Why Not an Extra Step....???

Also in "Free Press," Indore, Sunday 01/08/2010

        Human being is the magnum opus of God’s creation. There is no other creature or created thing that can equate with human beings. There are many qualities that make human beings very special and different from other created things. Philosophers say that it is rationality that makes human beings different from other beings, at the same time psychologists say, it is emotional side of human beings that makes them different, whereas religions say that human beings have soul, and God dwells within them and they are created in the image and likeness of God. Whatever may be the case, one thing is lucid enough: Human beings are different and very special creation of the Creator.

             Being so different and so special, we hardly ever realize our own real self and potentiality. Each one of us is extraordinary and unique. Boundaries to many of our capabilities remain yet undiscovered. Many of our potentials lie unrealized and unexploited. It’s only because we never try to do more than the required minimum. We never risk taking an extra step. It is not that all are alike and remain in their boundaries, but there are people who took and extra step, whatever may be the field.

           In the Holy Bible Jesus teaches not to do only what is required but more than that. He says, people love those who love them, but you should love even those who do not love you (i.e. an extra step in relationships). If anybody strikes on one cheek, show him another also (an extra step in patience). If anybody wants your shirt, give him also your coat (an extra step in charity). And those who take an extra step in any field, they prove themselves different and special – the real identity of human beings. Because of such daring act of theirs, they leave and indelible mark in the society for all to look up to.

          On May 22, 2010, Boeing 737 of Air India overshot the runway and hurtled down the cliff, taking 158 lives. It all happened just in seconds. Interestingly some 8 people escaped this fatal blow, to tell the tale of their daring encounter with death and victory over it. We heard it and read in the newspapers, as how they managed to escape. They did not just sat vulnerable and waited for their death but they took a further step… a step to choose life. No one knows when one will encounter with his/her ultimate enemy called death, but we have a choice to choose the kind of death we want. The fortunate survivors escaped because of their daring decision and act. Or this is one way of looking at it. Even miracles are possible, but miracles also take place in those person’s lives who prepare themselves for miracles.

           Many people come in the world, live an unknown life and die. Nobody knows anything about them after sometime. At the time of Mahatma Gandhi, there were millions of people, but do we know all of them? Only few people dared to take an extra step and left the world indebted to them

          One should reflect whether the work done by that person, is done to the full capacity one could employ. Can I not do little extra, can I not take and extra step and contribute a little more to make the world a better place? There are always opportunities around us, that will make our ‘extra step’ fruitful. So what are you waiting for?

- B. Johnson Maria

The Parable of the Teacher

          (Also in 'The Voice of St. Jude" May-June 2011 issue)

          One day a computer teacher in a certain school, set out to reward his students for their hard work and best performance. To decide the right recipient of the reward, he gave them a task, a project to be completed in a certain time.

         All sat on their own respective computers; they were allowed to use internet for any required help.

Now, some them their computer, but their operating system was corrupt, they couldn’t proceed and lost all hope of getting the reward. Others switched on their computer but they had no appropriate antivirus so when they had access to the internet, there were virus attacks; they got entangled in it and could not complete the project. While some others had antivirus and also used internet carefully but never gave a little time to scan their hard disk and it got corrupted and stopped responding. Whereas some facing all of the above problems, persevered till the end and even formatted their hard disk to start anew. They were given a new operating system, totally secure antivirus, safe access to the internet and a strong desire to scan their hard disk regularly after each task. Those who completed their project were given the reward of their choice.

Do you understand the parable? Now listen to its explanation.

           The teacher is God and the students are the followers of Christ. The given project is the individual vocation which everyone has got. The computer is the whole personality of the person and the operating system is the soul of the person. Grace is the antivirus and internet access is the world in which we live. Virus attacks are the temptations to which a person is exposed and the virus affectedness is the sinful state of a person. Scanning the hard disk is the examination of conscience. Reformatting the hard disk is the repentance. Those who complete their project are the ones who live their vocation successfully and faithfully and deserve the eternal happiness in the presence of God as their reward.

Now, read the above parable once again, keeping all these meanings in mind.

- B. Johnson Maria

On Being Obedient…

           Jesus was head among human beings and the son of God. And he was given all the authority and dominion over earth. He had all the power to change the whole world. He had the same power which was used by God, during the Great Deluge, the destruction by water, because the world was filled with sin. Jesus had the power of making everything new, without undergoing even a pinch of pain. But he chose the other way. He chose to be obedient to His Father; he chose to do the will of his Father.

Obeying is Trusting: When we obey someone, we show our trust in that person. If we have no trust in someone, we will never obey that person. We are familiar with the story of that man, who climbing the mountain, slipped and was heading to embrace his death when he found himself hanging in between with his climbing rope and he called upon God for help, and God asked him to let go the rope. The man, not sure in the darkness how high he was hanging, did not trust in the voice of God and did not obey. In the morning the villagers found him hanging dead, just few feet above the ground.

           Jesus was obedient unto death because he trusted in God, he knew that the Father will not let him die like that; he trusted that he will be raised after death. His obedience shows the degree of trust between the son and the father.

          There is no obedience without purpose or reward. Obedience strengthens the relationship between the obedient and the obeyed.

               As we journey towards priesthood, is there a better way to come closer to the Father, than to say with Jesus: “Father not my, but thy will be done.” Nothing takes place in our life without the knowledge and wish of our Heavenly Father, even so called, “the tough times.” Sometimes we may not understand God’s will and may not obey Him, those are the times when we choose to go away from God.

            Each one of us is chosen by God for completing an assigned task like that of Jesus. Jesus was sent to save the world, and his work does not end on Calvary, but continues till today. It is the duty of the priests, another Christ, to continue the saving mission of Christ. And we can never continue if we are not obedient to Christ, our ultimate commander and head if we have to live our vocation meaningfully, we have to obey Christ, in the form of our superiors, our colleagues, classmates, our friends etc. we may not be so worthy, so holy, so sinless, that we hear God’s voice directly like… God calling our name… son so and so… come on get up, now do this, I command you to go there and do that etc…

              God speaks; God speaks to us through our superiors, through the persons whom he has appointed to direct us. Are we obedient? Christ is our model; let us look forward to him to teach us to be more faithful and obedient to him.

- B. Johnson Maria