BEING FAITHFUL TO OUR OWN INNER-LAMPS





Pic.: Alwyn Mathias

Today, my student, Kevin, had received his holy sacrament of ‘Confirmation’ in their church. His mother had come, yesterday, to invite me and my wife to celebrate the same. She had, also, asked me to say a few words, as his teacher, on the occasion.

“Kevin, you must’ve been fed-up of my daily long-sermons in the class,” I told pulling him close to me, “So, chill… I won’t be giving you a long sermon today.”

‘Celebration of Confirmation of Faith in Jesus”… I pointed to this line, which was prominently displayed on the stage-backdrop, and said, “I believe, the best way to confirm our faith in Jesus is to follow one of his famous advice: By living our talents to the fullest.

“Your talent is like a lamp; “I recalled Jesus’ inspiring words, “Nobody lights a lamp and then hides it under a basket. It is supposed to be kept at a high-stand, and it is supposed to spread light to everyone around.”

Kevin has been blessed with a rich, distinct voice and, during one of our P.D. sessions, I had asked him, “Kevin, has anyone told you about it?”

“Not really,” Kevin had replied, half-convinced.

“Do you know it is a gift from God, a rich endowment?” I had probed further.

That was just an example I would give in my class to everyone just to make the point: “Look, you young-hearts, we all are the children of the same God, the same Heavenly Father… and, we all inherit His rich treasure… Look within you; look right below your own feet… You’re standing over Acres of Diamonds… Yes, look within, dig within.”

And, today, in my short toast for Kevin, I gave the same message: “The best way to be faithful to Jesus is by lighting your inner-lamp and placing it on the high-stand… by spreading the light to the world around you.”

“We are not called on this earth to be ‘successful,” I quoted Mother Teresa; “We are called here to be ‘faithful’.”

I had, always, wondered as to what Mother Teresa had meant by ‘to be faithful’… and had come to the conclusion that, when we are faithful to what God has bestowed on us as our special gifts – our special lamps - and go about lighting them, placing them on deserving high-posts and spreading light to the world around us… yes, when we are faithful to our own inner-lamps, we are faithful to God…

So, I told Kevin, today, “The best way to serve God is by living those God-given talents to the fullest.” I concluded: “Kevin, be faithful to God, be faithful to your congregation, be faithful to your parents and, above all, be faithful to your own inner-lamp… Love you. God bless you.”

Kevin is a young-man… I am sure, he is ready!


GERALD D’CUNHA


Comments

Anonymous said…
Inspiring words!
- Lalita Rajpal
November 17, 2014 at 8:15 PM
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