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COVID 19 Lessons Revd Dr. M. J. Joseph Kottayam, Page14
from FOCUS October 2020
An individualized-faith, which ignores the fact we are members of a close-knit community and does not express in action of what is needed is less than Christian. Only those who by dedication and discipline by listening to God in silent prayer in humility can prepare themselves for the demands of the kingdom of God and are able to work together for God’s mission for realizing ‘the here and now reality’ of God and his presence at the point of human need.
This pandemic has already shaken our world in many different ways over the past few months. The explosion in Beirut, the killing of George Floyd at Minneapolis and the associated incidences are other examples of human violence, indifference and corruption. But for Christians, even in times of great insecurity and change, our instructions are to 'maintain constant love for one another' and 'serve one another' (1 Peter 4: 8& 10). We know that our security is founded in our Father God, the “God who loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). As we share His love with those around us, we are able to give them the opportunity to know Him dearly and also as their Heavenly Father.
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The Apostle Paul gives us a direction on how to find a ‘new normal’ in our faith orientation in times of difficulties such as this pandemic in chapter 13 of his first letter to the Corinthians. He wrote "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I put childish ways behind me." We are facing various challenges and the pangs of growing up. This pandemic reminds us that the Christian faith is not a fairy tale and it is reassuring to know that when things are hard it is not because Jesus doesn’t love us anymore. The good news is that generations of Christians have found that when they face difficulties, Jesus is with them and they are never alone. It has worked for our ancestors and let us hope and pray that it will work for us too.
May our lockdowns, physical distancing, live stream worships and silent meditations help us to hear ‘the still small voice of God’ to help people and communities to recover from the damages caused by the pandemic. We must remain attentive in order to be able to hear ‘the still small voice of God’. Boris Pasternak wrote: “When a great moment knocks on the door of your life, it is often no louder than the beating of your heart and it is very easy to miss it.” May the Holy Spirit guide us to find holiness in virtual space and help us to transform the secular into sacred. Let us remember John Wesley’s mother’s prayer: “Help me, Lord to remember that religion is not to be confined to the church . . . nor exercised only in prayer and meditation, but that everywhere I am in Thy presence.” The members of the Editorial Board thank God for the life of Swami Agnivesh who passed away on 11th September at Delhi. He was a great son of India who served the nation and particularly thousands of suffering people asdescribed in a most fitting tribute to him by Revd Dr. Valson Thampu. He contributed much for the Interfaith relationship, dialogue and wider ecumenism. He was a prime example that there is a living presence of Christ in the lives of some Hindus. Dr. Abraham C. Thomas and Retired Judge O. C. Ninan, whose obituaries appear in this issue, were God-centred gentlemen what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). We thank God for these two servant disciples who worked for establishing the values of the kingdom of God. We offer our condolences to the bereaved families. May their souls rest in peace and rise in glory.
Since people everywhere are affected by the COVID-19 and other severe illnesses and disabilitieslet us pray for them. Let us also remember Metropolitan Joseph Mar Thoma and Chrysostom Valiya Metropolitan in our prayers. We are very grateful to the past and the present contributors to this journal who helped us to complete eight volumes of this journal from April 2013.
Dr. ZacVarghese FortheEditorial Board
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Published by Lal Varghese, Esq., Dallas for and on behalf of
Disclaimer: Diaspora FOCUS is a non-profit organization registered in United States, originally formed in late Nineties in London for the Diaspora Marthomites. Now it is an independent lay-movement of the Diaspora laity of the Syrian Christians; and as such FOCUS is not an official publication of any denominations. It is an ecumenical journal to focus attention more sharply on issues to help churches and other faith communities to examine their own commitment to loving their neighbors and God, justice, and peace. Opinions expressed in any article or statements are of the individuals and are not to be deemed as an endorsement of the view expressed therein by Diaspora FOCUS. Thanks.
Diaspora FOCUS
who listened to the ‘still small voice of God’ and followed the Prof. George K. Zachariah, MTC of Greater prophecy of Micah: “He showed you, O man, what is good. And Washington (Navathy Tributes from FOCUS)
