Sr. Lincy
St. Joseph’s College, Jakhama, Nagaland
William James, the father of modern psychology, wrote to his friend Prof. Thomas Davidson “as the year’s passes I fell that it is impossible to live without God”.
Human beings are living with depressions, worries, tensions, etc. most of the time.They always turn to the world for their answers. After the two world wars,men have put their hope onmen,but, they seemed to become more sad and hopeless. The world does not have absolute answers to their problems.Which laboratory or which technology can give proper answers to their problems? Who can solve their problems? It is difficult to get a proper answer from science and technology and from other scientific researches always.Answers to all our problems can be received through fervent prayers. The imaginations and desires of human beings cannot bloom without the grace of God.
Taking an instance ofhow plants prepare their food,sunlight is inevitable for the growth of the plants. If there is no proper sunlight the growth of the plant is affected. As sunlight is for the green plants, men need sunlight too, but for men sunlight is the grace of God i.e., His love. The grace of God is the divine light which transforms us. Our hearts should be like plants which longs for the sunlight and rain. When we turn to God in prayer we will be able to find answers of our difficulties and problems. This sunlight of ours will kindle our lukewarm attitude.To receive this grace we have to turn to God. We must be able to lift our minds and hearts to God in the midst of all the pains and difficulties. But many times, we try to depend upon the human powers and consolation. I want to reflectabout a story of a family of seven; father, mother, and five children.The father was earning $18 per month, but, due to his ill health most of the time he was not able to go and perform his official duty which in turn has affected his earning capacity. Sometimes,they are not able to afford meal a day. So the mother used to go to the neighbouring houses to work. She received second hand clothes from the Salvation Army Store and altered it according to the size of the children and gives them to wear. And she had to pay $50 to the grocery shop from where they buy their provision. One day, it happened that the owner of the shop scolded her son for stealing two pencils from his shop. The 11year old boyfelt humiliated for calling him thief in frontof many people. It pained the young boy. He knows that he is innocent. The mother knows that her son is innocent. She thought how she can face this man because she has to pay $50 to him. All these made her to lose her mind.The mother was pained to see the tears of her innocent child. She thought to herself how she can solve this problem. She was filled with humiliation and pain. So, she decided to end up their life. She took her five year old child and went to the living room, closed all the windows and doors, she tore out all the old cloths and papers and spread it in the room. By seeing this, the child asked her “Mum what are you doing?” she told her that she is searching for a draft. She acted as if she was searching for the draft. Slowly she opened the gas heater but did not lit the fire thinking that she will put the child to sleep and she also went to bed with her. She asked her mother “Mum why are we sleeping now? We got up just few minutes ago.” She told her “don’t wary let us sleep little more it will make us fresh.” As she lay down she heard the sound of the emitting from the stove. After sometimes, she heard a melodious song coming from the same direction of the gas stove. The music was like a heavenly music.The content of the song is this: “Jesus is a loving friend, He carried all our sins, He will remove all our pains and difficulties from our heart. He carries all our prayer to God. He cares for everyone. He takes away all our burdens and makes us free. What a great friend He is. Our heart is heavy with problems and difficulties, why it does not go away from us, because we do not offer everything to God in our prayers”. As she came out from the kitchen she forgot to switch off the radio which she was listening.It came to her ears as if the rain falls on the withered plant. It gave her a new vision of life. She was sorry for what she intended to do. She got up and opened all the windows and doors so that the gas can be let out of the room.She got up with new life, she spend the rest of the day in prayer with tears in her eyes. It was not for receiving any favours but it was to express her heartfelt gratitude to God for saving their life. The Lord has shown me His love without any limit.She thanked the Lord for the gift of her life and the gift of her children and husband. She prayed to Jesus that she will never do such a thing in her life again. In the midst of all the problems and difficulties she learned to turn towards God in prayer. After this incident the good God started to bless them. The Lord blessed her with a good job in order to meet their needs.As the time passes by, all her children completed formal education and got good job and had a happy family life.
In difficulties, problems and pain let us turn to God in prayer, it will make us better human, it will help us to understandourselves and others. Let us put our trust in His mercy and love, not in men. “A prayer with pure and contract heart will reach God like a scented candle or like incense”.
