August 15th Independence Day
Is it good to get astonished?
Rev. Bartholomew Segan Palk
15th August, 2020
A twelve year old boy had a deep discussion with the senior most people
in the society at the temple during a festival. What would have had he
conversed with them? – The mother of that little boy wondered and questioned
herself. She would have had worried as she had not been in a position to send
her son to one of the best schools in the town because of their family
situation. But she had believed that God is beyond her inability like many
mothers believe to this day.
The Child grew in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and human, as the child grew up it was disturbed by
political and religious atrocities. The poor and the marginalised were
punished and they were levied upon heavy taxes. Their only hope was said to be
God, but their dreams and hope were scattered because the temple Priests were
hypocrites and they did not show any mercy to them. They were persecuted both
politically and religiously.
Prophet Haggai said, “You have planted many seeds, but you have gathered
only a few crops. You have food to eat, but not enough to get full. You have
something to drink, but not enough to get drunk. You have some clothes to wear,
but not enough to keep warm. You earn a little money, but you don’t know where
it all goes. It’s as though there is a hole in your pocket!” Likewise the
people of Israel earned and worked hard but there was no peace within. At this
point, Jesus begins His ministry saying, “The Kingdom of God is at hand”
When Jesus was trying to bring revival and make people ask question the
authority, it disturbed the dominant class in the society. We, who followed the
footsteps of Jesus Christ, are called to do what our master did. By asking questions we can also disturb the
dominant fascist and capitalistic society.
God sometimes takes us deep into the
sea not to disturb our faith but to see how majestic God’s creation and God’s
ways are...
“Though I
walk through the valley of death I’ll fear no evil”... only in the valley death
we can hold God’s staff and rod, only after the whirlwind Elijah receive double
portion of blessings...only after the water is stirred healing is possible...
It is good to be disturbed as it may lead us to take a U-turn and walk
on the right track.
It is not what we are looking for; it is God who wants to look through us.
The greatness of human is measured by one's wealth but we fail to
recognize his or her contribution to the well-being of
others. The Samaritan woman who was said to be “immoral” by the society
came to draw water one afternoon; a well groomed man waiting near the well
begins a conversation with her, asking for water! This was something unusual
and brought a wave of astonishment to her, for two reasons 1) He’s from Judea
2) She was not able to disclose her state of mind to a stranger. But the conversation with him made her to ponder, “What God wants to
look through her”.
“The right conversation with the right individual makes us
right people irrespective of what we are.”
The Samaritan woman became the saviour to her community.
When this world is in complete chaos
and confusion, God chooses unworthy human beings like us to take part in the
process of liberation.
As the Nation celebrates the 74th Independence Day, somewhere someone is stripped off to shame. Someone is suffocated to death within one’s body and someone between closed doors…
Let our independent voices be the
voices and bring a change at least to one life….
Remember the Independence moment too
began with one voice that was echoed by many….
Let us once again make India a truly
Independent Nation…
Independent of Caste, Religion, Colour!
Independent of Corruption, Immorality,
Filthy Power!
It may take decades to change, even
Independence was paid a price of 2 whole CENTURIES!
May our generation take pride in us and enjoy the fruit of our seeds!
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