Casting Burdens, Dr. Zac Varghse

were participating in them. It is true that on the first day we felt uncomfortable to get started and to give responses, to sing along with the celebrant and those who assisted, make sign of the cross and to pass the peace to our family members. Now we are used to it and our religious experience became richer every day.

One major limitation of a stream lined worship service is that those who participate virtually are unable to receive Holy Communion. There are other limitations also like participation in the Birthday and Wedding Anniversary thanksgiving services as well as receiving peace. Our Church has been always innovative in resolving limitations. Making use of the virtual techniques itself is one example.

Think of this option. Let us have a family altar in our home. It needs to be only a small table or even a teapoy in front of which we can sit for worship in chairs or mats. Now we are used to fully participate in the virtual service by singing along, giving prompt responses loudly, making sign of cross sitting and standing as in our regular service. At the time of birthday and thanksgiving service we can kneel down in front of our family altar when the celebrant is offering prayers for us. We can put our offertory in a plate on our family altar. We can do in a similar way in giving regular offertory. While passing the peace we can do it among our family members.

Now, about receiving he Holy Communion. We can set up small bread made in our home and a small cup of grape juice (Wine) on our family table. At the time of epiclesis (words of consecration) let us pay extra concentration. The celebrant at the streamlining end may slightly modify the epiclesis, “May the Holy Spirit sanctify this bread and those on the family altars to be the body of Jesus Christ” Wine also may be consecrated in the same way. Our faith is strong enough to believe that the elements on our family table will be consecrated as the elements on the celebrant’s altar. Does this sound like heresy? Our immediate reaction will be about the possibility of our Church imitating the non-Episcopal churches that break bread at homes. No need to be confused. Our celebrant is still an ordained person at the streamlining end. Can our theology accommodate the ritual of members of the family sharing bread and wine among themselves at home? What about the priesthood of the laity in this context? Where will we accommodate the historical reality of house churches of early Christians?

Out of necessity the lockdown period has rather forced churches to use virtual techniques to keep the community together in fellowship. Message groups, WhatsApp, livestreaming, Facebook, e-mails, conference calls, videoconferences and webinars have become handy for all communities. Even after we come out of the COVID crisis and lockdown these gifts of technology will continue to be our handmaids in the ministry of the Church. Of the recently available techniques the most useful ones will be message groups, videoconferences and webinars. In the latter two the participants are visible and audible to each other and so the business as well as transactions will be easy. The greatest advantage is that videoconference and webinars will reduce the huge expenses of travel of bringing participants from far and wide, accommodating them and providing hospitality.

The virtual world demands changes in our attitudes towards the various aspects of the life of our Church. Like good habits we have to cultivate them, internalize them and constantly practice them. We need to accept the authenticity of virtual experiences. This requires a revised definition of the Church. The Church is always understood as a community of “called out” people. Koinonia has a visible form: a community physically coming together, worshipping together, sharing Holy Communion together and enjoying the fellowship. The emergence of the World Wide Web known as the Internet, brought about the formation of virtual communities. The revised definition of Church will require inclusion of not only physical communities but also virtual communities in the definition of Koinonia.

The virtual is the extension of the real. The real will be always the foundation of the virtual. As mentioned earlier our task is to learn to fully participate in the virtual experiences rather than watching them as non-participant observers. The greatest challenge is to find ways and means to “reform” our Church in this virtually saturated world without losing the kernel of our faith.

*Revd Dr. Ipe Joseph is a retired priest of Mar Thoma

Church. He is now serving as the ecumenical advisor to the

Moderator of the Church of North India and the Director of

Communication of CNI Diocese of Jabalpur. He now lives in his native village, Kuriannoor, Kerala. He is the manager of a school at Kuriannoor, which is 100 year old, where his father was a headmaster for 28 years. He was the General

Secretary of NCCI. He also attended 5 NCCI assemblies, 5

CCA assemblies and 4 WCC assemblies.

FOCUS October 2 0 20 Vol. 8, No: 4

THE COVID-19 LESSONS

Revd Dr. M. J. Joseph, Kottayam*

One may ask: What has Covid-19 to do with theology? Is it a guru for the world community? Yes, it speaks to us about the Creator’s expectation of the whole humanity. The COVID lessons are primarily concerned with the question of human survival on the planet earth. When we focus on problems, we will have more problems; when we focus on possibilities we will have more opportunities. This is what we have learnt from the World War II.

1. Lessons from the Yesteryears.

The problems emerging from Covid-19 are not simply an issue of Health and Medical science. It is a very complex problem concerning the whole humanity today in its social, cultural, economic and spiritual dimensions. One may quote 119:71 to find a moral code: “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn your statutes”. It is a spiritual truth that the denial of self and discarding the wisdom of the world in times of trial has allowed God to disturb our comfort zones. We have read in the News Paper and other journals about the noble lessons the Japanese people have learnt as they underwent a period of recent Nuclear Reactor tragedy. They provide a pattern of life style for us. Let me briefly state them: (i) The prevalence of calmness everywhere in times of tragedy. (ii) The dignity shown in observing the queues for buying water and other essential groceries. (iii) The incredible architectural skill manifested in their public buildings. (iv) Radical concern for others shown in buying what people needed for the immediate needs without hording anything for the future. (v) Observance of public Order by manifesting no honking or overtaking on the roads. (vi) The spiritual trait of sacrifice by 50 workers who stayed back against several odds to pump sea water into the N-reactors. (vii) Tenderness by which restaurants cut prices for the sake of the weak. (viii) The old and the children knew what to do by mutual care. (ix) The media had shown restraint in reporting the news. (x) In shops the people have shown the spirit of order during power failure.

My attempt is to show that the Japanese people have greatly manifested the spirituality of religion in public life. The Covid-19 is an occasion for us also to learn the lessons of decency and mutual care in our cultural contexts. Pope Francis has rightly said that the postcorona world must be just and equitable for reasons of its own. The word of wisdom uttered by Buddha is worth recalling. You may lose something good; but you will be able to find something nobler and better”. This is a spiritual challenge across the globe. The WHO DirectorGeneral Dr. Tedras Adhanom Ghebreyesas has also made it clear that the pandemic has made the world

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community humble. The post-Corona world will not be the same as before. It may take time for the global community to overcome the present hurdles, but it has given us the motivation to fight the virus from various angles. He also asked the world community to remain vigilant as the only aim of virus is to infect the people at large!

The Novel Corona Virus has originated from Wuhan, China in Dec.2019 and it has spread to the nook and corner of the globe like a wild fire. In the midst of its catastrophic outbreak, it has taught the world community innumerable spiritual lessons for a sustainable future. Yes, it has taught us that no matter how big and strong we are; we will not carry ourselves to our grave. Yes, we create beauty with our attitudes, behaviour and actions in God’s own world.

2. ”Milk nature; but don’t slaughter it” (Prof. S. Sivadas).

There is no serious attempt on our part to know more about the scientific and spiritual knowledge of microbes and viruses dwelling s in our body and the earth. It is indeed a myth to say that the human beings will be able to destroy completely the viruses around us. The microbes and viruses have their vital role to play for human survival if life is to remain creative and purposeful. It is a naked truth that nothing may seriously happen to all the creatures on earth, if human beings are completely being wiped out. On the contrary, it is not the case if a small insect like a bee does not exist. It is the end of human life. In a world of human beings, small creatures like ants and white ants contribute much to human wellness. The rationale is that we should reckon the role of microbes in the created order as integral to the survival of human life. It is estimated that 500 core of microbes live in our mouth. So also a great number lives in our intestine. Many of them are our friends who sustain our life. We need to move from an anthropocentric to a biocentric attitude to life for human wellbeing. We should abstain from destroying the microbes and viruses completely, which adds fertility to the soil. If there were no microbes/viruses, all our dead bodies will remain in the tombs as they are. Think for a while such a catastrophic existence. In order to prevent the spread of Corona Virus, we need to follow the precautionary measures such as keeping physical distance, wearing of masks and washing of hands with water and sanitizers. But we should not live with such a myth that human life is possible without microbes and virus. In our educational /theological syllabus, we need to add lessons on microbes and viruses for a holistic living. The ecological Commission of

the Mar Thoma Church has taken up the theme, Panchboothas: the Symbols of life for 2019-2020. It is a plain truth that The Elements of the Earth (Sky, Earth, Air, Water and Fire) are the symbols of life, but they have now become the symbols of death. The ecological sins have contributed much to the pandemic situation of Corona Virus today.

3. A universal divine call to reconciliation and Unity

The theme chosen for the 11 th Assembly of the WCC (to be held in Germany in 2022)-“Christ’s love moves the World to reconciliation and Unity” finds its relevance in the global context of Covid crisis. There is an interfaith prayer request for the reversal of the human situation today. There was an inter-faith pictorial portrait of six religious representatives of the world religions in the Week Magazine dated July 5, 2020 under the caption “The Lord is my shield” with the following note: “The men of God, and women, too, are in fervent prayer for divine intervention in a world that wishes to get rid of the mask.” It also adds: “Let it come from the sea or the sky, or any country on the earth. The world is hoping for a miracle.” The care of the Covid patients regardless of caste, religion and social status has spoken much to the need for living in oneness. In a consumerist society, the word “compassion” is absent”. We are taught by experience that kindness is a word, which the blind can read and the deaf can hear. For human existence, we need to live in solidarity and mutual care. The word “social distance” may carry several overtones. It has nothing to do with untouchability we practiced in earlier times.

Physical distance may the right word “No man is an island”. We are not like the sands on the seashore; we are like the leaves on the branch of a tree. This is a spiritual lesson, which will bring glory to the creator God. A life dedicated for others is the hallmark of new humanity revealed in Jesus Christ. We are indebted to the COVID

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FIGHTERS like the government officials, doctors, nurses, health workers, police force, and volunteers all over the world. What they do for others could be pigeonholed under the term the Ministry (diakonia) of reconciliation” In 2 Cor.5:.18 &19, St. Paul speaks of reconciliation. The message (logos) of reconciliation is entrusted to the Church as prophetic diakonia. One may quote 2Chronicle7: 13-14 to speak about this for leading the world community to repentance and restoration as the sign of God’s kingdom in our midst .We come across such exhortations in all the religions of the world.

7. Upholding the spiritual values for a better tomorrow.

We notice the resurrection of spiritual values in different cultures when we pass through adverse circumstances. In the Indian culture, truth, beauty and order (sathyam, sivam sunderam) are the noble virtues for the joy of living. The lockdown period all over the world has taught us several values for an authentic existence. Our needs are not made of greed during this period. We have learned to live with the minimum and manifested the art of simplicity. Several of us have said good-bye to our habits known as ‘disposable syndrome’. Wearing mask in the public has taught us to care for other’s health. The ageold Vedic slogan: “we are the birds of the same nest” has found practical steps in our common pursuits. We have also learned the importance of peace with nature. There are a lot of pollutants in the atmosphere. The amount of Co2 in atmosphere has come down. The sky is clear. So also waters in the seas, the rivers and the lakes. The lockdown period is a period of blessings for all living organisms. We were able to reduce all kinds of pollution around us. It is widely held that the lockdown period has turned our homes as places of worship. The online worship services and preaching have helped us to search for alternatives in our religious observances. The Webinars have become part of our interpersonal relationships and communications. The silent periods in our homes has also strengthened family bonds in different ways. It is true that youths and old people had to bear with several psychological problems. May God help them. Let me conclude with the words of Rabindranath Tagore: “My Lord, this is my prayer: Help me to root out all pride and arrogance from my heart. Help me to continue the pilgrimage of life gladly in the midst of joy and sorrow. Give me the power from above to translate my love into fruitful service for humanity” (”Gitangali-36-a free rendering).

Editor’s Note: Revd Dr. M. J. Joseph was a former Principal Mar Thoma Theological Seminary, Kottayam; he was also the Director Ecumenical Christian Centre, Bangalore and a member of Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches, Geneva. He is currently the Convener, Ecological Commission of the Mar Thoma Church.