Stairway to Heaven - III

This will be published at a later date. The contents have been scripted.
Do return when Time permits after Time flies, to know my view on this.

Stairway to Heaven - II

 
Ἀπόδοτε οὖν τὰ Καίσαρος Καίσαρι καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ

"Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's" 
This phrase has become a widely quoted summary of the relationship between Christianity, Secular Government, and Society. 
and when giving to God,the lesson of the widow's mite or the widow's offering is presented in the Synoptic Gospels  (Mark 12:41–44, Luke 21:1–4), in which Jesus is teaching at the Temple in Jerusalem. 
The money contributed to God, is for bettering the services rendered to those who come seeking the word of God, with a small % spent on those who preach the word of God. Collection of the Parish is to be used for the Parish by the Parish. Not more than a decided amount (with approval of the PPC) of the Gross collection for the month is to be forwarded up the chain.

Stairway to Heaven - I

Matthew 10:14 "And whoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when you depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet." 
He asked them to travel around the world evangelising, and withdraw from areas unwelcome. And what did they do. They began establishing their little fiefdom giving birth to a new patriarchy.  

John 18:36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. My kingdom is from another place.”
John 18:37 “Then You are a king!” Pilate said. “You say that I am a king,” Jesus answered. “For this reason I was born and have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice.”

What is the Truth. What was his voice. Has it got lost in the noise. Are leaders of the church speaking his voice or busy managing their own.
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Small Christian Community

It was 7:00 am when the handphone rang, and she apologised for having disturbed at this early hour. She had fractured her hip, when she slipped on the street the previous night, and needed to be hospitalised. I was ready to call her an ambulance, when she said let it arrive after 10:00 am.

My day took over, and in the busy'ness of things, missed to call her at 10:00. Came evening and a flurry of calls, asking me if I was aware of her being hurt. I confirmed in the positive but becaue of her request to delay action, it skipped my mind.

All who called me to enquire, seemed to tell me I was guilty of ignoring her cry for help.

Here was a woman in her late 70's, the exco-ordinator of her small christian community (SCC) so immersed in prayer & worship that they forgot they also need to serve within the community. Where were members of her community, that she had to reach out to an outsider.

As SCCs stand today, they are a phenomenon of the modern day Christianity. The unity and diversity within the church enriches the community, equipping people in the church for righteousness to glorify Christ and to spread the news of his love and salvation that extends to all. Christians are never called to be followers of Jesus in isolation. We live in groups or communities, so that if one of us falls down, the other can help. Pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.

Here was a situation with no one available. When we help each other we find an unparalleled sense of unity between God and us. This is why assisting each other is as important as praying! It's not just a nice thing to do for someone; it is a vital part of growing in our own faith while encouraging others along the way.

The X Factor

Having spent a decade and half, he was now Manager of the organization. Chosen for his Man-Management skills, as the Company had been though a turmoil with labor relations that was unable to resolve, or was it a deliberate attempt to keep the issue alive as the Sales Director could always blame the workers for the accumulated loss due to no production.

A walk through the different departments that seemed all dull and gloomy, made him wonder if he had made the right choice in accepting the challenge and offer to get resolved the issues plaguing the organization. He entered the Tool Room and introduced himself to the technicians there, when the bomb fell.

The following month the Turner was to retire, and he had to recruit another on priority. HR was informed, an advertisement released. A dozen odd candidates arrived for the interview. But one of them stood out from the rest. It is him I will be talking about in this blog.

Gave him a drawing and asked him to proceed as indicated. 30 minutes went by, he did not return with the result, I descended to the Tool Room to check the status. Noticed he was still staring at the drawing, unable to understand how to proceed. I asked the next candidate to do his test, as I walked this candidate to my office

Having him seated and relaxed, I wanted to know where the confusion lay. It seemed he did not understand the drawing. Asked him the work he did at the Docks, for that was on his application. He said, he had to machine Very large Propellor Shafts used on the Ships that arrived for overhaul. I heard him. He informed that one shaft could take a few days for machining. I heard him. After the first cut, he would reset his cutting tool and start the second cut. I heard him. I asked him his role on the first day of employment and was stunned to know this was the task on the first day that continued all these 30 years.

This was the reason why he could not think beyond the first cut. He kept doing the same task the first day which meant he had a one-day experience at the Docks. A week later, having been doing the same job, and he thought  he had a seven-day experience.
A month later, he had a month’s experience and 12 months later he had a years’ experience which 30 years later he was proud to say he had a 30-year experience. 

I heard him. This was the reason that he could not perform any task because in reality his experience was just 1 day multiplied 10950 times.

Many of us are in a similar situation. We tell others how old and experienced we are. Are we like this Turner who multiplied the same task 10950 times, that we too multiply our days on Planet Earth and Work by a number. If we have to return to our Heavenly Father, and face the Interview of our Time spent on Planet Earth, will ours too be a one-day experience multiplied by X. Time to ponder and make our lives more meaningful.

The Tongue of Fire

John 14:16 - Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit before he departs... "If you love Me, you will keep My commandment" .... "Love one another as I have loved you", and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever. 

Acts 2:2-4 says, “And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributed and resting on each one of them and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak as the Spirit gave them utterance.” It was the Day of Pentecost

Acts 19:6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they were baptized in the Lord. From that moment on, they were praising God and talking about God’s actions...while they spoke in their own language, they who heard it was in their own.

Here they were all speaking in the language known to them,(Not unknown) and they that heard them understood the message and continued the conversation in the language they knew and all understood each other well. Have you wondered how the animals on land, and birds in the air communicate. Do they proclaim in Tongues or is it just a higher level of communication we are unaware of.
 

The Painter

He brought in his brush and can of paints to sketch what was in mind. Strokes and more to emphasize the depth of his feelings, and finally it was done.

He called in his Master for a critical evaluation of his work. The Master suggested that since it was Plebeian art, it was best to have comments from the townsmen. Place it at the street corner with a note, was the instruction given to him.  

The next morning he carried his work and placed it at the street corner as advised, with a bottle of black paint, and a Note that read, "Please dot a spot you think that needs correction."

Came evening and he was all excited to see the corrections recommended. On reaching the corner he found his Painting was dabbled in dots of black, that left no trace of the original. Dismayed and distraught, he carried his work home and informed his Master.

After seeing the painting the Master suggested he make another similar. When done, place it on the same street corner, with a multitude of colours and a Note that read. "If you can better this, then choose the colour and dab it on the spot to enhance the value of this work."

Evening came and when he visited the corner, found it as left. No corrections, no nothing.
Disappointed one more time, he carried it and all the paraphernalia home and informed the Master.

The Master smiled and told the painter, "it is easy for all to criticize and blacken your creation. But ask anyone to identify the recourse, and none will, as none can. This is the ultimate truth."

The Moral is: You need to follow your heart, and not the advice of others who have little knowledge of the subject other than comment & criticize

The Kiss of Death

All Thirteen looked identical, - be it their Garments, Hairstyle, Facial grooming, Footwear, Physical Structure, Body Language etc.

For an outsider it was definitely difficult to identify the Master, until he spoke.

To ensure they did not arrest the wrong individual and send to condemnation, they had to have one among the Twelve identify the Master.   

Rather than denounce the betrayer, we have to accept this as God's plan to avenge the Fall of Man.

Gratitudine per tutto quello che abbiamo

As we near the end of 2021, I’m overwhelmed by a feeling of deep and humble gratitude.  

The past two years have not been easy for many of us, and I deeply appreciate all I have and I’m incredibly grateful for it. Thankful for my family and friends, for the new ideas that were brought to life. 
It’s wonderful and inspirational being together with you as a part of my extended family.
I’m also grateful for the many challenges we had to overcome to arrive at where we are today in our respective lives. 
With challenges never ceasing, I’m grateful for the things I don’t have which helps me to enjoy even more so the people and things that fortunately are in my life now.

It helps to focus on what we have, and not on what we miss, to move ourselves more into a grateful frame of mind, perceiving difficult situations as a chance to grow and evolve.

Gratitude is contagious and spreading it will make it even more impactful. Let’s pass it on to others to have it snowballing through as many people’s lives as possible, for them who are in need of some sunshine in their lives right now.

I wish you, your families, and all around you a enjoyable and peaceful Christmas holidays and a Happy New Year-2022

The Journey to the Top

He had completed his education and as a Freshly minted Engineer, had great expectations for himself.
Being on the top of the Tile, he was shortlisted by most organizations at the campus interview.
A few days into the job and he knew, this was not what he had in mind. If he had to impact his surroundings, he had to do something different, not the mundane.

Four MNC’s and 6 months later, he got his parents worried. Had every reason in the book, why he kept quitting jobs. They advised him as best as they could.
The next job came calling. A British MNC. He accepted the offer, primarily as the workplace was a few kms away as the crow flies.
Six months later, he was shortlisted to their modern plant, a good 30 kms away.
Three Trains and 2 Buses to get there, got him frustrated. But,
his choices of quitting were now remote, having consumed all options earlier.
His role at the new workplace was even more frustrating. He had to herd a group of unwilling, unskilled, uneducated men and deliver the daily expected output. This resulted in a daily dose of invectives from him to the work force and from his Chinese superior to him.
He knew he had to redefine himself if he wished to continue, and so he did what he was good at. Redesigned a tool to increase productivity.
This done all were in praise, and his Manager asked him how he would like to be compensated.   

He wanted to exit the daily chore of herding the flock, and instead be reappointed as a Technical Support, a profile that would necessitate him solving issues as they arose. This position was held by a 55 year old Engineer, who could not be sidelined.   

His Manager asked him his age and when told '24', the Manager said he should plan his career in a way that he Peaks at 55, as after this there is No further growth. If he gets there at 24, it will lead to frustration to see all grow however small at every appraisal, while he stays constant.
This remark set him thinking of the need to identify the steps to be both Successful and Happy   

Ask and you shall receive

He must have been around 14 years of age, and on the second visit to his hometown. The following morning at dawn, he saw a huge gathering marching down from the Market place to the Town Hall. 

All were disciplined soldiers holding their red flags as they marched in front of the property where he stood skimming the street.
He asked his cousin what it was all about, who just brushed him off, saying that this was a daily routine, by the Commies on a new demand. He was not clear what the demand was.
They all seemed to say, what they ask for in front, we at the rear also need.
There were No Microphones or Loud Speakers those days. The year was 1967, and this was the chorus until the procession ended.

Sometimes in life we too follow others, not knowing what we really need. 

Cloud Nine

It all began when they played the traditional Game of Numbers.
A game played as kids, but he had changed it in unknown ways and this got her all excited. Playing the Game with the rest, at times she brought in her family too...
she was on a Cloud

Soon they got chatting, finding common interests. It was her quick wit coupled with her old world charm, that redefined 'The Law of Attraction'. As a wordsmith, he knew his way with words. But there was a wild side of him, the magical and sensual side, and this helped nurture the relationship further which helped her rise, for
she was on Cloud 9

His family was Roman Catholic and so was hers, where Sacrifice, Servitude and Tradition were the hallmarks. However, it was impossible to believe a person can exist on these qualities alone, when their wild nature is stifled down. He never let his be floored, and neither did she. Sparks lit their space and now
both were on Cloud 9

As humans we all are multi dimensional, and we need to explore all these dimensions too. Surely there is a place for Tradition and Sacrifice, and another for the New Love of your Life. When we carve a path that allows us to express ourselves without shame or fear of judgement, is where we find Peace & Joy. Getting in touch with that side was a beautiful and a painless discovery which both continued to nurture and
both loved to continue to be on Cloud 9 

Debt even in Death

Met a long lost friend a week earlier.
As we got talking of the Pandemic, the topic veered to Death. He turned around and said,
"Even in Death we are in Debt." 

I wondered how, if we have cleared all our Financial obligations.

He asked, "Have we Thanked the Four who helped carry our coffin to the Grave and lower it into the pit."

In essence we owe them a 'Thank You' Note for services rendered. 

If we have not done it, we are in debt....
Truly Thought Provoking

The Overripe Banana

He must have been all of Ten. A responsible child to his parents, a good student to his Teachers and loved by the entire neighbourhood. His parents were proud of him, and so was his Grandmother. She would take every effort to ensure he grew up as a good young man. 
The neighbourhood had many houses of prayer. Be it the Church, the Dargah, the Agiary, or the Temple. His father had ensured all religions were respected, but his Grandmother would have none of it. This is where the conflict first began. Later they found fault in each other's advice to Raj, yes that was his name.
One day as she returned from the marketplace, with a bunch of bananas. As Raj went to pluck a good fresh banana, she chided him for not choosing the one over ripe, which if not eaten that day would have to be discarded to the bin.

The following day, when Raj was to pluck another fresh banana, she reminded him of yesterday's advice. The banana which was fresh yesterday was over ripe today. Listening to her, he plucked and ate the over ripe. This continued for all 12 days. Eating not a single fresh, but over ripe ones daily.

His father watching the entire proceedings, called him aside and said, "Son your education has No meaning, if you cannot make the right choice. Had you discarded one banana the first day, you would have been eating a fresh one daily. Instead you chose to eat a overripe one daily, for fear of discarding one."

Life sometimes does place us in similar situations.
Are we ready to discard.

The Marketplace

 
The Holy Gospel according to St John 2:13-25

The Passover of the Jews was near.
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the Temple premises them who sold oxen, sheep and doves as well as the money changers seated there.  

He made a whip of chords and drove them all out and turned their tables, as he said,
"You have made my Father's House a Market Place."
Not much has changed since then.

The trade still continues, only now it's in his name.

 

The Exam of Life

“I’m so busy” — three little words we say all the time as a way to decline invitations or additional work. It makes sense, though: Time is the most precious commodity because unlike money, we can’t make more of it. 

It is just a matter of prioritizing our day of 24 hours. With a 7 hour set aside for sleep-rest, the other 17 hours can be set based on the tasks that need to be attended to / accomplished based on our life goals.
(Read the below text in italics very slowly absorbing every word)  

You are at an Exam. A 100 mark Paper being attempted. 100 Questions posed and 100 minutes allotted to complete the Exam. Ideally you would allot 1 minute per question, so that you are able to attempt all questions in the allotted time. By spending 3 minutes elaborating an answer, would not fetch you 3 marks, as the question was valued at 1 mark only. But in the process you have lost time to attempt 2 questions. So your attempt is only for 98 marks not 100. What if you repeat this error, your total attempt value only reduces, and gets you closer to  the threshold to pass.
Let us understand the purpose of our visit on Planet Earth. List our must do daily activities. This will help us not spend more time at any one single activity, at the cost of another. After all we need to pass this Exam of Life too.

The Art of Learning....

Ralph was playing in the fields, while his nephew Joe was busy with his books.
Joe continued reading aloud and earned the praise of Ralph's mother for being meticulous in his studies, while Ralph was busy flying kites and running helter skelter. 
Ralph's mother observed that Ralph sat for very short spells and studied subjects she knew so little of as he rarely read his lessons aloud.     

Joe on the contrary read loud enough for all to repeat the exact words after a few attempts.
Came results, and to everyone's astonishment Ralph was promoted to the higher division, while Joe was asked to repeat the class.
It was then that Joe's father called both Ralph and Joe, to understand why Joe could not be promoted, despite being studious.
In course of conversing , he unveiled the reasons of failure. 
While Ralph read subjects he knew little of and tried to memorize the matter in silence, Joe would read aloud the same text day-in day-out. The other subjects were all on the back burner. 
Joe's father reprimanded Joe, telling him to study what he does not know, rather than impress the family by reading aloud what he knows.

 

The Twelfth Commandment

as a child little Suleiman (Solomon) grew up confused...
his mother always screamed at him,  telling him what he should not be doing.
Don't  feed the Camels, Don't Climb the Trees, Don't dirty your clothes.. Don't do this, or don't do that. He was never told what he could do or should do. As an adult he kept wandering all his life in this confused state of mind.

The Wise One had descended the Mountain. Seeing the debauchery of his fellow country men, he decided the time had come to discipline them. He turned around and walked his way up the mount. There he found a small cave and knew he could work uninterrupted in silence. 
40 days later he descended once again, and as he got to the plain, assembled his men, and spoke of his being inspired to set up the framework of Laws. This is what all would follow and he called them the Commandments.  

They were all a set of Don'ts... 'Thou Shalt Not' it said.....
What they should not be doing.

One Thousand Six Hundred years later a Teacher was born unto them. 
They gathered around him three decades later and listened to what he taught.
He had a single point mission of leading his flock, and taught them just one commandment,

"Love One another, As I have Loved you"

This was the Twelfth Commandment.
Confusion resolved.

Merry Christmas

It was Christmas, many of the church going folks, walked down the street after their regular service and began to distribute gifts and sweets to the less fortunate. 

While doing so, one of the groups, came to where an old man was sitting. He was a destitute and the streets were his home. 

They went and gifted him clothes and something to eat. The old man  gratefully accepted their kind gesture and enquired the reason for this benevolence. It's Christmas, they shouted in glee.
"Can we have Christmas every month ?" he asked  

No one understood the meaning of these words. There was present in the crowd a child who heard these words. He often wondered what this meant to have Christmas every month and grew up like the rest, restricting the good deeds to his church and moments like today.   

Time we took Christ out of the Crib and into the streets and celebrated Christmas all days of the year. 

A Good Start.....

Received the below message on my Whatsapp from a friend,

Cardinal has launched the new job portal www.e2elinks.com.
Thanks to the entire team of Fr John Almeida, Royston Braganza, Carlton Periera, Francis Fernandes, Margaret D’Costa and Ruth D’Souza led and encouraged by Bishop Allwyn for this initiative

Good start. But if we were serious in ensuring employment of the bread winners, then research should have been done by profiling the candidates, available skillsets and skilling them softly with tools of their trade into employable levels first. 

With a rapidly changing background, it is absolutely necessary to ensure the foreground is in Sync, else it would be mere Noise we create, instead of Music. 

Job Portals are just too many both in India and Overseas.
Do we know what is the requirement of Industry, both in - Mumbai/Maharashtra/India/Overseas - in these changing Times.
Why are these candidates nearly there but Never there, and hence lose the race.
What is it that's stopping the Employers from grabbing them at the First interaction. 

Let's not lower the Threshold  of employment, but instead raise the Standard of our candidates, by skilling them to a level more than the job requires, so that they rise in their new positions with head held high.