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The Master Compassionately Promoted Workers To His Vineyard

 Here in the parable of the landowner hiring workers to his vineyard (Matthew 20: 1-16) Jesus presents to us a special kind of poor: the unemployed, the jobless, and those who seek and not able to get a job. The unemployed live in a vulnerable situation, they are underprivileged because they lack the capacity to earn a living for a decent existence, and therefore they are poor. What is the use of having astounding gifts and abilities if we are unemployed? What can a man or woman do with a lousy day searching for work; it has no medal for efforts. Though Universal Declaration of Human rights by the UN in 1948 in its article 23 recognises that everyone has the right to work, free choice of employment, just and favourable conditions of work, and to protection against unemployment; most developing economies face a huge unemployment crisis. As a byproduct of this crisis comes cheap labour, underpaid jobs, and workers’ exploitation. As the master walked through the streets, I would think...
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The Vigilant and Faithful Servant

 Verse 35, "Be ready, dressed for service, and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet" summarises Luke 12:35-48. On July 25, 2025, two sisters, Preethi Mary and Vandana Francis, belonging to the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate, were arrested at Durg railway station in Chhattisgarh by police in connivance with Bajrang Dal, accusing them of human trafficking and forced conversion. Going beyond the false accusations that were leveled against them, we learn that those sisters were caring for leprosy patients. A minor Malayalam newspaper, Jeevanadham , reporting this news had this caption, eni namukku unarnnirikkam , meaning, "now on let us be awake and alert." The gospel and the incident that unfolded recently urge us to be watchful, ready, alert, and prepared. What do they imply? It simply means to continue to speak up, show up, stand up, defend the poor, and so on. Apparent delay, darkness, uncertainty,...

A Christian Ottamooli For Camel Size Bodies

  Camels unlike animals like cats are not so compact: they have big humps, lengthy winding neck, long legs, and heavy flat hoofs. It can’t compromise its body and sneak through any entrance or door. Jesus compares rich people entering the gates of heaven like camels entering the eye of a needle (Matthew 19: 23-30). The doors of heaven are narrow and small like the eye of a needle. Things like money, arrogance, greed, jealousy, need for vengeance, etc. makes someone stiff, unbendable, and not compact like a camel. And their entry into heaven would be next to impossible. But the gospels suggest an ottamooli . Ottamooli is a Malayalam concept referring to a single-dose home remedy for a pestering illness, often based on traditional wisdom and Ayurvedic practices. These remedies are known for their ease of use and the absence of side effects. The ottamooli for a camel size unyielding problem is giving. Giving makes one’s size manageable, adaptable, and flexible; and the grace of...

Freedom Is One's Faculty to Move Beyond Clutches

 Independence Day opens our eyes to the idea of freedom. Every human being, individually and collectively, lives toward his or her freedom. our conscious self makes all efforts to navigate towards freedom. Anthony de Mello, an Indian Jesuit priest and an outstanding spiritual master of 20th century was once asked what would he prefer to be remembered as after his death. De Mellow replayed, if you had asked me this question early on in my life I would have preferred to be known as a learned man, a bit later perhaps as a spiritual master, but today I would like people to remember me as a free man.  Freedom is an abstract faculty, and it is multifaceted. As India's Independence Day coincides with the Marian feast of the Assumption of Mary—a person who is a model of Christian perfection—it made me reflect on what facet of freedom Mary lived. Freedom is the capacity to respond to one's impulse to go beyond self and the compelling factors around us. After Mary said yes to the L...

Allow Children, And Do Not Stop Them

 Jesus took children seriously (Matthew 19: 13-15). The stories that he must have heard about the massacre of children by Herod when he was born must have left a deep sorrow in him; all Jesus’ would-be friends that were of his age were killed. He realised how cheaply authorities measured and valued vulnerable children, when they become an inconvenience to their power and success. Jesus considered children as Christian models of existence, and spoke of it as a prerequisite for one’s salvation. There could be many qualities in a child, which makes one fit to receive salvation, like, empty, humble, and thus able to receive unconditionally, remember the rich fool (Luke 12: 13021) and the rich man who wanted to follow Jesus (Matthew 19: 16-30) — the wisdom and providence of God had no place in them; honest, open, and has no hidden agendas and hypocrisy, we see people maliciously making plans to trap Jesus with questions (Matthew 22: 15-17). Positively speaking, there was a saint in the ...

Majoritarian Projects and Exclusion in Modern India

  The article, Majoritarian project sees a backdoor opening by Vishal R. Choradiya examines how recent legislative measures in India, particularly the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), represent a systematic erosion of fundamental rights for marginalized communities, especially Muslims. While public attention focused on the Covid-19 pandemic and economic challenges, the author argues that exclusionary policies rooted in Hindutva ideology have advanced through bureaucratic channels. Rather than withering away, these measures have evolved into more sophisticated forms that threaten the constitutional foundations of Indian citizenship and belonging. The NRC-CAA combination marks what Choradiya describes as a dangerous shift in Indian constitutional jurisprudence. For the first time, religion has become a determining factor in citizenship under the CAA, undermining the secular bedrock of the Indian Constitution. This represents a fundamental depa...

Trump's War On Facts—Is America Moving Towards Dictatorship?

 This New York Times article by Peter Baker examines President Trump's systematic approach to suppressing unfavourable information and promoting his preferred narrative, particularly regarding employment statistics and government data. The article begins with an old Washington principle: while officials are entitled to their opinions, they are not entitled to their own facts. However, Baker argues that Trump has consistently violated this norm throughout his presidency, citing his tendency to attack intelligence reports that contradict his views, dispute cost estimates for his policies, and even delete mentions of inconvenient truths from government websites. The central incident discussed occurred when Trump fired a Labour Department official responsible for compiling employment statistics, apparently because recent jobs reports showed economic performance that contradicted his claims of success. Trump dismissed these numbers as "phony" and declared the data was "hi...

Returning to the Feminine: A Path Beyond Aggression

 In the theatre of human existence, we have long celebrated the aggressive, the conquering, and the dominant. Society has painted masculinity in bold strokes of conflict and control, crowning those who fight and defeat as heroes worthy of privilege and power. Yet beneath this constructed narrative lies a deeper truth that challenges our most fundamental assumptions about human nature. Bobby Jose Capuchin challenged me into the following line of thinking. Science tells us what ancient wisdom has long whispered: we all begin our journey in the feminine form. For seven weeks in the womb, every human embryo follows the same path, undifferentiated and unified. Only then does the divergence occur, as hormones and genetics guide some toward what we label masculine traits, what remains of the early feminine form in men are his nipples. This biological reality suggests that aggression is not our natural state but rather an overlay, a secondary development that obscures our original nature. ...

Jesus Sends Seventy-Two To Meet And Get Transformed

 For a person of faith, ‘God comes, ever comes’ is a constant experience; logically, it also means that God goes, ever goes to the other. We read in Romans, “God came to save us when we were still sinners.” At another point of time in history we were the other to whom God came.  Throughout his earthly journey, Jesus demonstrated a radical commitment to crossing boundaries, meeting others. This wasn't merely a strategy for spreading his message—it was a fundamental aspect of his vision for humanity. He didn't establish a comfortable base and wait for people to come to him. Instead, he was constantly moving—crossing territorial boundaries, cultural divides, and social barriers. He didn't try to change people from a distance through arguments or condemnation. He shared meals with tax collectors, conversed with Samaritan women, touched lepers, and welcomed children. Each encounter was an act of radical hospitality that said, you matter and your story matters. Jesus didn't k...

Jesus Does The Inevitable

 The shores of the Gadarenes witnessed something unprecedented that day. Two men, so possessed and tormented by demons that they had become legends of terror in their community, encountered the Son of God ( Matthew 8: 28-34) . What happened next reveals profound truths about God’s intervention in our lives. The situation was not ordinary. These weren't ordinary troubled individuals. Matthew describes them as "so violent that no one could pass that way." The parallel accounts in Mark and Luke focus on the demoniac whose condition was so severe that chains couldn't hold him, and he lived among the tombs, crying out and cutting himself; and seemingly beyond all hope of restoration. This mirrors countless situations we face today. Consider the stories that seem impossible: the addict who has been through rehabilitation programs multiple times, the marriage that appears irreparably broken, the chronic illness that has defeated every treatment, or the financial situation th...

Containing Paradoxes

 We crave simplicity, don't we? We want things to be neatly categorised, definitively good or bad, right or wrong. But the truth is, life rarely conforms to such clean lines. Life is inherently paradoxical. It’s a tapestry woven with threads of opposing colours, and its true beauty only emerges when we learn to appreciate the entire, sometimes contradictory, design. Containing paradoxes is maturity. What does it mean to contain a paradox? It doesn't mean ignoring the contradictions or pretending they don't exist. It means holding two seemingly opposing truths simultaneously, without feeling the need to discard one or the other. It means accepting that complexity is the norm, not the exception. Life truly is full of paradoxes. Consider our experiences with people. We often know a lot of "bad" things about others – their flaws, their mistakes, their less admirable traits. Perhaps we've been hurt by them, disappointed by them, or seen them at their worst. And it...

Being An Adult

 Life is a journey we all embark upon, often without a map, and sometimes without even realising we’ve truly begun. I would not be wrong if I say that being an adult is the goal of one’s life. We often define adulthood by chronological age, by legal milestones, or by external markers like careers and families. But I propose that true adulthood is something far deeper, far more profound than ticking off a list of societal expectations. It's a state of being, a mindset, and a powerful embrace of self. At its core, being an adult is to be autonomous. It is to stand on your own two feet, not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It is the ability to make conscious choices, to navigate the complexities of life, and to chart your own course with a sense of purpose and responsibility. This autonomy is not about isolation; it's about agency. It's about knowing who you are, what you value, and making decisions that align with your authentic self. Adulthood, in...

Love

 When we are driven by measurable outcomes, loving is challenging. We often say, "I love you because you're kind," or "I love you because you make me laugh," or "I love you because you support me." These are beautiful sentiments, aren't they? They speak to qualities we appreciate, to comfort we find, to needs that are met. But what if I told you that the deepest, most authentic love lies beyond these reasons? What if true love is not about the "because," but about the "just is"? Love goes beyond likes and dislikes. If I do not know why I love you, that is real love; if I know why I love you, it is business, it has a payoff, could be money, emotional support, etc. If there is a payoff, it is not true love, it is business. This isn't to diminish the joy and value we find in relationships where our needs are met. Kindness, laughter, support – these are wonderful things. But if our love is contingent upon these payoffs, if it...

Affection and Abuse: A Critical Examination of Boundaries and Vulnerability

 There is a very thin line between affection and abuse, therefore one can abuse another in a relationship in the guise of affection, and it happens more easily with children. To understand the purported thin line, it is crucial to first establish clear conceptual definitions for both affection and abuse. Affection , in healthy interpersonal relationships, is characterised by genuine care, warmth, fondness, and positive regard for another individual. Its expression is typically nurturing, supportive, and intended to foster emotional well-being, connection, and security. Key attributes of healthy affection include: Reciprocity: It is often mutual and flows freely between individuals. Respect for Autonomy: Affection does not seek to control or diminish the other person's individuality or choices. Empathy: It involves an understanding of and responsiveness to the other's emotional states. Non-coercive: It is given freely and does not carry manipulative conditions or expectations. B...

Overcoming Contact Bias

 In spite of the advancement in communication and connectivity, it's paradoxical how often we remain isolated within our own echo chambers, surrounded primarily by those who mirror our experiences and beliefs. This phenomenon is often rooted in what is termed "contact bias"—the inability to relate to others due to a lack of sustained personal contact. This bias, whether born of missed opportunities or outright unwillingness, allows prejudices to flourish unchecked and false assumptions to go unchallenged. Understanding and actively combating contact bias is not merely a social nicety; it is a vital step towards personal growth, societal harmony, and a richer, more empathetic existence. Contact bias manifests in numerous facets of life; from the initial fear of a Protestant child towards a Catholic family in a small town to the chasm between the rich and the poor; it is often not that the rich hate the poor, it’s that the rich don’t even know the poor. Political polarisati...

The Nature of Knowledge

 In our digital age, where vast repositories of information are accessible at the touch of a screen, we must carefully examine what we mean when we speak of knowledge. Is knowledge merely the accumulation of facts and data, or does it represent something deeper—a transformation that occurs when information encounters experience? The distinction between information that we can recite and knowledge that changes us lies at the heart of meaningful learning and genuine wisdom. Knowledge begins its journey through our senses, serving as gateways between the external world and our internal understanding. Every sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell carries potential information that our brains must process, interpret, and categorise. This sensory input forms the raw material from which knowledge is constructed, but the mere reception of information does not automatically constitute knowledge. Our brains function as sophisticated processing centres, taking the constant stream of sensory dat...

Otto Scharmer's Four Levels of Listening

 In our hyper-connected world, where information flows constantly and conversations happen at breakneck speed, the art of listening has become both more crucial and more challenging than ever. Otto Scharmer's framework of four levels of listening offers a profound lens through which we can understand not just how we hear, but how the quality of our listening shapes the very nature of our interactions and the possibilities that emerge from them. This progression from downloading to generative listening represents a journey from closed, confirmatory reception to open, creative collaboration—it is a journey from confirmation to creation. Downloading The first level of listening, downloading, represents our most basic and unfortunately most common form of auditory engagement. In this mode, we become selective filters, unconsciously seeking information that confirms our existing beliefs, assumptions, and expectations while filtering out anything that might challenge our established worl...