Sunday, October 26, 2014

Don’t lock me in the toilet: skit



Politician- We will make toilets for women in public places and give money for you to construct toilets in your houses.

Girl- Sir, will I get a job?

Politician- I am giving you a toilet. Why do you need a job?

(Politicians supporters take him away.)

Girl and her friend- I don’t know why they only talk about toilets.

Friend- It is for us no?

Girl- Yes, that is true. But going out to the field is the only time I get to come out of the house. With a toilet inside that will also come to an end.

Friend- But having a toilet inside the house will be so nice. I am going to tell my husband to build a toilet soon.

Girl- I also like having a toilet at home. But I also want the freedom of going out without anyone staring at me and trying to molest me. I also want to be treated with respect. Just because we live in the village, does it mean we are fools?

Friend- Yes, that is true.

Boy on the road- Hi sweety. Let’s go for a movie.

Girl and friend get annoyed.
Friend- Look at that shameless boy. Who does he think he is? It must be better in the cities. I wish I could go there with my family.

Girl- All this happens in the cities too. And there are toilets in the city houses. I don’t think toilets will make our lives better. Will we get more freedom and respect?

Friend- But the government is saying that constructing toilets is more important than constructing temples and churches. Is it true?

Girl- I would say that having the freedom to go to toilets, temples and churches by ourselves is the need of the hour. Will anyone provide that?

Friend- Sshh. Our village leader is coming.

Leader- How are you girls? Did you hear? The government is going to build toilets for you. You must be so happy. (Saying this he tries to hold the cheek of the girl.)

(She gets irritated and says.)
Girl- I would like a laptop and an internet connection than a toilet. Will your government give me that?

Leader- What will you do with a laptop, you village girl? Keep it at your head to sleep? ( ha ha ha)

Girl- No. I would like to use it to write letters to government officials to come and see what is happening in our village. We have to walk so much to get water, there is no regular electricity and all you can think of is a toilet. How will I put water into the toilet after using it?

Leader- Don’t talk such things girl. You are a young village girl. Be quiet and go home.

Girl- I will go home but I won’t keep quiet. And don’t call me village girl. I am an educated girl.

Friend- Come lets go. Don’t get into a fight with our leader.

Girl- We will go. But remember leader, “I want a laptop so that I can get my freedom and my toilet. Don’t think that you can lock us inside the toilet!!!”


(Picture credit www.shaadi.com)


Tuesday, October 21, 2014

I am who I am: Low waist (waste) jeans: skit



I don’t want to fit into the expectations of society. My father wants me to be a doctor, my mother wants me to be an engineer, my uncles want me to be a real estate broker and my aunties want me to be a politician. I hate and despise each and everyone one of these suggestions. I want to be a pastor. But my pastor tells me that I am not cut out for it and that I am a new generation punk. He thinks that I will make a better software engineer who can work in shorts with google.

How I wish I would be accepted just as I am instead of being what others want me to be. (He looks around but finds that everyone is seated and looks the same. Everyone wants to be the same person and no one seems to be interested.) How I wish that one of you would get up and tell me that I can be accepted the way I am.

(This is when one of the girl’s get up and come to him. She says that he looks cool and different.)

Girl- Yo man. You look nice and cool.

Boy- Yes but coolness is not getting me anywhere. I won’t be accepted into my church like this. No one wants someone like me. People keep staring at me and ask why my pant is so low below the waist. Some times I get the feeling they are staring at my underwear.

Girl- I like the way you look. And I wouldn’t mind having a pastor wearing low waist jeans.

Boy- Hmm. My pastor says that I wear low waist jeans and am a waste in life too. The double meaning is not much of a joke when you look at it from my side.

Girl- Ha ha. I like that. Waste guy with low waist. Your pastor has a nice sense of humour.

Boy- See, even you are making fun of me.

Girls- No. Seriously. I would love to have a cool pastor like you and I am sure that many here would also like that.

Boy- You are saying all this to make me feel good isn’t it.

Girl- No, I am saying this from my heart. I would like to be your congregation member. And from the look of it several here would also like to be.

Boy- (Looking at the audience.) It doesn’t look like anyone here is interested in me.

(Music starts. People from different corners of the hall get up one by one to the choreographed music titled “Ain’t no mountain high enough”. The boy and girl also join in with the others. Slowly, one by one, everyone sits. A girl and boy come and hug the boy at the end.)

Girl- See what I told you. Who said you are strange and odd? Who said no one likes you? Who said that people are going to make fun of you and reject you as a pastor? Many young people here like you. I am sure that many others will also like you. More than anything else, God loves you and is willing to go the extra mile for you. There is no mountain high or valley low for God. Just call God and God will be there for you.

Boy- This is so cool. I never thought anyone would dance for me. I even thought that God would feel like the pastor, thinking that I am a low waist waste. Now I know that God wants me, just as I am and just as freaky as I look. Praise God.

(Characters played by Yajenla, BD II and Prazwal Jasper, BD II. Skit done during the Youth worship for Sunday evening worship in UTC on October 19, 2014.)


Monday, October 20, 2014

Worship for the young at heart

United Theological College, Bangalore
Sunday evening worship order, October 19, 2014

(The worship has been modeled as a youth worship. This reflects in the songs, its style, skits, sermon and over all model of worship.)


Call to worship
Ensemble with electric guitar and drums.

Let’s do this now
The power of the youth is manifested in a young son of God, who fought and died young and stood for the expression of raw humanity. O Jesus, our all, help make us do this worship now. Create in us the energy to groove, move and woo. Let everything be for your glory and name. Bless our raw and untapped potential dear Lord and make us the instruments of your cause and truth. Amen.

Listen to the name of the Lord
Song 1

Truth never lies: Bible reading 1. (Can we have an amen for the Lord. Amen. Amen. Amen.)

Song 2

For your eyes only: Bible reading 2. (Praise be to God. Amen. Praise be to God. Amen.)


I can feel it Lord: Bible reading 3. (Yes Jesus. You are our Lord. You are our Lord.)

Thank you Jesus
Loving Jesus, you are our all. Whenever we have fallen, you have held us up. Whenever we cried, you dried our tears. Whenever we were thrown out you received us into your presence. We thank you and we praise your name. You have accepted us, renewed us and kept us from falling. We appreciate your closeness and your interest in us. Keep us close to you that we may never stray away and lose ourselves. Let all glory be yours. Amen.

Skit: I am who I am: Low waist (waste) jeans


Sermon



Jesus matters and the spirit spatters
Let’s hold each other’s hands and pray with and to God. We have been kept away and kept far. We have been told to be quiet. We come to you Lord Jesus and pour out our minds to you. Lead us well and help us to speak when it matters. Let not our thoughts be insulated by conventions and instead allow us to express ourselves in your name and with your spirit. Keep us awake and strong. May we be the change that you wish to see in the world. Have mercy on us O Lord.

Lord Jesus you gave up your life for us. Help us to be selfless and loving. There are many who need our hugs and love. There are many who are crying in a corner and wish to be included. Help us to stop being selfish and start looking at the needs of others. If you could give your young life for us, help us to offer our young lives to you and your glory. Have mercy on us O Lord.

Holy spirit, fill us with goodness and love. Fill us with your will to work and care. Make us spirit filled and worthy of the name of your spirit. Fill us O Spirit with your fire and intensity. We pray for all the young and old in this world. We pray for true understanding and above all we pray for the need to sacrifice ourselves for those who are suffering. We pray for the youth in India and all over the world. We pray for those who are being illegally held, trafficked, violated, murdered and stifled. Help us to rise in anger and become your agents for fighting against unjust structures in the world. Have mercy on us O Lord.

We pray for UTC O Lord. We pray for accommodation for all, good education and molding by your spirit. We pray for all those who are living the dream of theological learning in UTC, both staff and students. We pray for those who are working hard to provide a good life for the others in the community. We pray that your spirit of youth and change overcome us and help us to be different in every way, just as you yourself were. We pray for those who have passed away and those who are down with sickness. Have mercy on us O Lord.

Yes, we admit
We admit Lord Jesus of silence when we were supposed to speak for others. We admit Holy Spirit of indifference when we were supposed to take a stand. We admit God of unwillingness to pray when others asked us for our prayers. We admit that we have fallen from your grace. Amen.

God is love
Look at each other. Feel each other’s presence. Isn’t there a need to accept our sins? Haven’t we all let down the person next to us in some way or the other? God is aware of our naughtiness and our conspiracies. But Christ Jesus came that we may live, and live life abundantly. Let’s mend our ways and accept God’s love in fullness. Amen. (Hold each other’s hands.)

We believe
We believe in God who created everyone young and hoped that youthfulness would remain in our hearts and minds. We believe in our friend and Lord Jesus Christ who gave his youth for us so that we may have youth and energy in our lives. We believe in the Spirit who gives us the spirit of redeeming youthfulness even when we are tired. We believe in Mary who believed despite being young and vulnerable. We believe in the apostles who followed and were inspired by a young Jesus who sought revolutionary changes in society. We believe in one coming together, where we believe in one God, one Jesus and one Spirit. We believe that a youthful response to God’s call will lead us to deeper understanding and unity in the church. Amen.

A young Lord’s prayer
Our God who are in our midst, glory be to your name. Your world be ours, your will be ours, here and there. Give us today good cheer, proper understanding and food for sustenance and forgive us as we are supposed to forgive those in our lives. Save us from evil thoughts and have us with you always. For we are yours, now and always. Amen.

Songs
Yo dude, go in peace

We are not perfect but all is never lost. Christ Jesus is ever young and ever living inside us, the Holy Spirit is ever refreshing us and God is ever a comforting mother and father to us. There is a lot to journey and a lot to look forward to. Go peacefully, go joyfully and go youthfully, refreshed and regained. May God bless you. Amen.


Thursday, October 9, 2014

Something about Mary: The worship order


Prayer
Leader: In the name of God and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one true God.
People: Glory be to God; and may God’s grace and mercy be upon us for ever. Amen.
Leader: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, by whose glory, the heaven and the earth are filled; Hosanna in the highest.
People: Blessed is God who has come, and is to come in the name of the Lord; glory be to God in the highest.

Trisagion
Leader: Holy art Thou, O God.
People:
Holy art Thou, Almighty;
Holy art Thou, Immortal;
+ Crucified for us, have mercy on us. (Thrice)

Leader: Lord, have mercy upon us,
People: Lord, be kind and have mercy;
Lord, accept our prayers and worship and have mercy on us.
Leader: Glory be to Thee, O God;
People: Glory be to Thee, O creator;
Glory be to Thee, O Christ, the King who does pity sinners, Thy servants.

The Lord's Prayer
Leader: Our God, who art in Heaven,
People: Hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread: and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one; for Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Hail Mary
Leader: Hail Mary, full of grace,
People: Our Lord is with Thee. Blessed art Thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, our Lord, Jesus Christ. O Virgin Saint Mary, O Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at all times, and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Opening prayer
Gracious God, we come into your presence knowing fully well that we are imperfect in our thoughts, actions and deeds. Accept us into your presence and give us the assurance of your timely interventions and grace. We come together as a community of the living and the departed and give praise and thanks to you now and forever. Amen.


Hymn: For the beauty of the earth

1. For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

2. For the beauty of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale, and tree and flower,
sun and moon, and stars of light;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

3. For the joy of ear and eye,
for the heart and mind's delight,
for the mystic harmony,
linking sense to sound and sight;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

4. For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

5. For thy church, that evermore
lifteth holy hands above,
offering up on every shore
her pure sacrifice of love;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

6. For thyself, best Gift Divine,
to the world so freely given,
for that great, great love of thine,
peace on earth, and joy in heaven:
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

Bible reading: Luke 1:26-38


Skit based on an adaptation of Luke 1:26-38


Sermon: Something about Mary


Special song: MTh I

Intercessory prayers
God of our forefathers and foremothers, we seek your soothing intervention in our lives. Help us to overcome fear, be steadfast in our faith in you and build our devotion to you, O God, through the intercession of St. Mary and all your blessed saints. May those close to you be an inspiration to us so that we may also strive to be close to you by emulating your acts of love and sacrifice. Help us to be modest in our personal ambitions but enthusiastic to help others and the community in which we live in. Kyrie eleison. (Sung by the choir)

Lord Jesus, you have guided the UTC community in various ways. Educators, administrators, learners, workers, individuals and families have all benefited from this theological college. We pray that you grace the grounds of this institution by your mercy and care and that we may continue to serve the church, society, our country, the world and its people and God’s creation. We are in need of buildings, equipments, people, ideas and concerted team work from all corners. Help us to work for the present and future of the UTC while cherishing those gone by and those who contributed immensely. We pray for our principal, his team of teaching and administrative staff, maintenance and care giving staff, the students and all family members. We remember with great affection all the contributors to the college and pray that they think and act for the welfare of the college in their own different ways. Kyrie eleison.

Liberating God, your sense of justice and peace is what we need in a world being torn apart by hatred and conflict. People are dying in the thousands in Iraq and Syria, children and women along with men are trying to rebuild their homes and dreams in Palestine, the Ebola virus is wrecking havoc in parts of Africa creating fear in the minds of people, the government is struggling to put up a plan of action in Jammu and Kashmir post floods and grieving families in Bihar are trying to make sense of why death came during a festival and celebration. God we pray that we may ultimately work for life and life in abundance. Let there be no untimely death and instead life and love. Kyrie eleison.

Living God, we ask for your healing touch for those in our community and outside who are afflicted with body ailments and diseases. We seek timely and effective medical care and wise decisions by medical care givers that those in pain may recover and continue with their lives. Let us pause for a moment and remember all those in college and in our families, friend and church circles. Let us remember their names and pray for them. Kyrie eleison
Resurrected God, we pray for all the departed in UTC. We pray that our teachers, colleagues, student friends, parents, siblings, extended family members and friends be in the warm and comforting presence and lap of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. May they have comfort in the heavenly paradise and may we meet and share happiness with them during the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us spend a couple of minutes remembering those close to us who are no more but who nevertheless live in the assurance of the resurrected Christ. May the peace of God that passes all understanding be with those who are grieving on losing a loved one. Kyrie eleison.

Confession (Together)
God our family, friend and spirit, we bow our heads knowing fully well that we have been lethargic in reaching out to our brothers and sisters and knowing their needs and acting accordingly. At times we have wanted to but were prevented from doing good and performing acts of empathy and solidarity. We haven’t been able to make credible voices in favour of the poor and those at the margins. Others have yearned for a look, a handshake, a smile and a hug. But we looked away and wore a grim face and feared touching others. Help us to help ourselves and by that to be of help to others. Those gone by have provided inspiration for us. May we and our departed bare our souls and selves before you O God. Amen.

Assurance of pardon
Leader: We have been called as servants of God to offer solace to the poor, the hungry and those who feel guilty because of having too much of anything. We have been sent to the villages, gullies, cities and houses to preach forgiveness and love to all. We join others in ministry and in the service of our Lord Jesus Christ, in offering God’s pardon and peace of mind to all those who have truly come and confessed through words, gestures, and prayers. Amen.


Closing hymn: Abide with me

1. Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.
2. Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see—
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
3. I need Thy presence every passing hour;
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
4. I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness;
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
5. Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies;
Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

Closing prayer and benediction
Leader: In the ending there is a beginning, at the close there is hope of the start, in sending there is the assurance of the presence of God and in soberness there is the smile of another day, another time and another service. We go away only to assemble again as a faith community, seeking each other’s presence, understanding and prayer. Go in peace, go with your heads held high, disperse knowing that we are praying for you, as you pray for us, and preach love to those you come across. May the friendship and love of God our all, the mercy and grace of our teacher Jesus Christ and the togetherness and fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us and our dearly departed now and forever more. Amen.





(Sections of the worship order used for the Sunday evening worship in UTC on October 5, 2014.)

Pictures courtesy Mr. Calvin Sushith Ambler.

Monday, October 6, 2014

Something about Mary: The sermon


Luke 1:26-38
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”[a] 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”[b] 35 The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[c] will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.


Ecumenism has not died dear friends. Today’s worship is an effort to say that ecumenism still lives and we need it more than ever before. Misunderstanding of cultures, beliefs and systems are not inter-religious problems but inter-denominational, ecumenical problems. We need to sort out issues between ourselves inside the church before commenting on other aspects of religion and society.

So what is a Syrian Orthodox priest doing in UTC? Can the CSI and CNI come to a common understanding with the Pentecostal, Orthodox, Catholic, Baptist and Presbyterian churches? Is there something more than Jesus that we can look up to for a common ground? This Sunday, these are some questions we can try to answer.


Luke 1:26-38 explains the announcement of angel Gabriel to Mary that she is going to give birth to Jesus. Mary is quite astounded and taken aback by the announcement but Gabriel reassures her. The skit that we saw took a different look at the passage and shows how Mary fears domestication as that which cannot fulfill what Gabriel announces to her. Mary’s status of a virgin is also her curse and she tries to make sense of what is happening.

“Something about Mary” is an effort to make sense of Gabriel’s announcement to Mary and how she responds to it. It is also an effort to see how Mother Mary offers a chance for unity between churches which can in turn keep the ecumenical flame burning.

Some of the traditional ways of looking at the passage is to point out the obedience of Mary, her virginity and thereby holiness and her special place in the church. While the churches belonging to the Orthodox and Catholic families have given St. Mary the status of ‘Theotokos’, the mother of God, others have questioned her virginity and her status as mother of God and also her status as someone who has to be venerated.

Our present struggles involve looking at other religions and our acceptance of them. My concern is to look within Christianity and identify common grounding through inspired reading of the Bible. Our readings are inspired and led by the Holy Spirit and one should not doubt that.

The read passage offers us hope that there is something about Mary that could bring us together. It’s not just the procession or the chanting but the inspiration of Mary’s self that offers us life in its fullness.

1. Jo dhar ghaya samjo mar gaya- This is a dialogue in the iconic Hindi movie “Sholay” in which Amjad Khan playing Gabbar Singh delivers the eternally famous dialogue to his accomplices after shooting three of them. It just means that those who get scared or have fear in them will die then and there. Mary is scared of all that could happen by this visit of Gabriel. She is perplexed. One cannot blame her. She must have thought of the stories of spirits visiting people and what came about from these visits. She must have also thought of what was this character Gabriel hanging around for and trying to do by calling her the ‘favoured one’?

What was indeed going to happen? Was her freedom going to end? Would she be cornered into submission? The relationship between churches also borders around fear. Will I become less holy or pure if I mingle with other churches, will my people flock to other churches if I appear cozy with them, are others and their practises non-Christian and non-spiritual? Fear plays an important spoiler in ecumenical relations. Mary was also bordering around fear. The fear of losing familiar ground must have weighed heavily on her mind. Gabriel was telling things strange and unheard of. Would Mary be a victim to non-religious things? Mary being a Jew was doing something sacrilegious. She did what no other person would have the courage to do. She was becoming anti-religious from within the religion she stood in and anti-societal inside the society she was part of. She was scared but she overcame fear.

Mary’s reaction which overcomes the understanding “Jo dhar gaya, samjo mar gaya” not only defeats death for her but ensures life and salvation for all people as well. Mother Mary then becomes the symbolism of life by overcoming fear and death. She becomes the bearer of the son of God not by submission but by overcoming fear. This is a good model to follow for ecumenism as well. We don’t just submit to each other but we overcome the fear of one another and favour life through the birth of Christ in each of us.

2. Aathi kya Khandala? Virginity is not conformity.
Luke 1: 26-38 is misunderstood in several respects and Mother Mary is made out into a subservient, submissive, conformist by many. Elizabeth Johnson in her book “Truly Our Sister: A Theology of Mary in the Communion of Saints” makes the observation that several women writers have said that Mary has let down women by being a conformist and allowing Christian writers to make her the correct woman figure over and against Eve, because Mary reflects obedience over Eve’s disobedience. But this is far from the truth. Mary, as pointed out in the skit is not submissive but instead tries to prevent Gabriel from having his say. The biblical writer must have written it in a way to suggest that Mary is showcasing and questioning domestication and using virginity as an anti thesis to submission. It is not submission but questioning. It is not the oppression of women but the expression of women.

The 1998 Hindi movie “Ghulam” starring Aamir Khan and Rani Mukherjee was a runaway hit and had a very popular song “Aathi kya Khandala”. Khandala is a hill station and a place which is popular among the youth. The song has a young man telling the girl that they will go to Khandala and have fun.
Aey, Kya Bolti Tu
Aey, Kya Mein Bolun
Sun, Suna,
Aati Kya Khandala
Kya,Karoon, Aake Mein Khandala,
Arey Ghoomenge Phirenge Nachenge Gaaenge
Aish Karenge Aur Kya
Aey, Kya Bolti Tu
Aey, Kya Mein Bolun
But just because a girl goes there does not mean that she is morally worse than the boy who accompanied her. This pick up line “Aathi kya Khandala” was used and is still used by eve teasers and molestors on the road. An sms which went around much after the release of the movie was about a girl who had covered her face while entering the bus. An elderly man asks her “Aathi kya Khandala?” She replies “Papa, ye mein hoo” meaning father this is me your daughter.
Angel Gabriel is of course not asking Mary to go to Khandala with him. But Mary must have been petrified of having someone like him next to her, suggesting she is going to give birth to a child. Her reply that she is a virgin or that she is domesticated should be seen in two ways. One is to suggest that the angel should leave her alone and that she has nothing to do with men but is rather independent. Two is to suggest that how can a domesticated woman like her give birth to the son of the most high when she is domesticated by a patriarchal, male centric society? How can such good come out of her when she is part of the corrupt structure?

The church sees both in bits and pieces- Mary’s independence more than her virginity was at one point of time looked at as independence from the system. So the church identified with such independence. Many women in academic discourse call Mary as a domesticated saint. This means that she has been accepted, elevated and used by a patriarchal church leadership and this essentially means that she is of no use to women. But on the other hand Mary is also questioning domestication and the skewed connotation of virginity. Mary refuses to get into the patriarchal “Aathi kya Khandala” enquiry and instead deals with the angel, writer and the church on her own terms. Joseph’s role even though small is very significant. He acts as the perfect decoy in the story, making people look at him and in the process Mary gets her space and freedom.

Non-Catholic and non-Orthodox churches need not write off Mother Mary as a domesticated saint. The church may have domesticated Mary to an extent but Mary has not allowed herself to be domesticated. Taking Mariology seriously can bring churches closer to tackle the problems posed by patriarchy and kierarchy, which is power centred. Having various church festivals in an ecumenical setting helps us to realize that we are not domesticated virgins but rather children of God, inspired by the life of saints like Mother Mary.

In my church the eight day lent from Sep 1-8 is commemorated to celebrate the nativity of St. Mary. But this is not an official church lent. Yet hundreds of thousands of people, especially women observe this lent and identify with Mother Mary and intercede to her. They talk, cry, spent time with and completely immerse themselves with Mother Mary. This is not church induced but people induced. Understanding such traditions and observances gives a much needed fillip and energy for sagging ecumenical relations between churches.

3. Mere Paas Maa hai- The MOM mission
The assurance of angel Gabriel to Mary is that she will be filled with the Holy Spirit and bear a child who will be holy. It also suggests that the child bearer will be holy. In the 1975 Hindi movie Deewar, the character Vijay played by Amitabh Bachan tells his brother Ravi played by Shashi Kapoor, “Aaj mere paas paisa hai, bangla hai, gaadi hai, naukar hai, bank balance hai. Aur tumhare paas kya hai?” His brother replies “Mere paas Maa hai.” To the statement that one brother has money, a house, a car, a domestic help and a bank balance the other says that he has his mother with him!

The importance of a mother is well said and it reflects popular culture as well. The church believes that Mother Mary has the freedom and the proximity to intercede to her son Jesus. This is the special freedom of a mother. Ecumenical relations between churches are partly suffering because of an Americanised, homogenized, media style spirituality which leaves no space for the expression of local culture in our prayer and relationship with God. The neglect of the East and its spirituality is a cause of concern and a thorn in the flesh of ecumenical understanding between churches.
A New York Times cartoon reflects this refusal to accept India’s growth.


The Mangalyan Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) has been hailed as a success for a country like India. It has been cost effective and speedy and has used local elements in its research and design. Yet the cartoon shows a person with a cow knocking at the door of the Elite Space Club. It also reflects this coat and tie spirituality from the U.S., exported and marketed by a section of people there. This uni-directional, anti-culture spirituality which is against local cultures and traditions poses a grave danger to Christian traditions in India and their relationship with each other.

The Mary Orbiter Mission can give us the opportunity to taste success in relationships between churches. This is a mutually respecting, learning and growing experience which has to be encouraged more in our context. To sum up, we must overcome fear, be non-conformists to wrong approaches and try to widen our belief system so that our prayers and spirituality become more effective. UTC becomes an apt space for us. It is a place to love, embrace and learn from each other. It is a vibrant ground of acceptance and respect. May God through the intercession of Mother Mary give us the opportunity to be good and better followers of Christ. Amen.



(Excerpts from a sermon preached in UTC for the Sunday evening worship on October 5, 2014.)
Picture credits: Calvin Sushit Ambler, Sr. Shruti,indiatimes.com and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_Church