Remains of the Christmas

Christmas was on Thursday in 2025. The following Sunday after Christmas when I went to the National Shrine the decorations had all gone dry. 

Near the Meenakshi Restaurant, the night might have been beautiful with creative decorations. 

Most of the mass I attended at the National Shrine was in Nolasco Chapel. The Centre stage at the chapel goes to Baby Mariam...

The Crib at the National Shrine Vallarpadam is perhaps the biggest one can find anywhere, this year too the creativity scaled up the layout to a good part of Bethlehem town to a scale size. 

Sunday 17 January

At noon on Sunday. The day was dry but hot. Yes, folks are visiting the pilgrim centre even though the church is closed. 

Boiled Meat, cabbage, carrots, beans and pasta. 

Thank God for the Kindness of those who invited me for a breakfast. 

Occasional delightful surprises such as this mark the day out during these difficult times, in terms of food.

Strength

"...but the Lord Stood with me and strengthened me." 2 Timothy 17

Keeper of Stars, You do give the Lotus,
Its brightness and its beauty,
The strength to stand alone in the middle,
Of the pond, with the water around,
Not so amiable.

I too, Lord, stand alone, strengthen me,
To give my best, let me pass the hour too,
Successfully.

Easter

Nothing moved on Sabbath. They had to wait till Sunday morning. As soon as it was time, the three Mariam's went to the tomb. They found Jesu's tomb open. They could not find the body in it, they came early as they had to walk away a day ago in a hurry after burying Jesus towards the end of the preparation day. 

Mariam's miserably sad plight, her helplessness, her silent fury, when she thought those who have killed Him has now taken his body away too and there is  nothing she could do against it. She is grief stricken so much so that she did not even look up to the man who walked up to her silently. She thought he was the gardener. She replied to him rather mechanically when he asked her "Woman, why are you crying?"

We too go through this phase in life. When we are helpless and powerless to react to certain events in life, we live through it rather mechanically. We have to, to survive. 

Imagine, Mariam's joy, when she recognizes the voice which calls her by her name, "Mariam". She turns around and find Jesus standing infront of her, alive. 

Her heart goes out, when she calls out "Rabboni" in sheer delight and disbelief. 

For me, this is my Easter. Sheer delight, that my absurd impossibility could be changed in a moment to an everlasting glory. The one who we believes in, for Him its possible.

So we keep running, without knowing, with all our might to the tomb like Peter and John when Mariam told them that she saw Him alive. They just could not help running to their Rabboni, to see for themselves with their own eyes, that  He has overcome death.