Lent Day 50: The rolling stones

We all go through tensions and problems in our life. We walk with them, sit with them and sleep with them. They are there and it is a mental block. We even pray for overcoming hurdles and blocks in life. Easter presents such a tension, block and hurdle. The hurdle of the closed tomb. 

In St. Mark 16: 1, Mary Magdalene, the apostle to the apostles, Mary the mother of James and Salome walk to the tomb with spices to anoint the body of Jesus. Their faith, concern and love is immense. This could also be a special characteristic of women. They go to any length when it is something that touches their heart. The risk, danger and uncertainty were huge and yet they go. 

All through we are wondering about the close disciples. The twelve minus the one who was tempted to betray. They are no where near the tomb and yet God takes care of the burial in the most honourable way. Perhaps something for us to think too when we worry too much about our death and what will happen then. Someone will be there to take care of everything in the best way and they need not be those close to us!

The women were walking very early after the Sabbath on the first day of the week. Suddenly they think of something. Verse 3 says, “And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?” Now this could have easily been a reason for them to walk back. But they carry on. We usually falter, stop and move back when we are faced with an adversity. But we can also look at it and say that we will anyway have a look and return if we can’t get our work done. 

The women reach and verse 4 says, “ And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back;- it was very large.” The very large is an indication that by themselves, they wouldn’t have managed to remove the stone. Just imagine. The resurrection wouldn’t have been witnessed and reported without a rolled back stone. Our life is basically a bag of plans. But we usually plan through till the end. The plan of the women though ended at the door of the tomb. This is when God’s plan is revealed. An open tomb is an open God, a revealed Jesus and hope for humanity. We are all weary of approaching doors because we are not sure whether the stones will be rolled away. But Easter is not our plan and our execution but God’s way of showing the rolling stones in our life. Christ is risen. The large stone has been rolled back. Amen.

Lent Day 40: Negating the gossiping community

Humans are story tellers. It is but natural that people speak, share stories and update what is happening in their life and in their village, town or city. But there is a very thin line between story and gossip. Even though a story is also about what happened in someone’s life, it is more or less true. But a rumour and gossip are based on hearsay, imagination and even lies. A story can be positive whereas a rumour or gossip is negative.

During Jesus’ time, both these kinds of sharing information existed. There were stories which were intended to strengthen the community and give hope to them. There were also rumours and gossips which were shared among people who didn’t have much work or who concentrated on such things instead of their work. Rumours and gossips were also made on Jesus and even he did not escape this. Many people try to brush this away by saying that these things are harmless but the actual damage it could cause is very dangerous and painful for others.

Many stories have been written on village gossip. The plot is how some people spread rumours to unsettle someone or to cause a reaction. It may also be for making fun of someone and is sometimes construed as harmless humour. Some people have a way with sarcastic humour and they are weaved into the story. During Jesus’ time there are several instances when we see negative storytelling and rumour and gossip. People whispering behind his back that he was the son of a carpenter is one of those instances.

We see something unique in St. Mark 8:26. After healing the blind man, we read, “Then he sent him away to his home, saying, “Do not even go into the village.” Jesus is reluctant to send the man to his village. There are instances when he sends a healed man to the priest or to the temple, but in this case that does not happen. When we look around, rumours and gossips rule in our churches and communities. Instead of stories of strength and hope we see rumours galore in communities. This demoralizes people and pushes them to the brink of death. We should realise that healing is not enough, acceptance after healing is the real challenge. Amen.

Lent Day 39: Sound sleep and faith

There are many people who can’t sleep properly, who suffer from insomnia and who are awake late into the night, because they can’t sleep. There are also those who don’t sleep because they are working late into the night and trying to finish deadlines. Some even pray late because it is the time with least disturbance and noise. But sleep is an integral part of faith and life. It is what gives rest to the body and strength to the soul.

But interestingly, people who sleep well are blamed for sleeping too much, sleeping without a care and sleeping lazily. Others will remark that they don’t have a care in the world and can therefore sleep relaxedly. It is interesting that on the one hand people are trying their best to sleep with medicines, treatment and prayer and on the other hand people who sleep are accused of sleeping too much and sleeping without a care. Sleep is associated with boredom, laziness and lack of creativity. So much that the importance of sleep is ignored and downplayed.

In St. Mark 4, verse 38, it says, “But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care if we perish?” There are some people who appear to be working all the time but don’t get anything done. There are others who work for short periods, but are very effective. Are we working to show others or to get things done without bothering about who is watching? Jesus takes rest, he sleeps on the boat, because it is resting time. He is also sure of himself and the Father who sent him. He has a sound sleep.

The disciples on the other hand are not sure of many things. Despite accompanying Jesus everywhere, they are still unsure of his capabilities. This unsureness also led to lack of sleep and lack of sound sleep. It affected their morale and affected their performance. Instead of then catching some sleep, they remained awake and increased their tension. We see in these days that a lot of people are tensed. There are also the seldom few who can sleep at the sight of a bed.

Jesus is so sure of his faith that his sleep is also sure footed and relaxing. There is no care of the world because he is sure that his Father in heaven will take care of everything. This results in his rebuking of the storm when he is woken up. In verse 39 it says, “And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” The sleep is so strengthening that Jesus is so clear in his mind. His calmness then calms the sea. This lent, sleep should not be avoided and tensions should not lead to lack of sleep. Let us pray, have faith, believe and sleep. Amen.

Lent Day 38: The immorality in seeking whatever we want

Prayers these days are becoming a want based asking to God. There are many who claim that they can bring God down, can get whatever someone wants and God is at their beck and call. The decency of prayer has been lost and aggressive prayers are being marketed as normal. Anything goes for prayer and right from childhood, children are taught to ask whatever they want. God has been reduced to a provider who provides whatever.

During lent, as we think about morals and values and what can be seen as morality, it would be good to audit and review our prayers and ways of praying. Have we crossed all limits and have we used our freedom with Jesus to ask whatever we want? Do we instead have the understanding to spend time in silence, conversing with God and letting God know of our pains and problems instead of asking for unrealistic and immoral things? Is it possible to go back to community-based prayers whereby a negotiation and dialogue happens, in which, the community uses its maturity to put forth prayers of needs instead of wants.  

In St. Mark10, verse 35, the brothers James and John put forward an unrealistic prayer to Jesus. They say, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” In a group of twelve, which again extended to a very big group of disciples from all walks of life, these two come up with a strange request. When thought about, it is an immoral request which reeks of individualism in the midst of the community of disciples. Upon further probing by Jesus, they make clear what they really want.

In the midst of poverty, hunger, sickness and injustice, the two disciples are thinking of power and glory. They ask for a strange request in verse 37, when they say, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” This is what is happening in today’s world too. In the midst of suffering, we are interested in power and positions. In no way are our requests going to help those who are suffering but we are obsessed with such immoral thoughts.

This lent, we should identify such immoral thoughts and prayer requests. Our quest for wealth, buildings, fame, money and success are a slap on the face of the poor and the hungry. It is so very important that we relook what immorality is. Are they individual bad habits or are they prayers which negate the health of the community and seek individual growth and wealth? As we close in on passion week, may this make us think, repent and change. Amen.

Lent Day 33: The community of the healed

St. Mark 6:56- “And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the market-places, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.”

Two of the most significant aspects of Jesus’ ministry was the preaching for repentance and the healing of the sick. Crowds went everywhere Jesus was because of this power of Jesus to heal. Some others made personal requests while many tried to touch his garment for healing. Jesus put forward the power of faith in his healing episodes. There was nothing beyond him. So much that, he even brought the dead back to life. 

Lent is a time of healing. Holy Communion is also a time of healing. But unfortunately this is not happening in our society and community. There are staged healings, marketing gimmicks and forced healings but no true healings. The people are stressed, losing hope and looking on to other things. This is when quacks, medicines and products which promise miraculous changes and untested life style change claims and superstitions rule the roost. 

The desperation of people is taken advantage of and faith and belief are misused. Let there be no doubt that God can heal, Jesus’ healings were genuine and even today healings are possible. But cheating people in the name of healing and recovery is the worst that humans can do to each other. Taking advantage of weaknesses and forcing people to part with money and resources are cruel. Lent should be a time which shakes us up to question such superstitious beliefs and acts. 

There are ideally two ways of seeking healing. One is to consume the Holy Body and Holy Blood of our Lord Jesus with complete faith and belief. Two, is to touch the relics of Saints for healing. Healing is a personal and community act but not one which is forced. God in God’s mercy heals us. The saints intercede for us and offer their remains as a source of intercessory power for us. 

We need to pray more during lent and seek God’s mercy. We need to consume the Holy Body and Holy Blood of our Lord. We need to spend time in church in the accompaniment of saints, asking for healing. Our kneeling in church asking for Lord’s mercy is a recreation of the time of Jesus when people sought healing from him. We are bowing down before Jesus and asking him to be merciful. 

Lent should embolden us to say no to wrong claims of healing, promises from cheaters and quacks and flexes and posters with lies and falsehood about healing. Instead, we should go on our knees, pray in church and have Jesus inside us. There can be no greater healing than this. Amen.

Lent Day 31: The hand of courage

Stretching out our hand is done for several reasons. We stretch out for help, we stretch out to greet, we stretch out as a response and we stretch out to help. There are negative forms of stretching out our hand as well. Jesus usually stretched out his hand to help. In his public ministry that was for healing. The healing in many ways was not just for the restoration of health but was also for the courage of wanting to be healed. 

In St. Mark 3: 5 it says, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.” Our limitations, sickness and weaknesses are also the failure of our community and society to want us to recover and do well. So, when we meet someone who is sick, it is not an individual failure and shortcoming but a community failure and shortcoming. This was also the reluctance of the Pharisees in agreeing to Jesus healing on the Sabbath. The very fact that there were people to be healed, was a failure of the Pharisees and the entire community. Keeping this under wraps would also save them from much embarrassment. 

It was not just that Jesus was healing on the Sabbath, but that every healing was a questioning of the authority of the Pharisees. If Jesus can, why can’t you? Why are there so many people who are sick? Does your lack of ability to heal mean that you are not people of God? No one would have had a problem if Jesus would have healed in secret. But Jesus more than getting a name for himself wanted to show that he is the son of God. 

Those who needed healing also had to understand that they had to question the unjust society they were living in. Questioning is done by raising or stretching out our hand and making ourselves seen and heard. Receiving healing need not be a passive act but is also a stretching out, a putting out and an asking for. It is not a shameful thing but a seeking for one’s right to be healed. Jesus is asking us to stretch out our hand. To stretch it out with dignity and courage. Amen.

Lent Day 21: The Great Feast

Having a reading of the feeding of the four thousand is intriguing during lent. There is so much talk of depriving oneself of food, fasting and observing lent that we forget about feeding the people. The disciples were not interested in feeding the crowd or they thought that it would be difficult to embark on something like that. The miracle was not just feeding the four thousand and even more with seven loaves and a few fish, but being sure that it was indeed possible.

In our culture we take many things for granted. We do not want to do a certain thing because it is difficult and calls for a little effort. The disciples had to think of the seven loaves and the little fish, they also had to figure out how to divide this little food. So, the solution for them was to let the people go. Churches and communities are also like this. They will think that the people who come will fend for themselves and go back from church and eat from their home. All this because, arranging snacks or food is an effort and is hard work.

This is also why many government institutions don’t have basic facilities. There won’t be drinking water, proper toilets, canteens and the like because the idea is that the public will fend for themselves and there is no need to provide these essential and basic facilities. Jesus thinks differently. Even though he didn’t have to give food, he thinks about it. He looks at fulfilling the basic human needs of those who came to listen to him. Even though they came out of their own wish, Jesus feels it is essential to provide for them.

In St. Mark 8: 6 it is said that, he takes the loaves “and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd.” There is a great feast that Jesus initiates and calls us to initiate too. The coming together of a crowd also calls for their wellbeing and offering them food. Churches have to take this up with or without lent. Lent is a good time to think about this and start food programmes. It should not be limited to our church and community but to all who come. The Sikh gurudwaras with their Langars (community kitchen) are a beautiful example of this in today’s world. Christians cannot do without feasting. But feasting as excessive happiness should not just be the meaning we get. It is rather a meal given in a crowd which makes them justly happy and therefore in a festive mood.

Food also has a holiness aspect to it. It should not be wasted and disrespected. It becomes another sharing and fellowship. Food is indeed the way to the heart. We have a responsibility to serve food as it is an effort to alleviate hunger. Many in the crowd and in our church and community may not have the luxury of food. It is our way of life which makes us think the contrary. Many who come to churches may have fasted and are not necessarily going back to an assured plate of food. Jesus thought practically and was concerned about the people who did not have an idea about whether they would eat or not.

The Great Fast and Great Lent should go along with the Great Feast. A fast and lent without the feasting and the fellowship is far from the teaching of Jesus. Many poor people observe lent and such lents are much more difficult than observed by others. It is the responsibility of the haves to then provide to the have nots, just like Jesus did. May this lent remind us of this feasting, a feast and feasting for the poor and needy. Amen.

Lent Day 20: Knowing God enough to not ask

How easy is it to ask something to a loved one? Even though many think it is easy, that is not the case. We will be reluctant on two counts. One, we won’t ask because we don’t want to trouble them. Two, we won’t ask because we know that they are not in a position to give. Contrary to what we think, the more we love a person, the less we would want to ask. We also care a lot about the person close to us that we always want the best for them and we also wouldn’t want them being troubled by anyone else as well.

St. Mark 11: 24 reveals a difficult verse for us. It says, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” The problem with this verse is the problem of expectation. Since there is a promise in the prayer, when someone prays and still does not get an answer, it can be felt and argued that the priest or person praying does not have the gift to pray, ask and receive. Since Jesus’ words are very assuring the prayer is as good as being answered.   

There are two kinds of children. The ones who will keep asking even though they know that their parents either do not want to buy them something or have other pressing concerns and the ones who understand the situation their parents are in and are therefore very empathetic and understanding in their approach. Lent is a time for developing this understanding. Being a child of God does not just mean that all our prayers will be answered. A child should have the maturity to know what and when to ask. Some children gain this maturity at a young age and take up the responsibility of the house along with this.

We can ask for something and relentless asking will also lead to God accepting. But during lent, if we consider ourselves part of God’s plan for the kingdom of God, we will become part of God’s solution for the world. We will brainstorm along with God, provide food for the hungry on behalf of God and worry about the world along side God. Lent is a time to develop a spiritual maturity which will take us to higher heights of renunciation which will mean being closer to God than we ever were. Amen.

 

 

Lent Day 17: Lent as a time to recognise and congratulate

I have heard many people either refer to themselves as self-made or say that someone else is self-made. I do understand the emotion behind this and the fact that some people have worked very hard to come up in life. They haven’t had God fathers’ or sponsors making sure that they would have an easy ride. Such people have also sacrificed a lot of things to reach where they are and their life is a true inspiration for many.

But on the other hand, even though hard work matters, there are several other factors which lead to success. In St. Mark 4: 3-8, Jesus narrates the parable of the sower. He says, “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it had not much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil; and when the sun rose it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

The parable is explained by Jesus as how different people respond to the word of God. The successful ones are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit. But I would like to look at this passage as how a community plays an important role in the moulding of an individual. Even though the hard work and consistency of an individual are important, the role played by the community, by a certain environment and people are equally important. When the own family of a person does not help, other friends or total strangers become family. When a community does not encourage one of their own, other people group together to become a positive community. And when all factors turn negative, God by God’s self will provide in miraculous ways.

Sometimes our society becomes too individualistic both ways. Those who are ambitious in a nice way feel it is better to be on their own, albeit with support they would like to or not like to acknowledge. On the other hand, the community isolates someone who is successful but not adhering to the so-called values of a community. This then leads to the creation of the self-made man or woman.

As Christians observing lent, we should understand the value and importance of community. Community should not be to claim superiority but to help each other in times of need and be happy for the success accomplished or efforts taken. A community should also own each other and be happy for the success of the other. There are so many among us who are successful business people, scientists, researchers, teachers, doctors, nurses, pilots, cabin crew, staff in various government institutions and private companies, small and big merchants, entrepreneurs, actors, singers, dancers, cinema makers, producers, owners of manufacturing sector companies, medical companies and hospitals, guides, environmentalists, counsellors, priests, adventurers, bloggers and vloggers, writers, speakers, defence related staff, soldiers, leaders, politicians, bureaucrats, promoters of schools and colleges, wild life enthusiasts, innovators, builders of various kinds, women taking care of houses, students, protestors, drivers, union leaders, farmers, architects and engineers, managers, hoteliers, cooks, accountants, chartered accountants, bankers, church and religious leaders, and government servants who are successful and even the best in their field. As a community we should recognise them because their success is our joy and we may have done something, however small for them, and in return their growth is a matter of joy for us. We should be transformed into the good soil that Jesus talks about which then ensures good crop. Amen.

Lent Day 16: A shameless lent

Shame is something that Christians have to deal with and overcome to grow spiritually. It is something which prevents us from being good human beings and from exploring our abilities. Shame can be felt by ourselves and we can be ashamed of someone else. Children are taught about shame from a young age when they are asked to cover up by telling them, “Shame, shame, puppy shame”, and “Shame, shame, puppy shame, all the monkeys know your name.” Children are asked to dress properly by indirectly shaming them.

From the perspective of those who are shamed, coming back to the view of the public becomes extremely difficult, because they think of what others will say. This leads to the creation of  panic, creation of introverts and even people with psychological issues which become difficult to resolve. From the perspective of those who gain happiness from shaming others, shaming is used as a weapon against those they don’t like or want sidelined. Shame is also what some people feel when we do something they don’t like. For them we have humiliated the family, spoiled the name of the community and things like that. St. Mark 2: 16, talks of one such feeling of shame. Verse 16 has the scribes of the Pharisees saying, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?

The Pharisees among others tried for a while to appropriate Jesus or have Jesus as someone who said what they wanted to hear and say. Perhaps they would have also accepted him as their Messiah if that was the case. But to their shock, he kept surprising them and doing things they did not like. They are upset that Jesus is eating with the tax collectors and sinners. John the Baptist in their observation did not do anything like this but Jesus crossed all limits.

The church and Christian community finds it difficult to question the stand of the Pharisees. So much that the youngsters are even advised by not just the family but also the priest that they should not bring shame to the family and community. I wonder why priests don’t read this passage of the gospel and why even now youngsters are looked upon with suspicion in the community and church. What is wrong if someone follows their heart, decides to go for a work they like or loves someone from a different community or caste? What shame will that bring to the community and what shame do we have which even our Lord Jesus did not have.

Those who bring shame to the community and family are also not welcomed back home and are seen as the prodigal son and daughter. Even though the bible story has the father welcoming back the son, despite the reservations of the elder son, this does not happen often in Christian families. Many people who make a decision at some point of time in their life, may want to reconsider later. But their family refuses to accept them and this leads to them remaining outside the fold.

Even the Indian parliament has this habit of saying “Shame, shame”, when one political party or the other does something which is not acceptable to the other. Such immature reactions are unfortunately still followed. When the entire society does such things, the Christian community should differ during lent and question the entire concept of shame. As Jesus dined with the tax collectors and sinners, our youngsters and others have the freedom to do what they want. They should witness to Christ and not to our family, community and tradition. Amen.

Lent Day 15: Making room for compassion and love

Crowds are so difficult to handle. There are crowds because of lack of space and crowds which are created because of lack of patience. The crowds which were near Jesus were not impatient crowds or created crowds but huge realistic crowds. It is surprising that Jesus and his disciples were not crushed by these crowds.

Jesus saw people at grounds, at the shore and sometimes he was on a boat and the crowd was on land. The few times he was in a house, the people thronged to see him. So much that there came a point when one could declare that there was no space anymore. St. Mark 2: 1-12 talks of such a scenario. Verse 2 says, “And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door…”

In South Asian countries and among the poor, lower middle class and even middle class in India, houses are filled with people. The family members and then other family, cousins and even friends who come to cities and towns for education and jobs. Even when the house is already full, the family opens its door and makes space for the person who seeks refuge. There is nothing practical about this and no clear space which is available and thought about. Space is created out of thin air.

Many Indians and Keralites who work abroad in the Middle East, also stay in bachelor rooms, where there are bunker beds and no privacy. The camps are even worse. Lots of hardships are undergone to make money for the family back home. In Kerala, migrant workers stay in small rooms, with little facilities and adjust so that they can save money to send to their homes in several parts of North India. Small rooms, spaces and facilities are created to accommodate people.

More people are cramped into a room which is already full. The sad reality of misuse of space is seen during illegal migration, when children and whole families are smuggled in trucks, boats and ships to Europe and America with promises of a bright future. Spaces, mostly illegal, are created and people are accommodated. Many don’t make it, while others squeeze through.

This is a sweaty, full and packed space into which the paralytic is brought by four men. The lack of space means that he is brought in through the roof. Creating space is a skill that the poor have. They have the gift of adapting to the situation and to the needs. This is seen in the case of the paralytic. There is always space for compassion, love and healing. The people there accept that and Jesus puts his seal on this with the healing.

Coming to think of it, the poor never say no, never say close and never say enough. The church should also follow this mentality and should embrace people instead of limiting crowds and making spaces exclusive. The high-rise buildings are possible because of workers living in cramped spaces, branded clothes and even toys are available at competitive prices because of sweatshops or spaces with poor working conditions. Jesus accepts the paralytic instead of asking his friends to take him out. He himself ministers to people in difficult scenarios and conditions. Amen.

Lent Day 14: Discerning Jesus of Nazareth

The church starts and ends prayers in the name of the Holy Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The collegiality of the three persons, the love of the three persons and the unity of the three persons with mutuality and respect is also a reason for praying in the name of the Holy Trinity. But for people who have simple faith, invoking the name of the Jesus is a normal way of calling upon God. People from other religions also find it easy to understand about and to invoke the name of Jesus. But for all who invoke and call and believe, do we understand who and what Jesus is?

All four gospels in the bible tried to put across the nature of the person of Christ. That he was son of God, that he was the Messiah and that he was Jesus of Nazareth. Many of the stories and narratives are modelled around this. What his disciples saw in him, what the people saw in him. St. Peter identifies him as the Messiah and this is recognised by Jesus. Whenever people are in trouble, when they get up, sit, wake up, eat and sleep, their devotion to God is expressed in a single word as Jesus.

But the gospels bring out another essence of this. Jesus’ enemies and the evil spirits, recognise and acknowledge him as Jesus of Nazareth and the Messiah. Even when the Pharisees and the Sadducees question him, his roots, his beginnings, his teachings and his words, the evil spirits clearly recognise, respect, fear and speak about him. Jesus is well respected even among his enemies and among his biggest enemies. Even when those who are supposed to recognise him and acknowledge him refuse to do so, the people filled by evil spirits call out his name in awe.

St. Mark 1: 24 says, “and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” According to the gospel, this is said by a man with an unclean spirit. There is fear among and respect even among those who didn’t have to mind who Jesus was. But that is not there among his own people and among those who claimed to be religious.

This I fear is the same thing happening now. Jesus is respected more among non-Christians and is seen as a nice person even among those with no faith. But what about Christians themselves? Our acts, our practices and our behaviour suggest that we do not recognise Jesus at all. We do not fear his power, do not accept his name and significance and do not worship him as the son of God. There is no Jesus in our life as a matter of faith. We may use his name for our own benefit but are not willing to listen to him, give him credit for the good things that happen and call upon him with faith and sincerity.

This lent, we can make use of the Jesus prayer which was very common in the early church. People repeated many times, “Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” Lent should be a time when we recognise God and God’s son Jesus. It is also a recognition of his life, passion, death and resurrection. This entire lent is actually about that. A lent without Jesus is no lent at all. As we observe lent, may we undergo a Jesus experience, a Jesus sensibility and a Jesus wisdom. Otherwise even the walls and the spirits will confess and say that Jesus Christ is Lord. Amen.   

Challenge the accusation of sin this lent

St. Mark 2:1-12

The story of the paralytic is a story of the faith of a group of people and not one person. Many of Jesus’ miracles were performed when the person healed had faith in the ability of Jesus. But in this story that we read the faith is of a group of four who break through the roof and lower down the paralytic into the presence of Jesus. Usually we look up at God. In this case we find four people and the paralytic looking down at God for a miracle.

During lent we do kneel and pray and feel that we are lifted up into the presence of God. But we fail many a time to feel and see the presence of God in our midst. Why do we put God up there when God can very well be here with us? The verses following the story of the paralytic stress this point. In verse 17 Jesus says “I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” He defends the fact that his disciples don’t fast and finally says in verse 27 “The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for sabbath.” Jesus is questioning ritualistic fasting.

We have the habit of raising ourselves into the presence of God without actually checking whether God is up there or down here. Jesus suggests that he is with his people and not far away from them. We can perhaps put it this way. Jesus stands for his people and he comes to earth for them. The people are not created for Jesus. The scribes who were also in the house where Jesus was sitting were perhaps looking up and therefore could not experience the power of Jesus. They simply could not fathom God in their midst.

The paralytic does not get space to reach Jesus. His friends think different and reach down to Jesus instead of reaching up to him. Their faith is also a turning around of the usual into the unusual. It is different from all others present there. This is what makes Jesus notice them with the paralytic. Jesus then says that the paralytic’s sins are forgiven. But why did he say that? Did he say that because he also like others associated disease with sin? In another case Jesus answers his disciples that someone is blind so that God’s name will be glorified and not because of the sin of his parents or anyone else. St. John 9:3 says “Jesus answered, “Neither this man not his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him.” So Jesus may have talked of forgiving the man’s sins because he was talking to the scribes present there. The paralytic cannot pass the crowd and come to Jesus because society does not let him pass in his accused sinfulness. So his friends go up and bring him down to Jesus. The paralytic comes down to Jesus.

Lent is a time to come down. But how liberating it is to come down and find Jesus? It is not lonely here. Rather in our coming down we find Jesus. The paralytic and his friends cross the barrier of the crowd. But they reach on top of the house where it is lonely and Godless. They then break through the roof and come down to Jesus. Lent should not just be an over the top, over the roof experience but an experience which leads us down to Jesus. We must break through the roof and come down. Jesus is always with the people and not unreachable up there. It also reminds us that we must not judge others and call others as sinners as Jesus refrains from doing that. Lent is rather a time when we should realise that Jesus, the son of God humbled himself to be with the people. We should do the same. We must not go through the roof and set ourselves up there through the ritualistic purity we think we attain. Rather we should look at Jesus’ association with ordinary people who are termed as sinners by the society. Jesus’ fasting is to challenge the notion of sin and the labelling of people as sinners.

This lent we can also do the same. There are many people in the world who have the burden of being called a sinner by others. The lent should make us strong to take upon this accusation upon ourselves. Jesus does not heal from a height. Rather Jesus shoulders the burden of sin accused upon the paralytic. He tries to set the scribes and Pharisees free out of their notion of sin. Jesus looks up not for a blessing but to carry someone’s burden and lead to a blessing. May we be a blessing to someone this lent and carry the burden of sin for someone accused of being a sinner wrongly. Amen.