Are You a Stranger
in Jerusalem?
Liji John Tholath
Some years ago I happened
to be present at a Mass in an ancient, prestigious church in Kerala. It
was a Sunday. A lifeless Mass devoid of fervour. The choir, with all sorts
of musical accompaniments, rendered a beautiful presentation of hymns.
But the congregation did not join in the singing. Neither were they saying
the prescribed responses. Only a few altar servers were moving their lips.
What happened after Mass was still stranger. The people, coming out of
the church, hurried to the cars parked outside and disappeared into the
streets just as it happens after a film show. A few young people, standing
idle under the tree shade or at the doorway, watching the scene outside,
followed suit soon after.
Winds of change
Yes, a change was absolutely
essential. Such a change did occur. Recently I had occasion to attend a
Mass in this same church. I was amazed. The church compound was bathed
in a devotional atmosphere. The Eucharist Sacrifice was fervent, animated
and spirit -filled. The entire congregation was participating whole-heartedly
in the singing and the responses. After the Mass, the people exchanged
greetings with one another with much cordiality and only then made their
way homeward. I talked this over with the parish priest who proudly admitted
the role played by the retreat centres all over Kerala and the frequent
Bible Conventions held now and then in the churches. They have played a
major part in effecting this change. What the parish priest particularly
highlighted was the change that took place in the hearts of the youth of
the parish. With pride and joy he said that there was a large group of
youth who have had a prayer-experience and were filled with Christian fervour.
Prayer-experience
When the echoes of spiritual
growth and renewal are resounding all over the country, let us turn our
attention to the retreat centres responsible for this change. That people
on their own accord keep aside a few days once a year, to be in the presence
of the Lord in retreat centres, even in the midst of their heavy duties,
is a welcome phenomenon that we see in these days. We cannot attribute
this fact to mere curiosity to witness the miracles or the healing that
take place there. The truth is that the doors of God- experience are thrown
open to all people. Numerous non-Christians and those who have not experienced
Christ in their lives are flocking to these centres. When we witness these
events, we realise that those Christians, to whom the Lord Jesus Christ
has left the mandate of his mission, are tirelessly working to translate
it into action.
The two-fold attitude-then
and now
It is painful that there
are people who view the ministry of the word in a critical manner, and
infer with a prejudicial mind that the ultimate effects of the renewal
are not geared to spiritual growth. If we glance through the gospels, we
shall find that there were people who reacted to Jesus' actions in varied
ways. True Christian witnessing takes place in confronting this with an
impartial mind. In the Acts of the Apostles, we see people of both kinds
of attitudes. "Now there were devout Jews from every nation under
heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was
bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language
of each....All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, 'What
does this mean?' But others sneered and said, 'They are filled with new
wine"(Acts 2:5, 6,12-13).
We see another event in
the Gospel. While Jesus was hanging on the cross on Calvary, there were
those who passed by deriding him, shaking their heads and saying, 'You
who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself
! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross'"(Mt 27:39-40). One
of the thieves hanging on the cross on either side of Jesus also said the
same, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!"(Lk
23:39). The arguments that are accumulated in our minds are very much like
this. "If so many miracles do take place during the ministry of the word,
let this sick or crippled man be healed; let a miracle happen
in my life. Then I shall believe." We are not very different
from those individuals we see in the Gospels.
From Jerusalem to
the frontiers of the world
Our part in spreading the
Gospel to the ends of the world by 2000 AD is very great indeed! There
is now taking place in the world, and here, in India, in the last years
of this century a great Pentecostal experience. Miracles, signs and healing
of sickness are taking place in the name of Jesus in retreat centres, wherever
the word is preached in parishes, communities, families, individuals. Like
the wonder-stricken disciples, I too am inclined to ask those of my brethren
who have not had an opportunity to savour this God-experience even slightly,
"Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that
have taken place there in these days?"(Lk 24:18)