At about 3.30 pm yesterday the clouds started gathering in the sky and darkness disproportionate to the time of the day fell upon us. There was wind at slow speed making the trees sway with birds chirping and flying between their flight stations. When I went down to the stream ladies were still there washing their clothes. The headmen were gathering their flock to their homes.
As I was returning from the stream to reach our cottage, the road beside our property looked dark. I stopped and looked at this sight. It was only only 4 pm and it bore the sight of dusk.
This aroused within me some thoughts. I had telephone calls form friends in Mission hospitals in the morning describing the situation of distress all around them due to the pandemic of COVID.
This sight of the road turning dark early in the afternoon made me feel anguished. Is this a symbol of the pandemic going to consume the wellness of more people! The fear, anxiety and stress surface in every conversation with people whose telephone calls I receive.
Late in the evening when it was heavily raining outside, I happened to see the following news item in the Times of India newspapering its front page. I was drawn by this news item as I had Known Dr Williams and visited the Mount Carmel school a few times to offer seminars for the teachers. Four of his family members are alumni of the Christian Medical College, Vellore. It is one of them who is taking the responsibility of overseeing this initiative of offering COVID care facility in the school premises.
This to me is the source of consolation- 'with every multiplied trial, there is multiplied grace'! This might look to be no compensation or respite from the awful mess of loss of human lives and thousands struggling to find the care they need to alleviate suffering.
Inspite of that, the fact that human consciousness is awakened to be proactive to participate in alleviating suffering in a small way is a sign of the mindfulness that humans carry towards each other. Although our political leaders fail us in this regard, the response of the civil society restores confidence in our humanhood and brotherly view of life.
I found the following news item to deepen my hope further!
The hope in every situation is not just looking forward to the end of the pandemic alone, but being able to celebrate human responses to suffering, distress and loss.
The world is in turmoil. With the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians intensify we are at the edge of another precipice!
It is in the context, we ought to receive the words fo Jesus of Nazareth, from His sermon on the mount, 'Blessed are peace makers..' with greater resolve to make that as our way o living!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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