The Journey 76: Transformation in my parish

Read: Nehemiah 5

Key Bible Verse: “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things “. [ Romans 2:1]

St. Patrick's Day.  Today is St. Patrick's Day. This day was established as a way to recognize Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. According to Stanley J Ward, he was a practical theologian and also a social activist. This was originally a religious holiday, but today many people throughout the world has converted this holiday as a celebration with food, drink and all things green. My background for this devotional unknowingly is also green today. But who is St. Patrick?. Most sources agree that St. Patrick's actual name was Maewyn Succat. It is also agreed  that Patrick was kidnapped and sold into slavery at age 16. It was under these harsh conditions that Patrick learned to pray constantly.  Six years after his captivity began, St. Patrick escaped from slavery to France, where he became a priest. Because of his captivity, Patrick missed a formal education. He later spent time training for the priesthood, but he lacked the classical training of his contemporaries. As a consequence, when he finally went back to Ireland, he had to rely on skills other than classical oration or philosophical theology to work with the Irish people. His lack of training became a strength. When he came up against shaman and other pagan kings, it was Patrick's prayer life that impressed them and not his academic skill. It is reported that he spent the next 30 years establishing schools, churches, and monasteries across the country. He brought Christianity widespread acceptance amongst the pagan indigenous peoples. It is thought that St. Patrick used a shamrock as a metaphor for the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), showing how three individual units could be part of the same body. His parishioners began wearing shamrocks to his church services. Today, "the wearing of the green" on St. Patrick's Day represents spring, shamrocks, and Ireland. But there is another aspect about St. Patrick and that was his social consciousness. Slavery was existent and rampant and it was woman who was used as slaves. Patrick who later became a bishop  begged Britain's Christian leadership for help, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. Patrick's decision to identify himself with the Irish, a culture outside of Roman Christianity, diminished his ability to influence the church in Britain but whatever be his affiliation, his prayer life and his stand on social issues is still relevant today and to a life of transformation.

                              This week we meditate on the theme “ Transformation in my parish” based on the life and ministry of Nehemiah. Yesterday we read from the word of God that when Nehemiah was in the process of building the wall he encountered two types of opposition. One from the enemies of Judah and the other his own people who did evil in the sight of the Lord and thus creating hurdles in the process of spiritual reformation. It is in this context that you find another wonderful aspect with respect to the leadership of Nehemiah. He first confronts those people who were guilty of fleecing the poor Jewish brethren and then he condemns their action. Next he calls the whole assembly to condone the sins of the people. But then he moves a step forward  after condemning and confronting the sins of his people, Nehemiah does not leave them behind nor alone. He begins the move to bring restoration and restitution in the life of the Jewish people who sinned. During all these process we find Nehemiah also remaining as a good model. I think this is what is needed in the parish. A sense of consciousness to understand and discern the things that we do wrong or sin against others and a conscious effort to confront and condone those sins. But most of us do this but leave the scene after creating an attitude of “ I am holy than him or  them”. What is needed is an attitude where we consciously bring restoration in the life of the people who go against the laws of God, destroying the unity and fellowship of the parish. We are very good and criticizing and condemning and gossiping against others, but can take steps and also be a channel of restoration and restitution in our parish?.

Be a channel of restoration not condemnation.

 

A Prayer of St. Patrick.

"Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me. Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger." "I bind unto myself the Name, The strong Name of the Trinity; By invocation of the same. The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of Whom all nature hath creation, Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation, Salvation is of Christ the Lord."