The light of the star

Light has always a very special significance in Christian tradition.  In fact, in every tradition across the world, religious or secular, light plays a very important role.  It is not just the function of it, but the very meaning and possibilities it brings to the fore, while itself being 'unseen' makes light a peculiar phenomenon. 

Christmas, of all feasts, is a feast of lights.  We use lights extensively in our decorations for this feast.  Though Easter is more liturgically closer to the theme of light, Christmas somehow 'appears' brighter!  But what struck me most today was the fact that the actual Christmas, b'day of Jesus, the only actual light available was that of a star.  Not the bright shining sun or the luminescence of the moon. Just a star!  And how much light does a star emit?  Barely anything.  But when that is the only light available, it appears bright. 

As we begin the new year, it strikes me that we begin it in the light of a star.  We are now called to follow that little light.  Hopefully it will lead us to the light of our lives - as it did the shepherds and wise men. Rather than look for the bright radiant and focussed lights, the challenge is to locate and follow the little light of a star. 

The Father's commandment

Reflection for April 4, 2017: I say and do only what the Father has told me to

All of us seek name and fame, in our own subtle ways. That is human tendency. There is nothing evil about it. However, as humans we really do not need all of it! We often forget that we are not called to be the sun, giving out light to the world. We are rather called to be reflectors of the sun spreading light to the dark corners of the world and peoples lives. Jesus Himself shows us the way when he openly admits that He is merely following the Father's commandment. All His words and actions that drew attention to Himself, He used it all to build the Kingdom. In this Kingdom, the light already exists; one is merely called to be reflectors of that light or atleast transparent enough for that light to shine through us.

Summer time and timing

The British summer timing came into effect last night. So at one this morning it suddenly became 2 am.  We now have gained an hour of daytime.  The concept is interesting.  However, I doubt if it really helps most people practically.  Of course, it wouldn't be a practice if it were not helpful.

After the invention of the electric bulb there is hardly day or night that makes a big difference for anyone. 

Sanctity

A lovely quote by Dag Hammarskjold about what it truly means to be a spiritual person.  To know where one stands vis-a-vis God, His people and oneself...

You are not the oil, not the air -- only the combustion point, the focus, where the light is born.
You are only the lens in the flood of light. Only like the lens can you receive, give, and own the light.
If you seek yourself, “in your own right,” you hinder the meeting of the oil and the air in the flame, you rob the lens of its transparency.
Sanctification -- to be the light or in the light, effaced, so that it may be born, effaced so that it may be gathered and spread.

God knows

We are in the last week of the liturgical year.  Everyday readings are all from the book of the Apocalypse, speaking of the end times.

Here's a poem titled 'God knows' by Minnie Louise Haskins

I said to the man

who stood at the gate of the year, 

'Give me a light that I may tread safely

into the unknown!'

And he replied: 'Go out into the darkness

and put your hand into the hand of God. 

That shall be to you better than light

and safer than a known way.

As long as I can see the light...

A very melodious and meaningful song I heard today...
from the movie Black or White. It is a funeral song...

Put a candle in the window
'Cos I feel that I got to move
Though I'm gone gone,
I'll be coming home soon
Long as I can see the light 

Pack my bags and let's get moving
'Cos I'm bound to drift awhile
though I'm gone you don't have to worry
as long as I can see the light
Long as I can see the light 

Guess I have that old travelling bone
'Cos this feeling won't leave me alone
but I won't won't be losing my way
Long as I can see the light.

Understanding 'creation'

Discussing with my third year students I am realising the different meanings of the word 'creation'. It was always a firm belief of mine that Evolution and Creation concepts (with regard to the world) are never at loggerheads with each other. They in fact complement each other. But now this new concept of creation that I'm grappling with throws fresh light on this 'taken-for-granted' idea.

Creation is seen more as a real dependence on God (in Philosophical terms, a total ontological dependence on God). This is seen not as a product of human hands which may or may not need its 'creator' to be around for its continued existence. It is more like the light that proceeds from a candle. The light illumines and does great things by itself, but is dependent on the candle for its existence. Besides this, the candle does not interfere with the good or bad that the light does. Creation too is like our human dependence on God. Without Him, we are in a sense, incomplete. But this does not imply that we are mere puppets in His hands. He does not interfere with our freedom.

Motivation and playing it big!

Much is said and debated about motivation in our formation circles. While I believe that basic motivation needs to be clarified and adhered to come what may, I also agree with what Zig Ziglar had to say about motivation: “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”

Here is one quote that I remember hearing in the movie Coach Carter.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.

Sankranti and light

Today is Makar Sankranti, the harvest festival of the Hindus. I'm glad it is now, not so much for its religious significance but for the political peace that it has brought about. Not that it is going to last for long, but it is a welcome break from all the confusion and turmoil that has been created in the state for the last month and more! Hope this gracious feast helps the politicians see the light (the feast centres around the Sun god!) and resolve issues without adversely affecting the lives of the common man.

But I do miss the kites this time. The rain god seems to be angry ... it has been raining since yesterday morning!

To be led by the light... by faith

It is surprising to notice that only three kings (or four of them, as the legend goes) "see" the star! Equally astonishing or even more, is the fact that they decide to follow it, to God knows where and for what! But they did follow! That's faith. That's what really counts in the long run. To be able to take the first step, not sure if I'd be able to move ahead or whether I'll even be able to find ground beneath my first step. It is true that the wise men followed the star, but they were really wandering in darkness, led not by the light above but their faith within. Most often we fail in our journey of life or keep going round in circles because we rely more on the light outside than the faith within!

Mister God... and darkness

After much delay yesterday, I managed to complete reading Mister God, this is Anna. A very insightful book, I should say. Here are a few of excerpts:

• It didn't make sense to talk about different God; that kind of talk inevitably leads to madness. No, for Anna it was all or nothing; there could be only one Mister God. This being so, then the different places of worship, the kinds of names give to those worshippers could be due to one thing, and to one thing only: the different arrangements of the evidence for Mister God. (p.141-142)
• I call myself a Christian. What do you call yourself? I reckon Mister God must be pretty good at music, he knows all the names of the chords. Perhaps he doesn't mind what you call it, as long as you play it. (p. 143) Now that's something similar to Fr TV Thomas' mulberry tree and the Sister calling it a cherry tree!

Now this is quite interesting... all in praise of the night and darkness, because, it lets you see deep!

• The sun is nice, but it lights things up so much that you can't see very far.
• Your soul don't go very far in the daylight 'cos it stops where you can see.
• The nighttime is better. It stretches your soul right out to the stars. And that is a very long way. In the nighttime you don't have to stop going out. It's like you rears. In the daytime it's so noisy you can't hear. In the nighttime you can. The nighttime stretches you.
• My reason for preferring the darkness is that in the dark you have to describe yourself. In the daylight other people describe you.
• Never let anyone rob you of your right to be complete. The daylight is for the brain and the senses, the darkness is for the heart and the wits. Never, never be afraid. Your brain may fail you one day, but your heart won't. (Old Woody to Anna p. 151-152)

If not the sun, the stars...

Here's another one from Rabbi: I love the light for it shows me the way, yet I endure the darkness because it shows me the stars. How often so many of us wander in the dark, perfectly content to stumble rather than ask for help - even though help sought from God is only lip-help. If only we dare to lift up our eyes to the stars above. If not for the light they cast, at least for the assurance that we're not alone.

As days go by, I'm feeling more confident that life not a tyrant after all. If I can manage a week without most of the amenities and with a General Chapter going on in the campus, I think, I can! Just a matter of organisation and coordination. Of course, prayer is something that I should not miss out on. For the first time, I've been skipping personal prayer continuously for long. But I realise, I'm mastering an art that I've heard from my novitiate days onwards: ejaculatory prayer! Well, if not the sun, at least the stars!

Belief - dare - belief!

Read a nice quote of Patrick Overton in the mortuary letter of Fr Michael Mundanthanath (IND)... 'When we walk to the edge of all thte light that we have and take the step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe that one of the two things will happen. There is something solid for us to stand on or, we will be taught how to fly'. Nice!
Perhaps this is the reason most of us just stand still... because we do not believe! We stand still for fear of the next step, we fail because the thought of some 'solid ground' or 'the art of flying' is not an option we think about. We fear the dark, we dare not see beyond and through the darkness. Hence most of us stay put where we are! Silent pillars in the dark!