Trees that tell a story!

One of the things that fascinates me when I visit new places is to look out for old tress on the wayside, in the park, or gardens or in the farm land. 

Since we started living in our cottage eleven years ago, we had to cut nearly seventy trees which grew to cover the land area with thick foliage, not allowing other vegetations to grow in the land. These were trees which normally had a life span of about twenty years, after which they are usually cut for using them for timber. Their trunks will show signs of hollowing in the centre. I remember most of the trees had already shown early signs of disintegration. 

That is not the story of some other trees, Teak, Oak, Eucalyptus, Berch, Banyan, Peepal etc. They are trans-generational trees. 

The environmentalists have often lobbied to protect such trees especially if they are flourishing in public or historic places. 

While visiting this city, I took time to get a glimpse of the trees on the road sides. Those trees carry a history of hundred or more years. 

An elderly gentleman who saw me take pictures asked me about my interest in old trees. I told him, that I am at mid seventies, and I am looking for trees older than me. He laughed and said that most the of the trees on the road side are older than him. He happened to be in his early nineties. He was working in his garden when he initiated this conversation. He had an interesting comment to make, after the initial pleasantries. We need to have respect for trees, because they make our environment conducive for humans and avians. He pointed to the nests in a tall tree and said, for years birds use the trees as their home. 

I remember a visit I made in the mid eighties to the Asha Kiran Hospital in Lamptaput. The barren land that was bought for hospital, had plenty of saplings planted to make it look like a tribal belt to make people feel a home. During my last visit to the hospital which was fifteen years  ago, I found the hospital buildings hidden amidst a wide range of trees and shrubs. The mango trees, pepper, banana and the vegetable and floral gardens gave a feeling of a place created for wellness and environmental preservation. 

What spoke to me as I was returning, was the silent presence of these trees, giving shelter and breathing out oxygen. They are not watered or manured or given any particular protection. They grow from what the earth and rain provide. They take only as much as they need and they give abundantly. When a tree is felled for some reason or other, its timber continue its history of presence as furniture or roof for buildings! 

The quiet presence, but full of giving habit!

Our presence in our homes and work place is for self-giving!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo) 

A boy's goodwill gesture!

A boy arrived with his father to feed the waterbirds. He had bread with him. The birds gathered from different corners of that waterbody in no time!

I found out from the warden of the park that visitors avoid feeding the waterbirds. If they want to feed, offer them cucumber, carrot, beans, etc. as they suit the waterbirds better than bread. 

Another striking thing was there were four different species of birds waiting to be fed. They did not chase each other. They did not even chase each other even though only a few of them got the crumbs. 

The waterbirds are permanent residents in the waterbody. They nest at the edges of the waterbody. There were a few young ones in one corner. 

I found tolerance and co-existence at a high level of comfort among them!

A lesson to learn from the avians, when humans behave intolerably towards others on some occasions!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Grass fields under tall trees!

This sight of well maintained grass fields, under tall trees in a national park was an outstanding feature!

Instead of allowing wild overgrowth under the trees, this park created several picnic spots by making the grass picnic friendly for adults and children! 

What an eco-friendly gesture! 

This is how a park presents itself as a natural choice for families to have weekend outings! 

M.C.Mathew(photo and text)

The experience of the Risen Christ

On a walk yesterday, looking at these large stones on the wayside, my thoughts went to the stones, which were found removed  from the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth on the first day of the week when some women went to the tomb with spices and perfume (Luke 24.1). They found the stone rolled away and when they entered the tomb, the body of Jesus was not there. (v.2,3). What then they encountered was two men standing in dazzling apparel. While they stood  frightened, the  women heard them say, 'He is not here...He has risen' (v.6).

These stones reminded me of the physical return of Jesus of Nazareth from the tomb that was sealed with stones while soldiers kept a watch over it. Jesus appeared to these women (Matt 28:9), Mary, Mary Magdalene, Joanna and other women who were with them (Luke. 24:10), while they were on the way to tell the disciples of Jesus,  about the risen Jesus, whom they met after He had risen.  

The stones cannot contain the purpose and plan of God. The vigilant soldiers could not stop the stones from being rolled away. The severe earthquake, and the angel of the Lord descending to roll away the stone (Mat28:2) were unusual ways to overcome the power of control of human authority. The frozen soldiers to whom the angel of the Lord spoke, said, 'He is not here' needed time to come to their consciousness of the events taking place in their sight!

One moving thought from this scene, was the the spirit of the women to seek for Jesus. The disciples to whom Jesus foretold about this meant and resurrection were fine in tier faith.  That is why when the women told about the apostles about resurrection of Jesus, thier words 'appeared to them as nonsense and they would not believe.' (Luke23:11 Although they went to place spices and perfume on the tomb of Jesus, as it was the custom of the day, their seeking spirit for Jesus strikes me as a genuine inner urge. It is those who search who shall find. In a parable  that Jesus spoke about the woman who lost a coin, she searched till she found!

The search for Jesus of Nazareth continues fervently in the lives of many. The hundreds, who walked carrying wooden cross on their shoulder to the Malyattoor hill top church, during the Holy Week, where St Thomas seems to have had his footprints, is a sight I watched annually with interest and curiosity! I remember talking to a few people, who returned from that pilgrimage. They told me that life is a long search to find Jesus of Nazareth as an experience. I felt encouraged by the desire to have an experience of Jesus in their lives. 

The next part of the walk yesterday was along the beach. I noticed two Silver Gulls waiting for the waves of the water come to the shore and move towards the waves. They moved to and fro a few times. Then they moved towards the dry sand. I wondered whether they we confused and unsettled seeing their to and for movements. 

The passage about two followers of Jesus walking seven miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus during an afternoon, came to me after Jesus had risen (Luke 24:13-35). They were conversing and discussing during the walk about 'The things about Jesus the Nazarene who was a prophet, mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people' (v.19) A stranger joined them who during the walk expanded and explained concerning Jesus and His death and resurrection. Only at meal time, when the stranger took bread, blessed and broke it, their eyes were open to see that it was Jesus who was with them. After Jesus vanished from their sight, the two recalled the conversation with Jesus on the way and said:'Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scripture to us?'  

The last two photos of the Silver Gulls had a significant message for me. The subdued birds who were moving up and down with the were now walking back from the beach with some vigour and briskness, as though they were ready for the next flight! Thy seemed to have found the next direction after unsettled for a while. 

That was what happened to the two walkers. They arose that very hour when they experienced the visitation of Jesus and returned to Jerusalem and found the eleven disciples of Jesus gathered together, and announced that Jesus had appeared to them. 

What is this experience of Jesus that people are looking for !

With these thoughts, I was moving towards the path through the hills to the other side. When I turned to have a last look at the beach, I noticed a stationary shipping boat, not too far from the land. I did not notice the movements of the fishermen in or around it. 

That brought back to my memory the passage in the gospel of John 21, a narrative of the disciples about their fishing expedition after the resurrection of Jesus. They toiled through the night and caught no fish (John.21:3). 

What was striking, was how Jesus Jesus stood at the beach at day break(v.4). The disciples did not recognise Jesus, till they heard Jesus talk to them. 'Children, you do not have fish, do you?'. Jesus was ready with breakfast of bread and fish for the disciples when they returned after toiling in the night with no fish caught. This occurred to me as a way the risen Jesus would appear to us! He would surprise us by His unusual and unique way of touching us at the time of our need. 

This experience of the disciples not recognising Jesus gave me some consolation. I would have gone through life on many occasions loosing the sense of presence of Jesus!  Jesus is in   our midst as our tcomanpon. The risen Jesus appeared to those who were waiting to see Him after His resurrection. Thomas who doubted the resurrection of Jesus too had an occasion to see Jesus, whose nail pieced hands he could observe. 

 Looking for Jesus is a life long search for many of us. We experience Jesus, at ordinary times. We might be more ready to experience Him at difficult times. It was when the disciples caught no fish after the toil of the night, they were ready to cast the net again, when Jesus asked them to do so.. When they caught  large collection of fish, they were surprised. 

This seems to be the most striking aspect of the experience the  risen Christ can bring into one's life.

When life is caught in complex situations or in as web of  constraints, the consciousness of the presence of the risen Christ can lead us to sense opportunities and pathways to proceed. The risen Christ found Himself released from the sealed tomb!

The life events which make us feel stifled do not have the final word about our life or our future. 

The risen Christ has the final say on matters that are beyond our control!

I was trapped by an error of judgement when I was going through my qualifying practical examination in my post graduate examination in Paediatrics. When a major slip occurred, usually repeating the examination was  the normal way in those days. At the end of two days  of all the different components of the practical examination, one external examiner told me in the presence of three other examiners, 'come back tomorrow for a long viva. That would decide whether you can compensate for the slip you made'! On the third, day, I was the last to have  the viva exam, which lasted for  one and half hours as against the normal twenty minutes. At the end of that grilling viva, the same examiner told me, 'You stood your ground. We cannot fault you'! Looking back, the longer viva was opening a door, which for all practical purpose, was an unusual gesture of kindness,  as against the normal course  of repeating the examination. For me in 1979, that examination was a vivid experience of sensing the presence of the risen Christ!

The experience of the presence of the risen Christ in our lives can be many, if only we can pause and reflect! 

The risen Christ accompanies us in our journey!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

A time to be present and a time to go beyond!

All these photos of different stages of shedding of leaves of  plants were noticeable in the garden ! Each of them has a separate time table for its presence and extinction!

Now we live in a season when humans live longer and healthier.

A time to live and a time to fade away!

A time to work and a time to stop from working as before!

I have had a personal question to reckon with! When would be the right time for me to retire from full time professional work! 

There is a natural closure to one's professional expression! Its timing ought to synchronise with the inner readiness! 

The professional expression of one's life is one large dimension of one's vocation. The vocation to live and work with a sense of purpose, meaning and altruism is what most people seek after. 

There comes a time when summarising one's life experiences takes precedence over continuing to be active professionally. 

Dr William Cutting, now in his late eighties, took upon himself the role of being in advocacy for safe and healthy living for senior citizens, after few years into his retirement. His books focussing on Movement and Wellness for senior citizens and his presentations to help the senior citizens to protect themselves from arthritis, osteoporosis, dementia, depression, accidental falls, etc have been widely received in Great Britain with much appreciation. 

I remember a conversation with him while he was about to embark on this journey. His thoughts truly inspired me. He and his wife had  a few health risks and susceptibility, that they had to overcome. He said, 'I was not sure how to keep well when we ourselves have health conditions to cope with'! It was this persuasion to find ways to live well, which generated an interest in him to share his learning experiences with others. 

So retirement is not ceasing to be active professionally, but finding a continuum and yet a different exploration in journey and communication!

I am almost seeing the green flag for this transition! 

A time for going beyond what one is used to doing- that is the optic for viewing retirement !

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)

Lingering thoughts on a Holy Saturday!

The first impression I have of the day, the Holy Saturday is the alarm the clouds brought, when I looked at the sky! Not a good day! That is when I remembered that following the burial of Jesus of Nazareth, the next day being the Sabbath, '....they rested according to the commandment' (Luke23:56). That Sabbath Saturday was also a stormy day! The women who followed Jesus and visited the place where Jesus was buried, 'prepared spices and perfumes' and then rested for the Sabbath. The spices and perfumes are for honouring the dead person in the tomb. The Holy Saturday was spent in the shadow of death. 

The second photo above,  taken from the other side of the garden, where I was stranding, is an altogether different view. Against the blue sky, a tree is seen standing, spreading its branches widely and waving with its leaves! Its life is vibrant and promising of the future. It is the tree where the birds would come to rest in the night and find fruits during the day. It gives shadow below for those who walk underneath it. It gives its oxygen to the air and becomes the source of life! This imagery of the Holy Saturday lifted my spirit high. The cloudy sky is not the ultimate. The living tree transcends fear and anxiety that the clouds carry. 

When I turned to the corner of the garden, I was pointed out to the web that a spider, hiding in the rolled over dry leaf, was weaving. Th leaf itself is carried by the web. The hidden spider! 

The Holy Saturday is the day when Jesus was hidden from mankind! The tomb covered Jesus of Nazareth. And yet, His teachings, presence in human history, and the hope of resurrection  He talked about were still holding people from succumbing to fear, doubt and dismay! The web of the history of His three and half years of public presence, being and doing were authentically present to sustain those awaiting for the resurrection experience. The darkness of the Holy Saturday was interspersed with the web of the mission and ministry of Jesus. 

The clouds generate fear within!

The tree brings hope to live with!

The Hidden spider is still at work to make its web !

So the Holy Saturday is all about the hidden Christ, present in our midst and holding us in the web of His presence and teachings!

For many of us the Holy Saturday is not just one day, but a season of waiting and enduring! 

A mother described her Holy Saturday experience recently! At thirteen years of age, she was still struggling to find a way to engage her daughter with a cognitive impairment, in a meaningful occupation. For three years the mother had introduced different activities to get her trained. But her daughter did not get drawn by them. A visitor who came home was knitting during the conversation. Her daughter got enthused by this and is now getting professional training to knit and make different garments! What a story of the outcome of a Holy Saturday experience!

I remember one Holy Saturday experiences in my own life. I joined for the pre-medical course and could not complete my examination as a severe Hepatitis infection incapacitated me. When the examination result of the next year was due, my result was withheld as I did not participate in the NCC training, from which I was exempted due to my prolonged Hepatitis infection. The medical certificate which was produced in the college, granting exemption was not forwarded to the University. That was the time when the Indo-China war compelled the government to train all college students through NCC to be recruitment ready when needed. It took another year of academic work before I could get into medical training. The year 1967 to me was the resurrection year, after three years of the Holy Saturday experience!

The Holy Saturday experiences are formative for receiving the resurrection experience!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo) 

Staying Flight- ready !

Anna and I have had an opportunity to visit a Botanical garden during this week, which brought sights and scenes which were breathtaking and inspiring. 

I noticed this Lapwing birds in their endurance exercise by stranding on one leg, for about two and half hours we were in the garden. The last photograph was taken after one hour when the birds were still in the same location with two of them on one feet and the third one changing its feet to stand, when we finally left them. 

The Lapwings have heavy bodies and they fly fast and long distances. They need to find marshy ground or wet land to find their feed and choose dry ground for resting at night. They even lay eggs on the ground covered with overgrowth of grass. 

I wondered why they stand on one leg! There are some speculations I heard from bird watchers. They have an oval body with muscular chest and hind portion. Their slender legs have to carry this weight while standing, walking and hopping along, which is their common way of strolling on the ground. 

When they fly, the wings outstretched and the limbs extended back have to have balance, for which they train themselves by learning to support themselves by standing on one leg. They do it whenever they rest. Unlike humans when one hand and leg become dominant from pre-school years, there is a speculation that some avians use their legs equally.  time by So the Lapwings train themselves to be steady by strengthening their legs by standing on one leg for long time by choice and habit. 

It was after sighting this endurance exercise, I turned my attention to find another example of endurance in nature. 

I wondered how scores of bamboo stems are placed close to each other, making it a bush of bamboos! I felt fascinated by the proximity of each bamboo to the other.  They are intensely close to each other with hardly any space between them. They exist in close proximity to each other, which is their way of being! The bamboos have such a way of existence. They endure their proximity. 

When I turned to the other side, I noticed some trees at a distance from each other with each tree having sufficient space between them. Such trees when growing up at a distance from each other might still be connected with each other through their root system! For such trees, this distance would be needed for them to grow and flourish. They need the space to exist. So they endure their distance. 

The theme of proximity and distance surfaced in my thought while reading the narrative of the few days in the life of Jesus of Nazareth culminating in the Good Friday!

Between the chamber of Pilate where Jesus of Nazareth faced His trial and His crucifixion in a wooden cross, there are some telling incidents which give us an insight about the human  attitude of proximity and distance.  

We need to look at the events of the Holy Week to understand the proximity between the disciples and Jesus of Nazareth.  Jesus asking two of his disciples to untie a donkey and a Colt to bring them to him, for him to journey to Jerusalem for the feast of passover(Mat.21:1-3) is an indication that Jesus had a relational proximity with two who could be entrusted with an unusual mission. Jesus sent Peter and John (Luke 22:8-13) to prepare for the passover and get the place ready for the last supper. The details of getting the last supper ready were specific and elaborate, which was to be the last gathering of the disciples before His crucifixion. While Jesus was being led to Golgotha, there were some women who were following Him, mourning and lamenting.(Mat.23.27). There were some women, who after the burial of Jesus had gathered to prepare spices (Luke.23.56) to go to the tomb on the first day of the week with spices. They were also strong in desire to accompany the suffering servant, when He suffered and endured. They were among the few who rushed to the sepulchre, although with doubts in their mind, to see if He had arisen on the third day as it was told to them. 

Seeking to be proximate to Jesus at a troubled time, when he was going to be captured, accused and condemned to the cross was a difficult experience to those who were close to Him until then. Most of the disciples deserted Jesus, while a just a few stayed close to Him. One who stayed close to him, Peter, denied Jesus even after he secured a place, near the fire place to stay warm and to escape being noticed (Luke 22:55). 

This desertion happened when people would normally gather around a person, who was ill- treated and falsely accused. Jesus did not defend Himself nor did He have others to defend Him. 

Let me suggest that much before the aloneness of abandonment in the cross, from where, when  in desperation Jesus cried out, 'Father remove this cup from me..', Jesus of Nazareth was walking His lonely journey to the cross, forsaken by all, except a few who remained proximate to Him till the Gethsemne experience. Following the Gethsemne, few followed Him afar or lost their hope! The gloomy conversation of the two disciples walking to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35) is an indication of the despair and anguish that had consumed them. Those who were proximate to Jesus were no more able to believe Him. 

One needs to walk along the via-dolorosa journey from Gethsemne to Calvary, to feel the intensity of desertion Jesus of Nazareth suffered, at the hands of those who were chosen to be proximate companions to Him to fulfil His mission. 

One message from the Good Friday events, among other significant ones, is that pilgrimage is a lonely journey and one is likely to be left alone in a lonely path! 

Alone, we endure, when we walk through the valleys of life! The proximity of others are not permanent or assured. Those who had good intentions to be companions will also fall out when they can no longer endure the challenge of fear, anxiety, alienation, or intimidation!

There were many in the company of Jesus of Nazareth including the disciples, during the mesmerising days of His public appearances, following Him because of  the temple discourses, teachings, miracles, parables, healing, and outgoing mindfulness towards those who were helpless and rejected. His compassionate attitude surprised everyone. His acts of kindness had no parallel to compare with. 

The Lapwings learn endurance by exercising their single leg standing skills. The Bamboo bush endures a collective existence as there is no space for greater individual expression. The trees planted in a garden distant from each other stand alone and face the adversities all alone!

For a Good Friday this was a disturbing news to say the least!

While walking back after the flooding of above thoughts, I happened to notice a Common Moorhen, who was feeding from the lawn grass. It seemed to pick up seeds. worms and even blades of the grass. It drew its meal from what was available. ThMoorhen looked healthy and not malnourished. So, the prayer, 'Give us our daily bread' holds good for that bird also. It lives its life exposed to all the challenges that we are also exposed to! Yet it seems rot flourish!

Let me summarise and conclude my Good Friday thoughts. 

We are Good Friday people, facing some of the unforeseen existential challenges! 

An elderly couple who is forced to take care of the two grandchildren,  had a disturbing story to tell me. Both the grandchildren, one two years and the other four, are in their care from the time of three months of age, while their son and his wife live and work overseas. Both children have special needs and the grandparents bring them for consultations and conversation. The last meeting was a few weeks ago, when the grandmother confessed that her husband was unable to occupy children and the two caregivers  were not enough to take car of them. She was tearful when she said, 'My son does not seem to understand our situation inspite of repeatedly telling him and his wife that they take care of their children. They are focussed on making money and force us to do what we are not able to do any more. We love our grandchildren. But they need their parents to be with them' !

I like the way the writer to the book of Hebrews, summarised the enduring life mission of Jesus of Nazareth in Hebrews 12:1-3 : 'Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin, which so easily entangles us and let us run the race with endurance the race that is set before us. Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him, who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself so that you may not grow weary and lose heart' !

The above passage is a call for endurance, and not to loose heart!

We live in an era of legitimacy of marriage between the same gender, for which the civil law gives sanction and and the church gives approval in different parts of this world. 

W live at time more traditional beliefs and values would suffer displacement and oblivion!

The Good Friday is therefore a symbol for living enduringly and yet not for giving up or losing heart!

Because what followed the first Good Friday was Resurrection!

So we are not just Good Friday people alone, but are People of Resurrection, because God is the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)