Rose Mary

Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again – John3:3

Rose Mary

Over the past few years, this small coastal state of Kerala has been in a condition of crisis. With two unexpected floods in quick succession, the cyclone Ockhie that followed suit , and then the pandemic that made its national debut in Kerala, the burden has been more than the state could bear. For the past 18 months we have been closely following the news channels and social media with hopes that the situation will soon be under control, but there seem to be no signs of any let-up.

As Kerala moves from one lockdown to another, people remain indoors, silently witnessing the savage onslaught of disease and death on the one hand, and business closures and job losses on the other. Is this a punishment from the Almighty for our collective misdeeds? Has the Lord abandoned us, cutting us away from His church and from each other? These and many other questions often worry us.

But even as these ominous clouds gather , and the sky darkens over God’s own country, we realise that there is a new awakening, a sense of brotherhood that has taken birth and is rising from the ashes of this spent and suffering people, to form a beautiful rainbow of hope and salvation for all. The seeds were sown during the devastation of the floods in 2018. Without expecting the State machinery to manage the crisis alone, every household contributed what they could, community kitchens were opened, and the fishermen became the heroes of the day with their brave and selfless rescue operations .

The pandemic is on a much larger canvass. Its deadly consequences and its sustained and relentless attack on humanity at large has left the world bleeding badly from its bite. It has reduced human progress and activity to the bare essentials – namely food and shelter. And yet, amidst this massive devastation, there are many who have come forward to participate in community efforts to alleviate the pain of others. Newspapers have brought out stories of individual nobility— of Janardhanan the beedi maker, who contributed his entire saving to the Chief Minister’s vaccine fund, of Subaida who sold two of her goats for the same purpose, of a college girl from Trichur who sold fish and turned in her savings from that into the common fund. Besides this, religious communities, church family units, student communities are all turning out to be the guardians and keepers of their less fortunate neighbours. Father Chiramel, who is now a familiar face on social media channels has initiated a huge hospital project depending entirely on the generous contributions of a concerned public. What lends hope to the project, and indeed to society at large is that people have willingly and open-handedly contributed acres of land for the cause. Doctors, nurses and other professionals have volunteered to freely serve at the hospital which intends to cater to the labour classes free of charge. In a world sinking in the quicksand of economic instability, disease and death, these beautiful acts of love become the cornerstone to establish God’s kingdom on earth .

St. John’s Gospel tells us of a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus about spiritual rebirth, where the Lord categorically states that the kingdom of heaven is only accessible to those who are ‘born again’. It may not be very far from the truth if we were to say that the pandemic has initiated this process of rebirth for many of us. Quarantined and locked in as we are at present, away from our loved ones, threatened by disease and death, many of us have had a change of heart. We have begun to see what the purpose of our life is, and what our Creator desires from us. Money, lifestyle, status and power that were once the driving forces of life seem worthless now, especially to those who had access to these. Many have realized that their accumulated assets can only have meaning if they are utilized in meaningful ways for those in need. When life is uncertain and death lurks round the corner, people have once again come within the reach of their Creator, born again in the spirit of empathy and care, leaving behind worldly aspirations that have failed to live upto its promises.

Kerala is on its way to carve out another lead position for itself. Standing squarely against the dividing lines of communalism and economic disparity, the Malayalee is on the path to create a sustainable model of voluntary service and contribution. May we continue to stand together, undaunted and undivided , to serve our State and country, and be the beacon of light for the world to follow.