December 2013 Christmas 1. An appropriate hymn: ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’ 2. A brief period of silence 3. Read the Gospel Text John 1: 16-17 4. Read the following input slowly and clearly and meaningfully: “There was a man who once lived in a superb bungalow surrounded by servants and many admirers. He was rich and famous. He had about a dozen cars and double the number in two wheelers. He could boast of the most lavish gardens and his banquets were extraordinary. But, this man in spite of all his riches had a problem. Somehow, he was always under the impression that one day he would take his own life!! This eccentric thought made the man at times very nervous and fearful. His expression would always be that of a person under strain…he would often cry during the lonely hours of the night while he stared crimson eyes at the ceiling fan looming slowly above his enormous bed. It was precisely because of this reason that the servants and attendants at the bungalow would always keep their troubled master in a good mood under any circumstance. One Christmas night…something quite awful happened. The man had just returned from a very profitable business trip when he realized that one of his most trusted servants had made away with the money in his safe. Later a lawyer who was going to sue the man for participating in a very corrupt business deal gave him a surprise notice. After that a call came from one of his servant girls saying that she was going to ruin him for humiliating her and her father in public. As if all this was not enough he received the news of the demise of his elderly father whom he had most treacherously left in a home for the aged. At dinner time he read a letter from an old friend who was going to sue him for cheating him in his latest business venture along with the charge that the man stole a crore of rupees from the very same friend. And just when he thought that his head was about to burst there was a telephone call from his lawyer that the case of a car accident that was pending in his name had come up for hearing and the next day he would have to be in court. The man wailed with all his might…all his past misdeeds came back to him like lightning. He was now rushing to his bedroom to hang himself. But just as he was about to put on the noose of the rope, one of his younger servants, a blue eyed tiny boy named Zack barged in, seeing his master upon a stool under the fan scared the poor lad… yet…he helped his master down. The man cried upon the boy’s shoulder and said: “I want to die young one. Let me go in peace or the judgment of the world will torture your poor master to death. I’m a very wicked man little one, very wicked…let me die…let me die!” “Master”, whispered the young boy Zack wiping his master’s tears. “The judgment of the world is harsh especially on those who are in the wrong, but master, don’t hang yourself-even if you have to go to prison I’ll come with you.” The master stared up at the boy amazed and asked: “Would you still serve a condemned man little one?” “You have given me a home master, a name and love…. For a lowly servant this was more than I hoped for….so don’t fear the judgment or death….fear that by chance if you are condemned I may hang in your place.” 5. Spend a few moments in silence 6. Questions for discussion: i) Do I at times feel that the whole world is against me and I am better dead than alive? ii) Do all my efforts seem in vain under the corruption that surrounds me? iii) Do I judge others unlike our Master who refused to judge? 7. Sharing in groups 8. Intercessions 9. Concluding Prayer: Lord at your birth you gave us a law above all laws-a law of forgiveness and a law to love one another. Let us always love one another Lord and help those who are condemned and whom we at times so often condemn …for evil though darkness be, light emerged from darkness which was so near. 10. Concluding Hymn: ‘Hark the Herald’ Ms. Fiza Pathan, St Francis of Assisi Church, Bandra
Posted on: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 10:38:09 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015