Vallarpadam

Another visit to church during the pandemic induced post lock down troubled days.

The church continues to be closed to prevent the social spread of the virus. 

The never empty church and its candle stands stand bare except for the occasional visits of the parishoners. 

The national Shrine and pilgrimage centre, St. Mary's Basilica, hardly have any memory of being this empty and closed for so long. I wonder how it was in 1920 when a similar pandemic 'The Spanish Flu' choked the world, especially the port cities and coastal areas of India. 

A morning tea with a stranger in the Christmas month

An old man who sat by my side at church in the morning had a sad heart. I didn't feel like he had much to pray for when we were pouring our hearts out through the mass and Mary's Novena, later. 

I invited him for a tea after the service, he came gladly clutching a bottle of water he filled from the drinking water tap at the church. 

Over the tea,  I asked him about his life. Close to 75 he is an unmarried old man who is living with his sister who is just a few years younger to him in an old house nearby the church. A mason in his younger days, today he is at the mercy of others, for sustenance and medical expenses. 

A sad story. But thank God, he had a surprisingly clear mind. 

The incident made me realise that I have grown real old. 'cos the old man's life did not stir much emotion, through the years, we have come across many such life experiences that only thought that passed my mind was to find a way to set a side something for him once in a while. 

Later, on the way back to home, I came across a childhood friend whose wife has survived a near death situation medically and has to be taken to hospital twice every week for dialysis. He did not have the resources to handle such a huge medical expenses. His tearful eyes and broken heart did shake me, eventhough I urged him to keep going with his part whole heartedly as he seemed to be breaking under the enormous emotional turmoil to see his dear wife in pain almost every hour of the day. 

A morning that started with a tea with a strange old man and ended with a tearful and broken hearted old friend, I got home rather mystified and praying in my heart;

"...My God, my life is not any different, if You choose to take me to tests, help me with the strength to climb over it gracefully."

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.