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Onam Reflections based on Mathew 5: 1-12

Matthew 5:1-12 is the most simple as well as the most appealing part of the  Sermon on the Mount.   In India people like  Mahatmaji and Rajaram Mohanroy offered their own interpretations of it. In the context of Onam and the story of Mahabali the text becomes more meaningful. Onam is primarily  celebrating the myth of annual return  of Mahabali, the Asura King, to his country after being pushed down to the netherworld by Vamana, the Brahmin incarnation of Vishnu. Popular stories and songs picture Mahabali as a noble and righteous king who sacrificed his kingdom to keep his word given to a boy who begged three feet of land, enough for sit in prayer. Under his rule there was no caste or social or discrimination among people; no kind of fear or fraud, treachery, oppression or violence in the country. There was perfect harmony between humans and animals as well as with nature; no one trespassed the rights of others and every one enjoyed perfect freedom and security. Yet Mahabali was deprived of his power and position under the pretext of  the higher good of salvation  by the Aryan God. Maha Vishnu who came in disguise as a Brahmin boy to protect the interests of the Devas (Aryans).  Later this act of atrocity was justified by charging Mahabali with  pride and immorality, challenging the supremacy of Devas (gods), and leading people away from the true  religion of Brahminism  and the act of sending Mahabali to patala was held as an act of kindness to secure the Asura (Dravidian) kings's salvation.

Matthew 5: 12 says, happy are those who are insulted, persecuted and accused of all  kinds of evil falsely, for their reward is great in heaven, "for the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."  Do Mahabali resemble some of the persecuted prophets, or  one of the "many and various ways"  by which "long ago God spoke to our ancestors" (Hebrews 1:1) or like Melchizedek, the Canaanite "king of righteousness and peace, "resemble the Son of God" (Hebrews 7:3).  Mahabali is  Maha(Great) Bali  (Sacrifice), one who sacrificed his life to keep his word, though his Guru Sukracharya, tried to save him from performing the jaladanam, ritual pouring of water to finalize the land deal with Vamana.  Mahabali is a vanquished king, defeated and rejected by the Brahminic priesthood and the Aryan hierarchy, but has been  eagerly awaited by the Malayalees  to  welcome him to their homes and to their land year after year, in remembrance of  his sacrificial life and death, his noble values and impeccable reign. Keshub Chunder Sen, the great renascent leader of Bengal has said that what India needs is not more religious sacrifices but self sacrifce. He cited Christ as the  supreme example of self sacrifice. Rabindranath Tagore has congratulated Christianity for introducing the idea of  vicarious suffering into Indian religiosity.  Mahatma Gandhiji was also very much moved by the self offering of Jesus to humanity on the cross. The story of Mahabali who lost his Kingdom to the Aryans who invaded Kerala beginning from the third century CE onwards is an example of  the values of self sacrifice and vicarious suffering. 

Bible is emphatic about the need of recognizing our spiritual poverty. Spiritual complacency is hypocrisy. Jesus condemns it. It keeps you away from God and others. To feel one's spiritual nothingness is important in Christian spirituality. On the cross Jesus cried, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me" (Eli, Eli lama sabachtani, Matt.27: 46). On the night before his capture Jesus felt spiritual darkness all around him and requested the prayer support of his disciples (Matt:26:37-38).  All honest Christians will certainly recognize such spiritual helplessness. There is a danger involved in our spirituality: the moment we are confident of it, we lose it. When others praise our goodness and righteousness we are in the danger of being carried away by it and succumb to our spiritual pride.on the other hand, when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me, you are blessed" (Matt.5:11).   When we begin to think of our own importance, their starts our spiritual fall. The recognition of this spiritual poverty is what the Greeks consider as the supreme wisdom: knowing yourself.  Job during the several of his trials began to doubt his own faith. M.M. Thomas titled his commentary on Job thus: Faith Confirmed through Doubt. Dr. Valson Thampu, who has been a member of the Minority Commission of the Government of India and now the Principal of St. Stephen's College, Delhi, has written an article in the Deccan Herald (September 10,2008) on the occasion of the 11th death anniversary of Mother Teresa. The article was titled, "Mother Teresa shows the way: Faith in scepticism." He started his essay by quoting from Mother Teresa's diary notes: “Where is my faith? Even deep down…there is nothing but emptiness and darkness… If there be God —please forgive me. When I try to raise my thoughts to Heaven, there is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return like sharp knives and hurt my very soul … How painful is this unknown pain — I have no Faith. Repulsed, empty, no faith, no love, no zeal…what do I labour for?"  These personal notes have embarrassed the Roman Catholic hierarchy in their efforts at beatifying her. Dr. Valson Thampu calls her an honest Christian. Sermon on the Mount shows us the blessedness of having a self examining mind, self critical spirituality over a boastful, over confident and self-righteous spirituality.  While  Jesus had his moments of doubt as seen in his prayer at Gethsemane and on the Cross, by contrast, his disciple Peter was so confident of his spiritual prowess and faith, which in turn proved to be empty boast of a  shallow faith as he denied  Jesus three times before the enemies.   In the history of world more wars were fought by people who were cocksure of their faith and wanted to defend it by any means, not considering seriously for a moment what that faith really meant or whether they have faith at all. It has been said of Mohammed Ali Jinna, who got the division of India on religious grounds, that he had no religion at all  in his personal life. In the recent Orissa violence, innocent people were killed and put to all types of torture on account of  religion by people who want to protect the "tolerant" nature of their religion by poisoning of the minds of  Kandh tribals against Pana Dalits, a large number of whom happened to be Christians. Playing one group against another, divide and rule poloicy,  was not invented by the British, but it was  an age old method of exercising the Brahminic supremacy  in India, by which some castes were put against  some others.  Brahminical heirarchy has always  been  clever enough to maintain their superiority over Indian society first by defeating and manipulating the anti casteist indegenous movements of Jainism and Buddhism and accommodating their founders in  their  pantheon of avataras.Today  the same ploy is now used by the radical Hindutva groups to destroy those who  support Dalit resurgence.  Mahabali's story is such another example of Brahmin Dalit conflict in which Brahmins were able to posses the land of Kerala from its Dravidian King. 

During my ministry in Kayamkulam area I learnt about another tradition of Onam known in and around Onattuakara  which includes the present Kayamkulam, Karunagappaly  Mavelikara taluks. This local little tradition gives much light to what makes Onam memorable.  Onattukara means the land of Onam. Mavelikara means the land of Maveli, the more popular  shortened form of the name, Mahabali or Maveli was the king of Onattukara. Mahabali was a Buddhist King. Even now the remnants of Buddhist culture is present in Mavelikara and nearby places. Bali, Palli, Maha, katha and several other Malyalam words come from  Pali, the pre-Sanskrit (prakrit) language of Jainism and Buddhism. It is to be noted that Christians and Muslims in Kerala, who were  converted from Buddhism when it declined at the hands of  Vedic revivalists beginning from Sankaraharya, called their worship places Palli. Christians call their central religious ritual,  Qurbana, as the great self-sacrifice, Maha Bali. Bali is the sacrifice of a great King. Several important princes of ancient mythologies were known  as Balis (King Bali who saved a dove by offfering the vulture  meat from his own thigh, and Bahubali, the great Jain Prince of Sravanabalgola, in Karnataka are examples),  This liitle tradition, probably comes from the Kerala's Buddhist past, tells that Sabarimala Sasta, the most important deity in Kerala, has been a Buddhist prince, who later turned out to be an incarnation of Vishnu. Even Buddha, who taught atheism,  himself was made into an incarnation of Vishnu.  The seated Buddha statue outside the  Mavlikara Temple resembles the Sasta of Sabarimala. The sitting posture of Sabraimala Sasta is undoubtedly a Buddhist Lotus posture. The special chantings during the pilgrimage to Sabarimala also resemble the Buddhist Saranam chants. (compare  the Budham Sarnam, Sanghom Saranam, Dharmam Saranam chants with the Swami Saranam, Ayyappa Saranam of Sabarimala  pilgrims. More over the earliest reference to Onam celebration come around AD 800 after the decline of  the Buddhist Sanghom period, in South India. This also marks the time of the resurgence of Hinduism under Sankarachaya. Hence for all probablity Onam is the celebration of the ideal rule of a Dalit indigenous Buddhist King of Kerala who was defeated  by the Aryans. The only Vamanamurthy temple in Kerala is in Thrikkakara, near Cochin, the earliest Brahmin settlement in Kerala.   Two of the most prominent events in Kerala, Onam as well as Sabarimala pilgrimage, are associated with Kerala's Buddhist past and are  observed by people of   all  religious traditions. Onam celebrates the return of the good King who established a Kingdom with justice and equality as the corner stones, and sacrificed his life, emptied his  power  and authority  and descended to hell (patala) and comes again to see his people;  something which the Christians are also proclaiming as the truth of Christ. Mahabali makes an ideal symbol of Christ and Onam brings the hope of the just and peaceful Kingdom of God.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said: "Do unto others what you want others  do to yourself." All persons have the right to profess what he or she believes or considers significant in his or her life and finds beneficial to others. At the same time there is no meaning in propagating faith in places where it is not welcome. Jesus said: "If you're not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don't make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way."(Mark 6: 11 The Message Translation)   Those who consider their religion sufficient for their salvation need not be disturbed just as Christians are not comfortable to be preached that what they believe is not enough for salvation as some of the sectarian Christians do even among Christians who do not subscribe to their sectarian views.Those who see their spiritual need, recognize their spiritual poverty, are the people who are blessed, irrespective of their religious affialitation. Jesus mission is God's mission. People in all lands and religions are God's people. God is working in them. Christian missionaries can only witness to what they know of God. They do not have any monopoly of  God's truth, which is more than we know about God. Jesus said Holy Spirit will guide the disciples in all truth. Truth is a search.  Christians must be prepared to meet  witnesses of truth  in other communities. Onam is such a cultural festival which speaks much gospel to Christians.  The Gospel as God's will for creation is eternal. It is entrusted not only to Christians. Justin Martyr, the second century philosopher who courted martyrdom of Christ, believed that where ever reason is acknowledged Christ is present. The seed of the logos is universally present (logos spermatikos). Hence he believed that philosphers like Socrates and Plato were Christians before Christ.  Gospel is not outside of  even atheistic traditions such as Buddhism, where mercy and justice are held as the supreme values. We should remember that early  Christianity  was accused of atheism  in the Roman  Empire, because of its humanistic character.  Christians must take the risk of showing Christ's love towards the poor and the neglected of our country, the Dalits, tribals and women. In doing good we need not be afraid of any one and risk ourselves courageously. Those who work for peace and justice will be counted as the children of God and inheirtors of the Kingdom of God. It must be recognized  that many Hindu friends in India are thretened by the organized evangelization of several groups of Christians with western economic support. We do not have any right to threaten or cause fear among people of other faiths by our preaching or even social actions. It is only in humility and knowing our  own imperfections can we proclaim Christ.  Christians have to search for what makes peace between communities without forgetting our commitment to Dalits and tribals in their search for human dignity. Mahabali is still remembered as a king who courageously laid down his life for the values he held.

Inscribing the Text: Sermons and Prayers of Walter Brueggemann.

Inscribing the Text: Sermons and Prayers of Walter Brueggemann.

Edited by Anna Carter Florence. Fortress, 222 pp., $22.00.

A GOOD PREACHER should be able to teach in a right and orderly way ... be able to speak well ... have a good memory ... be sure of the material and be diligent ... stake body and life, goods and honor on it ... [and] know when to stop," said Martin Luther. Walter Brueggemann meets 'all these criteria and more. His energy and creativity, "make us wonder if he is climbing Sinai every morning for dictation," Anna Carter Florence writes in the foreword to this collection of his sermons and prayers. Brueggemann's capacity for work, his enthusiasm for God's word, his novel reading of scripture and his pastoral concern mark the wealth of books, articles and reviews that he has authored.

These various writings were delivered in a variety of churches, seminaries and pastors' gatherings during the past three years. As with his earlier Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth: Prayers of Walter Brueggemann (Fortress), the prayers alone make the book valuable. They express a deep commitment, a life penetrated by the Word and a compassion born from an openness to God's leading.

Brueggemann wrote most of these prayers after reading the psalms, and they give us new understandings both of biblica poetry and of how the psalms can enrich our prayer lives. Heed, for example, these words from a prayer on the theme of generosity: "Sink your generosity deep into our lives / that your muchness may expose our false lack / that endlessly receiving, we may endlessly give, / so that the world may be made Easter new, without greedy lack, but only wonder / without coercive need, but only love / without destructive greed, but only praise ... all things Easter new.... Finish your creation in wonder, love and praise."

The sermons--preached in Presbyterian churches across the U.S.--deal creatively with all three of the appointed lectionary texts. I was especially moved by "Saints Remembered and Saints to Come," preached at Peace United Church of Christ in Tilden, Nebraska. Brueggemann and his wife, Mary, had been invited to the 100th anniversary celebration of the church his father, August, served from 1931 to 1935. Brueggemann begins the sermon by recalling childhood memories, then affirms the historic creeds of the church and explores what it means to celebrate the saints. His exposition of Hebrews 11 is excursive and brilliant. He concludes by calling upon the Holy Spirit's inspiration and guidance for the congregation as it faces an uncertain future in a tiny town.

The first piece in the book may well be the most important. In a paper presented at the Festival of Homiletics in Chicago in 2002, Brueggemann introduces a whole new understanding of the preaching task. Speaking of the preacher as scribe, he moves from four scriptural confrontations in which truth speaks to power (Moses addressing Pharoah, Nathan addressing David, Elijah addressing Ahab and Daniel addressing Nebuchadnezzar) to an analysis of the "deeply problematic things" inherent in this model. Pastors presiding over institutions with programs, budgets and anxiety-filled members are not likely to speak truth to power. Not if they want to keep their jobs.

Brueggemann describes "scribal refraction" as an approach vastly different from historical criticism. The preacher as scribe does what "school-men, bookmen, and the scroll-makers who gathered old traditions and memories and preserved them in some form" did after the Babylonian exile. The postmodern preacher, like Ezra and his cohorts, must retext the community, turn it back to the imagination and practices which lead it to God's most elemental assurances and claims. "Preaching in postmodern North America addresses folks of Christian descent who have been tossed about by the vagaries of historical circumstances and who have largely forgotten our rootage in Moses and in Jesus," Brueggemann asserts. The preacher's job is "to keep that confrontation between truth and power alive and available to the community through acts of textual interpretation and imagination."

The preacher must not only study and trust the text but 'also attend to the listening congregation. Some in the congregation are textless, believing that they can live out of their autonomous experience alone, while others bring with them a weak, thin text of technological, therapeutic and military consumerism, "an odd mix of moralism, market ideology, self-congratulation and anxiety." The great 19th-century theologians were almost always pastors. In the 20th century the theological task was turned over to the academics, and pastors were relegated to administrative and therapeutic functions. Brueggemann, a preacher who is also an academic, reunites the two parts of ministry.

Reviewed by Eugene Winkler, former pastor of the First United Methodist Church, the Chicago Temple.

COPYRIGHT 2004 The Christian Century Foundation
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning

Lambeth Daily: Sermon given by the Archbishop of Canterbury at the Concluding Eucharist of the Lambeth Conference

Lambeth Daily: Sermon given by the Archbishop of Canterbury at the Concluding Eucharist of the Lambeth Conference

Liberative Praxis - A Sermon by Dn. Aby Paul M.

On Wednesday 25th June, Dn. Aby Paul, M.led the first evaluatory worship and sermon for this academic year (2008-9) in Gurukul Chapel. The worship has been an ecumenical blend, songs and prayers taken from different Indian languages and ecumenical orders of worship as well as from his own traditional Syriac liturgy. Aby belongs to the Antiochean wing of the Orthodox Church in India which considers the Patriarch of Antioch as the head of the Church. Both in his worship and sermon he incorporated the ecumenical spirit and bold theological vision of Gurukul together with his Syriac tradition. Traditional Syrian liturgical emblems and Indian Bhajans were profusely used. He titled his sermon, "Liberative praxis: A Mission imperative." It was based on the Lukan text of the healing the crippled woman on a Sabbath in the Synagogue (Luke 13:10-17). Dn. Abey began the sermon by narrating his personal experience in a Church in North India. A local Christian woman came to one of the Syrian Orthodox congregations there to receive Holy Communion. However, the Presbyter would not give her communion because she did not belong to a denomination which has got intercommunion relationship with the Orthodox Church. This incident disturbed him and there started his theological journey in search of the liberative nature of the gospel of Christ and attempts to overcome the denominational barriers imposed on the praxis of the Gospel. He said he would not disown his tradition but would try to make it more liberative. Those who observed Aby all through his years in Gurukul would testify that he has been a conscientious student contributing his best to the ecumenical character of Gurukul. He has been quite active in the various programmes of Gurukul promoting Dalit and gender liberation. He is one who got selected to study in Jerusalem on an exposure programme for three months. He would certainly be an asset to any ecumenical community and certainly to the Indian Christian ecumenical movement.