circumstances. They are all equal partners and enjoy the fellowship of this shepherd who has different folds.

3. The Fetching in Mission – ‘ I must bring them also’. The Good Shepherd, not only affirms his own sheep in other folds, he also tries to bring them together. He creates a space for mutual respect for each other, mutual learning, mutual caring and sharing. He provides and facilitates a space for network among his own sheep in different folds. Bringing them together would give them a chance of enhancing their friendship, strengthening their fellowship and creating unity affirming plurality and not trying for uniformity by attempting to clone similar species.

4. The Faith in Mission – ‘the different sheep from different folds will heed his voice’. Faith comes from hearing, and when they are brought together their common pilgrimage of faith is drawn with much clarity. By listening to his voice their spiritualities are deepened. Probably the other sheep in other folds did not resist to his voice telling that it was foreign, it was not indigenous, it was not spiritual or it was not lively, but rather all these different sheep from different folds listened to the voice in search of truth.

5. The Finale in Mission – ‘so there shall be one flock and one shepherd’ the goal of mission of God is to bring all the different sheep from different folds to make to one flock, where diversity is affirmed and plurality is respected. There will be one chief shepherd, for God is always one, though we have different shepherds in our nurture and trainings. That is the finale in mission and that’s where we are all as faiths, churches, religions, ideologies, regions are journeying towards. One flock and One Shepherd, is the great finale to where all of us are marching.

In the recent campaign for Presidency in the US, I have seen a poster, which has Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s photograph on one box, under which it was written the “Dreamer” for his dream was to see when his children would be judged not by the colour of their skin but by their content of character. There was a second box, which had President Barack Obama’s photograph under which it was written “Dream”. Both the photographs were adjacent to each other calling on the attention of the people to see the reality of the dream, dreamt by Rev. King made true in the life of President Obama. As I saw this poster, and particularly on this Unity Sunday, if at all we have a poster where on one box is Jesus Christ, who prophesied that there would be one flock and one shepherd, and under his name it is written “Dreamer”. The box adjacent is an empty one, for under this box it is written, “Dream”. Therefore the calling to all of us, to our churches and to different faiths is to fill that box with our photograph if we are trying to make that dream of Christ a real one by becoming united as one flock under the shepherd-ship of one Shepherd.

Healing is a Process

Text : Mark 8:22-27

Key verse: Then again Jesus put his hands on his eyes; and looking hard, he was able to see, and saw all things clearly. (25 verse)

The healing narrative in our reading today is an interesting healing of the man with blindness by Jesus at Beth-saida, the house of fish. This healing incident was one of the challenging ones to Jesus, as he has to press hard again for the second time for recovery of the sight to this man with blindness. The healing had a process and progression, a chain of reactions and happenings took place to the man with the blindness.
1.Jesus friendships with the blind man, so he took him privately out of the town, 2. Jesus first aids him, when he washed his eyes with the water in his mouth, there was a partial sight, and then 3. Jesus follows up the healing, by putting his hands and looking hard and there was clarity of sight to the man with blindness. Even in the case of the man with the blindness, there was progression, 1. He was with no sight, 2. There was partial or even a blurred sight for he saw men walking like trees, and 3. Then there was a sight with out any defect so that he could see clearly. This healing, Jesus would have done it at one sitting, but he took much care and concern to the man with out sight, and gave it a second sitting, followed it up and provided him the clarity of sight. Imagine if Jesus would have left him after the first sitting, when the man with blindness was able to see men, like trees walking, that would have been much worse and disastrous for that man. But Jesus made it a point to have a thorough checkup and gave him healing holistically, was with him until he received healing completely.
The church, as the body of Jesus Christ, how much more attention it should give to the ones coming for healing. To the sick both physically and mentally, the church should be in solidarity with them, and needs to attend to them till the healing is completely achieved to them. Healing is a process, it needs care and concern all along. We as Church have been giving a one-time prayer or grant and think that’s the greatest mission we are involved in. And this is like leaving the sick to see men like trees walking. Healing is continuous, and it requires Churches sustained and life long commitment.

Prayer: God, who is in process, make our churches’ mission of healing progressive and inspire our churches to be with needy and sick till they receive a complete healing.

Reflection:
Sickness recedes ultimately as Healing processes completely

Healing is Holistic

II Kings 4 : 1-7

Key Verse:
So she came to the man of God and gave him word of what she had done. And he said, Go and get money for the oil and make payment of your debt, and let the rest be for the needs of yourself and your sons. (Verse 7)

“We cover you at every step of your life”, “you insure your faith in us, we assure your security”, are captions of the leading insurance companies in India today. The prophet, whose widow comes to prophet Elisha for help, in our reading for today unfortunately did not and could not insure his life, rather spent everything in the service of the Lord, except saving a jar of oil. As we read through this particular passage, we are reminded of two particular invisible ailments that have been bothering the widow, the mental agony of economic inability to pay back the debts made by his husband and the psychological stress she is undergoing because of the fear of forced child labour or slavery that is to come to her children as a result of it.

One is struck with awe for the prophet Elisha’s response and reaction to the situation. 1. His presence of mind, 2. His presentation of the miracle, and 3. His preparedness to heal the invisible hurts of the widow. Unlike today’s Christians and the church who romanticize the needy, and assures a mere prayer support with out addressing the need, Elisha was prompt to act and performed a miracle that healed the widow to become economically self sustained and saved her children from becoming child labourers. Elisha could have very well said a prayer, and would have sent the widow back, or would have asked the widow to support his ministry first by giving half of the oil, or with his stature would have assured her a compromise with the creditor, but Elisha responded differently. He revealed the mind of God, to be on the side of the helpless suffering from chronic ailments in the society and performed a miracle with the help of ordinary means available from within the community and healed the ailments the widow was undergoing.

The Churches today, which boasts of its healing crusades and meetings, needs to rise above it and strive to exercise such a presence of God’s mind, and be prepared to perform healing by addressing the needs of the people, particularly the ones pushed down in the society in all dimensions. Let the Church as part of their healing ministry cover the lives of the ones suffering from physical and mental ailments at every step of their life, and assure them health and happiness. Unless the churches today insure and assure health and healing from the societal evils, our mission of healing will not have any meaning and direction. Come true such a mission of healing.

Prayer: God of healing, make us as a Church to insure health and healing at every step of the lives of our people in the society.

Reflection: “When life is holistic, so should be the Churches’ mission of healing.”

Christmas Lyric – 2008 (in Telugu)

Pallavi:
Theevra vadamu tandavinchina vela
Shatru bhayamu avarinchina vela
Agra varnulu krurulaina vela
Vugravadulai himsinchina vela

Anupallavi:
Ashanti, asatyamu, anyayamu
Asooya, anaikyatha, anagarpu
Rajyamele ee samayamulo
Kristu janma ku saaramela //Thevra//


1. Shantisamadanamu – Devunee danamu
Shantirajya stapana – Devunee thapana
Kristhu janma ardhamu – Devunee paramardhamu // Ashanti//

2. Cherapattabadina variki – Veedudala vemochana
Choolakana brathukulaku - Rakshana neerikshana
Kristhu janma ardhamu – Alpulaku paramardhamu //Ashanti//

3. Bheedhalaku subhavaartha – Krsithu janma vaartha
Dhanikulaku durvaartha - Krsithu janma vaartha
Kristhu janma ardhamu – Samanamaina rajyamu //Ashanti//

4. Navasamaja stapana – Kristhu raakaku karanam
Narahimsa neermulana – Kristhu rajya dhyeyamu
Kristhuvale neevundina – Kristhu janmaku ardhamu //Ashanti//


(English Translation)
Chorus:
With terrorism dancing around us
With fear of enemies enveloping us
When the upper castes turn extremists
To torture the poor and the helpless

Refrain:
Where fear, falsehood and injustice
Resentment, division and oppression
Rule the world we dwell in
What is the relevance of Christ’s birth there in?

1. Peace and harmony Gods good will revealed
God’s reign of peace God yearns to prevail
The meaning of Christ’s birth Gods ultimate jubilation

2. For those that are chained to give freedom and liberation
For the subjugated to give hope and salvation
The meaning of Christ birth for the lowly is jubilation

3. The news of Christ’s birth good news to the poor
The news of Christ’s birth bad news to the wealthy
The meaning of Christ birth is a kingdom of equality

4. The reason for Christ’s coming to establish a new world
To demolish the perpetrators of life, the aim of Gods reign
To imitate Christ in you is the true meaning of Christmas today

(This lyric is written and composed by me for Christmas 2008, in a context when the innocent people of India were brutally killed by terror attacks, when people in India have become innocent victims of religious fundamentalism and when Dalits & Tribals continue to bear the curse of caste discrimination, re-thinking what is Christmas) - Patta

The Safety of Minorities Ensures the Safety of our Country

The year 2008 is remembered with memories full of stains of blood, violence and displacement of Dalit Christians in Kandhamal, Orissa, caused by the attacks of the inhuman religious fundamentalists. It has witnessed the killings of nearly 50 people, displacement of nearly 50, 000 people and about 10, 000 people even till today to reside in the relief camps. Religious fundamentalists had their day, attacked Dalit and Tribal Christians so brutally, killed innocent people, destroyed their property and created a fear psychosis among people, all this just for the sake of professing their faith boldly and openly in the values of Jesus Christ, which was a means for their Liberative living. When the violence was on, police machinery were mere spectators and did not come in rescue of the victims, most perpetrators of violence went scot-free and the governments as usual were docile, came late and said the violence is a ‘national shame’. For already five months till now, the survivors had to be in the camps with meagre basic amenities. No Christmas celebration all across India would have gone without contemplating on these black memories. Most churches either cancelled their festive celebrations in solidarity with the victims and survivors of religious and ethnic violence in Kandhamal or held the occasion in a low profile. Most homilies for the Christmas called on the people to bring peace on earth and create communities of peace by bridging the gaps among people of different faiths.

During the very first week of 2009, on the 5th January, a bench headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan of the Supreme Court of India, the apex court of justice had said that it cant allow the persecutions of minorities in India, and called on the State Government of Orissa to resign if it is unable to protect the minorities in its State. The bench of jury also criticised the State Government for addressing the issue very late after the displacement of 50, 000 people and for stepping in late to contain the violence in Kandhamal. It also said that no minority in secular India should be unsafe.

All the responsible citizens in India welcomed the judgement, for such judgements once again reminded the citizens that secularism is alive, justice is not dead and constitution provides hope for all its people. It has reiterated that until and unless the minorities in India are safe, India cannot be safe and secure. Hope that at least this judgement shall wake up the governments to ensure that they shall provide safety and security to all its citizens, with out any religious colour attached. Now the challenge ahead is, how far can such genuine judgements instigate the governments to address the rights of the minorities?

Even earlier the Central Government had sent an advisory to the Orissa State Government regarding their inefficiency in dealing the violence in its state. But again political interests superseded the constitutional interests and such an advisory became mere eyewash. In such a situation how can this judgement of Supreme Court challenge the governments to ensure safety to its people? Now the Orissa government rather than having introspection from the judgement, will take this judgement to its majority people in Orissa, and can gain sympathy from them and may even use it for a political mileage. This judgement will now be used by the opposition parties in pointing the ruling governments inefficiency and will use it for their own political mileage too.

Therefore the challenge for the civil society is to make sure that the state government shall accept its biased governance, and should make all the politicians irrespective of their political affiliations held responsible for wedding religion with politics and for fanning the violence in the state. The other role of the civil society is also to take this verdict to the people, and make them understand the importance of peace and peace building and thereby should create harmony among people of different faiths. Now the situation also calls for an urgent unity among all minorities and responsible citizens to withstand the forces of fundamentalism and make secularism and justice to be established.

Acharya Vinobha Bhave ‘s famous Anthyodaya is Sarvodaya becomes so relevant, that when the least in the society receives transformation only then the whole society is transformed. Therefore unless the minorities in India are safe, the whole country cannot be safe. Let us all as faithful citizens of this great country India pledge to counter all forces that create hatred among people, faiths, religions and regions and try to make secularism triumphant.

7th January 2009

Epiphany, the Celebration of Freedom

As the New Year ushered into our lives, the celebration of the manifestation of God to the nations, observed as Epiphany brings the hope of God and God’s revelation to all people across the regions and religions. During a time, when God has been portrayed as an exclusive entity by each individual faith, Epiphany makes us realise the freedom of God in revealing God’s-self through God’s own choices and God’s own ways. Traditionally Epiphany is associated with the manifestation of Jesus Christ to the people, who came from far eastern nations and religions by following the star of Magi to Bethlehem. Besides this the celebration of the Baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist, Jesus’ miracle at Cana and Jesus feeding the five thousand people are also the concentric events attached to Epiphany. Epiphany is also the celebration as important as Christmas to Christians of several traditions. What is the relevance of Epiphany for us today? Does the celebration of Epiphany have any significance in our faith pilgrimages? Three dimensions in Epiphany I would like to draw your attention to.

Epiphany, the Celebration of God’s Freedom
Epiphany basically is the celebration of God and God’s freedom to manifest and reveal. God can manifest God’s-self in any form, image, way and substance. No one can limit God and God’s manifestation to a certain formula or principle, or can fix God to a particular time and place or can draw boundaries to God. Epiphany reminds us the infiniteness of God, and makes God to express God’s freedom in expressing God and in revealing God. As Epiphany is the manifestation of God to the nations, God celebrates God’s freedom in manifesting to any nation in any point of history and in any number of ways God can. When God as a Word became flesh (John 1:14), and when God manifested in human flesh (I Tim 3:16), and when baby Jesus Christ was manifested to the followers of Magi, all these events expresses God sheer freedom. God in human flesh was something unimaginable for the then people, who limited God to only holy of the holies and to the holy sanctuaries. But God in all freedom manifested in human flesh. When theologies from above were the norm of the day, God in all freedom chose to manifest from below, as human being, in human flesh and in human form. When Jews thought God was only to Jews, Christ’s manifestation to the people from far eastern religions once again expresses God’s freedom plan that Christ is for all and to all peoples. Therefore on this day of Epiphany, lets celebrate God’s freedom and let us be humble enough to know that God can be manifested in any way, in any religion and in any circumstances. Lets feel good about God’s freedom, and celebrate Epiphany.

Epiphany, the Celebration of Religious Freedom
When God manifested in God’s mysterious ways to the nations, Epiphany is also the celebration of religious freedom of the people. It was the people’s choice in accepting the manifestation of God, when God appeared in flesh, it was the choice of the people from far eastern countries and religions to receive the manifestation of Christ, and it was the choice of the people to believe in the ‘Son of God’, as was manifested during the baptism of Jesus Christ. If Epiphany is the celebration of God’s freedom it is equally important to know that God does not reveal in vacuum, rather reveals in histories and to people, and manifestation of God becomes meaningful only when it is received and accepted voluntarily by the people of God. During the days when ‘conversions’ and ‘re-conversions’ are on the rise, religious freedom and expression of ones individual faith in all freedom becomes immanent and this Epiphany reinvigorates the spirit of religious freedom. People’s freedom of choosing a faith, participating in faith exercises and propagating their faith experiences should not be curtailed, and that is the calling of Epiphany. Every faith needs be respected, every faith experience needs to be appreciated and every person’s choice of reaching to any form of God’s manifestation should be upheld for that is the ethos of Epiphany. Epiphany thereby builds community of people, and encourages people to express their religious freedom, affirming their own faith experience.

Epiphany, the Celebration of Creation’s Freedom
When God manifests in different and diverse forms, the basic question that emerges is why does God manifest to different people in different forms? God’s manifestations in varied forms are basically for the sake of people and creation. When the creation is groaning in all bondages and when the humanity is caught up in several bondages created by caste, class, religion, gender etc., the manifestation of God is to make people and creation free from all their clutches. Therefore, as we commemorate the manifestation of God to the nations, it is make creation live in all freedom and to enjoy such freedom that comes from the manifestations of God. God revealed God’s-self to liberate and save this creation from sinful conquests. As God manifests, creation dances in all freedom for in the manifestations of God, there is total freedom and total liberation. Therefore, as we celebrate Epiphany today, let us resolve ourselves to celebrate the freedom in creation and the freedom of creation given by God through God’s myriad revelations. As God manifested to the followers of Magi, they would have carried forward the message of freedom back to their eastern countries and would have continued to channel freedom to people and creation caught up in the web of bondages. Their Darshan of God would have strengthened them to witness the gospel of freedom to all people they come across in their pilgrimage of faith. Therefore, commemorating the manifestations of God during Epiphany, let us all celebrate the freedom of creation and let us resolve to liberate it, and make our earth and country free from all conflicts and discriminations.

May I wish you all a very Happy Epiphany and pray that we become the recipients of the manifestations of God, and be open to see God in different and diverse traditions, sciences, ideologies and religions. May our celebrations of Epiphany build communities of peace & freedom in our local localities and in our times, give up our exclusive claims on God and become the agents of freedom.

6th January 2009