tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91873369304054956172024-02-08T03:02:21.039+00:00the pattas...The Pattas, our family name reminds me of our roots,our strong and proud Dalit Christian roots, for once we were no people, but God called us and made us God's people,sustains us to journey with God towards liberation and inspires us to be the channels of life. All those who share such experiences as ours are most welcome to join this blog and join hands in making liberation and freedom a reality to all those that are oppressed.raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.comBlogger258125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-31496675438263428642023-10-28T14:18:00.008+01:002023-10-28T14:18:57.580+01:00In the context of the ongoing war in the land of the Holy-One, which side do you support?<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_1SyBocRYV1TuAlLPlRdkOBBtTzHWRs5HlKNgYekQXVG0ghVR5IuIcfSCRTk_mHEJOx3G-vuVoN9NLOdLs_nCNJut0AdikQYuuYqJw_Ey7wA7pZY8sgauqb9i-miRS_OSfSPsFF73kVASTLCCYbPOsNsN86HFAFPRs03Ck2NGp0K7fjNCfVGJN0UN7gs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="239" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_1SyBocRYV1TuAlLPlRdkOBBtTzHWRs5HlKNgYekQXVG0ghVR5IuIcfSCRTk_mHEJOx3G-vuVoN9NLOdLs_nCNJut0AdikQYuuYqJw_Ey7wA7pZY8sgauqb9i-miRS_OSfSPsFF73kVASTLCCYbPOsNsN86HFAFPRs03Ck2NGp0K7fjNCfVGJN0UN7gs" width="191" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">When nearly 9000 people are killed in this brutal war,</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Which side do I support?</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">When civilians, hospitals and places of worship, churches are attacked,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Which side do I support?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">When one million people have to be displaced from their homes,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Which side do I support?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">When only crumbs of humanitarian aid have reached the affected,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Which side do I support?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">When truck load of food, fuel, medicines and essentials are blocked at the borders,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Which side do I support?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">When biblical texts are used, misused and abused blaming the ‘other’ as people of darkness,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Which side do I support?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">When powers use ‘just-war’ theories to justify their violence on the vulnerable,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Which side do I support?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">When people are living in the fear of the bombshells,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Which side do I support?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">When people are mourning the death of their dear ones,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Which side do I support?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">When the heart-broken people are calling their faith leaders to stop praying for them,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Which side do I support?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">When international diplomacy is failing for a cease fire,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Which side do I support?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">My faith calls me to stand for justice,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">My inter-faith involvement invites me to strive for peace,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">My humanity calls for an urgent release of the humanitarian aid to reach people in need,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">My Bible-reading calls me to resist misusing the texts in sanctioning violence,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">My prayer inspires me to advocate for the rights of the vulnerable,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">My spirituality resists hatred of all forms on all sides for love alone thrives,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">My politics calls for a total ceasefire and to stop the war</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">My God weeps with me and works with me for the cause of love, peace and justice,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">For I support and stand with the weak, the oppressed, the powerless, the vulnerable</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">For I support and stand for the safety and security of life,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">For I support and stand for just-peace & I stand for life and love.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Stop war, seek peace and save life.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">@rajpatta,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">27</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> October 2023</span></p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-37f55789-7fff-4184-1981-895e012d3ebf"><br /></span></p>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-28755495611541936472023-04-22T12:24:00.005+01:002023-04-22T12:26:40.139+01:00 Stephan Lawrence Day – 22nd April 2023 - Prayer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAE1Kf0UxtdwYDYRNNT-ciU1xDHlIyUwf4gPWmCioGql29p8RUnKP86_oxkSJcpWHlLYZ9qwR_jyqm3CJ0jryq4bW5wxZSmjhbqBUGKHhhehaMYj8mhCatjrkdXRm2S1uFcERJfnjfNocSLFE_6IYpYBaKpIrNI4GuKGYYxA5AzOscoVeXN9MeRbQy" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAE1Kf0UxtdwYDYRNNT-ciU1xDHlIyUwf4gPWmCioGql29p8RUnKP86_oxkSJcpWHlLYZ9qwR_jyqm3CJ0jryq4bW5wxZSmjhbqBUGKHhhehaMYj8mhCatjrkdXRm2S1uFcERJfnjfNocSLFE_6IYpYBaKpIrNI4GuKGYYxA5AzOscoVeXN9MeRbQy" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span id="docs-internal-guid-d81ba100-7fff-dc40-01bb-aee7af0c0695"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Challenging Spirit of God,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In our white middle-classed neighbourhood,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There isn’t anything to do with race,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I haven’t seen any form of racism in my place,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I haven’t noticed any racial violence on any one’s face,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So then, what’s this Stephen Lawrence day to do with me & my faith?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What am I to pray about, Oh God?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Liberating Spirit of God,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On this 30</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> anniversary of Stephen Lawrence’s brutal killing by the cruel forces of racism,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We pray Lord, have mercy on us,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Forgive us of our privileges,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Forgive us of our prejudices,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Forgive us of our complacency,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Forgive us of our supremacy,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Forgive us of our insensitivity to the racial discrimination in the world,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Forgive us for being narrow in our vision of the world around us,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Forgive us for being untouched by the injustice of racism happening in our world,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Forgive us for being silent spectators to racial attacks on our sisters and brothers,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Forgive us for compromising our Christian discipleship which affirms on racial justice,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Forgive us for normalising oppressive status quos and for the division of ‘us’ and ‘them.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Empowering Spirit of God,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stephan Lawrence was an 18-year-old student who was studying for his A levels,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We pray for the pedagogy of the oppressed,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Help our education systems to provide fair, inclusive, safe spaces for young people.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stephan Lawrence dreamt of becoming an architect,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We pray for our dreams for a just world,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Help us to dream and strive for a world, where equality, peace, love and justice will thrive.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stephan Lawrence’s murder investigation by the police was infamous and scandalous,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We pray for the public institutions, civil society, faith communities and for churches,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Help us to affirm transparency & accountability for justice in all cases and at all times. Help us to realise that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stephen Lawrence’s family’s tireless campaign for justice brought a change to the double jeopardy laws and also resulted in the establishment of Racial Justice Sunday,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We pray for advocacy and campaigns for justice to our creation today,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Help us as faith communities to be prophets of justice, to be forerunners of inclusion, to be champions of love, to be practitioners of compassion and to be channels of life in all its fullness. May your courage lead us and strengthen us in this our commitment for peace & justice. Amen.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@rajpatta, 22</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">nd</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> April 2023</span></p><br /></span>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-32382519090053538332023-03-26T08:53:00.000+01:002023-03-26T08:53:03.687+01:00Jesus Wept : John 11:35<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the shortest verses in the Bible is John 11:35, which is “Jesus Wept.” However, though it is the shortest verse in the Bible, it is one of the verses in the Bible with a profound theological depth. When Jesus’ friend Lazarus has died and was buried for four days, having encountered the weeping sisters and their consoling friends, Jesus was deeply moved in his spirit, greatly troubled and then wept. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlYo__qs47HX_eLBgKAS_NvVaFXwUXg60N3WTmdp4BsDTHakRWrnc0DJs7qxslwWw5gOaPQ51QXtSuhh5BVWEuz9KMjv5LBI79640YidqT2pwl1uGTvhclPOrbYzbPNCKSO4NBFeAYgAt7gNfLce7Lw_03JhKj6trVlew9BBu0_tZh67TnHst6hQEJ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="191" data-original-width="474" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlYo__qs47HX_eLBgKAS_NvVaFXwUXg60N3WTmdp4BsDTHakRWrnc0DJs7qxslwWw5gOaPQ51QXtSuhh5BVWEuz9KMjv5LBI79640YidqT2pwl1uGTvhclPOrbYzbPNCKSO4NBFeAYgAt7gNfLce7Lw_03JhKj6trVlew9BBu0_tZh67TnHst6hQEJ" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span id="docs-internal-guid-d7eaa74e-7fff-04b9-3ed6-582d31a9d466"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When reading this story, how often have we thought “Jesus wept” as part of Jesus’ humanity, masking Jesus’ divinity at this point and even discounting it. In fact, the sisters Martha and Mary when saying to Jesus, “Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:32), they both were acknowledging the divinity of Jesus and were speaking to the divine Jesus. All I want to say is that it is the divine who is weeping on hearing the death of his friend and on meeting the weeping family and friends.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, when “Jesus wept” it is the divine who is weeping, and the questions that come to the front are can the divine weep? And what is the relevance of God’s weeping ?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The divine whom we know in Jesus is a God who has tears, who gets moved by people’s grief and by the creation’s groans, and weeps with them in solidarity.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The divine whom we know in Jesus is a God who knows what it means to weep, and so never disrespects nor discards tears, but joins with us in our weeping offering hope and consolation.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The divine whom we know in Jesus when wept with Mary, Martha and their friends for the death of Lazarus was not questioning why death nor was consoling the family “don’t worry Lazarus is in a better place” but genuinely joined with them in facing the reality of death by weeping with them in their loss.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Though statics have proven that there is 100% success rate of certainty of all human beings dying, there is a sense of fear in facing death for humanity. However, the divine whom we know in Jesus when wept for the death of Lazarus is calling us to face death in all courage and is inviting us to get busy living, knowing Jesus is the resurrection and life.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As followers of Jesus Christ, let us learn to weep with the weeping, knowing God weeps with us to support us in those moments of grief & trouble. Weeping is spiritual, weeping is Christian, weeping is divine, weeping is human and weeping is sensible. If we have lost heart for weeping, perhaps it is time to reclaim that calling asking God to ‘melt our cold hearts and let tears fall like a rain.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@rajpatta</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">26</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> March 2023</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /></span>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-10306194695403597982023-03-19T01:51:00.046+00:002023-03-19T08:10:25.399+00:00The ‘mothering parenting’ of a healed man who was born blind in John 9:18-23<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Jewish authorities wanted to confirm the healing of a man who was born blind by Jesus, and summoned his parents and enquired them. These parents demonstrate some key mothering qualities that are relevant for us today. They in fact exemplify ‘mothering parenting.’ Based on the text here are the characteristics of ‘mothering parenting.’</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jLGsuzV5WDknONo58n0TZPlDx_4Nok0Clwy9oi726dCwxptDJmKgBSEvrZJ0UdDkc6tzjTuSLBrm9cBkf7a9Is4qOJ2oWvARU3cGSKPEZfSw1JmY--zwZnZtp3o72uzt_2wJvxOfKS99zKKzd6bA115pjVRZs-Qt1-s0Rbm6FPN2I-VhunVFtSPO/s1000/momma-hen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="1000" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jLGsuzV5WDknONo58n0TZPlDx_4Nok0Clwy9oi726dCwxptDJmKgBSEvrZJ0UdDkc6tzjTuSLBrm9cBkf7a9Is4qOJ2oWvARU3cGSKPEZfSw1JmY--zwZnZtp3o72uzt_2wJvxOfKS99zKKzd6bA115pjVRZs-Qt1-s0Rbm6FPN2I-VhunVFtSPO/s320/momma-hen.png" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c4f5a7f6-7fff-f553-a0ac-2b2e34424c9d"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The mothering parents always know their children and acknowledge openly the ‘sights’ and (in)sights of their children.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The mothering parents always protect their children, like the hen gathers her chicks under her wings, sheltering them from all dangers and traps of the society.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The mothering parents celebrate the confidence of their children, respect their views and reviews and allow them to speak for themselves when they come of age.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The mothering parents break open all power imbalances among them and their children, recognising children as equal partners, by listening to them and caring for them in love.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The mothering parents are farsighted, providing a cover to their children and preparing them to face the realities of their world and times courageously.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The mothering parents reiterate to their children to stand up for their rights, to speak up against any form of injustices and to celebrate the gift of life in all circumstances.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Mothering parenting’ is about being guided and led by the Mothering God in nurturing and caring for those seeking love in life. By which, I mean to say that mothering is not just limited to a particular gender, nor is a virtue that comes with biological child birthing, but it is about celebrating the mothering qualities in human beings and in the creation. 'Mothering parenting' also invites us to be sensitive to those who have lost their mothers & spouses, those who are single, and to those who are struggling to make a home and a living for their dear ones. ‘Mothering parenting’ also contests all attempts that commercialise ‘Mother’s Day’ and calls us to celebrate the gift of love that binds all relationships.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let us also be mindful for Mothering Sunday can be a difficult day for some people and uphold them in prayer. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today let us give thanks to all who have a mothering presence in our lives and may the Mothering God empower each of us to love one another and make our world a better place to live. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw2CEVI1uxw5w0AXhPPt0Z5no_UFaxP_VE_fJ1jZ_7Dcdmk7Tk3s-Zl80rlTrrwQXzS6XZFyTZA4DKhq-FXig' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@rajpatta</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">19.03.2023</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mothering Sunday 2023</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pic courtesy: https://mothership.sg/2023/03/botanic-gardens-hen-protecting-chicks-rain/</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><br /></span>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-23917540394655777062023-03-12T01:26:00.002+00:002023-03-12T07:44:06.790+00:00The Woman's Water Jar at the Well<p style="text-align: center;"> <i>"<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #010000;">Then the woman left her water-jar and went back to the city" John 4:28</span></i></p><p><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #010000;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCP5rp6BD4v-DoczLzAdC4fgTw3Y4qLSqHI2R7mkQ2rkNWKdXKbC8jmbDBZll5ojYIHCQzexb3mXJ7EkM0AjndG2fQ0CT8zNZ1SW_0A_u3etBDGmMxIcpbhXklSfqUeDfUvx7OS1y9C8F1Rx1DIkW02rEB0kqvIS1p675YFzXatY3dgB_zLUkT4KBD" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="474" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCP5rp6BD4v-DoczLzAdC4fgTw3Y4qLSqHI2R7mkQ2rkNWKdXKbC8jmbDBZll5ojYIHCQzexb3mXJ7EkM0AjndG2fQ0CT8zNZ1SW_0A_u3etBDGmMxIcpbhXklSfqUeDfUvx7OS1y9C8F1Rx1DIkW02rEB0kqvIS1p675YFzXatY3dgB_zLUkT4KBD" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span id="docs-internal-guid-adde9db7-7fff-5678-7e04-294aaaf2b9f7"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The unnamed woman from the city of Sychar in the region of Samaria, who came to draw water from the well of Jacob, having met Jesus went home leaving her water jar.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leaving the water jar at the well is a sign that informs the disciples that, having encountered Jesus, this unnamed woman of Samaria went home quenching her thirst for life with the living waters of Jesus.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The woman’s water jar that was left at the well is a symbol testifying that Jesus, the saviour of the world has broken down the barriers and divisions created in the name of gender, ethnicity, religiosity, and tradition, for Jesus builds inclusive communion driving away all forms of exclusion & discrimination.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leaving the water jar at the well is a sign to inform Jesus and the disciples that she will come back to collect it. And in a short while she came back to the well, inspiring many of her city folk to come, meet and listen to the prophet Jesus Christ.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The woman’s water jar left at the well, is to symbolise that her vocation from then on has changed, for she found a new purpose to her life, for she was now called to quench the thirst of her city, for she was ordained to share the good news of Jesus. Mind you, if anyone still oppresses women and doesn’t believe in the equality of woman in the church and society, then this woman’s encounter with Jesus and her proactive proclamation to her city informs us that this woman was the first ever messenger of Jesus’ prophetic ministry, proclaiming that Jesus is the Messiah. In the eastern Orthodox tradition she was believed to be later baptised and named as St. Photini, which means 'the enlightened one.' </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The woman’s water jar left at the well challenges us to celebrate the ministry of women, to celebrate the ordination of women, to celebrate the gifts of women and to open our hearts and minds to listen to the voices and perspectives of women particularly about faith and Jesus. Come let us join together in defeating patriarchy and misogyny.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The woman’s water jar left at the well is a gift of this woman to help Jesus and his disciples to draw water from the well and quench their thirst. Having received the living waters in her life, the woman began her journey into her city by sharing her resources with others.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The woman’s water jar left at the well is a call to the world to leave behind all the prejudices that people have against women and is an invitation to embrace equality and equity of all people.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The woman’s water jar left at the well with Jesus is a reminder to Jesus that there are many more in the world who are thirsty searching for a drink. It is a call to the readers of this text, and to the followers of Jesus Christ to join with him in quenching their thirst for life.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The woman’s water jar left at the well is a symbol of women’s empowerment, a symbol about how Jesus liberated her from the kinds of exploitation that she was facing under the rubric of patriarchy and misogyny. Perhaps the water jar domesticated this woman to subjugation of male domination, and when she had left her water jar and went away to her city, it stood as a symbol of her liberation and freedom from all bondages she was enduring.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The woman’s water jar left at the well is an offering for us to go to Jesus and draw the waters of living waters from him, quench our thirst and offer ourselves to share those living waters to flow down like an ever-flowing stream watering the world with peace, love and justice.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“We have the ‘treasure in the (water) jars of clay’ so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us” (2 Corinthians 4:7)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhefdjyRWb9VFk-TvqX4purn10AERgPN1NBR3eIQrxAVegWVhKmvyx0qOeFW6hm30Fz0BDOdspZS26jUru6T_wLGjGxvFTdXx0DCXNnyUk3kl6sJ3KB8UGYZQc6aC0cCHajfUcJkYOxF2aZBiQrkQZfiz8wSBmIGW3Mitclj7be1rY6FdQhOA_7WWDX" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="248" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhefdjyRWb9VFk-TvqX4purn10AERgPN1NBR3eIQrxAVegWVhKmvyx0qOeFW6hm30Fz0BDOdspZS26jUru6T_wLGjGxvFTdXx0DCXNnyUk3kl6sJ3KB8UGYZQc6aC0cCHajfUcJkYOxF2aZBiQrkQZfiz8wSBmIGW3Mitclj7be1rY6FdQhOA_7WWDX" width="162" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (St. Photini)<br /><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@rajpatta</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">11</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> March 2023</span></p><br /></span>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-75242745736188233402023-01-29T07:32:00.001+00:002023-01-29T07:32:57.346+00:00The Beatitudes – Jesus First Ever Sermon and its Homiletical implications today Matthew 5:1-2<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkgvyzo-HgRQ9jSneoLjukyRti3bkG_ljh3NxMGJYwR3u6xM5R0OjQ2q7ja1vDfnUZh3e99mu_FLcGV5eC-mKdk6vdjqHi6WMIY937EhUtjfkU9aHAYIMvAjxFMH6nNiysBfHQjQJ8IvIesWMNU14LhCyUU8GFKqTfYrK_8ribZazmHK_i8WNJ9Zli" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="474" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkgvyzo-HgRQ9jSneoLjukyRti3bkG_ljh3NxMGJYwR3u6xM5R0OjQ2q7ja1vDfnUZh3e99mu_FLcGV5eC-mKdk6vdjqHi6WMIY937EhUtjfkU9aHAYIMvAjxFMH6nNiysBfHQjQJ8IvIesWMNU14LhCyUU8GFKqTfYrK_8ribZazmHK_i8WNJ9Zli" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-7ca0be53-7fff-25ee-da85-54f554618ac0"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blessed are the poor in spirit,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Blessed are those who mourn,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for they will be comforted.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Blessed are the meek,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for they will inherit the earth.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for they will be filled</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Blessed are the merciful, </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for they will receive mercy.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Blessed are the pure in heart, </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for they will see God.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Blessed are the peacemakers, </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for they will be called children of God.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for theirs is the kingdom of heaven</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.4299999999999997; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.4299999999999997; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Preaching is about offering hope and pumping confidence to people living on the margins</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Preaching is not subscribing to the status quo of oppressive powers, rather is about reversing it for the cause of the poor and the meek of the society. (Blessedness which is generally ascribed to the kings and to the powerful, Jesus offers it to those struggling in life.)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Preaching is not about unravelling the mystery of scriptures, rather engaging with the application of the scripture in affirming life to those who are living in situations of hopelessness and lifelessness.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Preaching is proclaiming joy, happiness and blessedness to the poor, the meek, the hungry and the persecuted. It is not about condemnation and hate towards people.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Preaching is reimagining the values of the gospel of Jesus Christ relevant for our times today aimed at building a new world order and is not mere repeating of the old rules and laws.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Preaching is public theology – addressed and understood both by the crowds and the disciples in the public sphere.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">7.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Preaching is about love, solidarity, compassion, encouragement and support.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@rajpatta, 29</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> January 2023</span></p><br /></span>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-29302140547768645032022-12-15T22:42:00.000+00:002022-12-15T22:42:01.259+00:00The Promise of Immanuel: Isaiah 7:10-17 & Matthew 1:18-25<span id="docs-internal-guid-726f6785-7fff-218d-55e3-d6e8c3f3bd96"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The community of Proto-Isaiah were living at a time where on the one hand desolation, bleeding of wounds, bruises and sores, cities burnt, injustice and complicity are thriving in their land (Isaiah 1: 7) and the other where we see people’s burnt offerings and incense as an abomination in the sight of God (Isaiah 1:13). This Proto-Isaiah community were about to go into an exile, unto an Assyrian rule, and so fear, hopelessness and uncertainty is all over the place among the residents in Jerusalem and Judah. And into such a context Proto-Isaiah pumps in confidence by offering hope to the community. Isaiah 7:10-17 is one such texts of hope that Proto-Isaiah prophecies with a promise of Immanuel, which is ‘God with us,’ strengthening the community to recognise in all their ups and downs, in all their fears and fragility, and in all their uncertainties, God is journeying with them.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the Matthean text about Jesus’ birth (Matt 1:18-25), Matthew explains the setting that there is stigma and public disgrace attributed for Mother Mary since she is bearing a child without living with Joseph with whom she was engaged. On the other hand, the writer explains that Joseph was trying to play ‘holy’ without exposing Mary to public disgrace and is planning to dismiss Mary quietly. I am not sure what does being ‘righteous’ mean when one is not able to care, support and embrace a partner who being branded by the society to public disgrace and who is struggling in her life with all her vulnerabilities? In such a context, the angel of God appeared to challenge and comfort Joseph to stand by Mary at her difficult situation, for paving the way for the birth of Jesus, the saviour and the Messiah of the world. To celebrate and affirm this Jesus’ birth event, Matthew recalls and retells the Proto-Isaiah’s prophecy from 7:10-17 that a young woman shall bear a son and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means ‘God with us,’ offering hope and confidence to Joseph, Mary, the first century Jewish audience to whom Matthew is writing his gospel and to all the readers of the text today.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmYYe9FkWySSPMWb5lRAO7MDer35Ra9y0SsN6utqz_frnb2w7FIJ691BSF1PRTMj1k9lDxX6c6GvPEG6r9qv0TI9tVDJ1tzbFVhA5P7_S3GQLW1C81rRRjHa0M4jNERDSDsFj3CTK2jQqC7DURh0m132bPuQsqr8pf_6Vx3qEfPhZgmBT8vuAopHe/s1600/PHOTO-2021-01-25-11-07-02%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmYYe9FkWySSPMWb5lRAO7MDer35Ra9y0SsN6utqz_frnb2w7FIJ691BSF1PRTMj1k9lDxX6c6GvPEG6r9qv0TI9tVDJ1tzbFVhA5P7_S3GQLW1C81rRRjHa0M4jNERDSDsFj3CTK2jQqC7DURh0m132bPuQsqr8pf_6Vx3qEfPhZgmBT8vuAopHe/s320/PHOTO-2021-01-25-11-07-02%202.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The promise of Immanuel unsettles the transcendence of the divine:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Both in Proto-Isaiah and in Matthew’s contexts, the divine was always understood as transcendent, away from the frailties of human suffering, untouched and undisturbed. The promise of Immanuel in both their contexts unsettles the divine of their transcendence and affirms in the immanence of the divine as ‘God with us.’ With the promise of Immanuel, the postcode of God is shifted to be ‘with us’ and ‘among us.’ Advent is a season of waiting, waiting for the Word becoming flesh, afresh, in our contexts. God in Jesus pitching God’s tent and dwelling among the mortals is the fulfilment of such a promise of Immanuel into a reality. The promise of Immanuel is neither a construction of a theoretical abstract nor a wishful thinking about the idea of God, rather is practical and transformative that began with the birth of Jesus Christ, the Saviour and the Messiah. God once for all unsettled from the terrains of transcendence and pitched God’s tent/dwelling as Immanuel forever and ever to be with us and with the creation.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The promise of Immanuel challenges us to witness and ‘with-ness in our context today:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The sign of Immanuel was a breath of fresh air to Isaiah and Matthew’s contexts, for they have been awaiting and longing for the divine to be with them offering courage and hope. So, what is the relevance of believing, affirming celebrating the fulfilment of the promise of Immanuel in Jesus Christ today? Perhaps, the call for us is to witness God, the Immanuel by being ‘with’ people in their struggles offering hope and striving for justice and peace.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the context of the cost-of-living crisis skyrocketing, and with the rising poverty and hunger, the promise of Immanuel is witnessed by sharing our resources, by giving up greed, by not wasting food, by not succumbing to the pressures of market which calls us to buy more and more and by advocating for just policies ensuring alleviation of poverty. The promise of Immanuel is witnessed by being ‘with’ people on the margins, in solidarity of them and working with them for justice and liberation.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This season of Advent, let us remember people who are subjected to public disgrace due to their identities, of gender, colour, caste, race, religion, region, sexuality, language, and belief. The promise of Immanuel, God with us, can only be real, when we offer unconditional care, love, acceptance, respect, dignity, equality and solidarity with people who are publicly disgraced. If we are using our religion and God to be awful towards others, excluding others, hating others and stigmatising others who do not believe like us, who do not belong where we belong and who do not look like us, then we are a disgrace to the promise of Immanuel, God with us.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Love is the only way forward, and ‘with-ness’ is the only witness that we can offer to people and creation in our neighbourhoods. Imagine how this Immanuel is being with us? Despite our weaknesses and vulnerabilities, our Immanuel God always loves us, journeys with us and leads us forever. So, let’s celebrate the fulfilment of the promise of Immanuel in Jesus Christ and let’s live up to the values of the Gospel of Jesus Christ more meaningfully, relevant for our time and context. Amen.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rev. Dr. Raj Bharat Patta,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">United Stockport Circuit, UK.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">15</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Dec 2022</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /></span><p> </p>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-42631312977076895052022-02-23T22:04:00.001+00:002022-02-23T22:04:14.128+00:00Prayer for Ukraine<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9-7Po5j_1UGy6st9kBXfvmv5lYKQmRcfK4bmNO-qyGtAn5W1oPLhOUdGH_TaA6ph_T1-ZdGyyMTlmSgZt-FTqX_w08A8qq2VmnvbAXAXACF97ZDbP7TlFrqDCscupwwW09fzUY3a2UdqEHXEzSVxGBL0_5g8OMFdi5YFQZUaPqKYyg0cWjahVDgAn=s2245" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2245" data-original-width="1587" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9-7Po5j_1UGy6st9kBXfvmv5lYKQmRcfK4bmNO-qyGtAn5W1oPLhOUdGH_TaA6ph_T1-ZdGyyMTlmSgZt-FTqX_w08A8qq2VmnvbAXAXACF97ZDbP7TlFrqDCscupwwW09fzUY3a2UdqEHXEzSVxGBL0_5g8OMFdi5YFQZUaPqKYyg0cWjahVDgAn=w453-h640" width="453" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-44558083163603435502022-01-13T12:59:00.004+00:002022-01-13T13:15:52.771+00:00John 2.1-11 - Do whatever Jesus tells<span id="docs-internal-guid-8e4706ec-7fff-5d6b-316e-824b3aa122b6"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Weddings – Celebrate love with Jesus and his disciples</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Party – Dance with Jesus and his disciples</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Out of hours’ – Listen to mother and act</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wine runs out – Do whatever Jesus tells</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jars with water – Draw from it and share</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wine is tasty – Compliment the host</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Miracles – Happen as God works with us</span></p><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus and his disciples were at Cana attending a wedding party,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wine runs out; Mother Mary informs Jesus; Jesus’ hour hasn’t come,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary instructs to do whatever Jesus tells,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus gets the jars to be filled with water,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Draw from that jar and give it to the steward,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steward tastes it and finds it to be best,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Questions the groom why do you keep the best to the last?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Out of hours Jesus works; Out of water wine splashes,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Out of faith there is sufficiency; Out of love there is no deficiency</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In times of insufficiency – Do whatever Jesus tells,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In times of merriment – Do whatever Jesus tells,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In times of ‘out of hours’ – Do whatever Jesus tells,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In times of need – Do whatever Jesus tells,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In times of weddings – Do whatever Jesus tells,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimz_G9TZmhyphenhypheniuXklwUTKyLXnMxT-x6QH54gkyAPXJQ3WYmiqkXV6C_Uk9oN6UZRSzcYq3ppNEbakUVyX7w7fAbB24jqFY5AB-_8BnUQ2BPB0hCMKNNJuFeROwrcO-chSWWkhHdt2ZMypQ/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimz_G9TZmhyphenhypheniuXklwUTKyLXnMxT-x6QH54gkyAPXJQ3WYmiqkXV6C_Uk9oN6UZRSzcYq3ppNEbakUVyX7w7fAbB24jqFY5AB-_8BnUQ2BPB0hCMKNNJuFeROwrcO-chSWWkhHdt2ZMypQ/" width="320" /></a></div><br />Pic credit: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/218424650655321229/</span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><br /><p> </p>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-2663289263904050542022-01-09T15:30:00.003+00:002022-01-09T15:30:40.938+00:00Covenantal words 2022<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdvoRIHRhEFWku2lCFXOLjle3iIkP9j8WhzmVhLm-ndgYeuUiTMp2pDKLZpn9wDwNFxfSqGMmKIpD-EvMF0UetGcbhnIBgA87mTZn4iMZGBwPCveSaOiiyMekrM8UbHASqd1LmyeIAv8vLX6_Mc9kptdrNY-AlR9jp2alhHx5h6fUqVAK2vHOms0NP=s2880" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1627" data-original-width="2880" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdvoRIHRhEFWku2lCFXOLjle3iIkP9j8WhzmVhLm-ndgYeuUiTMp2pDKLZpn9wDwNFxfSqGMmKIpD-EvMF0UetGcbhnIBgA87mTZn4iMZGBwPCveSaOiiyMekrM8UbHASqd1LmyeIAv8vLX6_Mc9kptdrNY-AlR9jp2alhHx5h6fUqVAK2vHOms0NP=w400-h226" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-29313661607916384072022-01-09T15:04:00.003+00:002022-01-09T15:04:35.416+00:00Epiphany Pondering<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUcbVr3kQI_KToCS5pIERlKb07bESTsteHoYQkMXGmbvct-XyXaCvylZqDmusGDhCMYRBHnbzUFvTpuwpavXtVwqLIG45tUyMQPxqMCldk6KABNXxn_xhOarDXqxJmEo7BnbFv3tagBlqMskdKBmKc_YpvvJGLXkqrS7W5XZTusG6h0NbEbbGK9ckN=s2000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUcbVr3kQI_KToCS5pIERlKb07bESTsteHoYQkMXGmbvct-XyXaCvylZqDmusGDhCMYRBHnbzUFvTpuwpavXtVwqLIG45tUyMQPxqMCldk6KABNXxn_xhOarDXqxJmEo7BnbFv3tagBlqMskdKBmKc_YpvvJGLXkqrS7W5XZTusG6h0NbEbbGK9ckN=w400-h320" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-70230666153498865772022-01-07T20:53:00.000+00:002022-01-07T20:53:00.472+00:00Celebrating the Epiphany of the ‘Body’ God: Luke 3:21-22<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;">Epiphany is the manifestation of God to creation in God’s own ways and God’s own terms. God in Jesus Christ ‘who though was in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited but emptied himself taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness…’ (Phil 2:4-5) is a God who was born in the human body. Jesus was an embodiment of the divine in the human body. The divine, be it in the Ancient near eastern religions or in the Greek philosophical thought, or in the Hebrew Biblical context was understood as someone who was always transcendental, who was beyond the material human flesh, and away from human pain and suffering. In the mystery of Christmas, when God in Jesus was born as a child from a mother’s womb, that news was something which was very radically good news for their times. God was always understood as divine in opposition to earthly, fleshy humans, and was spoken only in terms of the ‘beyond’ to human cognition and body. But Jesus Christ came to pitch God’s tent among the creation as ‘body’ God, God who (be)came in the human body. God in Jesus not only divinised the material creation by his birth in the human body, but also humanised, body-ised the divine. The body of Jesus Christ, becomes the site of hope for the ‘fallen’ human bodies, where life and death find new meaning offering hope to the material bodies. The ‘body’ God identifies with the material creation including the human bodies, specially with those bodies that have been broken, beaten, bruised and buried, to breathe in a breath of fresh life, life in all its fullness.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-52079be0-7fff-0dd2-71fa-013990f7f3df"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If Jesus’ birth was a celebration of the ‘body’ God in a child, the baptism of Jesus is a celebration of the Spirit who descended upon him in a bodily form of a dove (22v). The Trinitarian God is an em’bod(y)’ied God, who did not shy away to reveal and manifest Godself in the materiality of life, be it a human body or in the body of a dove. What does the incarnation of Jesus Christ in a human body offer to our Christian faith and praxis today? What does the Epiphany or the manifestation of the Spirit of God in a bodily form of a dove inform our Christian witness today?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3tDPCSbczR_-UaHvMczV5Sxj5PmvCzf4DbxZVJic3nWEi0bX5IStTjt0_WpbgTiUWyFGdlfV5RX-nXPBzvg8pJyQ6WnXeA5bfaE20uImkle-E8FhqWn-DHm6Bj5NE-JSCljWhnnMRHI/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="474" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3tDPCSbczR_-UaHvMczV5Sxj5PmvCzf4DbxZVJic3nWEi0bX5IStTjt0_WpbgTiUWyFGdlfV5RX-nXPBzvg8pJyQ6WnXeA5bfaE20uImkle-E8FhqWn-DHm6Bj5NE-JSCljWhnnMRHI/" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When God has created the creation in the space of God-self, when God chooses to manifest in the materiality of life, the body of a broken/disfigured/disabled human and in the body of a dove, the call for a Christian discipleship is to discern the sparks of the divine in the entire creation, in the public sphere, in the materiality of life, in the bodies of life. Celebrate life in all and among all of God’s creation.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Epiphany challenges us to break down the barriers of ‘us’ and ‘them’, for God’s manifestation is to create an inclusive world, where the sacred and the secular, where the spiritual and the material, where the ‘insider’ and the ‘outsider’, and where the local and the stranger find a common home coexisting and cohabiting together in love.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Epiphany inspires us to celebrate the divine who comes in the bodily forms of the creation, inviting us to care for the birds, the animals, the flora and the fauna and the entire ecology, for God manifests through God’s creation. In the destruction of the ecology, we are destroying the means and methods of God’s manifestations. With the extinction of a species, are we paving way to the extinction of God’s epiphanies? </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Epiphany provokes us to look for the manifestations of God among the sites of the margins. At the baptism of Jesus, the Spirit descended upon him in a bodily form of a wild dove in that wilderness. Why did the Spirit of God not choose a lion (ferocious) or an elephant (strongest) or a giraffe (tallest) or an eagle (who flies to greater heights) or an ostrich (which is a strong bird) but chose to descend in the form of a wild dove? The ‘body’ God’s preferential option is those weak, meek, common, ordinary, simple and the not so important bodies, and so the Spirit in this case chose to descend in the body of a dove. Led by such a Spirit of God, we are invited to explore the divine among the common, ordinary, meek, weak and on the margins, and work with those on the margins for a just and inclusive world.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">May the epiphany of the ‘body’ God continue to be with us throughout the journeys of our faith, and help us to celebrate the freedom of God’s manifestations in the bodily forms, in the ordinaries and in the matters & materiality of life. Amen.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Raj Patta</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">7</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> January 2021</span></p><br /></span>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-40747616555798888672021-12-24T10:18:00.001+00:002021-12-24T10:18:30.508+00:00Latest Christmas Song - Born to Rise - Raj Patta<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/2vX4Zxr7S10" frameborder="0"></iframe>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-90691293802772475682021-12-09T20:06:00.001+00:002021-12-09T20:06:13.065+00:00 If not an inn, then a manger… Reflection for Christmas 2021<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was recently listening to the radio where the host was asking the listeners what was their favourite role in the nativity play that they have enacted at their school. Overwhelmingly many people who responded shared that their role as donkeys or oxen at the manger were their favourite roles. Last year there was a survey in the UK on how your kid’s nativity play role shows what they will earn in the future, and interestingly those who played the role of the oxen are likely to have earned more than the rest of the roles. I am sure each of you will remember the role that you have played at your school’s nativity. The story of Christmas is centred around the manger, and specially at the baby Jesus in the manger.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-274174be-7fff-7e60-56d5-cc21cf256d67"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Allow me to reflect on Luke 2: 7 for Christmas this year. It is recorded as “</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because there was no place in the inn, the first ever Christmas, the birth of baby Jesus did not stop. Mother Mary found an alternative and laid the baby in the manger. If not an inn, a manger is the place for the child to be laid, and that is the Christmas message for this year. The last two years 2020-2021, have been pandemic years, perhaps the toughest years in the recent past, where life came to a standstill. Airports were closed, schools were closed, businesses were closed, places of worship were closed, and despite all the closures, the hope in the Christian faith is that God in Jesus has been working with the communities and the creation in overcoming this phase of the pandemic. If there was no place in the inn, God in Jesus did not stop failing to come into this world. God through Mary found a place in the manger to lay the baby Jesus. Christmas is a story of hope, for God in Jesus is unstoppable in God’s reaching out to the world, for God has always been with us, both in season and off season. In the context of the pandemic, vaccines and vaccinations came as signs of hope, only to recognise that God in Jesus has been with us, helping us to overcome situations of hopelessness and despair. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The child laying in a manger, then served as a sign of hope for the angels to share about the birth of Jesus to the shepherds. The mention of a manger, at least three times in Luke in the story of Jesus’ birth affirms to be a site of wonder, a site where God pitches God’s tent to be a site of solidarity with the people on the margins, and a site of creativity informing the world that God is present even in such unknown, unthinkable and unexpected sites.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The story of the birth of Jesus is a celebration of God choosing to find alternatives in offering hope. If not an inn, then a manger, if not in a closed building, then on the street, if not in the sacred, then in the secular, if not in a religious place, then in a public sphere, if not in the faith communities, then in the neighbours on our street, if not in the rituals, then in the serving the needy, if not in the tradition, then in the reimagination, if not in the known, then in the unknown, if not in the expected, then in the unexpected and if not in the usual, then in the unusual, in all of this God in Jesus is offering hope, peace and love to our entire creation.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The calling for us is to envision Christmas as a living event, inviting us to recognise the birth of a baby Jesus in our localities and in our times, for Jesus is being born in the margins of our societies, and we are called with Jesus to pitch our tents with the margins, and strive towards transforming our societies offering peace, love and hope to this our world today. For me, Christmas is not the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ, which we as Christians commemorate year after year, but Christmas is an opportunity to recognise that Jesus Christ is being born every day into our contexts offering hope, peace, joy and love to us, making the birth of Jesus relevant for our times. Christmas is not just a past thing, but is an event in the present where God in Jesus is taking birth in situations of poverty, exploitation and marginalisation of our times today. The story of Christmas is very radical that it unsettles the very idea of God who reigns from the realms of transcendence, but who came down to pitch God’s tent among the creation, being born as a baby, born as a poor baby, born in a manger as there is no place in the inn.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No matter which role we played at the nativity, be it a donkey, an ox, an angel, the shepherds, the magi, Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus, we are all loved equally by God, and we are called to share that love with others. May the hope, love, peace and joy of Jesus be with us all during this pandemic Christmas, inviting us to commit towards a free vaccination of all people in all places of the world.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Allow me to conclude with a drawing of my 11-year-old son Jaiho Patta, which he has drawn last year during the thick of a lockdown on the story of Christmas. In this drawing Jaiho reflects the nativity scene, ‘Jesus born in lockdown,’ bringing in the relevance of Christmas today.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid63_DyDS3IoqdCstpIQrrJ8FQJGmSysbtCihpQj2yMvXctxQFULjKxu9_8KkwkwQd3Yj_Gruu8QQIONUayYne_pSfdtIdL1p7Gv_3lF0sgwS53MSikhAjIcy1H4Q09TEyNeGGVQ2MG24/s2048/Jaiho+Patta+-+Christmas2020.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1426" data-original-width="2048" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid63_DyDS3IoqdCstpIQrrJ8FQJGmSysbtCihpQj2yMvXctxQFULjKxu9_8KkwkwQd3Yj_Gruu8QQIONUayYne_pSfdtIdL1p7Gv_3lF0sgwS53MSikhAjIcy1H4Q09TEyNeGGVQ2MG24/s320/Jaiho+Patta+-+Christmas2020.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Raj Bharat Patta</span></p><br /></span>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-55710768801539131132021-11-29T09:48:00.000+00:002021-11-29T09:48:01.318+00:00Advent Calendar 2021 with the Book of Luke<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO3l1adAB_LH0Utw7k_1cxT20wiy5RT3VDQ3XfaK6y5gkGDB9FtdL-nd9s8anBrPJUQQU5bUgeGGiy1U1L_mBpOn6vRHRBuPKKovIiZasN8L_IeCIR8-cr5a5jlhdCxkYuhHdggWjfXLg/s2048/Advent+Calendar+2021.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1448" data-original-width="2048" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO3l1adAB_LH0Utw7k_1cxT20wiy5RT3VDQ3XfaK6y5gkGDB9FtdL-nd9s8anBrPJUQQU5bUgeGGiy1U1L_mBpOn6vRHRBuPKKovIiZasN8L_IeCIR8-cr5a5jlhdCxkYuhHdggWjfXLg/w400-h283/Advent+Calendar+2021.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /> Join this Advent in reading the 24 chapters of the Book of Luke in 24 days of December to find Jesus on the Christmas Day. #AdventWithLuke<p></p><p>@rajpatta</p><p>27th Nov 2021</p>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-51026198793373961822021-11-25T14:10:00.000+00:002021-11-25T14:10:08.439+00:00 The Politics of Shame: Reflecting on Psalm 25:1-10<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;">I remember as a child, if you were naked, the first thing the adults commented on our child-bodies was “shame, shame, puppy shame.” On hearing such comments, the child immediately runs to either hide their nakedness from the public or picks some clothes to cover their nakedness. Such comments ingrained a sense of ‘shame’ to the body of a child. Shame continued to govern the lives of human beings in more than many ways. Again, back home in India in our local village, when our Dalit community members cooked beef for dinner, and when our friends asked what did we eat for dinner, we always said, “That.” There was a sense of shame in eating beef, for those eating beef are considered polluting by the dominant castes, and so in order to cover the shame associated with beef, it was always talked about in that code word of “That.” Our Dalit women, whose bodies have been battered and bruised by the systemic practices of patriarchy and caste, carry the heaviest burdens of shame enforced on them, and the growing caste honour killings are a case in point.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6cpEnuLkXT7pduN_OacFbVEkj-xQIBe6Q7jSiTE8_jIs4zLqY1ZNcIwONNoku51wFvnAI2khyphenhyphenk54IbI6JhMXv82VR70YckzQyeTaa1aZoQVbaxT5Fj5kPgwBruX7OLNXWlKfoAoDVHw/s569/Image521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6cpEnuLkXT7pduN_OacFbVEkj-xQIBe6Q7jSiTE8_jIs4zLqY1ZNcIwONNoku51wFvnAI2khyphenhyphenk54IbI6JhMXv82VR70YckzQyeTaa1aZoQVbaxT5Fj5kPgwBruX7OLNXWlKfoAoDVHw/s320/Image521.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-768f903b-7fff-4932-a01b-3a3d1409e0e7"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the context of the heinous caste system, for Dalits, people who are born outside of the caste hierarchy, the ex-untouchables, shame is enforced on them because of the untouchability ascribed to them. Priyanka Singh on writing on Dalit trauma explains, “starting with the idea of pollution attached to their identity, Dalit minds were trained to feel a profound sense of shame about who they were and the work they were assigned. This is </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“learned cultural shame”</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and it is an intrinsic quality of the contemporary Dalit identity.</span><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">[1]</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> She continued to comment that even when Dalits enter institutions of higher learning through the state’s Constitutional affirmative actions called ‘Reservations’ they are shamed and discriminated for their Dalit identity. It is such a shame that today shame occupies a prime area in the public sphere, where the women, the Dalits, the indigenous communities, people with disabilities, the LGBTQI+ communities, the migrants, the refugees, are all judged and shamed based on the norms constructed by the dominant and powerful people’s narratives and tools. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It has become so prevalent in the society today, where ‘shame’ and ‘celebrate’ are things that are associated with what we think is wrong and right. As a person of Indian origin now living in the UK, I have noticed how the word ‘shame’ has some specific cultural overtones and differences. In the UK, as I have heard it, if a colleague of yours is unwell and is unable to attend a scheduled meeting, it was said, “it is a shame that she can’t make it to the meeting.” Here shame is understood as sad, rather than wrong. Not to say it doesn’t have a meaning of social reality to the word ‘shame.’ However, speaking from the perspective of my Dalit experience, shame is something, which is indoctrinated socially, politically, culturally and religiously upon people based on the tools of the powerful, bringing in a sense of inadequacy to the very ‘self’ of one’s life. Shame alienates oneself from their own selves, and alienates oneself with the rest of the community. In other words, shame creates a sense of distrust and mistrust with the self, with the community and with the divine.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Psalm 25 expresses the reflections of the psalmist who is threatened by the situation of his guilt and shame and who seeks to find trust, hope and confidence in the divine. The psalmist begins his reflection by asking God not to put him to shame (2v) and concludes the psalm by again reiterating his plea of not putting him to shame (20v), which explains the gravity of shame that he has been carrying on his life, explaining the seriousness of his situation. The psychology of the psalmist’s context thrived on the binary and dualism of honour and shame, where ‘honour’ was for the righteous and ‘shame’ was for those burdened by guilt and disgrace. On recognising the politics of shame as that which is enforced/ indoctrinated by the powers and principalities, which the psalmist calls ‘enemies’, the psalmist as a victim of shame acknowledges at least two dimensions of shame. The psalmist firstly prays to God asking God not to put him to shame (2v) and then pleads God to not put to shame those people who wait for God (3v). The psalmist cries out loud, and exposes the tangents of both, the individual shame and also the corporate shame of his community, seeking refuge in the trust of God. By expressing such corporate shame, the psalmist was building a ‘solidarity for people with shame’ in his community, seeking collective ways for systemic changes in overcoming shame. In the context of the discrimination for Dalits, both individual and corporate psyche of Dalits are traumatised with shame, and Dalits continue to live with a ‘wounded psyche,’ seeking corporate annihilation of caste in our contexts.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is also interesting to note that the psalmist prays in verse 3, “let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous,” where he wants those that are unfaithful and betraying the vulnerable, to experience shame that he has been experiencing, for only then they might understand what it means to be inadequate in one’s self, and what it means to lose trust in oneself. It is in a way a strategy of using the master’s tools to dismantle the master’s house who have been enforcing shame on the vulnerable and powerless.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The psalmist earnestly prays, petitioning God not to put him to shame, for it affects the inner self of his very being. The root word ‘</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bos’</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for shame in Hebrew has meanings that range from humiliation to public disgrace. So therefore, when the psalmist begins his prayer in verse 1, “To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul,” for in prayer the psalmist brings the ‘shamed self,’ ‘humiliated self,’ ‘broken self,’ which resonates with the lives our Dalit communities who live with such ‘self’(s), unashamedly into the presence of God. The divine becomes the space where ‘shamed selves’ finds trust, home and solace, for the ‘shamed selves’ are ‘un-homed’ in the public sphere for the normalizations of oppressive status quo rules and prevails there. In verse 7, the psalmist pleads the divine not to remember the sins of his youth or his transgressions, for those sins have added a sense of ‘shame’ on him, for his public sphere always remembers them and haunts him of his doings. The psalmist has no place to hide except to come on to the presence of the divine, where he finds trust (2v) and comfort. When our Dalit ancestors chose to become Christians, they found that trust, hope and home for their ‘shamed selves’ in the space of Christian faith, for the faith in Christ offered courage, which brought them to ‘come open’ as Dalit Christians in the public sphere to lead a life with self-dignity and self-respect.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, we learn from this Psalm that in situations of shame, when people are burdened with sins and transgressions that push them to shame, when the public sphere reminds and remembers all those shame-full acts, which are acts done against the norms of the powerful, the presence of the divine offers hope, trust, and welcome. In that trust in the divine, one can unashamedly open up their positions and postures, for God receives people as they are and as they wish to come. God doesn’t blame and shame any names, rather God calms those who come unto him with heavy labour of shame. As followers of such a divine, the task is on us to offer home and hope, to (re)build trust for people whose psyches are broken due to shame, to be unjudgmental on people’s shame and to love them unconditionally. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the context of shame, when the self is experiencing inadequacy, the psalmist rather than explaining the reasons of his shame, or narrating the story of his shame, which might be traumatising to retell or giving a detail about the ‘enemies’ who are enforcing shame on him, the psalmist waits on God, on God’s paths and on the characteristics of God for help and refuge. Look out the characteristics of God that the psalmist mentions here, which includes God’s trust (2v), God’s mercy (6v), God’s salvation (5v), God’s steadfast love (6,7v), God’s goodness (7v), and God’s faithfulness (10v). These characteristics of God are the characteristics that the psalmist who is living in shame is longing for and waiting for, which the psalmist speaks out loud in his prayer. With the overpowering of shame in his life, the adequacy of life is vacuumed with distrust, mercilessness, oppression, hatred, unfairness and unfaithfulness, and therefore he expresses a longing in God, who has abundance of life in Godself. The words in prayers are words that the person praying is longing for in their lives. They are not mere words, but visions for their longing and belonging. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On this first Sunday in Advent, when faith communities are waiting for the arrival of the divine in Jesus Christ, we are called to recognise that there are many people in our contexts who are living in shame, and whose longing has been to overcome the inadequacy in life and build back trust with themselves, with the people in the community and with the divine. Advent is a season for such longing, where justice, peace and equality are the visions for faith communities in longing and belonging. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to turn those visions into actions by offering compassion and love to the entire creation, and make Advent a real possibility and a reality for all.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trust is the starting theological response to shame that the psalmist is longing, looking and loving for. “O my God in you I trust, do not let me be put to shame…” (2v), for in the God of steadfast love and mercy, the psalmist seeks trust, defying the gods of patriarchy, colonialism, and violence. The God of Psalm 25 is a God of ultimate trust, who not only accepts people in their shame, but also is a God who comes down to rebuild the trust with oneself, with the community and with the divine self. Shame and public-ness are antithetical, for those living in shame, their person(alities) feel inadequate with a loss of trust and are pushed into the situations of exclusion and marginalisation. So, the theological relevance of Psalm 25:1-10 for our context is to know that ‘in God is our trust’ who brings us out into the public unashamedly and live out life in safety and courage. In believing such a God, the call for the listeners is to offer love and loving-kindness for people living in shame, to build confidence and trust by affirming them as equal cohabitants of our collective public sphere. To ‘come out’ as our natural selves into the public is itself liberative and therapeutic, and faith spaces should welcome and facilitate such expressions.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">16 days of activism against gender-based violence which begins from 25</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Nov to 10</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Dec, is an opportunity for faith communities to reflect on gender-based violence today in our contexts, which has become so prevalent particularly during the lockdown, to acknowledge the amount of shame that the victims of violence are enduring and to seek ways through which hope and love is offered publicly. The characteristics of the God we believe are to be reflected by faith communities, to make faith relevant for our public sphere. 29</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of November is observed as UN’s International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, which is again an opportunity for the faith-based communities to show solidarity publicly, to recognise the rights of Palestinians and strive for just peace in Palestine Israel. With the ongoing ‘occupation’ the shame imposed on Palestinian people is beyond measure, and offering public solidarity and striving for their rights and justice is a way to offer hope and love to them.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The gospel text for this week on lectionary from Luke 21:25-36 explains that on discerning the signs of our times, with the anticipation of the Son of Man, redemption comes near and the kingdom of God comes near.</span><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">[2]</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> In other words, when shame is one of the ongoing signs of our times though spoken but mostly unspoken, the arrival of the Son of Man, the nearness of redemption and the kingdom of God is a possibility only when shame and disgrace are overcome by love and grace by being and becoming a home of hope, by rebuilding trust and by embracing people who are feeling inadequate and seek ways to ensure life in all its fullness. For our Dalit communities who are burdened with shame, the gospel of this text is to overpower shame with grace by building solidarity with wider communities on similar paths, for the divine is walking with us in our shame, taking on our shame and striving with us in overcoming shame, for O God in you we trust. By the way, as Dalit communities we continue to share Beef curry whenever we cook for dinners with our friends and now boldly say it is ‘Beef’ and not use it in the code word of “That.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rev. Dr. Raj Bharat Patta</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">11</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> November 2021 </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Written for Political Theology blog for the Politics of Scripture and be read on: https://politicaltheology.com/the-politics-of-shame-reflecting-on-psalm-251-10/ )</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">[1]</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> https://feminisminindia.com/2020/10/21/intergenerational-dalit-trauma-caste-violence/</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">[2]</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> For further reflection on this text read</span><a href="https://politicaltheology.com/the-coming-near-of-god-luke-2125-36/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://politicaltheology.com/the-coming-near-of-god-luke-2125-36/</span></a></p><br /></span>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-85268538713458339142021-11-25T14:06:00.000+00:002021-11-25T14:06:06.823+00:00A Prayer in the context of 27 people dying in the Channel<span id="docs-internal-guid-5ac21da4-7fff-267c-9786-78226929ec76"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God in Jesus, our co-traveller in the boat of life,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We grieve with you for the loss of the 27 people who died in the Channel,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Who on fleeing from death and violence in their contexts,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">have been tragically drowned at sea.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let the river of your justice roll down to both shores of the Channel.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Create in us compassionate hearts to welcome and receive people in need,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Keep disturbing us till no person is displaced due to war, hunger and poverty,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Grant our decision-makers ‘hearts of human flesh’ to invest in people-friendly policies,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Embrace each of us with your love and healing,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Empower each of us with your anger for justice,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So that together we can strive to transform our world,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Where the life of all people is valued and respected.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In our weeping with you, challenge us and heal us. Amen.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@rajpatta</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">25</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> November 2021</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gbWInSMcUTNcyzyNTUBAuZLMSlOCDGadJSJoMmMTDtw0zDblNk3GV9AIrs9Q2nmg0aJyO7xmjHP-o33SZ7WiXLybXJtBejdQ-RxvXq7jMKEoB-dbX_b4mw987_U4rfXNOnfAuP02A38/s2048/Screenshot+2021-11-25+at+10.47.48.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="2048" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gbWInSMcUTNcyzyNTUBAuZLMSlOCDGadJSJoMmMTDtw0zDblNk3GV9AIrs9Q2nmg0aJyO7xmjHP-o33SZ7WiXLybXJtBejdQ-RxvXq7jMKEoB-dbX_b4mw987_U4rfXNOnfAuP02A38/s320/Screenshot+2021-11-25+at+10.47.48.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p></span>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-35518520336714787722021-09-12T08:18:00.001+01:002021-09-12T08:18:13.551+01:00Proverbs 1: 20-33<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaBwJ561HNZslz6Zy7wvBt5CBDfd07fTE1NhxsqxApCiKZMQ_8Yukak_gjyoy3aSk-4hcpi-GVFc7VzE-pdUPvnD0haKp1cf__-qZHZQThMWCTpQGzNsdsD1RxLg1hFWgAAsmNbO-NiG4/s2048/Proverbs+1_0+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaBwJ561HNZslz6Zy7wvBt5CBDfd07fTE1NhxsqxApCiKZMQ_8Yukak_gjyoy3aSk-4hcpi-GVFc7VzE-pdUPvnD0haKp1cf__-qZHZQThMWCTpQGzNsdsD1RxLg1hFWgAAsmNbO-NiG4/w452-h640/Proverbs+1_0+2.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUeoKU0zv4dHv8cybeLvzfApzga8kjbe2UehYT6VORVBGpp5PW0KBIz8OVQ9rfzAQH81sd5Dh7cwxAM5ri9JWkiAFViLTHxidK0IHSJXFZEXvFkQqWq0YZ1Z8nn1f6gFZILBQ2vqQeXw/s2573/Screenshot+2021-09-12+at+01.12.27.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1222" data-original-width="2573" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUeoKU0zv4dHv8cybeLvzfApzga8kjbe2UehYT6VORVBGpp5PW0KBIz8OVQ9rfzAQH81sd5Dh7cwxAM5ri9JWkiAFViLTHxidK0IHSJXFZEXvFkQqWq0YZ1Z8nn1f6gFZILBQ2vqQeXw/w400-h190/Screenshot+2021-09-12+at+01.12.27.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-56360525435448602282021-09-11T10:25:00.002+01:002021-09-11T10:25:43.907+01:00Fear the Lord and Pursue Wisdom: Reflecting on Proverbs 1: 20-33<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When was the last time you heard a sermon or a reflection from the book of Proverbs? As I put forward this question, I am being reminded of at least five instances in my life about the engagement with the book of Proverbs. Firstly, in my childhood, I remember our parents and Sunday school teachers emphasising to us to read one chapter every day from the book of Proverbs as it contains 31 chapters, for on the one hand one can complete reading this book in a month and on the other hand it teaches some ethical and practical values of life. I remember reading the book of Proverbs with great admiration as it contained so many pro-verbs, in a sense so much profound wisdom is found in this book that is helpful for the actions in life. Secondly, I have engaged with the book of Proverbs by reading without fail, this particular verse from Proverbs 9:10 on the day of every school examination that I have written, for it offered me so much hope and confidence in doing my exams well. I want to read that verse aloud for you, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,”</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for this verse was an assurance for me in facing the tests and examinations with all courage and positivity. The third instance I remember was when my aunt suggested that I read Proverbs chapter 3 for every birthday I celebrate, for it speaks about long life and the length of days in life, so Proverbs 3 serves me to be a birthday text which I read and I suggest for others too to read on their birthdays. The fourth instance I remember about the book of Proverbs is when our local preachers in my town in India were prescribing the text of Proverbs chapter 31 to women, for that chapter speaks about the qualities of the virtuous woman. Fifthly, I did remember preaching a text from Proverbs at one of my churches in India, about Wisdom, where she challenges juris-prudence from people.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2SgFuhHlEtMtmPCZoSYx9LG07FULysa7cTfqyLR57ZjDGH8y_vIqY4as-fOB1Zj68ZKlEUpfbVTgH9qEX-RNpc-tD2z6IEWp78flpYjOkmoqRFBqrohNqJwwYyAIgpgh8-PMgEw3DDPw/s400/mothering+God.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="400" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2SgFuhHlEtMtmPCZoSYx9LG07FULysa7cTfqyLR57ZjDGH8y_vIqY4as-fOB1Zj68ZKlEUpfbVTgH9qEX-RNpc-tD2z6IEWp78flpYjOkmoqRFBqrohNqJwwYyAIgpgh8-PMgEw3DDPw/s320/mothering+God.png" width="320" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How do we define Wisdom? Most definitions of wisdom inform us that it is the appropriate application of the knowledge we have learned and experienced from. </span><span style="color: #212529; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We all know that wisdom is a good thing. Solomon was its champion. Proverbs sings its praises. Most wisdom literature presents wisdom as a mode of living defined by practical knowledge, ethical integrity, and intergenerational learning. Some of its key traits are moderation, even-headedness, and a concern for justice.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-33714760-7fff-a8b7-ef6d-5d208191df2e"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212529; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wisdom in the book of Proverbs is not based on a community’s faith or merit rather is ascribed in human terms given to all people. Ethan Schwartz observes, “On a more abstract level, a crucial feature of wisdom is its universality or cosmopolitanism. Wisdom is accessible to all human beings </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212529; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">as</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212529; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> human beings, through their own intellectual and moral faculties—not through membership in a particular group that is privy to a particular divine revelation or historical experience. Wisdom literature tends to eschew communal particularities and to speak instead in human generalities. The book of Proverbs, for instance, mentions Israel only in the superscription and doesn’t present God as the covenantal deity of a specific national story. It’s therefore no surprise that wisdom literature from across the ancient world—including the Bible, Egypt, Greece, and Mesopotamia—often sounds and feels substantially similar. Wisdom was a broad, international discourse.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #212529; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">[1]</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now turning to Proverbs 1:20-33, the prescribed lectionary text for this Sunday, it speaks about the woman wisdom, for the writer of this text informs the audience that wisdom is crying out asking people to live out their lives in prudence. The wisdom of God is like the grace of God, offered to all of creation based on God’s graciousness and not on human abilities or merits. God creating human beings in God’s equal image is the principle to understand that the wisdom of God is on all people of God. Unfortunately, in our human frailty, we either neglect or even reject being led by the wisdom of God and seek ways that meet the needs of our own self-interests. The wisdom of God is always life-giving to the entire creation of God and seeks for the renewal of the creation. The call of this text is to invoke the wisdom of God in each of our lives and work towards transforming our society and renewing the creation. In this text, we notice four things which are relevant for our times today.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Publicness of Wisdom:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In verses 20 and 21, we see that wisdom is crying out in the street and in the squares, she raises her voice. This is to say wisdom is out in the public square and is not a matter of private affairs or is limited to any particular religious grouping. Wisdom is crying out in the busiest corners and at the entrance of the city gates, so that wisdom is heard by all people in the public square.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Proclamation of Wisdom:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From verse 22-28, we see the woman wisdom’s proclamation of the impending reality, explaining that the public sphere has not taken into account her counsel. Let us read out these verses:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #7f7f7f; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">22.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and fools hate knowledge?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">23</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Give heed to my reproof;</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will pour out my thoughts to you;</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I will make my words known to you.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">24</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Because I have called and you refused,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have stretched out my hand and no one heeded,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">25</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and because you have ignored all my counsel</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and would have none of my reproof,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">26</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I also will laugh at your calamity;</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I will mock when panic strikes you,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">27</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> when panic strikes you like a storm,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> when distress and anguish come upon you.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">28</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> they will seek me diligently, but will not find me.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Pathway of Wisdom:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In verse 29, wisdom further proclaims that the people in the public sphere hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord. In other words, the pathway for wisdom is the fear of the Lord. We see this in several other verses in the book of Proverbs. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Our fear of the Lord is demonstrated in our prudent judgements in life, which is all about wisdom. Fearing the Lord is to be led by the wisdom of God, and in this process, we confess our human failings for hating knowledge, for not being open to the cries of wisdom in the public sphere. The key to this text is fearing the Lord and to pursue the wisdom of God.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Promise of Wisdom:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In verse 33, the woman wisdom offers a promise that those who listen to her will be secure and will live at ease, without dread of disaster. The woman wisdom begins by crying in the public sphere and ends in promising that those who listen to her will be saved and secured. This promise is about listening to the wisdom of God, working with God and community and striving for the new heaven and new earth here in our midst. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today in the 21</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">st</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> century, the wisdom that is being spoken in our public sphere is about being prudent in the context of the growing climate crisis. As the world leaders will gather at the UN Climate Change Conference CoP26 at Glasgow in November 2021, it will be an opportunity for us a follower of Jesus Christ to listen to the cries of the woman wisdom who is crying out loud in our streets about the impending climate crisis and is challenging each of us to step up, to join in striving for a green world, for wisdom which is the fear of the Lord is inviting us to care for our planet as our faith commitment.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Secondly, in the context of refugees and migrants, fearing the Lord and pursuing the wisdom of God is to offer welcome and hospitality without any conditions. The wisdom of God compels us to think that the issue of refugees is about the lives of people, and saving life and protecting life is all that the wisdom of God leads to.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thirdly, in the context of vaccines where several wealthy nations are busy discussing giving booster doses to their citizens, there are several poorer nations who are struggling to get the first jab, fearing God and pursuing wisdom to share the vaccines with people who are not able to afford it.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fourthly, when discrimination of people in name of caste, gender, class, race, religion, sexuality is on the rise, to fear God and to pursue wisdom is to love people of all identities and resist all forms of xenophobia. It is fools who hate the cries of wisdom, and so love is the ultimate public expression of the wisdom of God.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fifthly, as the World Week of Prayer for Peace in Palestine and Israel begins from 18-25 September, fearing God and to pursue wisdom is striving for peace and justice in this land, so that people can live in freedom from occupations. Our call is to advocate towards peace in this land from our own localities and churches. We are called as churches to witness that we are for peace and justice in this land, and join the solidarity movements towards that goal. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The given text from Proverbs is challenging us to respond to the fear of the Lord, listen to the wisdom, strive for the renewal of our creation or reject the fear of the Lord and pursue wealth and self-interests. It is time that we turn to the fear of the Lord, so that the seeds of wisdom will sprout in our lives and we can act on Christ’s ways, who is the power and wisdom of God in and for our world today.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Raj Bharat Patta,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">11</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> September 2021</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 17pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">[1]</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> https://politicaltheology.com/wise-religion/</span></p><br /></span>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-46302304461140343452021-09-03T14:28:00.001+01:002021-09-03T14:28:08.286+01:00Church to Re-form as an “Ephphatha community”: Reflecting on Mark 7:31-37<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the gospel according to St. Mark 7:31-37, we find Jesus healing a person who is differently- abled, suffering from hearing and speaking impediments. The interesting part of this healing for me is the role of a community or a group of people who played a very important part in the healing of this person. If we carefully read through this healing, we see that the healing is taken place in an </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">unknown place</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (no clear place is mentioned), the healing happens to an </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">unknown person</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (no name or identity of the person is mentioned), the people who bring the sick person to Jesus was an </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">unknown community</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (it is only mentioned as ‘they, no other clue of who they are), and Jesus uses an </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">unusual way of healing</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (taking aside the person to a private place, putting his fingers in his ears, touching his tongue with his saliva, looking up to heaven, sighing and saying ‘Ephphatha’), and transforms the person to a known one as his own one.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNNCHYQoUOSfZClrTnRy7S2Enj7NYjoE6mZdtARAYQ054iF8Oq9agU7BcA1DLwLTfENLME8iFIHagp72TpW2K2DfEL0dWglhGQ_e-NfLGbICPnu2WCvc3Fh7pB2Y7WHe5CDWSVHnScXw/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNNCHYQoUOSfZClrTnRy7S2Enj7NYjoE6mZdtARAYQ054iF8Oq9agU7BcA1DLwLTfENLME8iFIHagp72TpW2K2DfEL0dWglhGQ_e-NfLGbICPnu2WCvc3Fh7pB2Y7WHe5CDWSVHnScXw/" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The emphasis I make in this episode is on the role of the </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">unknown community, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">which played a vital role in the whole healing process. Here is where I strongly feel the relevance of this community for the church today. This </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">unknown community, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I would like to call them the “</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ephphatha Community” </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and this community was primarily instrumental in making the unknown place to be a known one, for it would remain as a historic place for healing. This community transformed the person, his life and his future. I wonder whether Jesus would have been marvelled by the faith of this community of people and healed the person. By the way, ‘Ephaphatha’ means ‘be open’ and one can decipher the openness of this community to the needs of their neighbour, for they held the needs of their neighbour as top priority to be addressed. The community’s faith would have been the news headlines in their days, and if the writer of Hebrews would have known about this community, there will be no surprise to see if he/she would have added this community in the heroes and the sheroes of faith mentioned in the 11</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Chapter in the book of Hebrews. This community was a group of unsung heroes and sheroes, who did not crave for their name or banner, but rather concentrated on their neighbour and his healing. Kudos ‘Ephphatha Community’, you really are an exemplary one for all generations!</span><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c5fd8081-7fff-0ef6-84e1-cc6b8d451464"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Therefore, today I pray that our church will be inspired to be like the ‘Ephphatha Community’, concerned deeply for their neighbours and be an exemplary one in its journey of mission and witness. To summarise the characters of the ‘Ephphatha Community’ are, which in a way explain their openness.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was an unknown community – for no identity is mentioned.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was a voicing community – for it voiced for this voiceless person.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was a faith community – but for their faith, the person was healed.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was an open community – no barriers for it, even the sick & weak were members</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was a proclaiming community – zealously proclaimed the healer & the healing</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was a loving community – its concern for the neighbour</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I cannot but find a greater one than this ‘Ephphatha Community’ to be a role model for our church today. How are we as a church becoming the ‘Ephphatha Community’ of our times, addressing the needs of our neighbours? The potential in our congregations needs to be harnessed and used creatively, missionally and contextually to make our church vibrant. ‘Openness’ is one of the key ecclesial characters that define the being and becoming of our churches today. How open are we to the needs of our neighbours? How open are we to the perspectives of our neighbours? Or to put it the other way, if we are closed to the needs, perspectives and ideas of our neighbours, perhaps this text, this unknown community whom I want to celebrate as ‘Ephaphatha’ community challenges us as churches to be open to people’s needs around us. If there is at least one thing this text calls us as people of faith, it is, that we are called to be with open arms receiving all people of God, respecting them, caring for them and attending to their needs and striving towards the healing of our neighbours. Our openness to God, to our neighbour and to our creation determines our faith in Jesus Christ today. I am reminded of the words from the song, “Jesu, Jesu,” where the writer explains this love for the neighbour so well, “Jesu, Jesu, fill us with your love, show us how to serve the neighbours we have from you,” for we learn how to serve our neighbours from the life and witness of our saviour Jesus Christ.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we begin the ‘Time for Creation’ during this month of September, as on the 5</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of September it is observed as ‘Climate Sunday’ in the UK, and as the international community gears up towards the CoP26 Climate change summit in Glasgow, it is time that we as churches express our solidarity with our creation and strive for climate justice today. For me, creation is our immediate neighbour, who is badly wounded and is on the grave margins, and to her needs we are called to attend to. It is time that we reflect climate justice as a faith issue. With the climate crisis so real today, we are called to address climate justice as a matter of urgency, striving like the ‘Ephphatha community’ for the renewal of our neighbour, the creation.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Ephphatha community’ had to make immense sacrifices when they brought their neighbour to Jesus Christ, they did not bring their own needs to Jesus rather cared for their neighbour and voiced their need to Jesus. In the context of climate change, we are called to sacrifice our pleasures and are called to care for the resources around us carefully and faithfully. Solidarity with Jesus, solidarity with creation, solidarity with the victims of climate crisis, solidarity with climate activists is the need of the hour today. To respond to the call of solidarity is to affirm life and to learn to live in true solidarity. Daisy L. Machado says, “Solidarity allows us to see the </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">imago dei</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the faces of those not like us, and it gives us the strength to reach out to those we consider foreign, to “the other” and to attempt to build community. And it is solidarity that condemns the radical individualism that pervades the lifestyle we find today throughout those nations that enjoy wealth and power, where the value of a person is measured in how much she or he can buy.``</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: super;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[1]</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Therefore the grace of God calls us to praxis and is calling us to be in solidarity with all those striving for liberation and justice today. If a transformed world in God’s grace is to be possible, firstly transformation needs to take place within us. If a transformed ME is possible, then a transformed world in God’s grace is possible. If a transformed world is to be possible, a transformed and re-formed church has to happen. It is time that we green our minds, green our faith, green our churches, green our pulpits, green our hermeneutics, green our theologies and green our actions so that we as a church can participate in making a difference to our world today. May we as churches dedicate ourselves to re-form as the 21</i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">st</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> century ‘Ephaphatha’ community, open and relevant for our times today.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our mother earth bleeds because of our greed,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Justice is when we protect her seeds and care for her needs,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She is our neighbour to whom we proceed,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘To love is to save’ we live it through our deeds</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Raj Bharat Patta,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">rd</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> September 2021</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 17pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">[1]</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Daisy L. Machado, “James 1-5” in </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Grace You Have Been Saved</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (WCC: Geneva, 2005) Pp. 83-84.</span></p><br /></span>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-83884138522303525322021-07-30T09:05:00.001+01:002021-07-30T09:05:16.526+01:00 If Jesus is the ‘bread of life,’ so should we be as a church: Reflecting on John 6:24-35<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The broad interpretation of the word ‘hunger’ as adopted from the “State of Hunger 2021’ report of the Trussell Trust in the UK is understood as ‘household food insecurity,’ which is defined as ‘a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food.’</span><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">[1]</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The report also explains that the lack of food is one of the aspects of wider poverty. Nearly six million adults and 1.7 million children in the UK were struggling to get enough food between Sept 2020 and Feb 2021, with BAME, disabled and older people being the worst affected. There has been a significant rise in ‘food poverty’ and the pandemic has changed things from bad to worse, pushing many people to hunger. It is also reported that most severe ‘food deserts’ in the UK were in areas of Greater Manchester, London, Liverpool and Glasgow. On the other hand, ‘holiday hunger’ for children at schools has been unabated, and we see people like Marcus Rashford consistently making efforts in addressing issues of hunger of children.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9ca4b693-7fff-1ec4-1e1b-b78532328db3"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In such a context, where ‘food poverty’ and hunger are the grim realities around us, how do we understand Jesus’ saying to the crowds in John 6:35, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” As I read and reflect this text, my immediate reaction has been to seek a confession from God, for how we as churches and Christians over the period of history have conveniently interpreted this saying of Jesus to say that Jesus was speaking about people who are ‘spiritually’ hungry and thirsty, making no sense to people who are physically hungry and thirsty. Lord, in your mercy, forgive us.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhy7waTQibN1k4U74D6cFqb1Aqrs5tt-3O1_HfQtR1edxFfTKP156Kf7usDSHMfQCU44Tg2TZfAcCRxIKe8FvUQd4dBSLfJafWMdiJfDM3wmj6fQiG9pgkNso7LWTUwitBYUPZqSyzTs/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="1200" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhy7waTQibN1k4U74D6cFqb1Aqrs5tt-3O1_HfQtR1edxFfTKP156Kf7usDSHMfQCU44Tg2TZfAcCRxIKe8FvUQd4dBSLfJafWMdiJfDM3wmj6fQiG9pgkNso7LWTUwitBYUPZqSyzTs/" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When we read this text of John 6:24-35, we see Jesus speaking to the crowds right after feeding them with 5 loaves and 2 fish to 5000 plus people. The crowd were asking for a sign from Jesus to believe him, and they remembered how their ancestors were fed by the heavenly manna in the wilderness when they were in hunger (31v). Jesus had to explain to the crowd that it was not Moses who gave them manna, but God, who had fed them with the true bread from heaven. Jesus here in that context makes two profound faith statements, which are relevant for his times and also for our times today.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Firstly, Jesus says, “For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (33v). Jesus was reinterpreting the whole manna experience of their ancestors explaining that ‘the bread of God’ incarnates to give life to the world, food to the hungry-filled world. ‘The bread of God’ is not that which sits in the heavens untouched by the pain, suffering and hunger of the world. Out of God’s compassion to the hungry world, God shares God’s bread so that the hungry are fed and the thirsty are quenched, offering life to the world. ‘The bread of God’ is not about storing the bread for a rainy day, nor is it about accumulating bread and filling the heaven’s barns, rather is about coming down from heaven and is about reaching out to the hungry and giving life to the world. In giving life to the world, the bread becomes the bread of God. In other words, any bread that reaches out to the hungry and offers life, becomes the bread of God.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This discussion then brings into the relevance of our ‘Holy communion,’ for Christians understand the bread they receive at the ‘Holy communion’ as ‘the bread of God’ or ‘the body of Jesus Christ.’ I do understand and respect all the historical and theological traditions of the Eucharist. However, this text calls and challenges all those of us participating in the ‘Holy communion’ to understand and recognise that the bread we eat at this sacrament becomes ‘the bread of God’ when we as recipients go out into the world and feed the hungry, giving life to the world. The ‘heavenliness’ or the ‘divinity’ or the ‘spirituality’ of ‘the bread of God’ is in giving life to the world by feeding the hungry and meeting the needs of people who are being pushed into ‘food poverty.’ Next time, we partake in the ‘Holy communion,’ let us be reminded that ‘the holiness’ of the sacrament is in sharing food, offering food and in feeding the hungry, for we are joining with the ‘bread of God’ in giving life to the world.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Secondly, Jesus’ reply to the crowd who have asked him to give them such a bread of God always, as “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (35v) is of great significance. Jesus now communicates that he is ‘the bread of God’ who has come down from heaven to be the bread of life to give life to the world. Jesus firstly introduces ‘the bread of God’ and then implies himself to be the ‘bread of life’ who has incarnated into the world. The identity of Jesus is that he is the bread of life, and the purpose of his life is to be bread to the hungry and be a drink to the thirsty and give life to the world. Jesus then explains that whoever, no matter who they are, they will be fed by Jesus, with Jesus and will never go thirsty. The context into which Jesus was speaking was dominated by hunger and thirst, as the Roman empire was exploiting the people of first century Palestine with unjust taxes and by plundering the harvest grown by their hands in their own lands. So, when the crowd heard these Jesus words that he is the bread of life who addresses hunger and thirst, these words of Jesus sounded as real good news for them, for no one goes hungry and thirsty at Jesus and with Jesus. On the one hand the Roman empire plunders life from the world, creating more hunger and more thirst among people, and on the other hand Jesus, who has come from the bread of God, becomes the bread of life and has been on the mission of addressing ‘food poverty,’ giving life to the world. For this reason, there are about six incidents recorded in the Gospels where Jesus feeds people with bread and fish, which only explains Jesus’ mission of addressing hunger as his priority. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, this text has a huge relevance for our times today in the 21</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">st</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> century, where the world is becoming more hungrier and thirstier for life. The call for us is to be like Jesus, grounding in the bread of God and offering ourselves to be the bread of life, sharing our gifts, resources, food and water with people who have been pushed into situations of poverty. It is easy to eulogise that Jesus is the bread of life and celebrate about it, but the challenge is in seeking the relevance of Jesus the bread of life who came down from heaven to give life to the world, for likewise we are called to come down from citadels of comfort and give bread, drink and life to the world. This is a huge ask, however this is the meaning of following Jesus faithfully today, to be the givers of life with Jesus to the world today.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This week I have read a story about Trinity Methodist church in Hull, who as part of their mission plan created a project called “Re:Uniform'' giving away free school uniforms to children, and about 1000 local children were benefited by this initiative over the past two years. This story has been very inspiring, where we find the relevance of a local church in the community, which as I read it understand that they are trying to be bread of life by distributing school uniforms freely for children, addressing the needs of children and families.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our school pantry initiative of taking food to local schools has made some inroads in our reaching out to the community, for which I am thankful to all those who have supported it. There are several signs of hope in trying to be the bread of life to the world today. Thanks to Marcus Rashford who has been constantly channelling food to children and their families living in deprived situations of life.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I, for one think that if Jesus is the bread of life, we as his followers, as his church should be the bread of life to people around us, be a table for all people, sharing food and offering drink, challenging the systems that perpetuate ‘food poverty’ and be a place of bread and drink for all. We as a church will find our relevance by feeding the hungry, by questioning the powers that create a gap between the haves and have-nots and by striving for food justice for all people on our planet. We as a church should be known as ‘bread church,’ ‘rice & curry church’, ‘soup church’ ‘falafel church’ etc. where food and drink are available to all, so that we address the needs of the hungry and the thirsty. And in Jesus’ parable of last judgement in Matthew 25, the guiding principle for God’s justice code is about feeding the hungry, nursing the wounded, and releasing the captives. May we as churches and as Christians follow such a code and strive to make our world a better place to live in.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Allow me to conclude with a lyric that I have written in 2010 for a Lutheran World Federation General Assembly where the theme was, “Give us today our daily bread,” which is still relevant today:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Give us today our daily bread…</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. Give us today our daily bread,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teach us today to thank on what we’re fed,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Help us today, realise many go to bed,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Without a meal and are nearly dead.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Refrain: Food for thought, food for life and food for all,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 108pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Good for thought, good for life and good for all,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Said our thoughts, said for life and said for all,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Live our thoughts, live for life and live for all.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. Forgive us O God for we eat in greed,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For selfishness is what we breed,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Forgetting that sharing should be our creed,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Forever we are insensitive to those in need.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. O God, the maker & the giver of life,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You have sent your son as bread of life,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Broken for us to save from death & strife,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Promising those that taste you, eternal life.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. Is starvation swallowed up in the victory of sharing?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Its sting, accumulation broken by caring,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Root of greed is uprooted in that sharing,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Food for all and life for all will be its bearing.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Raj Bharat Patta,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">29</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> July 2021</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Arial; font-size: 17pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">[1]</span></span><a href="https://www.trusselltrust.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/05/State-of-Hunger-2021-Report-Final.pdf" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.trusselltrust.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/05/State-of-Hunger-2021-Report-Final.pdf</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, P.10</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pic credit: https://www.christianity.com/wiki/jesus-christ/why-is-jesus-called-the-bread-of-life.html </span></p><br />raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-66060189502655065822021-07-16T10:08:00.001+01:002021-07-16T10:08:33.376+01:00‘One new humanity’ in Christ: The site of God’s dwelling place - Reflecting on Ephesians 2:11-22<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;">Following the finals of the Euro 2020 football championship, Sancho, Rashford and Saka, the three football players from the England team have been racially abused and so much venom has been spitting on them online because of their colour by some toxic nationalists. When a mural of Rashford was damaged at Withington in Manchester, a great number of people came together to stand up against racism, supporting Rashford, offering messages of love and calling communities to defeat hatred and hostility against the stranger has been heart-warming. To offer our support and solidarity to Rashford, we as a family visited this site where the mural of Rashford was covered with lots of messages of love, and found that there are many people from different walks of life who came there to offer respect and stand up against racism. This wall with the mural of Rashford in Withington has now become a new pilgrim site for justice, where lots of people are visiting to take hope and courage in standing with Rashford and in standing up against racism. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9f-2-iJX7f_jNbhwxBpqZU4yl3Gaj4XXQoKCWSiNJKx18QksESJ8E78EwaREPrDY1C1lpgNU1y0xIiMVx2sWHmVchefoSqsMxwdwsbRMS0wSt56KJfYSuYXBQ3mf84Ekz2LtSNr7Lvjo/s2048/Pilgrimage+Rashford.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1539" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9f-2-iJX7f_jNbhwxBpqZU4yl3Gaj4XXQoKCWSiNJKx18QksESJ8E78EwaREPrDY1C1lpgNU1y0xIiMVx2sWHmVchefoSqsMxwdwsbRMS0wSt56KJfYSuYXBQ3mf84Ekz2LtSNr7Lvjo/s320/Pilgrimage+Rashford.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-f2440d8d-7fff-9651-9e6f-6593121068ac"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was particularly warmed by the profound theological statement made by Phoebe Parkin, the Youth President of the Methodist Church condemning racism following the Euro 2020 final. She says, “</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Football isn’t the problem. The problem is that we live in a society where sexism, racism, nationalism and violence are enabled, where not enough of us (including myself) actively work to challenge even the lowest levels of sexism, racism and nationalism. Jesus showed us that we should be peacemakers and showed us that we should love others as ourselves, showing the same grace and compassion that God shows to us.” By this statement, Phoebe is inviting the church to actively work on challenging issues of racism, sexism and nationalism in the spirit of Jesus offering love, peace and compassion.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the epistle lesson for this week, Ephesians 2:11-22, Paul speaks to the early church at Ephesus about Jesus who has come to make peace by breaking down the dividing wall, transcending all kinds of barriers like uncircumcised, gentiles, strangers, foreigners, aliens and making all people of God as ‘one humanity’ and as equal members of the household of God. In the Ephesian context, the divisions among people were based on circumcision and uncircumcision, believers and non-believers, gentiles and Jews, foreigners and natives. In other words, the divisions were based on rituals, religion, ethnicity, and regionalism. Into such a divided and divisive context Paul was ascribing the public relevance of the gospel of Jesus Christ by encouraging them to strive for peace, reconciliation, and oneness of humanity, reminding them of Jesus’ mission of peace and peace-making, joining both the groups in peace. It is interesting to see Pauls’ public theological perspectives coming alive in this text as he engages with his context.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Firstly, Paul explains that peace is realised by creating ‘one new humanity’ in Christ. Paul says, “He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, so that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of two, thus making peace,” (15v) for peace in a divisive setting is possible only by creating ‘one new humanity’ in Christ. Paul was not offering a solution of creating a ‘one new church’ here, rather was emphasising ‘one new humanity in Christ.’ Humanity has been losing its credibility by falling prey to the divisions based on race, colour, ethnicity, religion and ritual. In other words, with the entrenchment of divisions, discriminations, oppressions, and marginalisation in the society, dehumanisation has taken over humanity since creation. So, when Christ has come in the form of a human, it is important to recognise that Christ was born as Jesus in a dehumanising world offering ‘salvation as humanisation.’ Though this sounds anthropomorphic, the idea is that when Jesus has come to offer peace, breaking the walls of division, he is breaking the walls of dehumanisation and has been creating ‘one new humanity’ which strives for a renewed creation order. To put it in other words, Christ has come to create ‘one new humanity’ by breaking the powers of dehumanisation, so that this new humanity in Christ will work together transcending all barriers for a new and renewed creation.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, drawing a relevance of this text for our context, today we recognise racism, sexism and toxic nationalism have been the principalities of dehumanisation, that have been dividing the society, and the call for us as followers of Jesus Christ is to work towards ‘one new humanity’ where all these evils of dehumanisation will be dismantled. The call of the church is to partake with Jesus in creating ‘one new humanity’, where Christ offers the clue to understand what humanness means in Jesus, for love, peace, reconciliation, compassion and justice are the outward expressions of the ‘one new humanity.’ What have we as a church contributed towards creating that ‘one new humanity’ in Christ? The obsessions of the church today have been on numerical church growth, and the mission for ‘one new humanity’ has taken a back bench in our endeavours as a church. We as a church should be at the forefront of fighting racism, sexism, toxic nationalism, and addressing the needs of the people on the margins. By such activism and actions, new spaces and new places of Christian presence will be celebrated. We as a church should stand by Rashford, Sancho and Saka and many like them who have become victims of racism and engage with the issues in the public sphere, for only then we as churches will find our relevance today.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The public theological language of testifying about ‘one new humanity’ for our 21</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">st</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> century is all about engaging in ‘one new ecology in Christ.’ The ‘new humanity’ who have defeated dehumanisation with Christ, will work for a new creation, thereby a (re)newed ecology is created, in which space, humanity and creation live and work in peace and harmony, with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone for such a ‘one new ecology.’ </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Secondly, Paul explains that peace is celebrated as ‘one new humanity’ in Christ by growing into a new temple of God in Christ (20-22v). Here Paul offers a clue for the church to grow. When peace through Christ and in Christ is made, then all disparities and inequalities are broken down for this ‘one new humanity’ becomes the household of God built on Jesus Christ, the cornerstone. Paul proposes to the church at Ephesus that this ‘one new humanity’ where peace, equality and love are established, now becomes the ‘dwelling-place for God.’ In a way Paul was proposing a new definition for the temple of God, that God is not limited to the holy shrines and the temples, nor is confined by territory or building, rather the ‘one new humanity’ becomes the site where God’s indwelling moves, lives and happens.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The relevance of this text for us today is that when dehumanising powers of racism, sexism and toxic nationalism are broken down and dismantled, ‘one new humanity in Christ’ is created. In that new creation, peace, equality and love thrives, and such a new site becomes the new ground where God finds God’s new dwelling place. So as followers if we defeat these powers and break down the walls of division, then we collectively become part of the ‘one new humanity’ and we become the new temple where God dwells among us. Put it differently, if dehumanising powers thrive and dominate our lives, God is not living among us and we as humans have lost the purpose of our humanness. So, the call for us as a church is to find the dwelling place of God within us and among our communities. It’s time that we as churches should be working for a ‘one new humanity’ and testify that God dwells among us in that new humanity and community.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God doesn’t dwell among sites of dehumanisation, for all the powers of dehumanisation are anti-God. Let us therefore work together in breaking down the walls of racism, sexism and toxic nationalism and make ourselves, our churches and our communities as places of love, hospitality and inclusion, celebrating the fact that we are all part of ‘one new humanity’ in Christ.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashford, Sancho and Saka, we love you and we stand by you, for you have all made us proud. Together we live, together we fight against dehumanisation, and together we partake in the ‘one new humanity in Christ.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Raj Bharat Patta,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">16</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> July 2021</span></p><br /></span>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-18328437708780028352021-07-09T10:36:00.004+01:002021-07-09T10:36:53.469+01:00Who is haunting you? For Herod, it was Jesus, the risen John - Reflecting on Mark 6:14-29<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;">In my childhood, many ghost stories were taking rounds in our locality, for it was said that people who have died with their desires unmet would come as ghosts and haunt people who have ill-treated them when they were alive. I am not sure of the authenticity of ghosts moving around, but it was strongly believed in the community that they haunted people. Back in our village I remember some people cook the favourite food of their dear ones who have died on their death anniversary, and place a bowl of that food near their photo with a belief that they come and taste it, in a way to say that they are still with them and celebrate their presence around them. </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-13b02dc2-7fff-662d-7fed-e47581edf147"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The text this week from Mark 6:14-29 is one such passage, where King Herod was haunted by the memories of John, and eventually identifies Jesus as John, whom he beheaded and is now raised. This is the only text in the New Testament where a birthday of a person is mentioned, which is King Herod’s. This again explains the colonial trappings of that context, for only kings afforded to celebrate birthdays, for only such people’s lives mattered and their births were deemed important and on the other hand birthdays of the powerful people are remembered and therefore recorded. Herod throws a birthday banquet for his court officials, and when Herodia's daughter dances and pleases his guests, Herod offers this girl to ask for anything as a gift, even half of his kingdom to give. Herodias uses her young girl to ask for the head of John the baptiser on a platter as a gift, for John spoke truth to the powers (18v), for which Herodias was sore at. Herod yielded to it and beheaded John and gave it to her on a platter.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZcFlLZG1GhYWjXu3KKNAOCZgCjTi5eZqgzDB1NwHdM5iMjR7owX6JiypSXQcUxMQtY_KBoaEc5lFOBKUovsjBK5LgGxELhDvQSsVwCa-f4DTSoLzWpRjHdMeBnjkkee5OQTXI39rLio/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="563" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZcFlLZG1GhYWjXu3KKNAOCZgCjTi5eZqgzDB1NwHdM5iMjR7owX6JiypSXQcUxMQtY_KBoaEc5lFOBKUovsjBK5LgGxELhDvQSsVwCa-f4DTSoLzWpRjHdMeBnjkkee5OQTXI39rLio/" width="196" /></a></div><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Against this backdrop, when Jesus’ name was spreading across the region for his powers and works among the people, and when Herod heard about Jesus, he and his court officials were trying to identify who this Jesus was. There were at least four different identifications made at Herod’s court on learning about Jesus. Firstly, some say that John the baptiser has been raised from the dead; and for this reason, these powers were at work in Jesus (14v). Raising from the dead was not a new concept in the religious world view of those times in Palestine, and so when Jesus was performing his works of healing and speaking truth to the powers, they thought that either Jesus was the new John, or Jesus had the spirit of John in him and so was able to do his works. Secondly, some others said that Jesus was Elijah (15a), who was one of the prominent prophets of the Old Testament, and did not see death as he ascended into heaven. Perhaps the wisdom of Herod’s court believed that Jesus was that Elijah who again descended into their midst performing powerful acts of healing and transforming their communities. Thirdly, others said that Jesus is a prophet, like one of the prophets of the old (15b) who continued his prophetic ministry of teaching, healing and contesting the powers and principalities of his times. Finally, when Herod heard of Jesus, he was haunted by the memories of John the baptiser, and particularly how he cruelly beheaded him and said Jesus is “John, whom I beheaded, and has been raised” (16v). For Herod, Jesus is the haunting John, bringing him those memories of arresting John, binding him and putting him in prison and even reminding him of the guilt of beheading John for speaking the truth to his wife Herodias for unlawfully marrying his brother’s wife.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Jesus, the haunting John’ is not on the Christological titles of Jesus Christ, but on reflecting this passage I recognise the need for this title, for it challenges those in power to know that Jesus is a mirror granting them an opportunity to reflect the unjust things they have done in the past and offers a space to seek forgiveness and in striving for justice as a way forward. Unfortunately, Herod though recognised that Jesus is the haunting John in his life who has come back to life from the death, continued his life in collaboration with the colonial powers without any repentance in his life, for towards the end we know the role he has played towards the crucifixion of Jesus as a public criminal.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Secondly, on recognising Jesus as the haunting John, Herod recognised that Jesus has come as a new-being, continuing the mission of John the baptiser, in fact with more power, which includes contesting the colonial powers, healing and loving people. John the baptiser said about Jesus at his baptism, that the one coming after him is more powerful, and to that extent Jesus carried on more powerful acts of mission. Jesus calls Herod elsewhere as recorded in Luke 13:32, “the fox” which was part of his mission of contestation.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thirdly, ‘Jesus as the haunting John’ is a title that reminds the listeners that prophets keep haunting people who are engrossed in doing unjust acts. Jesus has come to make this world a better place, a transforming place and a ‘new creation’, by speaking truth to the powers and by being prophetic, which is ‘good news to the poor as bad news to the rich.’ Christian discipleship is all about grace, and it is grace that calls people to repentance and to walk humbly with God, which is to get busy in doing acts of love and justice.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fourthly, ‘Jesus the haunting John’ is a precursor to discuss Jesus’ resurrection for Herod recognises that Jesus is the risen John who has come back to life from the dead. For this very reason, there is no mention of Jesus appearing to the powerful people after his resurrection, including Herod, for to Herod Jesus remains to be haunting John, and perhaps that could be the reason that Herod played his part to get away with Jesus, the haunting John, through criminal execution on the cross.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The relevance of this text is that Jesus is the one who exposes one’s unjust acts, and the name of Jesus is the name that haunts people till they seek forgiveness and turn away from evil doings. The name of Jesus is the haunting Grace that haunts us to lead a just life, overcoming injustice, inequality and indignity. The name of Jesus haunts us till we deliver justice. At the General Synods and Conference meetings of the churches, they have come forward to express ‘full and unreserved apology’ to all the past historical mistakes they have made including the past safeguarding cases of abuse, for the experiences of racism, for exclusion of LGBTQI people in the church etc. which is invoking the name of Jesus into the life of the church. What is the meaning of the name of Jesus today? A mere apology is not sufficient, for the name of Jesus calls for action, calls to exercise justice. The name of Jesus is a name of love, grace, hope, justice, equality, peace and at the same time the name of Jesus is also contesting and defeating hate, injustice, inequality, prejudice, pride, privilege, exclusion, and discrimination. Is Jesus haunting you in your faith? If yes, he is inviting you to grace by overcoming complacency and evil deeds which we succumb to, and drives you to work for peace, love and justice in every way possible.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On this ‘Action for Children’ Sunday, the name of Jesus is haunting us to recognise that there are many vulnerable children across the world, and we are called to join in addressing their needs in ensuring life in all its fullness. The name of Jesus should inspire us to work towards addressing hunger and thirst in our world today and strive for a just world.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last week, Fr. Stan Swamy, a Jesuit priest and a Tribal rights activist in India died in the hospital due to Covid. He was arrested on the mere assumptions that his advocacy works were linked to Maoist terrorism, which was untrue. Many people demanded his release from the prison, and his death is being called by many social activists as ‘institutional murder.’ Fr. Stan will continue to haunt all those in power today, for his blood is on the hands of the present day Herods, calling them to repentance and striving towards justice for Tribals and Dalits in India.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">May the name of Jesus haunt each of us to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God. Jesus is the haunting John, and the risen Jesus is the haunting grace in the Holy ‘ghost.’ Amen.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Raj Bharat Patta,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">9</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> July 2021</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pic Credit: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/635218722429426573/</span></p><br />raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-2531633031820847922021-07-02T18:40:00.000+01:002021-07-02T18:40:48.710+01:00In situations of rejection, love is the only response: Reflecting on Mark 6:1-13<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;">During the recent Euro 2020 football matches, it was reported that some fans in the stadium were booing the English team when they were taking a knee in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter campaign in support of anti-racism. They say ‘booing is a way of fans showing their dissatisfaction.’ However, the manager of the England team, Gareth Southgate has said that those booing are not able to understand the message, and has kept his determination for the cause of fighting racism in the game of football and in the society. Fans generally come to the stadiums to cheer their teams and encourage them when they play the game against the opponents. How can one’s own fans boo their own team when they do things that are different to what they expect their team to do? English football team is committed to give ‘red card’ to racism and wanted to spread the message of equality of all people irrespective of their colour, creed, ethnicity and sexuality, for no amount of booing will stop their determination and commitment for this cause, and all football lovers are called to strive towards racial justice and equality.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCrgEl69Foq_Q9PhpkQEPNPqbtOEqOwwOkEdTtSW96x_cJlzz8jTdlhk1IkMa4Xfd7dFQwUg-SAZ_GlNPPbO6AFgvdPRW1LG08mWQr550xqBnc_lk_M5s_FzEWfxkp8n0shkXXdT8HUU/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="474" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCrgEl69Foq_Q9PhpkQEPNPqbtOEqOwwOkEdTtSW96x_cJlzz8jTdlhk1IkMa4Xfd7dFQwUg-SAZ_GlNPPbO6AFgvdPRW1LG08mWQr550xqBnc_lk_M5s_FzEWfxkp8n0shkXXdT8HUU/" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c6542bec-7fff-e6a1-f243-f5416cfde11e"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3745454545454545; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Back in the day, when Jesus came to his home town and was preaching in his local synagogue on a Sabbath day, his own people were booing Jesus as they were astounded by his wisdom, power and deeds asking “Is not this the carpenter, son of Mary, brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters with us? And they took offence at him.” (6:3) Why did his local mates take offence at Jesus? Firstly, they took offence because they could not accept the fact that a simple carpenter could speak wisdom, perform healings and do great things. In other words, they would have been ok, if Jesus the carpenter was coming out with his wooden gifts and crafts, anything that Jesus does which is beyond their own expectations, they can’t take it and take offence on Jesus, in a way they were booing him. A person from his ancestral trade has to do only that kind of trade, and any disruption, deviance and defiance to that particular trade would be considered offensive and is subject to booing. Such a thinking is the bedrock of colonialism, for it thrives under the principle of rigidity and upholding status quo, however oppressive that structure is. In the context of casteism, people are divided in the name of caste, based on their occupations, and such a division of labour continues on one’s descent. People like Gandhi upheld such casteist division of labour and promulgated that if people in their own castes/occupations perform their own duties then the society will be harmonious. Any mobility or change or defiance from their given caste and occupation is considered deviance to the whole system and structure of caste. Jesus, though was a carpenter as the locals knew him, he defied that role to partake in the greater cause of transforming the world through his Kingdom of God manifestations. In other words, God chooses people from simple trade to change the world, for God surprises the world and challenges the powers of the world by using a carpenter. So, when a carpenter Jesus was doing something beyond the expectations of the society, he was booed and the society took offence of him. So, the learning from this point is any discrimination of any person based on one’s own prejudices and assumptions is unchristian and inhuman.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3745454545454545; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Secondly, people took offence at Jesus because, how can an ‘illegitimate’ child of Mary come and teach wisdom and do deeds of power in their midst? In this verse it is interesting to note that there is no mention of Joseph, and all that the identity of Jesus carries was ‘son of Mary,’ for their town knew that Mary conceived Jesus as a ‘virgin,’ which according to the then society was something very unethical and a polluting act. So, they took offence at Jesus for as a child born ‘illegitimately’, the divine cannot find favour in such people and so his wisdom and deeds of power are either unreliable or all null and void. That is the reason Jesus was astounded at their unbelief in him (6v.)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3745454545454545; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thirdly, the people took offence at Jesus because on the day of Sabbath, he does things that are very different, including doing deeds of power, curing the sick etc., where he defies their religious laws of Sabbath. Jesus always swims across the currents of the waters for the cause of life, Jesus always does things ‘against the grain’ which are not well received by the popular majority, and so they take offence at him.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3745454545454545; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In such a context when the local mates took offence at him, Jesus did not give up his prophetic call nor give in to their offences, rather Jesus bounced back and said that prophets aren’t well received in their home ground, yet such an unwelcome do not stop their vocation that is given by God. Jesus was rejected and unwelcomed in his hometown, yet he showed resilience and has responded very creatively to that occasion, by sending his disciples two by two on a mission trip to the local towns and villages. His rejection in his home town did not depress Jesus, rather provided him with an opportunity to work creatively, this time sending his disciples in six pairs to continue his mission among those that rejected him. Jesus could have cursed his hometown for the kind of rejection and offence that people took in him, yet Jesus the embodiment of love reacted in love by graciously sending his disciples to mission with love to that community.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3745454545454545; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was a love mission, where Jesus sends his disciples to teach love, to be love, to perform acts of love and create a loving community. At a place where he was rejected, Jesus builds a loving community with his disciples. The instructions that Jesus gives to his disciples are all of love, for mission is all about love. Firstly, he sends his disciples two by two, for Jesus as a team player knows the importance of partnerships, and sends them as companions, to love God, love one another and then demonstrate that love to all those whom they meet on their journey. Secondly, Jesus sends them with ‘bare minimum’, which is to take only a staff as a protection, wear sandals to walk, and then no bread, no bag, no money, not to put on two tunics. ‘Love is selflessness and self is lovelessness,’ is what Jesus was emphasising to his disciples. Jesus’ mission trips are not luxurious comfort trips, but are paths of cross, where the disciples are invited to join with the community in understanding common people’s hunger, their poverty and their needs. Such an identification is a demonstration of love with the community, where power is dismantled and solidarity serves as a mark of love mission. Thirdly, Jesus’ mission involves in situations of refusal and rejection, to move on, rather than judge and curse them. Again, love is the mantra of mission. Jesus said, just shake the dust of your feet and move on in times of rejection. So, the disciples went and performed a love mission, by casting the demons, by healing the sick and by anointing with oil.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3745454545454545; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The gospel writer did not mention what had happened to the people who had rejected Jesus on seeing the response of love that Jesus and his disciples did on their mission trip. But, I for one, would imagine that on recognising that Jesus has responded to his rejection with love, those people who took offence on Jesus would have been transformed by love and would have been part of God’s table, the Kingdom of God.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3745454545454545; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is the relevance of this text for our times today? The first lesson we learn from this text is that love is the only response to rejection and refusal. Jesus upholds ‘contradictory convictions’ of people in creative tension, and tries to win people with love and love alone. This week when the Methodist Conference has voted to allow same sex marriages at Methodist churches, I could see the amount of hatred some people were spilling with lots of online abuse on Methodist Church, judging them, booing them and taking offence at them for this their bold and prophetic vote. Time and again at the Conference it was emphasised that there are no losers and no winners, for it is only love that thrives, for this vote is about people, real people who have been booed, discriminated because of their sexuality and gender, and all this vote means is to embrace them with love. This given text gives us hope that in situations of rejections by certain groups of people, we as followers of Jesus Christ are called to be gracious and generous in our love for them and respond with a love mission, demonstrating love in action towards them. It is important that we uphold each other’s perspectives together, respect each other’s positions and celebrate God’s presence in our midst, for love is the DNA of Christian faith. In situations of rejection, love is the only response.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3745454545454545; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Secondly, any discrimination of any person based on one’s own prejudices and assumptions is unchristian and inhuman. Who said carpenters cannot speak wisdom and perform deeds of power? For there is no longer male or female, master or slave, Greek nor Jew, carpenter or local preacher, vicar or doctor, teacher or nurse, child or adult, straight or gay, for we are all one in Christ. It is God who calls, and it is God’s grace which invites people to share God’s words, and so the emphasis should be on God and God’s grace and not on any individual merit or profession or identity. God is a God of love, and so in love God calls anyone to be God’s co-workers in the Kingdom of God. So, any discrimination, any distinction and any division should not be tolerated and should be resisted.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3745454545454545; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thirdly, God in Jesus is sending us out into the world two by two, in partnerships, in companionships to be part of God’s love mission, to spread love and to demonstrate love in action. ‘Church on the market place’ has been an initiative where we go two by two in the town centre to talk to people, to listen to people, to identify with people and to spread the love of God in the community. When Jesus sent his disciples two by two to mission, they did not come back to say we have brought thirty people to Jesus, nor did they say we have planted some ten churches, all they did was cast the demons, curing the sick and anointing people with oil. Our call is to spread the love of Christ, be a witness for Christ’s love and to celebrate God’s presence in our localities.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3745454545454545; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">May we as friends of Jesus join with him in taking a knee with teams who amplify the message of ‘no to racism’, ‘red card to racism’ and strive towards a just and equal society. Amen.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3745454545454545; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Raj Bharat Patta,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3745454545454545; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">02.07.2021</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3745454545454545; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">Pic credit: https://www.technicalripon.com/sports/england-vs-croatia-fa-urges-fans-to-respect-players-taking-a-knee-at-wembley-football-news/ </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3745454545454545; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3745454545454545; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3745454545454545; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3745454545454545; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3745454545454545; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /></span>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9187336930405495617.post-12220159024104358122021-06-25T10:51:00.002+01:002021-06-25T10:51:53.695+01:00Hands, Face, Space & Fresh Air: The Stories of Two Unnamed Women - Reflecting on Mark 5:21-43<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuc6CazfBS6nCKNSxyysTr-ZWaGO3jMZyjYNiO2iqcny1uQIbFNb0nu-36Kk2-ik1mM2AHGyZNhY10kXa6wVXnFW_7QYobraOLUXNIOV0VDXHgQSAywDamH4b5JuKMmr-JSYvCXsW8jmA/s474/hands+face+space.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuc6CazfBS6nCKNSxyysTr-ZWaGO3jMZyjYNiO2iqcny1uQIbFNb0nu-36Kk2-ik1mM2AHGyZNhY10kXa6wVXnFW_7QYobraOLUXNIOV0VDXHgQSAywDamH4b5JuKMmr-JSYvCXsW8jmA/s320/hands+face+space.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-84e4b384-7fff-a9b0-b0d3-287e588f0c42"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Public Health England’s campaign as the restrictions of ‘Stay at Home’ have eased out, allowing six people or two households to meet outdoors since 29</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> March 2021 has been, “Hands, Face, Space & Fresh Air.” The campaign urges the public to stick to these rules and remember the key behaviours of washing the hands, wearing face coverings, making space and meeting in the fresh air to stop the spread of Covid-19. This guidance still continues and some have commented that these rules will have to remain in place for a longer period of time. In our moving forward, though it is hard to keep up, let’s stick to these rules as advised.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The text for this Sunday from Mark 5:21-43 is a passage where Jesus on his way to heal and resurrect the twelve-year-old daughter of Jairus also heals a woman who was suffering from blood haemorrhage for twelve years. As I reflect on this text, I have noticed four important things in it, which are, touch, masks, distance and fresh air, which is to say in our modern contextual terms, is hands, face, space and fresh air. Let me explain it to you.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hands/Touch:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We see three people involved in touching in this text. Firstly, it was Jairus on seeing Jesus fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, “my little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” (22-23v). It was Jairus, who touches the feet of Jesus and requests Jesus to lay his hands on her daughter for healing. On that touch of Jairus, Jesus went with him to his house. This touch, I call </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘requesting touch.’</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Hands and touch are for healing. The second touch is from an unnamed woman, who was suffering from haemorrhage, who was in a crowd on knowing about Jesus, came behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, ‘If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.’ Immediately her haemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. (27-29v) The woman received physical healing in her life at this touch, for there is healing of her disease. The interesting part of this touch is, now Jesus makes it a big deal to find out who has touched him as healing went out of him, asking “who touched me?” The woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him and told him the whole truth. At this touch, Jesus heals her socially and spiritually appreciating her, ‘daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease.’ (32-34v). Here is the moment where the woman finds healing from her dis-easiness. This touch I call </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘restorative touch.’</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The third touch in this text is when Jesus takes the unnamed dead girl, the daughter of Jairus, by her hand and says to her, ‘Talitha cum,’ which means ‘little girl, get up!’ And immediately the girl got up and began to walk. (41-42v). This touch I call </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘resurrection touch.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Face/Masks:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In this given passage Jairus and Jesus are the ones, whose faces are well known and they have no masks on their faces. Jairus is a leader of the synagogue, who has a religious status, social status and economic status in his society. He commanded respect in the society, and when he came to plead Jesus to visit and heal her daughter, Jesus went with him. Next, we have Jesus who has become famous with his kind of movement, preaching, healing and challenging the powers, for which huge crowds followed him, everywhere he went. He healed the woman with haemorrhage and brought back life to the little girl in this given text. Two people in this text had to be masked with no face and no names mentioned here. The woman who was suffering from haemorrhage. Her identity was masked by patriarchy and prejudice, for no one remembers her name. It is so sad that eventually the readers of the text over the period of history called this woman as ‘a woman with a flow of blood.’ It is so unfortunate that her disease became her identity. She was masked by the religious law, for she was treated unclean because of her disease. She was broken physically enduring this pain of the haemorrhage for 12 years visiting every physician in her town. She was economically broken, spending money for her treatment. Not sure whether she had a family, if she had one surely, they would have accompanied her or would have pleaded for her like Jairus pleading for her daughter. Maybe due to her disease, she would have been a pain for her family and they would have left her on her own. With all these masks, this unnamed woman was de-peopled in her time and context. The next is the 12-year-old little daughter of Jairus. Again, she too was masked under patriarchy. No mention of her name here. The little girl was known as the daughter of Jairus. There is no record of her conversation in this text. All we know is she was sick on a dying bed, later died and Jesus brings life back to her. Her responses to resurrection were not recorded, whereas the recording of people weeping, wailing, laughing etc. were mentioned in this text. The 12-year-old girl was masked by patriarchy on one hand, and would have been masked as a child in the world of adults with no mention of her true self and identity.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Space/Distance:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When Jesus was surrounded by a crowd, who gathered around him as he crossed the lake by boat to the other side, Jairus with his religious and social status in the society could find space and access to Jesus and requested him to come and heal her dying daughter. Then the woman who was suffering with haemorrhage, she was on the margins of the society. Because of her disease according to the religious law, she was considered polluted and unclean and had to live outside of the city, away from the crowds. Anyone who touches her would also become polluted. She was untouchable and had to be socially distanced from the rest of the community. Her disease kept her at a distance, religion kept her at a distance, society kept her at a distance, family kept her at a distance and she was at a distance from her real-self. Finally, the little girl, daughter of Jairus. She was at a distance as she was on a deathbed, dying with her sickness, and so Jairus had to go to Jesus on her behalf. Halfway to Jairus house, they heard the news that her daughter died. And a dead corpse was also considered polluting and they would bury the dead body immediately. Anyone who touches a dead body is also polluted and they have certain rituals to follow to be cleansed again. The 12-year little girl who once was in the centre, due to her dad’s status and influence, is now on the margins, outside, due to her death.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 18pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fresh Air:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are several waves of fresh air in this text. Firstly, I recognise a breath of fresh air in the resilience of the woman who was suffering from haemorrhage, who took the risk, despite all the masks she had on her identity, despite the space and distance she had to keep from the society, she ventured to be in the crowd and receive healing from Jesus, even if it is to get a chance to touch his cloak. Jesus, by pressing to know who touched her in that crowd, was trying to recognise the resilience of the person who took courage and risk, defying the norms and rules in seeking healing. Imagine if this woman did not find healing that day, and if the crowd recognised that she was the woman with a haemorrhage, she would have received more insults and more punishment for defying those restrictions imposed on her. Her courage offers a fresh air to all the readers in the journey of faith. Secondly, the wave of fresh air comes from Jesus, who gave life to two unnamed women of his times. Jesus could have remained silent in that crowd without making a fuss of who had touched him. Yet, Jesus made that fuss, so that by recognising that woman of faith and courage in the public, he was offering a testimony to his disciples and the crowd to learn the kind of faith and courage this woman was showing in that busy, crowded public sphere. The wave of fresh air comes forcefully when Jesus heals the woman’s dis-easiness of masks, pollution and distance, and grants her freedom and liberation publicly. Jesus unmasks the masks of patriarchy, prejudice and pride. Thirdly, the wave of fresh air in this text is again found in Jesus laying his hand on the dead body of the little girl and bringing her back to life. Jesus willingly touched this dead girl, willingly wanted to take on her pollution of death and offered life to her in return. I think that whirlwind of fresh air was on the writer of this text, for he just recorded the Aramaic word ‘Talitha cum’ in wonder for ‘little girl, get up!’ The mystery and wonder of fresh breath of life remains unchanged, which is only to be celebrated.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the context of social distancing today due to Covid, the calling for us as church is to be responsible in caring for one another, celebrating people and their identities, and offering to be waves of fresh breath of life, resisting exclusion and discrimination. The call for us as churches is to fight patriarchy and misogyny, and celebrate the equality of all genders. Let us like the woman be resilient and courageous in defying the rules in seeking and promoting healing in our midst. Let us like Jesus step out of the comfort zones in offering love and care to those people who are considered polluting and outcastes in our midst. Let us join with Jesus in addressing the dis-easiness of people who are struggling with mental health problems, with physical isolations, with grief, and with lack of companions, for we as a church should be a place of healing to all people in all places of our communities.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">May the Spirit breathe in us the fresh breath so that we go out into the world as channels of healing, grace and love. Amen.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Raj Bharat Patta,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">24</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> June 2021</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pic credit: https://coronavirusresources.phe.gov.uk/hands-face-space-fresh-air/overview/</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /></span>raj bharath pattahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116419054464617816noreply@blogger.com0