The weather during the last one week was variable. It rained for short spells during the day, some being heavy downpour.
During the early morning, after the sun brightened up the tree tops two days ago, I noticed two Bulbuls perched in the adjacent branches of a nutmeg tree in our garden. The terminal branches of this tree were swaying in the wind. I found the Bulbuls swinging and tunefully calling out to each other delightfully. The wind seemed to swing them gently and it was romantic enough for them to be lost in each other.
The weather changed to become cloudy and the dark clouds gathered in the sky. It soon began to drizzle, One of the Bulbuls found its shelter in the same tree in a lower branch which was well covered by its foliage. The other was hidden from my sight. They became still with no more bird calls to each other.
I have become remotely familiar with the bird calls of Bulbuls to know when they communicate to each other to convey different moods. The stillness was an indication of waiting to plan for the next flight move. I wonder how these birds adapt and adjust to the variant weather! I wonder if the weather causes them to feel unsettled!
In the book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament of the Bible, in chapter 4, there is a verse, which came to my notice recently: ' Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressor was power, but they had no one to comfort them' (v 1).
It is a statement of fact and caution!
The Bulbuls being forced to move to shelter, from freely swinging in the wind while perched at the top edge of a tree, made me feel how vulnerable they are !
The language the author used in the Biblical text brought into focus something about the oppressor and the oppressed. The oppressor had power on his side. The oppressed were left with tears.
Both had no one to comfort them!
The verse 4 in the same chapter gave another indication about the
the context and time in which we live: 'And I have seen that every labour and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbour' !
The Bulbuls learned to survive the unfavourable weather and communicated the language of comfort to each other while facing the odds.
But what exists between a man and his neighbour in today's world is rivalry!
Since the new president of the USA came to power, I read a language of challenge, aggression, opposition, threat, force and intimidation. I get a simmer feeling from the Russian president, Israeli Prime Minister and the Iranian leadership. The Prime Minister of India too uses a threatening language towards Pakistan. The rulers of Pakistan threaten to use nuclear power against India.
The rivalry is the language between countries! The confrontation between the president of the USA and the Howard University is an ugly example of this rivalry.
This narration in the 4th chapter of the book of Ecclesiastes ends with a significant appeal; 'Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labour....' '...And a cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart' ( v 9 and 12).
The wisdom of living is best expressed in collaboration and partnership.
Professor C.K. Job once told me that it was the collaboration of few people that brought a breakthrough in approach to understand the pathology of peripheral nerves in leprosy, treatment of patients with leprosy and the reconstructive surgery to restore the functions of hand, foot and eye. He named Dr Edward Gault, Dr Earnest Fritchi, Dr and Mrs Dr Paul Brand and Dr V Benjamin, all from the Christian Medical College, Vellore. The leadership of the Schieffelin Institute of health, Research and Leprosy centre and the Christian Medical College, Vellore offered the support that was needed for the breakthrough in the mid sixties. The American Leprosy Mission and the Leprosy Mission in India provided considerable support to fund this initiative.
The rivalry between nations makes people live in desperation in Gaza, Ukraine, and Pakistan.
A co-operative attitude among the few mentioned above helped them to conquer leprosy that crippled life. Its benefit reached people in all continents.
In the text quoted above, the oppressor and the oppressed have no one to comforter them!
There are some who are keen to fuel the fire for the benefit they gain. The business of manufacturing weapons thrive during war. The weapon manufacturers share their profit with the political leadership. A war is a creation arising out of compulsions.
Late president of the USA , Jimmy Carter was known to be a peace maker. He seems to have diffused threatening confrontations between nations. His presence brought peace to the oppressor and the oppressed alike.
Jesus of Nazareth in the sermon on the mount referred to this: 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God' (Matthew 5:9).
I remember an example of peace making by Bishop John Sadiq of Nagpur, while I was a medical student at Nagpur. Following the formation of the Church of North India on November 29, 1970, Bishop John travelled widely to facilitate communion among the different protestant denominations which came together to form the CNI. In fact Bishop John declined the offer to be nominated as the first moderator, as he was more inclined to be a bridge builder between denominations. In a conversation with Bishop John he told me in 1971, that 'the communion between people is what matters when different denominations come together to become one Church.'. That is what Bishop John did by bringing people together, while Bishop Eric Nasir became the first moderator of the CNI.
A feeling heart for each other arises from an openness to accept others as neighbours !
The oppressor and the oppressed need comforters!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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