Gerald D'Cunha

  “And when the brokenhearted people  living in the world agree There will be an answer, let it be… (From the song ‘Let it Be’ by The Beatles)   S ome weeks ago, my wife and I had been for a wedding reception of one of our relatives. The venue was quite an exotic one – a beautiful resort near Madh Island… It was an intimate guestlist, where one could, literally, notice what each guest was doing. I say this, because, in the midst of good music, dance, drinks and food, one of our relatives came up to me, and leaning towards me, he tried to say this: “Creative people find themselves lost in the crowd.” That’s when I realized, how ‘lost’ I was in that beautiful celebration. The man, who had come to say that statement into my ears, had added this: “My son is a writer; you remind me of him.” I do not know, whether all creative people – writers, painters, poets, every other – ‘get lost’ like this in the crowd… I do not know, if it is good or bad… I do not even know...

  “Anything is a blessing which makes us pray.” Charles Spurgeon “P lease, keep me in your prayers." ...  “I will keep you in my prayers.” Like most around me do, I, too, either request my well-wishers to do it, or, assure I would do. During these tough times, I find myself doing it more often… Yes, the situation we are now faced with is beyond our control… God is remembered more intensely by all of us now than ever before… Yes, you and I are certainly seen prying for self… But, are we seen praying for ‘others’? I really don’t know… Praying for my nearest and dearest ones may come to me naturally; for, in that, too, lies my self-interest. But, praying for everyone out there     - near or far, dear or otherwise – yes, this is what the following story is all about. During this Pandemic, people are seen passing it on, just to convey one’s feelings: “I will keep you in my prayers”: OUR BLESSINGS ARE NOT THE FRUITS OF OUR PRAYERS ALONE   A voyagi...

“Not all storms come to disrupt your life; Some come to clear your path.” -          Unknown T he evening before I was to be hospitalized (I was to be operated the next day for the removal of my cancer-affected kidney), my wife quietly visited our parish church, and spent some moments alone before the Blessed Sacrament. The week before that, ever since my condition was accidentally, diagnosed, she had been through a great deal of anxiety. From the initial denial to eventual acceptance, yes, she had passed through it all. And, like Jesus Christ had done, the evening before he was nabbed, tortured and crucified, alone in the Gethsemane Garden, going down on His knees – ‘Father, if it’s possible, do away this test from me. But, it’s not my will, Thy will be done’ – yes, like Christ had done, now, my wife had been there before Christ to plead the same: ‘Father, if it’s possible, do away this test from ...

Pic .: Ivan Mathias A friend of mine came to meet me, late last evening. She looked very disturbed. After working for eighteen years in a reputed multinational-company, among the ninety employees laid off by her company, she happened to be one. Her immediate lady-boss, who had, apparently, made my friend’s life miserable, was one more! Before joining this company, my friend had worked for many years in two other companies... But, now, at 46, she wasn't so confident about her future. My friend is a divorcee and lives alone with her ailing mother. Father had passed away about fifteen years ago, and, ever since then, life has been a very rough ride for her. Mother has major health complications, and needs constant attention. Money for mother’s treatment is a huge worry for my friend. “Sir, I have been taking all the ‘crap’ from my sadist boss for last five years only because my company took care of my mother’s health-care,” my friend told me yesterday, ...

                    One of the Biblical messages received by me, today – Holy Good Friday – was this: “The Lord will fight for you; You need only to be still.” EXODUS 14:4 On a day like Good Friday, this message does make a lot of sense. We Christians believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God. But, we also believe, that when He lived His life here on this earth, He did it exactly as we did: He laughed and cried, He wondered and surprised, He braved and feared, felt wounded and healed… worried, hoped and loved… Yes, He went through the whole gambit of human experiences which any one of us would. When the most grueling time of His life was nearing, He was wrought by the same human conflict: to fight or flight. He found no strength left in Him to fight… He was tempted to ‘give up’ the fight… and flight. Yes, He was wrecked by fear, sorrow and loneliness. Final...

No one knows Why some things happen the way they always do, No one knows Why my Will need not be the one  needed by my soul… Today , I heard someone reminding me, Over and over again, That, Your Will should come before mine… And, I heard myself repeatedly crying – “Yes, Yes… Yes!” So , here I am looking up to the skies and pleading: Give me the sunlight, Send  me the rain, May the wind blow gentle, May the Seas go kind… May the Stars stay long, May the Moon come often…  Send me my Guardian Angel, May he watch me over when I rest, May he guard my dear ones when I go on my sojourn… Teach me how to change with seasons, Stand steadfast as hills, Smile with the clouds, Dance with the leaves, Sing with the cuckoos, Flow with the streams… I am   busy preparing the soil, And sowing the seeds, And, trusting my heart, And, walking in Y...