Unaffected by rain !

Since we started living in our cottage in 2012, this is one monsoon season which has brought torrential and incessant rain! Our dogs who are usually fond of wandering in the compound do not even want to be taken for a walk!

Yesterday, Anna and I could not watch the final of the word cup football match as the signals to the Television was impaired by the heavy rains. We have been managing with the electricity supply from our inverter as the main supply has been cut off for almost 24 hours now! There are pools of water all around us even in our compound inspite of a relatively well planned rain water conservation. Our domestic helper has been struggling to get clothes dried! Our regular walks have been interrupted except when we get an opportunity walk through the corridors of the hospital, which is about two kilometres from one end to the other. The neighbour's have had many inconveniences including their children falling sick. Children go to school drenched and remain so during the day with wet clothes and footwear. The roads are in terrible condition with rain water stagnation making it difficult for pedestrians. 

But the fish in the aquarium in our drawing room is unaffected and moves about playfully unaffected by all these! 

There is so much of social turbulence in India as the church who has been viewed as a moral reference is found wanting with number of acts of commissions and omission! These have caught the attention of the TV Channels and newspapers! 

There is not enough statements of confession or regret from the leadership of the church or those who are primarily responsible! The church has historically found its renewal and restoration of its mission through difficult times! 

The social turbulence is an indication of the terrible disappointment that the faithful and the critics have about the faltering church!  Let us feel how much we have let down our calling! It is estimated that all the church denominations together in India run about 77000 institutions in education, health care, social service, community activities, etc.

It is a time of discerning to know the way forward lest the searching eyes of the critics would be upon on all these institutions and we would have to encounter truths and untruths for dialogue in the public domain. 

I wonder whether we begin the journey of seeking renewal with public confession! Even a small act of commission or omission of moral departure is reason to be deeply regretful! 

I wonder whether the church, its institutions and  believers would be truth seekers and stay truthful in our conduct. 

I ponder over this personally and painfully because as I have had association with some organisations, whose future would also be dependent on the way they  redefine their calling to go about 'doing good', all the time, similar to the way Jesus of Nazareth went about!

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)