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Keep the faith

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.” John 15:1-2 A timely reminder as I allow life to usurp my peace and joy which I had slowly but surely gained over the past few months, especially as I started to read the Bible over 40 days for lent. It is so easy to slip back into old ways. We’re so fickle like that. For me, it happened because I had family visiting and so all my undivided attention turned to them. I did do my daily Bible readings but its message did not stand out like usual. I did not carry it with me through the day, like I usually aim to do. Shows me how quick to preoccupation my mind and heart is. The above lines have hidden meaning in them. At first, I skim over and yadayadayada goes through my mind… yeah, well of course the father is the vine and I am the branches. That must be the message which I’ve often heard before. And that must b
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Day 40: The home stretch

So, it's the 40th day! The final day of Lent is actually Holy Thursday. So, since I'd covered all the Sundays of lent, I've completed 39 days and gotten here without having ideally covered every reading in the Holy Week. To wrap up my exercise, I will focus on the verses from Thursday and (good) Friday to wrap up this exercise, as it's at the heart of Christian faith. I attended the service yesterday and was surprised to find almost half of it was in Polish - both songs and readings. Didn't realize there was such a huge Polish community in Taunton, UK and thought it interesting.  (Prayer and song sound even more intriguing when you don't understand the language so you are forced to go by feel and not by words).  Interestingly, unlike the case in India where 12 older folks are selected for the washing of the feet, the main priest walked down the middle of the church and washed different people's feet (seemingly at random). Maundy Thursday As a chil
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Day 39: For the greater good

24 March, Day 39: John 11:45-56 I've a classmate from college who's released a book recently and she's always been sort of well, different. Eccentric. Is the right word. But, she's clever, smart and high achieving. She's done way better than most of her classmates, but somehow her words and behaviour (even now) are perceived as 'odd' sometimes. She's always been a subject of silent mockery, people have made fun of her, and even now when she's going about doing her thing. I know for a fact that there are people who resent it. I mean, "how can that weird girl do so well in life?" is an underlying murmur. I know it's horrible, but I too have been guilty of thinking such thoughts, even when I know it's terrible to think that way. We don't realize the many "lesser" forms of envy and jealousy takeover in our regular lives. In the way we judge others, in the way we disapprove of others, in the way that it bothers us that
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Day 38: Courage under fire

23 March, Day 38: John 10:31-42 Are you someone who can get over past hurts easily or someone who continues to feel bad about events even years later it has happened to them. I suppose it could depend on the severity of the wound inflicted. Most of us can't fully escape from emotional baggage from the previous years - be it hurting words or actions from people close (friends and family) or far (co-workers, acquaintances somebody in the larger community) Today's verse is from John 10: 31-42 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,  but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” Thoughts: As mentioned earlier, the last few verses starting from this one  begins to show the sequence of events which led to his Crucifixation, starting from the growing restlessness of the crowds who are against Jesus, to Jesus openly speaking about his divinity, and then being at the recieving end of hostility
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Day 37: Stand for the truth

22 March: Day 37: John 8: 51-59 Few days more until the end of this little exercise. It's been a little bit trying to write to an invisible audience on things of a profound nature that I have very little real knowledge or understanding of. There have been days when I have been reluctant to put down anything, because things have flown over my head, and I feel a bit like a blind person stumbling in the dark. Anyway, now that the whining is out of the way. Today's verse is from John 8: 51-59 . “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. Thoughts:  Imagine how blasphemous he must have sounded when he said those words. Abraham was one of the great founding fathers and leaders of the Jews and to specifically refer to him while declaring his divinity in such a brazen manner must have really riled them up. It engrages them so much that
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Day 36: The truth can set you free

21 March, Day 36: John 8: 21-30 Nobody wants to be reminded about the presence of sin in their lives. It is more pervasive than we want to acknowledge or admit. But, wanting to be aware of it is far away from our thoughts. How many of us take the time to actively reflect and examine ourselves and our lives everyday - our thoughts, acts and behaviour? Nobody has the time or mindspace to spend on this kind of thing. Why face all these uncomfortable truths about ourselves? What is the purpose? It's quite uncomfortable to pay attention to and dwell on our weaknesses, so why even go there? Isn't life hard as it already is, without the need for all this self-imposed prodding and introspection. In fact, most of us are quite comfortable with the fact that we live pretty decent lives. We tend to follow the rules. We help people when we can and when it's convenient to us. We don't treat others very unkindly. Most of us are not inclined to, steal, kill or do something ex
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Day 35: Although lonliness has always been a friend of mine...

20 March, Day 35: John 8: 21-30 Hope you will read beyond the extremely cheesy title!!  (Backstreet Boys, 1997 😁) I remember that the first few months after moving to London to study in 2010 being some of my loneliest days. It wasn't fun being uprooted from my comfort zone of family and friends and moving to a foreign country on my own (cold, grey days that added to the depression!). I recall those times as I read today's verse from John 8: 21-30  The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him. Thoughts: Words of hope that could have served me well earlier if I had gone looking for it. I noticed that this week the Gospel readings about Jesus have him increasingly speaking about his divinity and while the words are quite plain, its meaning is often intense and heavy and requires real introspection. Of course this needs faith and trust of a spectacular sort, but we're called to follow Jesus's example here. 1) p
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