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by Rev. Fr. V.V. Paulose, Toronto, Canada
"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering like one from whom men hide their faces. He was despised, and we esteemed him not." (Isaiah 53:3)
Is your child ashamed of you?
Man sees the external appearance of a person, but God sees only the inner side of us. Our lives are so hectic, and we have no time to contemplate and live in reality and truth. People prefer reel to real life. Now, we are following the Epicurean philosophy of eat, drink and be merry today because tomorrow we may die. The invisible and intrinsic values of human beings - honesty, sympathy, compassion, thoughtfulness, sensitivity, gratitude, appreciation, empathy, generosity, kindness, wisdom, cheerfulness, love, care, courtesy, open-mindedness, integrity, sincerity, humility and optimism - which are the very foundation of humanity, are being pushed to the background by the modern society. Ad created ethos, beauty and materialistic aspects are in great demand. We need a big change and we need it now. We no longer find the classical values of sacrifice and love anymore. Who wants the failed, despised, suffering Christ, on the cross without any beauty?
"My Mom had one eye. I hated her and she was such an embarrassment. One day she came to school. I threw her a hateful look and ran out. I moved away from her and studied, married and lived with my family. Before her death, she wrote a letter to me, "I’m sorry that I only had one eye, and I was an embarrassment for you. You see, when you were very little, you had an accident, and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn’t stand watching you having to grow up with only one eye. So I gave you mine. I was so proud that my son was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye. I was never upset at you for anything you did. A couple of times when you were angry with me, I thought to myself, "It is because he loves me." I miss the times when you were still young around me. I miss you so much. I love you. You mean the world to me." My world shattered, then, I cried for a person who lived for me, my mother."
We are the products of love and sacrifices of others. Let us always care and look after our loved ones. Let us appreciate their sacrifices and be proud of them, no matter what.
Jesus, please wean us away from worldly pleasures. Give us the mind to recognize and appreciate true love and sacrifices of our loved ones and others. Give love to those who are dying without getting the love they deserve. All we ask in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
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