S2-Day31: God in the Cemetery

A place where no one wants to go, but finally end up. The carcasses with the stories of deaths, vampires, ghosts or devils. One may not have a “noble” birth, but surely wanted a decent end. A place where life ends, that no one builds for themselves, but resides forever. A husband built for his wife, a 42 acre “crown of the palace,” an ivory-cladded white marble mausoleum on banks of Yamuna listed in the seven wonders of the world. For some, a place for pride and remembrance - raising memorials, encroaching the shores of Marina - and at the same, a place for social ostracisation and maintenance of caste system. But as a Christian believer this is a place of peaceful rest, hope and promise for eternal living. The Cemetery or the graveyard. 

The Old Testament starts and talks about the first death a brother slayed by his own brother, his blood crying out to God from the ground, an ever-continuous slaying of humanity against humanity by bloody wars, innocents (Sri Lankan Tamils) crying out from the mass graves a never-ending story of agony and pathos. Certainly, humanity has fashioned more graves for murders, than the graves of natural deaths. 

The first patriarch bought a piece of land with a cave at Hebron to bury his wife, never thought his descendants would drive away the real owners and claim the land as God given land flowing with milk and honey, symbolising the encroaching attitudes by avaricious industrialised nations turning once cradles of civilization into mass graves. 

Whereas in the vision of prophet Ezekiel (Chapter 37) a chunk of dry bones, when prophesied, came together with a rattling noise, sinews on them, flesh coming, skin covering and with a breath turned into a living vast multitude standing on their feet. Thus, a cemetery turned into scene of hope and promise to the whole house of Israel. Yes, cemeteries can be a place for hope and a place where God’s presence acts upon. 

In the New Testament, the protagonist of the book raises his friend four days after he was buried and raises himself from the dead after three days, teaching a new thought on empty tombs and empty graves. Thus, cemeteries take pivotal role in the teaching of resurrection and in the promise for eternal life. 

In our social context, cemeteries are places of segregation. Even now, separate cemeteries for Dalits and “upper-caste” people legitimately exist in the villages. But the Vettiyans (care takers) come only from the Dalit community. Recently, when a Dalit man’s body was lowered from a bridge in Vellore district the “upper-caste” people barred access to the cremation ground, a judge noted, “We wish the dead ‘Rests in Peace,’ but on the facts and circumstances of this case, we could see that there is no peace for the living nor the dead.” 

But the question is does God live in Cemeteries? Certainly yes, only when it takes the role of hope, promise and resurrection. A billionaire or a beggar, a queen or a maid, a politician or a popper, a dictator or a democrat, a white or a black, an upper caste or a Dalit, all descend to a pit with nothing to hold in their hands, its cemetery, with unquenchable thirst craving to hold many more. 

Prayer 

Loving Parent God, we thank you for the life you have given to us. We thank you for those who have departed before us and for their fruitful life. We pray for the innocents killed and inflicted by wars and other unnatural deaths. Make us a channel of peace and help us to live a meaningful life and make even our end a meaningful one. We pray through Christ who died and rose to life from the cemetery. Amen. 

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Author: Rev. Philip Richard 

About the Author: Philip is an ordained minister of CSI Diocese of Madras. He earned his Bachelor of Divinity from Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary, Madurai and Master of Theology in the Department of Christian Theology from Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, Chennai. He has a rich experience of serving rural congregations of Madras Diocese and presently serves the congregation of Cuddalore Port Pastorate.

S2-Day30: God at the Gate

Recently, I went to one of the prestigious institutions in metropolitan city where I studied. Though I had an authorized letter in my hand and being an alumnus of the institution. It was my prerogative to enter. However, I was instructed and ordered only to stand at the Gate and even not to touch the Gate. Consequently, I was denied entering inside through the Gate in the name of Covid-19. 

After restless travelling for nearly 1000kms I reached the institution. The way I was treated gave me a huge shock. I could not comprehend what was going on. The same Gate was opened for others who came, but I was denied even to step in through the gate to take my luggage. After a while, a group of people brought my things and dumped it at the Gate. To my misfortune, it began to rain heavily. 

There was no space for me to run to immediately to not get wet. I struggled wandering here and there, unsuccessfully, to get some assistance with my luggage and to help me go under a shade. I found no help at this time. A helpless moment indeed. All my belongings were soaking-wet, and I stood drenched in the rain. Some of my things were even found floating in the drain water, and some were mixed with mud and dirt. I carried what I could collect with tears in my eyes. The Gate was a witness to my agony, while it stood as a hurdle or a bridge between “human being and being human.” I was humiliated and treated like inhumanely. The rains hid my tears. This utter humiliation provoked me to think over the present situation, how people (ab)use the Gate to protect themselves while othering fellow (human) beings. 

Covid-19 gives us space for self-introspection. Amidst this crisis, the Gate was one of the major elements, which protects everybody from the “Virus.” On the other hand, The Gate became a weapon of exploitation, synonymous to caste, culture, race, religion, gender, denominations, social status and other parameters of discrimination. 

As we investigate some of the Biblical texts, the word Gate has been used as a metaphor and to draw a clear line between “in and out” siders. The Biblical understanding of Gate gives us the clear picture of the gospel, and a hope in salvation. In fact, Jesus has crossed the barriers and to build bridges, to bring inside those who were under privileged, and marginalised at the Gate. His healing narratives never ordered and imposed rules. Jesus is seen reaching out to people who could not reach him. Revelation 3:20 says Jesus is standing at the door/gate, and whoever hear his voice, he dwells with him/her to see the human tendencies. 

Today we are amidst this pandemic. Even our mobile caller tunes say, “We have to fight with the disease not the patient”. On the contrary we discriminate people / creation in the name of this virus to protect our own comfort zones. We must put our faith and spirituality into action. It is time to move away from what we have been to show compassion and giving life to the people who are at the Gate. 

Have we remained inside closed doors/gates to protect our self-egos and have deterred from the God’s expectation of doing justice, walking humbly as Micah 6:8 says? Can we take a moment to look outside the Gate, to see the many who are fighting hunger, homelessness and death, due to lack of essentials? What if Christ was dying out there? 

Prayer: 

God of Prohibited, we pray for the people those who are rejected by the creating our comfort zones, help us to realise, and lay your hand of compassion to host our fellow beings, and strengthen us with your grace and mercy until we go through the Gate. We ask In Jesus’s name, who broke the gates to the compassion to the neglected. Amen 

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Author: Vadiga Bhupathi 

About the author: Bhupathi Vadiga hails from Khammam, Telangana. Currently serves as an assistant pastor at Christian Witness Church, Gudimalla, Telangana. He completed his Bachelor of Divinity from the United Theological College, Bangalore. His study is a testimony of the struggles he went through, especially when he lost his parents. He is a talented musician, composer, writer (Telegu), photographer, artist and a Dalit thinker.