A Layman's Sermon

It's the second straight Sunday I made to the mass. It was special yesterday. We went to a Benedictine monastery. It's a long time since I went there last. I did not exactly know where to enter the chapel. I entered from the side meant for the ladies. I loved sitting on the carpeted floor leaning slightly on the wall – my most comfortable position in a church.

The gospel was about the Canaanite woman pleading to have her daughter healed. The priest who said the mass explained about the faith of the woman and her persistence even at Jesus' indifference.

Jesus asks her how the food of the babies can be given to dogs. In all sense, Jesus referred to her as a bitch. The lady's reply was even the dogs eat what falls from the table, taking no offense at what Jesus called her.

What came to mind first is the movie "Singham" – the protest here in Bangalore about Ajay Devgn referring to the locals as dogs. The movie had to have a few scenes cut before it could be screened again.

The lady comes across to me as super humble. She takes no offense at what she's referred to. She knows what she wants and she does believe. With faith comes humility. Rather it's the other way around. When I am humble, I am able to trust. I take no offense and hold on to what I believe. On the other hand, I can boast I believe and when my ego is hurt, I have no qualms of throwing what I believe and starting a new church. I guess one of the reasons for so many denominations every other day is this. Everyone is talking about Christ and his belief in Christ. But why are there many faiths for the same man? I guess it's the lack of humility to accept humiliations or give up oneself for the faith he proclaims.

The second thing that came to mind is what priest said a long time ago. He'd like to be a "dog" in his second life. The reason – it's the most faithful creature he knows. Here's a man who'd take pride in being called a dog.

If you're reading this even after knowing it a sermon, I am honoured. We hate to just listen to one and here you are reading it all the way down. I don't like long sermons and I'd hate to make mine long. Let's learn from the dog – to be faithful, trust irrespective of beatings and love despite abuse and from the gospel – to be humble. J

A Weekend Of Many First Times

At last there was this chance to go to a disc. I would have happily gone if it was on a bike. None was available. One was with a mechanic, other would not start. Since he insisted and I felt "this is the time", I did start off.

Waiting for a Volvo on the ring road on a Saturday evening turned out to be the most disastrous thing. There were hardly any. And when one came it did not stop. It was an hour wait already. No auto would come that far either. They won't have customers on the way back. Offer them more money and they will look at you like "are you trying to bribe me!" I thought going back home is the best thing to do. But thinking about the "first time" I stayed on. At last an auto came to my rescue.

The evening gave me a firsthand look of a dance floor. One thing I learnt – there's no MJ there. Just a few can actually dance. Others are all "trying to dance", throwing their hands and legs all over the place. Just like me or us if you like it that way. It does not come anywhere close to club dances we see on screens. What a nice feeling. We're not alone.

Someone said the DJ is not good. So we headed out. I guess these girls get it all for free. So if the DJ is not good, they can just walk off. How about me? I spent a grand just to get in. I haven't had ten minutes on the dance floor. There must be so much more to see. The girls, dance, DJ, the music and probably some fights. Who knows even a little dance-floor romance.

But before we left, my friend was super nice to give me another "first time in my life". A tequila shot. He showed me how to have it. The salt on my thump and lemon were exactly how I'd seen on movies. It went well. He asked me how it was. I said nice, and I honestly feel it was nice - the taste of lemon and salt right after a little distilled water.  The next day  my friend told me it wasn't tequila, but vodka. So that was not a first time.

Later we had dinner and some time in a coffee day. It was nice. Talking and a little bit of socializing. Although a friend, asked while going home "why dint we go home after dinner?" He said something. I think the right answer would be "who knows!"

The promise to drop me home if I just reached there of course turned out to be politics. I should have known. My gym plans and other Sunday plans went to dogs. On top of that, I forgot my keys when I left my friend's place in the afternoon.

Thankfully I dint' have to go back. I had some work till 8pm and he was coming to a  place just 2 kms  from where I was. I walked. No buses that way and maybe because it was Sunday, not many autos, either. I window-shopped at Harley-Davidson and Ducati. I went to Diesel showroom to see a DJ doing his thing for the first time. Even before I had a good look at the console and mixer, there was a call. "Come fast, we're waiting". It was around 9pm. There I go. But this time again another first time – visit to the poshest mall in town. Expensive coffee and sitting around talking. It was fun. Now my house is some 8 kms away. 20 minutes by car. It's a Sunday. It's close to 10 pm. I got a drop till near the centre of power the state. There's a bus stop.  But remember it's Sunday and late evening, almost late night! That means a km walk to the nearest place where I know I can get a bus. I did. Both walk and get a bus from where I knew I'd get. I did not wait for a bus in my route. Took the first I got. Who knows if there's any bus after this at all. Dropped off nearly 3 kms from home.

There was this hotel. I got some yummy "Phaal" and "Veel Kabab". It was the tastiest I ever had. The phaal was dry chaaps, as they said and not grilled. But tastier than the grilled versions. This was the only thing good about this evening. That reminds me of the morning. The loveliest breakfast I can remember. Rava Dosa. It was a killer. No competition whatsoever. Thank you mom (friend's).

Again walk. Happily this time since my tummy was happy too. Then suddenly there comes this car right at me. I jumped and was furious especially because, it was coming in the wrong direction on a one way. I looked closer before I made the judgment. He didn't disappoint me. Another obsessive law-breaker.

Any time you see a vehicle jump a signal; or a guy on a bike with no helmet or someone going on the footpath even when there's plenty of place on the road. Be it any traffic offence – look closer and you know where he goes to pray. It's the case at least an 80% of the time.

If you are thinking of the same as I am, do not call me biased/communal. It's how it is.

Ok, the walk is still on. Thanks to my friend for the party-invite and the promises of dropping home after party. I am still walking back home 28 hours after I left home.

What Obama Did with Osama

At best my guess is he's kept in some secret place to question and learn more about terror threats to the world. He was unarmed at the time of arrest. Anyone would agree that he's more useful alive than we're safe with Osama dead. As of now he's as good as dead to us. He's alive only to the US intelligent officers who probably have him to question. The world has taken the spoken words for truth. The modern generation who question the existence of God has no problem believing Obama's word. They ask for no proof. But I live up to my baptismal name, Thomas. I won't believe until I see. Add to the fake pictures, their decision not to release photos for reason sillier than can be imagined. Videos of Osama preaching war and death of Americans and Jews are widely available in the streets of Afghanistan and other places. Would the pictures of his death not prove his inability and scare people away from such attrocities? If it's holy, they certainly have many other ways to die than go all the way to the US and die trying to kill a few Americans. Not releasing pictures of a dead Osama is a clear indication of he being not dead. Later, we heard Osama's last rights were performed and his dead body was left in the sea with heavy weights tied to it. So noone should ask no more questions. He's disappeared and with no proof. If anyone wants any proofs it's no more available. What if he's kept in one Guantanamo Bay, for questioning or whatever. How do we know if he's not. And unlike the typical reasoning, intelligent people we all calim to be a lot of 'citizens' (including TV anchors) came on TV and said that it's ok to not reelase photos of his deadbody or any other proof at all and that they believe the govt has done the what they claim to have. I am mortified. They only know what happened. Now that Al Quida has a new leader, at least we know bin Laden is not at Al Quida.