I, as the School Leader, stand here representing all the students of our school. It is the first time any one of us have been given a chance to speak out loud and clear what is in our hearts. We cherish this great opportunity.
Today, let me spell out for you what our hearts want to speak out.
First of all our hearts want to say thank you dear parents and beloved teachers for all what you have been to us, for all the wisdom you have shared with us and for all the encouragement you have given us.
Secondly, all of our hearts are anxious. In this increasingly technology driven world when many are compelled to spend much time online by choice or chance; it is becoming difficult to find true friendships. And when around the table talk during family dinner in many homes have been stolen by busyness and addicition to mobile screens, we children, each one of us feel like stranded on islands of our own making.
Thirdly, let me say we are ambitious. There are lot of more career opportunities ahead. There are a wide variety of courses to choose from to reach there. What our school has taught us is to pursue our goals and dreams. We are so happy that our parents and teachers have instilled in us the courage to persevere, to put in honest hard work, and have untiring enthusisam and hope in the midst of failures and setbacks in life.
Above all, we are learning to be compassionate and kind-hearted. We were given a lot of opportunities to get to know how people struggle to make ends meet in the communities around us. We were given many chances to make a difference in a few lives. I am sure that these efforts and the willingess to lend a helping hand will not vapourize like dreams but stay embedded in our minds for a long time to come.
Therefore dear parents and beloved teachers, thank you once again for the light you have shone on our paths; it shall be our beacon of hope when clouds obscure the sun. Thank you for the seeds scattered on good soil; they will surely sprout, grow, multiply and yield a great harvest. Thank you for your love; for even in our moments of rebellion we still believe in the goodness you have reserved for us in your hearts. There shall be a come back home. God bless you all. Thank you.
Words do have the power to hurt. Therefore speeches that do not build you up can pull you down. Surprisingly, most of these speeches originate with you; and you do not even know it. But students need to be aware of this in order to avoid these dangerous little speeches.
What are these little speeches and how do they hurt? And how do they pull you down? Let us try to find out.
First of all listen to all the I can’t speeches you tell time and again. Without knowing it you are creating a belief for yourself that you are not capable. The truth is that you fear failure. Therefore you do not want to try. Failure is Ok; but saying I can’t is not Ok.
Secondly, listen to all the negative stories you tell. They might be true incidents when people might have hurt you, criticized you or made fun of you. The more you tell those stories the more you believe that you are helpless and a victim of circumstances. Is that true? I doubt. With trust in God, can you not rise up above all that pulled you down in the past?Yes, you can.
Thirdly, listen to self-deprecating comments that you make. Occasionally that can be part of humour. But if you use that constantly, it can be an indicator of the struggle you have with your sense of self worth, esteem and significance. Therefore cut off that kind of talk. It only pulls you down.
Finally, listen to little speeches of despair that escape your lips. You might have never noticed it. But after spending time with you; your friends will leave with their hearts heavy, with lack of happiness, and clueless why their minds are feeling drained. It is because of the pessimistic, no-hope-ahead, kind of talk you might be tempted to speak. Avoid that at all costs or you’ll lose your valuable friendships before you know it.
To conclude, let me say that identifying these four kind of speeches and avoiding them is not enough. You need to start thinking differently. St. Paul tells us: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”1 When you do so, quite naturally, you will learn to speak words that, instead of pulling you down into a spirit of despair, will build you up.
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Prophet Isaiah predicted that Jesus came, “to bind up the brokenhearted . . . to comfort all who mourn . . .” and to give them “a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” (Isiaah 61:1–3).
1 Philippians 4:8 Bible NIV 1984.
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
Sermons come in short and long versions. It can move the hearts of people if delivered well. Many have written scholarly books and articles on homiletics—the art and craft of sermons and preaching. This, in contrast, is an attempt to give an overview to the art and craft of sermons and preaching.
Some sermons bloom like a bud opening into a flower. Others develop like compartments being added to a train-like structure. A few sermons are like thunder and lightning. Some others are like embers glowing in a fire; some like the gentle rain falling on green grass. Certain sermons grow up like building blocks being stacked one upon the other while the most common ones are like a tripod resting on three points.
Anyone can attempt to preach. But God calls certain men and women to preach. If someone recognizes that call, he or she should try to fan into flame the gift that God has given him or her. That requires diligent study and adequate preparation.
When God calls you, the first instinct is to rush ahead and preach. Good. But at the same time do not neglect to spend time with God alone. Read and meditate on God’s Word much; not with a view to gain knowledge or prepare for a sermon. But just to keep unhurried company with Jesus, get to know him close, and allowing him to search your heart and mind.
This is what Jesus meant when he asked you to abide in him. It is a life-long process. When this happens, your sermons will become channels of God’s life flowing through you to people.
Preparation in Prayer
A preacher is a messenger of God. He (when I write he, it includes both men and women preachers) is under authority of God to preach. And the Word of God he is trying to preach is living and active; a two-edged sword, a fire, and a hammer that breaks rock into pieces.
Therefore he has to handle it with care. So he has to listen to God while he is preparing a sermon. He has to spend long hours in prayer before he dares to enter the pulpit to preach.
This is the most neglected aspect in preparation of a sermon. The first instinct is to read some other sermons on the internet, refer books, and try to prepare the skeletal framework of the sermon. That is all good.
But the first thing to do is to pray. Seek God’s face. Ask him to purify your motives in preaching. It can easily be pride; it can be the desire to be famous; it can be to show off your knowledge.
You therefore need to ask God to purify your motives, that the delivery of the sermon be holy to the Lord and all glory be to God alone. Again you need to ask God to cleanse your heart by the precious blood of Jesus, and ask the Holy Spirit to guide the meditations of your heart and prepare the hearts of the audience to receive God’s Word.
When you are focused on preaching God’s Word there can be conflicts at home or other distractions that can easily discourage you. So pray for God to keep you safe in his arms. But when you pray you may not feel any emotional high. You might feel that your prayer is hitting a thick wall and not getting through to heaven. But do not count your prayers as lost.
God is ever listening. And when you pray much, there will come an assurance at some moment—before the sermon, at the time of entering the pulpit or when you are speaking—that God has heard. It is this preparation in prayer that gives your sermon the power needed to touch hearts and minds with the proclamation of God’s Word.
Seeking the Help of the Spirit of God
Even when God employed men across centuries to write the Bible, the real author of the Bible is the Spirit of God. He can bring to life what is written and impart that life to the listeners of the sermon. So seek his help when preaching for wisdom, for authority, and for empowerment to preach.
The Spirit of God cannot operate through an unclean vessel. So seek his help to purify your heart and mind by the blood of Jesus. The Spirit of God will not bless your sermon if you have not done the hard work of diligent study and preparation because you cannot expect to approach God’s Word casually and expect results. The Spirit of God will not operate when the preacher is more interested in airing his own opinions, discussing current events, and using the sermon for political purposes.
The interesting fact is that a preacher might feel totally inadequate, feel lack of courage in his heart, and maybe not physically at his best. The preacher might feel that he will not be able to preach at all. Yet in these moments of weakness, the Spirit of God moves mightily. And when you think that the sermon did not come out well, the Spirit of God would have used it to bring God’s purposes to be fulfilled.
Understanding the Focus
The Bible deals with history, poetry, preaching, prophecy, prayer, promises, commands, instructions, and so on. But the purpose of the Bible is to help us understand God’s intervention in human history through Jesus Christ. And the focus of the Bible is the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and his shed blood there for the forgiveness of sins. A preacher has to keep this in mind always whatever topic he is called to preach.
The apostles had nothing else to preach. They preached Christ and him crucified. They preached the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the gospel. Everything else is secondary.
But know one thing. Preaching Jesus is not popular today. Yet, Jesus himself said that the Law and the Prophets and the Psalms testify about him. So as a preacher you might be talking sacrifices in the Old Testament. You can tell your audience how sacrifices in the Old Testament were a shadow of the cross. You might be talking about Old Testament laws and regulations. You can tell your audience how Jesus came to fulfill the Law and the predictions of the Prophets. You might be preaching on promises in the Old Testament. You can tell your audience that these promises are made real to us through Jesus as we approach God in his name.
So when you prepare a sermon, one question you have to ask yourself is, how can I relate it to Jesus and how can I bring the attention of the audience to the blood of Jesus through this sermon? For whatever a sermon does; whether it inspires, it persuades, it influences, it informs, it entertains; nothing saves but the blood of Jesus. When you have an intent to speak on the blood of Jesus, God will give the wisdom and the communication skill needed to integrate it into the sermon.
Communicating Truth
A preacher is not called to be popular. Instead he is called to preach the truth faithfully. Therefore he cannot please men. Often he becomes a fool for Christ while preaching. He is called to present the truth about sin, unbelief, the wrath of God, the reality of hell, the second coming of Jesus and final judgement. At the same time he is called to preach God’s love, mercy, compassion, and to communicate hope and the certainty of life after death to all who believe and trust in Jesus.
We are called to speak the truth in love. That means we should not preach with a self-righteous attitude—that is with a holier-than-you-all attitude.
Then, there are truths in the Bible which go against popular vote today. It can be in areas of personal holiness, relationships, money management, communication and many other areas. For example, the New Testament teaches that a believer is not to seek to marry an unbeliever. We have an Old Testament example of Wise King Solomon led astray by ungodly wives he married. You have to preach this truth.
Another example is that of mocking, scoffing, gossip, or slander. You have to tell your audience that engaging in all these kind of talk is sin. And according to what Jesus warned there is going to come a time we have to give account for all these.
Now is preaching the truth easy? Absolutely not. As a preacher the first instinct will be that of self-preservation. The second instinct is to please the crowd. The third instinct is to exhibit our knowledge. The next instinct might be to show off our communication skills. And so on. But when preaching the truth takes priority expect people to criticize you or even hate you or speak against you. Great popularity is no indicator of being faithful to preaching the truth.
Communicating Using Stories
Jesus made his teaching memorable by simple stories he used. They are called parables. Many preachers, in an attempt to display their scholarship, forget this powerful tool in their hands. Often relevant stories used to illustrate a truth preached stays in the minds of audiences even when they forget the rest of the sermon. So choose simple stories from your own life, from literature, from what you read on the internet or watched in a movie. The art of storytelling is mastered over time. You need to have a passion for storytelling to succeed.
There are some simple principles that will help you. Keep stories short and simple. Let it highlight one truth or point in your story. If you are using a story in your intro, make sure that it is connected to the main thought of your sermon. It should lead into the body of the sermon.
Too many stories can be an overkill. But using one story or illustration to highlight a point can be really helpful. Stories from the life of missionaries can be really encouraging.
A story that is often told in sermons is that of a small wooden boat a boy made and which was lost when he floated it in running waters. Later he sees that in a shop and buys that. Then he says to the boat, ”Now you’re twice mine: first, I made you, and now I bought you.” This story has been told time and again, but still tells us about how Jesus redeemed us. So try to communicate truths using stories.
Compassion for People
One of the main highlights of Jesus’ life was that he was moved with compassion for people. A preacher is not someone who looks down on people but recognizes that he himself is a sinner saved by grace. When he recognizes that God has shown him great mercy and has forgiven him much, he will display the same compassion to people whom he is preaching to. Such sermons help people to experience the love of God.
But when people preach prosperity, there is no compassion because they are employing deception to mislead the crowd to a gospel which neither Jesus nor his disciples preached. When people preach doctrinal issues more than Christ, they have no compassion because they are ignoring the heart-cry of the audience to experience God. Instead of helping them drink from God’s Word; they muddy the waters so that it becomes impossible to experience God.
Now, compassion for people will not come automatically. It is a burden even Moses found hard to bear. Paul too was burdened by his concern for the churches. Compassion can come only to a shepherd-heart. There is great breaking of heart when you have compassion for God’s people. God moves and touches people through broken and contrite hearts.
Jesus often was burdened when he saw that the people were like a flock without a shepherd. He is looking today for people who will stand in the gap and plead for God’s people like how Abraham did for Lot. Today God’s people are being destroyed because of lack of knowledge, because of the worries of daily living, because of divisions in the church, and because of lack of teaching of God’s word in the church. So speak to people with God’s compassion that in their brokenness, they might find the healing touch of God.
Understanding a Passage
Read a passage thoroughly before you start preparing a sermon. It doesn’t matter if your sermon is based on a text, a topic, or whether it is inductive or deductive or expository or whatever technical term is used to describe your sermon. Read a passage or passages thoroughly before you start preparing. Understand the historical context in which it was written.
There will be literary or grammatical or semantic highlights of the passage you might need to explore (use appropriate hermeneutical/exegetical resources to do so).
For example, Jesus’ sixth word on the cross, “It is finished,’ is one word in the Greek, “Tetelestai.” It means paid in full and was a kind of seal used in transactions of the day when payment was done in full. These kind of details can help the audience better appreciate the truth.
Use the information you gather to supplement the truth you are preaching and not make it the chief focus in your sermon. For example, there is great debate about when Jesus is coming back. Is it pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, or post tribulation? It is easy to go around explaining all the points and taking your stand on it. But what is the main point? The main point is that it is certain that Jesus is coming soon and we have to be ready looking forward to his coming whenever that might happen; isn’t it?
Try to Have a Grip of the Timeless Message
An example can make it clear. Jonah’s story is one of disobedience. It is as clear as daylight. But in that story is a greater message of God’s compassion and mercy shown to a merciless people (the Ninevites). And God’s great desire to reach out to people who live in ignorance and sin and darkness and bondage with his love and mercy; giving them a chance to repent.
It was the reason why God created the storm and made a big fish to swallow Jonah and to vomit him onto dry land after three days and nights and brought him back to preach a message of repentance. Jonah being in the belly of the fish three days and three nights is referred to by Jesus as a sign of his own resurrection from the dead thus proving him to be Messiah. These are the timeless message here.
Again, when people preach on the parable of the Prodigal Son or the parable of the Good Samaritan, there is a modern trend to read into the story current psychological research and findings. All this is good intellectual exercise. But the bottom line in these stories is the joy of finding someone who was lost and his restoration to fellowship; and showing mercy to a total stranger as an illustration of the teaching of love your neighbour as yourself. Do not miss these timeless messages while dissecting a passage for your sermon.
Help People to Know What Action to Take
“Repent,” is a consistent message of the Bible. It is not just being sorry for your sins. There should be a change in one’s life. Help people understand what action they have to take to make the message real in their lives.
There has to be action if the message has to be effective. If the message does not deal with practical things that has to do with attitudes of your heart, words of your mouth and actions that you take; then it is just an academic exercise.
For example, one of the areas people struggle with is time spent on their mobiles engaging with social media. Telling them to spent time with God might not help. Instead ask them specifically not to touch their mobiles in the morning without having spent an hour reading God’s Word. Well, people might be shocked. But at least they will have an idea about giving God first priority in the morning.
Again, when you teach about maintaining purity, you may need to spell out action that need to be taken. For that, you might need to tell people that they have to run away from sources of temptation like how Joseph did. And how to use Scripture to defeat the devil like how Jesus did saying, “It is written.” And again, how they can claim victory over the devil and overcome him by the blood of the Lamb of God (see Revelation 12:11). And again, how they can use the shield of faith to put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Be Willing to Be Rejected
When you speak God’s Word truthfully, the chances are that you will face rejection. Like how God said to Ezekiel: “You are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice (Ezekiel 33:32 NIV 1984).”
The first thing to remember is that people are very much impatient these days. They want to be entertained. They want showmanship on stage. But that is not possible when you preach the Word of God truthfully. So they will complain if it goes a little longer than they expected. Then there will be people who come to advise you about how to tone down your message so that it will suit the congregation.
The greatest offense comes when you preach on sin, the cross, the blood of Jesus, the second coming of Jesus, the wrath of God, coming judgment, and hell. The point is that you cannot be a preacher of God’s Word and at the same time please men. Is it easy? The answer is a big NO.
The Introduction
Preaching is challenging because the audience comprises young and old, men and women and children too. There can be people with all kinds of attitudes and needs in the audience. There will be some who are bored and find listening to sermons a chance to sleep. There will be people who are ready to criticize and find fault with every word you say. Children can be distracted as they may not make much sense of what you say (unless you start with an engaging story they can follow). And there will be those who are playing with their mobiles.
But certainly there will be many who are facing difficulties in life and coming to listen to the sermon to hear an encouraging word from God that can give them hope and courage. So the introduction becomes important as that unveils before them what is coming later in the sermon, and what they can expect to take home from their sermon.
Whatever it be, the introduction should capture attention. It is said that you get around 3 seconds to engage someone as far as a web page is concerned. In speech it could be a little longer. But there should be something in your opening remarks that would hook audiences. There is no universally true method, but you can experiment. Some will succeed; some will fail. It’s all a learning experience.
This is an intro to a sermon I attempted years ago in my youthful enthusiasm:
April 20, 1814 Paris, France.
Napoleon bids farewell to his old guards.
Soldiers of my Old Guard: I bid you farewell. For twenty years I have constantly accompanied you on the road to honor and glory.
February 11, 1861.
President-Elect Abraham Lincoln bids farewell at Springfield, Illinois.
My friends: No one, not in my situation, can appreciate my feeling of sadness at this parting. To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe every thing. Here I have lived a quarter of a century, and have passed from a young to an old man. Here my children have been born, and one is buried. I now leave, not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return . . . .
11 December 1936
King Edward VIII gave this farewell address after having abdicated the throne of England to marry the lady he loved. This is what he said:
At long last I am able to say a few words of my own. I have never wanted to withhold anything, but until now it has not been constitutionally possible for me to speak.
A few hours ago I discharged my last duty as King and Emperor, and now that I have been succeeded by my brother, the Duke of York, my first words must be to declare my allegiance to him. This I do with all my heart.
[By this time the audience in the church were visibly disturbed thinking that I totally missed the fact this is sermon in a church and not a speech to a secular audience. Then I said:]
2000 years ago,
another man gave a farewell address. And he was no ordinary man. He said:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am (John 14:1–3 NIV 1984).”
If you ask me, I might not attempt this introduction these days; because it is a bit long. But it has one redeeming aspect; that is it succeeded in building the mood of a farewell address. In fact, we shouldn’t forget that Jesus spoke these words to his disciples who were unsettled at heart by the news that Jesus was soon to be betrayed and that he will leave them.
Perhaps this introduction that I attempted was a failure because it violated audience expectation about a sermon introduction too much. Or it might have done its purpose of making the audience listen intently because they thought the preacher had mistaken the sermon to be a speech to a secular audience.
But my point is that, you should try to experiment with new approaches to introductions rather than fit into stereotyped moulds which makes people lose interest at the beginning of your sermon itself. Without any doubt, the worst beginning is: “Today the topic given to me is . . .” They will switch off active hearing and tune out immediately.
Here’s an example of beginning a sermon with a simple illustration or story: Speech on Gratitude.
The Conclusion
Many preachers summarize the points they had said. Others focus on the call for action. Some end with a brief story that crystallizes the main emphasis of their sermon in the minds of the audience. Whatever it be, the conclusion is perhaps the most important part of the sermon and the time when perhaps the audience interest will be very high. So be ready to go for a strong conclusion and do not leave it to chance. Be thoroughly prepared with a conclusion.
The following conclusion was planned but the question at the end came at that particular moment. I would say it was God-given. “The Bible is a book of invitations. Jesus called disciples to himself saying, “Come, follow me.” In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened.” At the last day of the Feast of tabernanacles Jesus cried out saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.” The Book of Revelation ends with a picture of the River of the Water of Life flowing. And the Spirit of God and the bride say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” Are you thirsty? Amen.
Sometimes preachers make the mistake of taking too much time with one point and then finding that they have to rush through other points. This gives the false impression that one point was more important than all the others. Or in a much worse judgement; the audience will think of the sermon as poorly constructed. Don’t worry too much if this has happened to you. That is how it is in the beginning days of preaching. It is only with experience that this sense of balance to be maintained will become part of your strength in preaching.
The lack of balance happens for several reasons. One point is more dear to you and you spend much more time on it. But what can be more true is that you fail to think-through the other points. See, borrowed ideas has to be made your own. You should take time to prayerfully think-through those ideas in the light of God’s Word. You have to develop that thought. It takes time. Failure to do so is what often results in lack of balance.
Or it can be because you have too many points. For example, if you find that Point #1 and Point #2 have been well-developed in a 3-point sermon; and there is not full maturity of thought with Point #3; it is better that you leave out Point #3 and then develop the first two points to their fullest strength and impact.
Transitions
When you travel on the road signposts help you to navigate. It helps you know where you have reached and how much more you have to travel to reach destination. Similarly a preacher has to employ transitions to help the audience travel along with them. First, second, third is a simple way to help audience understand the main points. At the same time, it is important that you use creative transitions from the intro to the body of the speech.
After giving a quick intro about the story of Eric Liddell, you can use a statement like: So the story of Eric Liddell is a great motivation for us to remain faithful to God’s call in our lives. Or, Eric Liddell and his passion for running should remind us that we too are called to run the race of faith and to finish strong.
Equally important is how you end each segment. When you do so; you should attempt to close that segment before moving forward. Say something like, we have now had a look at how God provides for the needs of his children. Now let us take a look at how God protects his children. Such transitions help the audience to easily have a position check as to exactly where they are at the moment, where they are headed to and how long it might take to reach there.
Audience Focus
A preacher has to be in touch with people. Jesus was always in touch with people. A preacher has to be like that. He has to know what people think, fear, dream about, and struggle with. A preacher’s role is to help people understand that they have a God whom they can approach with freedom, boldness and confidence calling him, “Abba Father.”
A preacher’s role is to help people understand that God cares about them. A preacher’s role is to decrease while God grows big in the minds of the audience. A preacher’s role is not to report what the newspapers discuss about current events or discuss theological jargon but to shine the spotlight on Jesus.
The comment, “It was a good sermon”; though it is pleasing to the preacher’s ears, falls short of, “I was able to experience God through your sermon.”
The Preacher
The preacher is called to preach the foolishness of the cross. He is called to walk close with God. A preacher therefore has to avoid and remove from his life anything that hinders the message of the cross.
A humble heart which is sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit and trembles at God’s Word and cleasned and sanctified by the blood of Jesus is what a preacher should be. In every sense, all this is not accomplished in a day or two but is a lifelong process as God chisels away at the preacher shaping him to declare his message with humility as well as Spirit-filled boldness.
After-Sermon Analysis
There is nothing to be surprised if you face depression after a sermon. The classic case of Elijah is enough to understand this. After the mighty demonstration of God’s power on Mount Carmel, he is discouraged.
In a similar way, after a sermon, it is quite natural to be discouraged. It can simply be a case of physical fatigue. Or it can be because you didn’t see God’s fireworks happening. The simplest thing you can do is to thank God that he gave you grace to preach. And leave the results with God. The messenger has only one duty: deliver the message faithfully. People might accept or reject it.
But there is one thing you can do and should do. Revisit your notes a few days later and try to find out where you can improve the presentation. Maybe the sermon might have been better if you had edited out a few sections. Might be you could have quoted a more appropriate verse. You could have improved your conclusion.
Such an evaluation is an attempt to improve on the best you did. Yes, being dissatisfied with your best is one sure way to improve. Learn from the past; but always look forward.
Today my heart bubbles up with joy to speak about my school. I love my school with all my heart. Well, we have shared the same premises all these years and our minds are filled with memories of all that we were able to learn and do together.
So what makes our school special? What makes me love my shcool with all my heart?
Let me try to spell out a few reasons why this school is so special to you and me. It is not the buildings or the infrastructure that makes this school dear to us. There is something beyond the physical.
First of all, this school has always been student-friendly. It has welcomed us with both arms and made us feel that this is our second home. In fact, we have spend more time here than in our homes during our waking hours. And each day we carried home to our parents and brothers and sisters some story that became part and parcel of our lives; didn’t we? That is why I love my school and so is it why you do too.
Secondly, this school has always had excellent teachers. They have been good in their knowledge; but beyond that they have been truly great in treating each one of us with dignity. They have helped us see our hidden potential and encouraged us at every turn. They have sacrificed much personal comfort to give us a vision and a dream about our bright future.
To borrow words from Henry Van Dyke, let me promise you my dear teachers that for all the sparks you ingited in us; some day we will shine a light back on you. Yes dear teachers, even when years roll by we cannot forget you. Even though we may not be coming back to be in daily touch with you; our hearts will always have in it a place for you filled with gratitude. Dear teachers, you are the reason why I love my school with all my heart.
Finally, I love my school for all the values that it has taught me.Discipline, integrity, sportsmanship, pursuit of excellence, compassion to people, unwavering optimism and hope, and much more came to me from this institution. They were not only taught but it has been integrated into the very culture of this school. We go from here not just having bookish knowledge but as well-rounded personalities with excellence of character. Thus my school has truly served the purpose of education. For these invaluable contributions, I love my school and I am sure you too share the same.
My dear friends, my heart is sad at this time of parting. Along with you, I too say goodbye to this beautiful campus, the classrooms, the playgrounds. A few days from now the band that plays, the morning assemblies, the chit chat during the breaks, the festive arts and literary competitions, science exhibitions, talents day, and the like will not be ours. But life moves on. We move out to let another set of youngsters take over. But nothing will change the love I have for my school. Thank you.
Red, Green and Yellow are the colours in traffic lights. They give you directions to stop, move, and wait. When translated to daily living, these lights can be guiding lights. But even when the meaning of these lights are plain; there is a lot of confusion when people take decisions. Therefore people seek God for guidance. And sure he does guide you.
Let me start with two promises in the Bible. God says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”1 And yet again, This is what the LORD says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.”2
The first and foremost thing to note here is that God is interested in guiding you. He is not watching you from a remote place far away and see you struggle and offering no help. In fact, he is very keen on helping you and guiding you. In this respect, the light is green.
The second thought is that God has your best in mind always. Therefore he seeks to help us understand what is best in our lives. Often it is here that conflicts come. We want to move in one direction and God switches on red lights. But we tend to ignore them generally. Sometimes logic is not what works when God moves in your life. There is a gentle impress of the Spirit of God in your heart. There is no mistaking when he nudges you to move, stop, or wait.
The third thought is about speed. Of course, we all love to reach our destinations quickly. But in God’s economy of things; waiting has a prominent place. We might not know when God is going to move things forward; but he will only give the assurance that he will act. Therefore we have to learn to wait for God’s time in our lives. And trust that his time is best till yellow gives way to green.
Let me end with yet another truth that the Bible highlights. It says that God’s Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.3 Its guidance is about what God’s mind is about. The reading of the Bible and meditating on it ensures that you learn to recognize red, green, and yellow when it shines. Yet isn’t it amazing that people who seek Google Maps to guide them to locations find it difficult to trust God and his wisdom for guidance in their lives?
So let us spread our sails to the wind. Let us keep a steady eye. If the waters grow troubled and the night stretches long; let us anchor on hope till break of dawn.
Therefore my friends, I ask of you to look beyond the present moment. I tell you not to lose courage. The waves might roll and the waters may become troubled; but we will sail on.
It doesn’t matter if you feel afraid and see no way ahead. Whatever happens don’t yield to despair; for though I steer the boat it is the unseen hand of God, my Captain, who guides my boat.
It is not the safety of the shore that we shall seek; but the adventure on the seas. For if my life is a boat on the seas; there is no joy in mooring it to the shore.
So sail on with me my friends; for our time is brief; our task ahead great; and our purpose true.
Today is different from yesterday because each one of us is growing up. I am fascinated by the change that is happening. And as you might have guessed by now I am going to talk to you about growing up.
First of all, growing up is an essential part of life. Not one of us can choose to remain a baby or a toddler. Our parents found joy in each stage of our growing up. When we turned over the first time, the first baby steps, the first words, our first day at school and so on.
But our joy came in a different sense. It came as new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us. It is this sense of awareness that makes growing up a joy.
Secondly, growing up is about freedom and responsibility. When we were young, we had to depend on our parents for everything. Slowly but surely as we started growing up, each one of us became independent in varying degrees. There is a tendency in our teens to rebel and look down on others as we exult in our new-found freedom.
But that is being short-sighted because there is a long journey ahead of each one of us and in a short time we will learn that we have to depend a lot on others to succeed in life.
So freedom is to be used with restraint and caution and also with a sense of responsibility. Let us remind us ourselves of Nehru’s words in his Tryst with Destiny speech that rang out in that midnight hour of freedom where he said: “Freedom and power bring responsibility.”
Thirdly, growing up is about leaving things behind. No one else said it more poetically than St. Paul who said, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.”1
Yes, there is a lot of emotional and childish habits, reactions, and behaviour that we need to leave behind. That is a sure sign of growing up and becoming a man or woman in a true sense of what that means.
Fourthly, growing up is about coping with and adapting to changes. There are changes that affect our physical appearance, emotional make up and thinking patterns. These are needed to make us ready for our life ahead. Some of us might find these changes delightful, others may find it a bit uncomfortable especially when it comes to becoming self conscious in front of others.
Some of us shy away from the limelight; others are daring in their adventures. Yet the fun of it is learning to cope with change.
Finally, growing up is about looking ahead with hope. The future is uncertain. In spite of careful planning, things can go wrong. But even when darkness falls; you can trust God with your future. I cannot stress that thought enough: the antidote to fear of the future in an ever changing world is trust in an unchanging God.
Let me conclude. Growing up is an exciting part of life. Along with new discoveries can come new interests, hobbies, peer pressure, and new temptations. There can be the pressure of expectations of parents, teachers, and friends. There can be the challenge of making mistakes and facing criticism for our failures too. But none of these things need to discourage us.
For as the poet Robert Browning in his poem Rabbi Ben Ezra says,
Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be,
The last of life, for which the first was made:
Our times are in His hand
Who saith “A whole I planned,
Youth shows but half; trust God: see all, nor be afraid!”
Therefore this is my call to you today my friends. Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be!
Ask! Seek! Knock!1 Here are three words that can change your life. Those words come to you from the One who changes lives and transforms the hearts of people.
Ask! Seek! Knock! Those three words invite you to approach God with freedom, boldness, and confidence. It is an invitation to come and know the Giver before you look at the gift.
Ask! Seek! Knock! These three words increase in intensity. Ask begins the search, seek intensifies it, and knock is desperation. Only those who have a real desire to connect with God get answers to prayer.
Ask! Seek! Knock!! But why should you ask? God already knows what you need; doesn’t he? Then why ask? Good question. You need to ask. Only then will you know whether you really need what you ask. Sometimes in the process of asking you realize the foolishness of what you started asking for. And that is a eureka moment! It is that moment when you come to your senses.
Ask! Seek! Knock! God has kept hurdles that you may develop character. He is more interested in putting boldness and courage in you by his delays and denials to your requests. But none of that is meant to hurt you.
Ask! Seek! Knock! You need to get your eyes opened wide. God has bigger plans for you. Often you limit him by going to him with a begging bowl. Let me ask you, do children beg at home? Those three words, Ask! Seeek! Knock! are meant for children. You are one of God’s children; aren’t you?
Ask! Seek! Knock! Jesus always prayed with the confidence that his Father in heaven heard him. There was no doubt; no uncertainty; and no confusion. Why? Because he always did what pleased his Father. And always sought to do his Father’s will. So when you Ask! Seek! Knock! it will be surely answered when you earnestly wish to do what God wants you to do.
Ask! Seek! Knock! Finally, when Jesus prayed, he had an utterance of thanks in his lips and in his heart. That is faith in action; when you thank God for the answer even when there is no possibility of an answer. For God “gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.”2
Therefore, Ask! Seek! Knock! Those three words can truly change your life!
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” — Jesus Christ in his Sermon on the Mount 1(Matthew 7:7, 8 Bible NIV).
Techniques and tips might help but those don’t bring success to you in interviews. You have to choose to have what it takes to succeed. Failures in interviews happen not by chance, but because you did not care enough to choose what helps you succeed. So what helps you succeed in interviews? Of course, the choices you make. Come on, let’s take a look at them:
One, have a grip of fundamentals. Brush up your knowledge of the basics of your subject before you attend interviews. It is the simple questions that are likely to trip you rather than questions that probe deep into the subject.
Two, if you have passion for what you do and what you have applied for it will show. So be genuinely interested in the profile and the organisation you are seeking an entry to. Make them know your skills set match what they are looking for.
Three, interviews are not decided only by the correct answers you give. It is more or less decided by the confidence about you you are able to inspire in the interview board. You can inspire confidence by your knowledge, your attitude, your past performances, your passion, the clarity of your answers, and the intensity or burning desire with which you are focused on getting through.
Four, past experiences can be assets if you can tell them convincingly to prove your leadership, communication, organising, or other skills. Be prepared with stories of how you exhibited your skills in the past. Even if it was a project or assignement which was done by a group make sure you highlight your role in the effort.
Five, good communication skills do help a lot. When combined with a positive attitude it is a winning duo. A little bit of being persuasive in communication is good; no need to be aggressive. Attending some training program just before the interview can help; but it cannot match with long-term preparation in developing communication skills. The least you can do is to listen to good English on a regular basis.
Six, you can only be who you are. The interview board will easily pick out whether you have fear, whether you are biased, whether your real ambition lies somewhere else, whether you harbour resentment or you have gratitude, whether you are responsible or someone who plays the blame game, whether you pursue excellence or chase wishful thinking and so on. So be yourself and build character right from school days; though it is never late to begin.
Finally, it is a personal thought. Sometimes you don’t make it in spite of your best effort. That doesn’t make you a failure. If you trust God, then know that he opens and closes doors. In the end a closed door can be the best thing to have happened. For failure in an interview is not the final word, if you can still believe, hope and trust for better days ahead.
In this post, you will find these in four sections:
I. A Brief Introduction to Bishop Jesudasan’s Life and Legacy
II. Bishop Jesudasan’s Sermon: The Feast of Life (transcript).
III. Sermon Analysis
IV. Related Content: Links to condolence messages and media reports.
A Brief Introduction to Bishop Jesudasan’s Life and Legacy
Bishop Jesudasan’s sermons are remembered for their clarity of thought, their grounding on God’s Word, their depth of understanding of cultural contexts, his unique way of combining eastern and western elements, their relevance to the occasion, and for their force of delivery and impact.
He always approached the pulpit with utmost sacredness only to preach God’s Word and never for any other purpose; a lesson his father had taught him.
Bishop Jesudasan came from a very humble background and was exalted by God to positions of leadership: He was a presbyter in the South Kerala Diocese, became Lecturer and subsequently Principal of Kerala United Theological Seminary. He was elected Vice-Chairman of South Kerala Diocese and then its Bishop for a span of seventeen years which is described as the golden age of the diocese. During this time he was elected Deputy Moderator of the Church of South India and later its Moderator for three consecutive terms.
He was Co-Chairman of the CSI-CNI-Marthoma Joint Council, a member of the Anglican Consultative Council, Council for World Mission (formerly London Missionary Society or LMS), and the World Council of Churches; being an elected member of its central committee for ten years. He has authored several books that are Christ-centred and expound the Word of God with great depth of theological understanding and insight.
Bishop Jesuadasan was a man who was faithful to God’s call. He truly made memorable his name Jesudasan, which in his mother tongue Malayalam means, servant of Jesus. He had a true shepherd’s heart and did his utmost to keep the people of God united, He had the attitude of a servant leader, lived a simple life, had absolute trust in God, walked in his integrity before God and men, was compassionate to the poor, cried out for social justice, commanded the respect of secular and religious leadership alike, was a man of prayer spending early morning hours in reading and meditating on God’s Word, and wherever he went spread the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ and brought a sense of God’s presence to all worship services and meetings he conducted.
Most Rev. I. Jesudasan, the then Moderator of the Church of South India, delivered this blessed sermon at the World Council of Churches Assembly in Vancouver, Canada, on 31st July 1983.
“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes (1 Corinthians 11:26).”
The sacrament of Eucharist is indeed a festival of great joy: the feast of life. Because, here we celebrate the wonderful and unique act of God by which He shared His life with our humanity. This is the cardinal mystery that we proclaim in and through this sacrament. God in His boundless love had shared His life with us by sending His son Jesus Christ to take upon Himself the fallen human nature and to give us eternal life. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth.” And the Son of God shared His life with humanity by proclaiming the good news to the poor, by doing deeds of love and finally by laying down His life for all. This unique sacrifice is the source of abundant life to all people. The Holy Spirit makes Christ’s life a transforming and life-giving power in the world.
But how do we participate in this feast of life?
The Lord of life calls us to humble ourselves; to leave our pride and, like Peter, to be washed by our Lord, who emptied Himself to take the form of a slave. When we come to our senses we would also confess before God’s embracing Love, just as the Prodigal son did: “I have sinned against heaven and before you, I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” We feel the compulsion to cry out, beating our breast like the Publican, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.” It is only the poor in spirit who are deemed worthy to enter into the joy of the kingdom. If we approach the Lord’s table with contrite hearts and empty hands, there awaits for us the bread of life. The Lord is ready to fill the hungry with good things.
Here in Vancouver, we, the representatives of different church bodies who acknowledge and proclaim, “Jesus Christ—the Life of the World,” are privileged to celebrate this Eucharist, offering thanks to God our Heavenly Father. God’s people from all nations, tongues, and cultures have come together to make this occasion unique. We are thrilled at this grand spectacle which gives a foretaste of the heavenly scene of the great multitude which throng around the throne of God singing the new song of praise as we read in the Book of Revelation.
Against this glorious and luminous backdrop we are alarmed to see the acts of betrayal still being enacted in our day. Principalities and powers around us cause fear and anxiety as in the days of Christ. During these days we have been made aware of these frightful depressing modern betrayal scenes.
The darkness that surrounded Jesus Christ was basically a spiritual one, caused by unbelief. According to the New Testament witness, eternal life is to know the Father and His son, Jesus Christ, and the work that is pleasing to God, is to accept Jesus Christ whom the Father had sent for our salvation. For the witness is that in Him we have life. And it is this life that we are called to proclaim to a world in spiritual crisis.
Many in our world do not care to have vital spiritual relationship with the living God through His son Jesus Christ. So atheism, agnosticism and different types of secular materialism are on the increase. We cannot deal with them either by ignoring them or by replacing them with other concerns. It is in this context that we bear witness to the living Christ who says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. St. Paul says that, “the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” At the Eucharist we are made to see the terrible loss that happens to life—whether individual or collective, which is not related to God through Christ. We are called upon to feed the world with the bread of life and lead the nations to the living waters.
Christ sent the disciples to the upper room to make arrangements for the last supper. They went and set one table for it. Painfully we still sit at separate tables in the ecumenical upper room, excluding each other in the name of Him who invited all to His table, propping up our differences with theological arguments. It is, however, a happy thought that the liturgy that we celebrate today is a sign of the advances we have made on our common understandings on Baptism, Eucharist and the Ministry. It is at this table that we become aware that truth is not a theological affirmation, but the sharing of the life our Lord. This feast is, and always will be, one that calls and compels us to be inclusive.
Poet Markham says,
He drew a circle that shut me out . . .
But love and I had the wit to win;
We drew a circle that took him in.
What is the context of this feast?
We know it only too well that millions suffer all over the world, living under poverty, oppression and exploitation. The crafty designs of unjust socio-economic structures crush the voiceless poor, they cry for justice. In the name of freedom, values of the kingdom of God are brushed aside and for selfish gains and pleasures of life; people choose to walk on the road that leads to death. Our societies are producing more and more druggists, delinquents, unclaimed children, broken homes, etc. Are these not symptoms of disintegration of our modern civilization? People in such conditions stretch out their hands for help.
Consequent on the massive accumulation of nuclear weapons we live under the dreadful fear of total annihilation of the human race.
The abundant world resources are being wasted on destructive purposes while poverty continues to assume alarming proportions. Indeed the creation itself mourns over the irresponsible and sinful acts toward nature and its resources. The frightened people all over the world yearn for peace while political structures defiantly ask, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The church too is often tempted to pass by.
The great Indian sage and Poet Tagore says:
“Thou are the Brother amongst my brothers,
But I heed them not,
I divide not my earnings with them,
Thus sharing my all with Thee.
In pleasure and in pain I stand not by the side of men.
And thus stand by Thee.
I shrink to give up my life,
And thus do not plunge into the great waters of life.”
We are very much conscious of the darkness that surrounds us. God has opened our hearts to be concerned about these situations, of which we have just heard. It was in the midst of challenges posed by destructive forces and death, that our Lord instituted the sacrament of Eucharist as the feast of life and then down his life to win victory over the powers of death. In Christ we find the new life which God shares with the world and learn the secret of the life in God. Jesus said, “whoever loves his own life will lose it, whoever hates his own life in this world, will keep it for life eternal.” Eucharist celebrations become meaningful only when it points to a sharing of our lives. “I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls,” says Paul to the Church in Corinth.
On September, 1224, the Holy Cross Day, St. Francis of Assissi prayed thus in a prayer vigil:
“Who are thou, my God most sweet?
And what am I, that unprofitable servant and vilest of worms?
O, my Lord Jesus Christ,
Two graces do I pray thee to grant unto me before I die.
The first that while I live I may feel in my body
And in my soul that sorrow, sweet Lord, that thou didst
Suffer in the hours of thy most bitter passion.
The second that I may feel in my heart that exceeding love
Wherewith, Oh, Son of God, thou was enkindled to endure
Willingly for us sinners agony so great.”
May this be our prayer as we take part in this Holy Eucharist.
Sermon Analysis and Appreciation
The Setting
Bishop Jesudasan’s sermon The Feast of Life is based on God’s Word, focuses on the meaning of the Holy Eucharist instituted by our Lord, is set against the backdrop of situations of current relevance and has a global and heavenly perspective.
Two Questions
The whole sermon hinges on two questions he asks about the sacrament of Holy Communion:
Question #1: “But how do we participate in this feast?”
If anyone is not related to God through Christ, we find there a terrible loss that happens to life. In order that we might not suffer loss, we need to humble ourselves like Peter and the Publican and the Prodigal son and seek God’s mercy. It is when we acknowledge that we are sinners, it is when we leave aside our pride, and it is only when are empty and poor in spirit, that we can approach the Lord’s table with “contrite hearts and empty hands.” Then we will find there the Bread of Life awaiting us with his embracing love and ready to fill the hungry with good things.
Question #2: “What is the context of this feast?”
The Bishop points out for us the fact that Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper “in the midst of challenges posed by destructive forces and death.” But he also points out that Jesus triumphed over them by laying down his life “to win victory over the powers of death.”
The Feast of Life Is About Sharing
He speaks about the sacrament of the Eucharist as a festival of great joy because it is the feast of life. And it became the feast of life because it centred on one thing: sharing. First of all, God shared his life with our humanity. He did this so by sending his son Jesus to this world. And then the Son of God shared his life with humanity “by proclaiming the good news to the poor, by doing deeds of love and finally by laying down his life for all.” Therefore “Eucharist celebrations become meaningful only when it points to a sharing of our lives.”
The Feast of Life Means Becoming Inclusive
We are called by our Lord, as we participate in the Lord’s supper, to become inclusive and sit at one table and not be divided by “propping up our differences with theological arguments.” We are called by our Lord, to see and listen to the cries of millions of people who “suffer all over the world, living under poverty, oppression and exploitation.” “People in such conditions stretch out their hands for help,” he says.
The Feast of Life Is About the Grand Spectacle of the Foretaste of Heaven
When Bishop Jesudasan looks at the gathering, he sees representatives of different church bodies from all over the world coming together to celebrate the Eucharist. All of them together proclaim Jesus Christ—the Life of the World. It is a great moment to offer thanks to our Heavenly Father. The redeemed people from all nations, tongues and cultures coming together like this, according to the Bishop, is a “grand spectacle which gives a foretaste of the heavenly scene of the great multitude which throng around the throne of God singing a new song of praise.”
The Feast of Life Is About Witnessing to Jesus in an Unbelieving World
The Bishop is alarmed to see “acts of betrayal” that still happen against this “glorious and luminous backdrop.” He highlights the fact that humanity in plunged into spiritual darkness because of unbelief—the refusal to believe in the One whom God sent to this world. The New Testament witness is that in the Son of God we have life. And when we celebrate the sacrament of Eucharist, we have to be reminded that “it is this life we are called to proclaim to a world in spiritual crisis.” Thus the Bishop reminds us that we the church as a people are not only called to be a believing and worshipping community but also a witnessing community to the life that is in Jesus, the Son of God and the Saviour of men and women.
The Acts of the Holy Spirit
The Bishop also reminds us how the Holy Spirit makes Christ’s life a “transforming and life-giving power in the world.” He reminds us that the kingdom of God does not happen in the pursuit of atheism, agnosticism, and secular materialism. But it happens when people seek God’s righteousness first and foremost. He reminds us of the words of St. Paul who wrote: “the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
The Historic Value of the Sermon: The Feast Is About Sitting at One Table
At Vancouver, Canada, at the World Council of Churches, when the Bishop spoke, he was not only testifying to his personal walk with the Lord and Saviour Jesus whom he loved, but he was also speaking as a representative of a community of peoples God redeemed from under oppression and slavery; who by the mighty transforming act of the Holy Spirit and by the relentless and untiring efforts of missionaries in the fields of education, medical care and social reform became united under the umbrella of the Church of South India on 27 September 1947.
Having seen and experienced first-hand the transforming and life-giving power of the Holy Spirit in the life of communities; and having seen the formation of the CSI where four different traditions; viz—Presbyterian, Methodist, Congregational, and Anglican came together to become one under the administration and guiding hand of the Holy Spirit; it is no wonder that the Bishop was calling up to give up theological arguments and sit together at one table thanking God for the feast of life he has provided us with.
The Shifting of Scenes
The Bishop lifts up our eyes to looked beyond the grand spectacle of the people gathered together to celebrate the Lord’s supper at WCC Assembly to the great multitude in the heavenly scene as portrayed in the Book of Revelation.
But then from there he invites us to the earthly scene of injustice and oppression where we are called to act to help. In the context of unjust socio-economic structures which crush the voiceless poor who cry out for justice, in the context of values of the kingdom of God being brushed aside for selfish gains and pleasures; a choice that makes people walk on the road that leads to death, in the context of world resources being wasted for destructive purposes where even creation mourns because of sinful acts against nature and its resources; political structures ask that question that was heard at the dawn of human history: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” At the same time the church is tempted to “pass by” like the priest and the Levite in the story of Good Samaritan.
The Triumph of Christ’s Life
The whole sermon is a reminder that Christ emptied himself to give up his life to feed us with the bread of life. He triumphed over the forces of darkness and death by giving up his life. It was loss of his life that rewards us with eternal life. We are called to share this life with the world by a sharing of our lives.
Eastern and Western Elements
The Bishop quotes the American Poet Edwin Markham to highlight that we have to be inclusive. He quotes the Indian Poet Rabindranath Tagore from his classic and Nobel prize winning work Gitanjali to remind us that devotion to God which makes us insensitive to the needs of our neighbours is not what the Feast of Life is meant to be.
Devotion to Christ
In closing, the Bishop quotes the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi. To those who have known the Bishop personally, this prayer comes from his lips not as a matter of oration or rhetoric; but as a sincere prayer. It was his life’s walk. He was truly devoted to Jesus Christ and had a personal relationship with his Lord and Saviour.
A Classic Sermon
This sermon is a classic because it does not come to us as a usual three-points sermon or even a sermon that is built on stories. Instead, it weaves in and through the pages of the Bible; reminds us of Cain’s question to God in Genesis and takes us to the heavenly scene as shown in Revelation.
In between, he makes us see in our mind’s eye Peter leaving aside his pride to be feet-washed by his Lord, the returning Prodigal son making his speech of repentance and meeting the “Embracing Love” of his father, and the Publican beating his breast. These pictures remind us of all that we learned in Sunday School but with deeper and more enduring lessons attached.
This sermon is a classic because of its huge relevance as it was delivered in the context of the celebration of the Eucharist by believers coming together from all over the world from different languages, nations, and cultures.
This sermon is a classic because we find the Holy Trinity and the Bishop’s adoration of the Trinity holding the sermon together. At the introduction he reminds us of God sending his Son to this world and the Holy Spirit making Christ’s life a transforming and life-giving power in the world. Again in the middle of the sermon the Bishop talks about the New Testament Witness of what life is: it is to know the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Then he goes on to say along with St. Paul that the kingdom of God is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
This sermon is a classic because of implied contrasts throughout the sermon. The Bread of Life is being offered to those who will take it. But there is terrible loss and betrayal and death when the Bread of Life is rejected. Life on one side and death on the other. Sitting at one table together; at the same time propping up differences. The stretching out of hands for help while those cries are ignored on the other. Glorious and luminous backdrop on one side; on the other darkness and unbelief.
One Final Thought—The Feast of Life
The sermon leaves us thinking on the true meaning of the sacrament of the Eucharist. It is a reminder of the Lord’s death. It reminds us that in the death of our Saviour we have life. It reminds us there is one table and we have to leave our differences behind and sit united at one table. It reminds us that “acts of betrayal” are still going on and many people choose the road that lead to death. But when political structures deny that they are their brother’s keeper and when the church itself is tempted to pass by we are called to share our lives for the people of this world. It is then that the Lord’s table truly becomes the Feast of Life.
“What is it, Peter?” I said, “Nothing Sir.” But Prof. James M. Stewart persisted with the question. He had earlier asked our class, “Where have you heard of Venus before?” I had then whispered to my friends, “Circus.” And it had not escaped to catch his attention.
And as Prof. J. M. Stewart quizzed my friends, they blurted out, “Circus! Venus Circus!” (referring to the famous touring circus company). And then, breaking eye contact with me, and turning to the whole class, he made this classic remark: “See, how different people have different tastes according to their profession!” His ability to improvise on all occasions with his silver tongue was profoundly amazing.
Later when I started my public speaking training program in the year 1996–a year after I passed out from Mar Ivanios College–I vividly remember that I took the first copy of my program’s brochure to our beloved teacher, Prof. James M. Stewart, so lovingly known as “Stewart Sir.” With the kind of respect he has in my heart, I couldn’t think of anyone else to share about my venture first. I write this with a great sense of loss at his passing away yesterday on 21st May 2021. He had exhibited great affection, love and care towards me as he had a close-knit brotherly bonding with my late Daddy.
When I first told Stewart Sir of my interest to pursue English Literature, he encouraged me a lot to do so. And my life was scripted through a road that was less travelled by in later years, through the study of English Literature and various leadership and performance opportunities I got at Mar Ivanios College to excel in public speaking. Stewart Sir was always there to encourage me in my efforts in this direction.
JMS was how his name was written in short form. Those three letters together struck a note of respect always. There are so many varied aspects of his character that made his personality stand out. I would like to highlight just three of them.
First of all, he was a gifted orator. He spoke with great command in both English and Malayalam. His speeches are remembered by all who heard them. There was no thundering rhetoric but logic working its way through with gentle persuasion. There are two moments I recall. One, after one of his sermons at our church (we both attended the same church), I went and asked him, “Sir, when will I be able to deliver a speech like the one you just did?” I was fascinated by his ability to hold a twenty-minute sermon on one single point, having all of the listeners engaged in his oration.
On another occasion, after I had given a sermon on Jesus the Good Shepherd, I just walked up to him to listen to his invaluable feedback. He put an arm around my shoulder and said, “My son, you could have left out the second and third points.” I learned the value of ruthless editing from him. When he mercilessly struck off many of my creative writing efforts with his turquoise blue ink, I realised how his thoughtful editing made my writing powerful. Further, no one can forget the kind of stage presence he had; how he could grace an occasion with dignity; and the felicity of words with which he could make even an ordinary occasion look grand.
Secondly, he was a gifted teacher par excellence. He took his time to get through a passage, be it poem, prose, or drama. He brought to life each word, scene, and character with his ability to dramatize without making us conscious of him doing so. Perhaps his greatest ability as a teacher was how he could connect the text being taught with real life examples, to people, and to life’s varied situations. He once quoted, “Experience is the comb you get when your head becomes bald.” and it took a lot of time for us to value its wisdom.
Life had taught him many lessons, he used to say, and he took them in his stride even when they took him through grief and loss. One of the things he took pride in was that he was teaching Literature. He used to say, “In Science, you learn about life; in Literature you learn life.” I have heard a professor (who is now no more; also, a former student of Stewart Sir) who stood with us in front of a class room and said, “Stewart Sir is yet to complete a few lessons for us.” He said that with a touch of humour; but it also says how much his students loved his sessions. Perhaps it is true, “Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter.”
Thirdly, he commanded awesome love, respect, and admiration from all his students. He was strict and there was no doubt about it. And even his firm look was sufficient enough to make students who were simply wasting their time scurry away from in front of the Department of English. His voice carried the command of a War General.
At the same time, he could understand students like no one else usually did. Even with the most violent guys in the college, he had a way to soothe them by putting his hand around their shoulders and asking gently, “What’s troubling you?” He alone would walk into the midst of a brawl and simply with his words would push two warring factions of students away from each other. I’ve witnessed this myself with great disbelief at times. Students would walk up to him and pour out their hearts to him, vent their troubles in family or life. And in him they found someone who genuinely cared. We have heard many life lessons that he had to share from such conversations.
Some time ago, I was able to visit him at his home and spent some time with him conversing. Even when he had difficulty remembering everything; still he was able to recall many moments and asked questions about them. Unable to see when I met him last, he said he was spending much time listening.
Maybe I cannot close without mentioning one fact: in the early days of my blogging, he used to send me encouraging comments after reading some of the posts. A man of his stature finding time to read and comment on one of his students’ writing tells volumes of the mettle of his character; doesn’t it?
Department of English, Mar Ivanios College. Photo courtesy: englishmic.com/about
And now leaving aside all else I could say of him, like the relationship he maintained with Bishops and clergy across Christian denominations, politicians, administrators, and former students; his tremendous gift of organizing mega events, his skill with the written word, his contributions as an Editor and many things more; I would like to close by saying that as a teacher he inspired, motivated, and set standards of excellence that is difficult to emulate. But the light he was able to ignite in the hearts of many, the love he had for all of us students, the great aspirations he had for us; will always be cherished.
The dead in Christ will rise first. Along with them believers living at the time of Jesus’ coming in the clouds will then be caught up in the air to be with the Lord for ever. Others will be left behind.
The second coming of Jesus will be a sudden coming.Without warning, when people least expect him, he will come like a thief in the night.
The second coming of Jesus will be a majestic coming. His first coming was as a humble child born in a manger. But this time he will come as King of Kings and Lord of Lords and as Judge of the living and the dead. And his coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory, will initiate events that will lead to final and inescapable judgement.
So be ready. Look forward to the glorious hope of the second coming of Jesus. Or else you’ll be left behind
The second coming of Jesus will be like a bridegroom coming. Jesus is coming to gather to him his bride. That includes all those who have believed in him so that they all shall be with him forever. And if you find yourself in this great gathering of multitudes in the skies; then know that it was out of his everlasting love for you that Jesus shed his blood on the cross for you.
So be ready. Look forward to the glorious hope of the second coming of Jesus. Or else you’ll be left behind.
But till Jesus comes again, he expects you to be busy doing your work faithfully; the work he has called you to do. He is coming at an unknown hour and an unexpected time and let him not find you lazy and oppressing others. For there will be judgement on all such.
So be ready. Look forward to the glorious hope of the second coming of Jesus. Or else you’ll be left behind. See LinkedIn Post
“Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.” — Revelation 1:7 Bible NIV 1984.
Other keywords of interest related to this post: #Antichrist #Rapture #End of the World #Judgement Day
#666 #Mark of the Beast #The Great Tribulation #Signs of the Times #End Times #Armageddon
Joy getting the better of fear is what public speaking can be to you. A right perspective about you the messenger, about the message, and about the audience will help you to get rid of stage fright and speak with joy.
One, joy is about the messenger. That is you. You might have thoughts of unworthiness and insignificance. Others might remind you of your smallness and that you are good for nothing. Let them do so. But when God values you as an individual and loves you;you can rise above the negative evaluation others make about you and deliver your speech with conviction, clarity, confidence, and impact.
Two, joy is about the message. You cannot speak well without a solid message. There is no style without substance and style can never compensate for lack of substance. So go for an all out preparation and get ready material for your speech. Let it be interesting, informative, and inspiring. In certain situations it has to be persuasive or entertaining. Unless you are convinced about what you speak, you cannot expect the audience to be moved by what you say.
Three, joy is about the audience. Many fear to look at the audience, be it big or small. Others worry about, “What will the audience think about me? You have to believe that the audience is for you and eager to listen to you. There will always be a few in any audience who are bored. Do not focus on that minority. And do not fear criticism. If you do anything worthwhile it will come. Remember, without the audience, there is no public speaking.
The messenger, the message, and the audience make public speaking happen. It can easily be, in the words of John Keats, a thing of beauty and joy for ever.
Capturing attention of the audience at the beginning is one of the keys to successful public speaking. It is best illustrated in this incident1 recorded in the Bible.
At one point in time and history in a desert a bush caught fire. But this burning bush did not burn up. Becoming curious Moses went near.
When God saw that he had Moses’ attention, he called out, “Moses! Moses!” “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”
Moses shielded his face for he was afraid to look at God who had come down to speak with him in the flames of the burning bush.
God had an important message to communicate to Moses about himself as well as his plans for the exodus of his people from Egypt where they were in slavery.
But God wanted to capture the attention of Moses first. The burning bush thus became an attention-grabber.
For God was telling Moses that he had seen the misery of his people and have come down to rescue them.
It was a message of hope with a promise of deliverance. It was a message that God was coming down to set captives free with wonders, signs, and miracles.
But God chose to capture attention first before he would give his important message. The burning bush will never be forgotten.
Our introductions in speeches might never be this dramatic. Yet we cannot afford to forget that without capturing attention it is meaningless to try to communicate an important message.
And remember, especially when you are discouraged and downcast, God might be trying to capture your attention. Lift up your eyes, and look around; you might then be able to see one of God’s attention-grabbers for he truly cares for you!
Emperors and generals have ridden into cities in triumphal processions in the annals of human history. But none of them have captured the imagination of the masses or have had such enduring appeal to people across all cultures and nations like the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday two thousand years ago amidst the cries of “Hosanna.”
The show of power was remarkably absent in this ride of conquest. Jesus rode into Jerusalem in gentleness in contrast to the pomp of heroes who returned victorious from war.
Let us now look at some characteristics of the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem:
It was a public entryas masses had gathered in Jerusalem to attend the Passover. It was a courageous entry as the religious leaders were already plotting to take his life. It was a humble entry as he came riding on a borrowed donkey. It was a king’s entry as people hailed him as the long-awaited Messiah and as the Son of David. It was a joyous entry as children were shouting “Hosanna” (meaning “save now”) and rejoicing before him waving palm branches. It was a peaceful entry by the Prince of Peace into the City of Peace.
He knew that in the space of a few days the cries of acclamation and “Hosanna” would give way to the cry of “Crucify, Crucify.”
He knew the hearts of men and how people would refuse to listen to the truth and instead side with popular vote against him soon.
He knew that he was going to be rejected, scorned, mocked, despised, spat upon, stripped naked, hit with fists and staff, flogged with whips and crowned with thorns and that they would make him bleed.
He knew it all.
Yet he chose to ride as king to Jerusalem where he would bleed and die for the sin of the world and for the forgiveness of your sins and mine.
See the king in lowly majesty.
He stands before you today for your verdict: “Hosanna” or “Crucify?”
Which one would you choose?
Grace is often described as the favour of God which we do not merit or deserve. On one occasion the LORD Jesus said to St. Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”1
Paul was praying to God for having a difficulty in his life removed. He prayed thrice. This man through whom God had done many miracles was given an emphatic NO in answer to his prayer.
But the real answer given was a greater lesson. “My grace is sufficient for you. ”
Now what does that mean? It means that God knows that we are weak vessels. He knows that we carry the treasure of God’s wisdom in jars of clay.
So he gives you grace to stand up under pressure. He brings consolation to your soul when you have great anxiety.
He shapes your character when you pass through troubles and difficulties; and you then emerge as gold passed through and tested in the fire.
When troubles sustain, God’s grace sustains us all the more. When we are truly weak; our pride is kept in check, and God’s power is perfected in us.
In other words, we are kept humble and all the more dependent on God. There is less burden on our hearts and minds this way than if we tried to live our lives in our own wisdom and strength.
This is God’s grace. The ability and enabling he gives is sufficient to meet our pressing needs. In other words, you will not lack the supply of his grace. He will hold you by his right hand.
Yes, God’s grace is sufficient for you and for me.
— 12 Corinthians 12:9 Bible NIV 1984
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
A postal stamp is a small piece of paper but having great worth. It has created one of the most popular hobbies in the world—the art of stamp collection which falls under the term philately.
Of course its nearest relative is the hobby of coin collection—numismatics.
Philatelists are there among the young and the old. Through this hobby history can come alive, one can learn about countries of the world, national leaders, monuments, tourist spots, animals, birds, and flowers specific to certain regions and countries.
Special commemorative stamps are a collector’s delight. One learns to organize stamps as his collection grows.
Stamps have the great quality of stickiness to purpose. It goes along with the envelope until it is delivered. So a collector of stamps is actually treasuring the journey the stamp had had.
Philately is a serious hobby. It can lead you to a world of knowledge that informs, educates, entertains and inspires at the same time.
Widely known as the “King of hobbies,” stamp collection can be a thing of beauty and joy for all.
Look to Jesus for when you fail and falter and when you lose hope in life, he is there to lift you up and strengthen your heart with his Almighty Presence.
Look to Jesus, fix your eyes on him, and look steadily at him for it is when you focus on others or circumstances your heart is hit with disappointment and fear often.
Look to Jesus for he is your peace no matter what you are going through; for the punishment that brought us peace fell on him on the cross where he bled and died for you!
A doctor’s profession is a very demanding one. It is therefore difficult to meet each patient with the same care and concern. Yet on the other side the patient expects full and undivided attention. Many doctors weave magic by their pleasant ways and talk. It soothes the heart of the patient and cheers him up. It is therefore important for a doctor to understand how critical it is to know how he or she should communicate.
Smile
A patient usually comes to the doctor in a complicated frame of mind. He has his discomfort to take care of. Then there are anxieties to confront. Above all, the possible causes of the disease, the diagnosis and even prognosis administered by friends and relatives weigh him down. It is in such normal contexts that a patient comes to see a doctor.
If the doctor can gift him or her a radiant smile, half of his disease will disappear. It gives confidence to the patient. It encourages him to open up and speak all that is in his mind.
It might seem easy but actually it is not. The doctor sees hundreds of patients every day. And the time he can allot to each person is very limited. So if the doctor has to gift a smile, these days he has to make a conscious effort to do so. Even though smile is one of the basics of greeting a person, it might be tough to do so in the busy schedules of a doctor’s life.
Yet if he can gift a special smile, its value is more than the medicines that he can prescribe. So let an abundant dosage of Smile be administered when greeting a patient.
Specific Questions
Often patient’s are unable to describe what they are experiencing. It is here that simple prompts from the doctor assumes vital importance.
For example, a patient is complaining of headache. The doctor asks, “Is it a dull pain or a throbbing one or is it kind of a net spread across?” These questions help the patient to speak out correctly what he is experiencing. It clarifies his confused thinking and elicits the right responses.
Often it is a good idea to ask sure-shot `No” answer questions to get the right answer from the patient. For example, a patient comes to the doctor with leg pain. He points to the portion around the ankle. The doctor asks, “So the pain is also experienced in the toes?” The patient says, “No.” Again the doctor says, “You have the pain in the calf and perhaps the knee?” Again, the answer is “No.” This helps to confirm what the patient has initially said. And it helps in quick and accurate diagnosis.
Often patients tend not to disclose some of their past medical history. Reasons can be many. They might consider it insignificant. Or it might have been some twenty years ago they had a bout of chicken pox. So they might think what bearing it might have on the present complaint since it happened long time ago. Or at times the patient might feel that the doctor might become angry because of resorting to another medical stream like Ayurveda or Homeopathy. Sometimes the patient needs time to trust the new doctor.
In all these cases a few intelligent questions from the doctor can put the patient at ease. It can also enable the patient to reveal needed information which can help the diagnosis. In many cases patients have been found to carry on with medicines that a doctor prescribed long after it should have been stopped. This they do trusting in their own faulty common sense. It is important to bring out such misuse of medicines through intelligent questions.
Giving Instructions
One of the challenges that experts face in all professions is to pass on instructions in a very simple manner. It is here that the basics need to be revisited again. To a doctor, what he explains is something he routinely does. Therefore there is likelihood of missing out some simple but vital instruction.
For example, when a child is having high fever, the doctor advises to give sponge bath. Usually doctors suggest not to do it in the area of the chest. But it is likely (perhaps one in a thousand cases) that the doctor forgets to mention the exception. Other examples can include forgetting to communicate that a particular medicine should be discontinued when another one has been started. Or not mentioning that a particular tablet has to be taken half an hour before food and so on. These are simple omissions but there can be serious consequences with major omissions.
The point that has to be made is this: Patients drink in every word that a doctor tells them. Some of them, especially from poor backgrounds may not have the initiative or skill to ask the doctor for more information even when they feel that they need to get some clarification. Often the patient also gets confused by poor listening on the part of his bystanders when the doctor communicates. These bystanders might communicate to him what the doctor said in a different way.
To avoid such communication mishaps, some tips that can be followed are these. One, explain with patience. Two, go step by step. Three, check for understanding by asking the patient questions along the way. Four, ask for feedback. That is make the patient tell what he has understood. Then confirm with bystanders that they have got it right. Thus the doctor can ensure that the communication aspect has been foolproof.
It is also good to tell the patient and the bystanders what exactly needs to be done in case of an emergency situation if it arises. First of all, tell them what possibilities are there for the likelihood of an emergency. Secondly, tell them what to do as first aid. Thirdly, give them the needed contact information. Finally, whenever possible, reassure them that they can call you anytime (or specify the time) if there is any doubt or need.
Another simple but important thing is to instruct the patient about the buying of medicines. Usually those in the medical stores will try to substitute medicines telling the patient that it is one and the same. This creates great confusion. If the doctor can tell in advance whether medicines can be substituted or not, and if so which ones, then it save the patient from some mind-troubling situations.
These steps can build a good communication bridge between the doctor and patient.
Explaining the Situation
A Flickr Image: Doctor and Patient
A simple term like “Occlusion” for the dentist might sound like a huge dictionary to an uninformed patient. It is here that the doctor needs to translate the medical terminology to a layman’s understanding. As soon as the doctor explains that it means how the teeth fit together, the patient relaxes. For otherwise the sound sense of “Occlusion” is frightening indeed.
Some doctors care enough to explain what is happening. They may display the patients X-ray or CT or MRI scan and show patients their abnormal findings on the images. All this is very comforting to the patient. It puts a lot of confidence in him. At the same time it helps the patient to have greater confidence in the doctor too.
Such knowledge gained from the doctor makes a patient feel that he is in control of the situation. He does not feel helpless. When his relatives and well-wishers come to visit him, he too finds genuine happiness in explaining to them what it is all about. He becomes an expert in no time. Even though the doctor need not educate a patient about all that he is going through some simple explanations can put his mind at ease.
For example, when a doctor shows a diagram of a blood vessel having a block, he is enabling the patient to visualize a “big thing.” The doctor then shows a picture of a small minute wire being inserted through the block and a balloon when inflated opens up the blocked vessel. For preventing further relapse, a stent (a minute pipe) is placed at the site of the block. When the patient sees this he understands the process. His mind feels a lot more at ease having understood what it is all about. This understanding is vital to the healing process. And doctors can provide that with a little bit of imagination and conversation ability.
Of course, the trickiest and perhaps the difficult part comes when explaining grave situations. It is not all easy to break the news. Always it is best to pepper the talk with “hope for the best” statements before the actual situation is described. Naturally the patient will be in all kinds of fear and confusion. And the way a doctor can handle this situation through confidence-building talk can still put some sunshine on what otherwise is a gloomy day.
Jesus and Healing
Jesus healed many during his earthly ministry of 3 1/2 years. He not only healed people with physical illnesses but also the demon possessed. Let us look at how he as the Great Physician communicated during his healing ministry.
Questions First
Often Jesus used to ask those whom he was about to heal: “What do you want me to do for you?” This question acquires importance because not many people really want to be healed. They just talk about getting healed. It is a kind of wishful thinking. But this question of Jesus provokes the patient to really affirm what he needed. And usually Jesus healed when a person gave a reply like, “I want to see (a blind man’s response).”
Forgiveness as a Greater Need
At other times he told a person, “Son, your sins are forgiven,” before he imparted physical healing to him. This kind of communication tells us about the great insight of wisdom and knowledge that Jesus had about a person. Such statements addressed the need of the person to be healed on a deeper level than just the physical healing. In fact, such loving words spoken with authority made a person whole on the inside. And then the physical healing followed.
Divine Possibilities
Finally, Jesus also commanded some persons who were healed like this: “Get up, take your mat and go home.” To a person who was bed-ridden for many years, the possibility of walking is always a distant dream. But such statements were given to make the patient see divine possibilities in life. Even though healing was given, the healed one should act accordingly and move forward in life.
Motivation at times included a warning. To some whom he healed Jesus issued stern warnings not to follow previous sinful lifestyles or else, “Something worse may happen to you.”
“. . . and by his wounds we are healed” — Isaiah 53:5b
Man is unique in God’s creation. He has been endowed with the ability to smile and to speak. With the passing of time he learned to live in social contexts. Thus speech became a social grace; a democratic necessity and a leadership requirement.
Now, with the happening of technology, man is compelled to speak with much more clarity than ever before. But technology has not substituted public speaking. Instead, it has multiplied opportunities. More visibility and wider coverage has compelled leaders of all walks of life to really refine and fine-tune their speaking skills.
New avenues of expression are not confined to the media alone. Within an office or video-conferencing across continents, briefing your team or informing the launch of a new product, or answering questions from the floor are all areas where skill in public speaking is called for. The expertize required is so demanding that people are trained to deliver the goods.
But it would be too simple an equation to be realistic. The chances are that your message gets forgotten not because it was bad; but because it was another good message among others. So it points out the need for consistent quality communication. Maybe the reason why advertisements are repeatedly used by companies to stay strong in the minds of its target audience. Likewise your message should get across consistently without quality loss.
Noise level in communication has gone high too. Even a casual stroller across the street is confronted with so many messages. In this competition where colours and words, reality and fantasy, sense and non-sense all vie for your attention; the mind becomes a battlefield. It is in this context that you have to learn to communicate effectively.
Perhaps the saddest thought could be that people are relying on technology as a substitute for public speaking. It can never be. The best messages are wrapped in the individuality of a messenger. When that element is sacrificed a message hangs in thin air. It does not create impact.
Therefore the individual with his public speaking skills will always be in demand. Even though technology might change, the art of public speaking will remain.
Change is what we see all around us. Maybe it would be more right to say that change and decay is what we see all around us. In this backdrop of flux and change comes this authoritative word from God, “I, the LORD, do not change!”1
What does it mean? It means that God is unchanging in his holiness, unchanging in his love, and unchanging in his judgement. Let me repeat that for you: “I the LORD do not change,” means that God is unchanging in his holiness, unchanging in his love, and unchanging in his judgement.
First of all, there is nothing more awesome than the unchanging holiness of God. He is full of light and there is no darkness in him. Nothing in the entire universe can compare with the splendour of the holiness of God.
Secondly, there is nothing more amazing than the unchanging love of God. He so loved the world that he gave Jesus and sent him to bleed and die on the cross. That each one of us might find mercy, forgiveness and pardon for our sins; and that each one of us might find the free gift of eternal life by believing in him.
Thirdly, there is nothing more scary than the unchanging wrath and judgement of God. It is popular to believe that a loving God will not punish rebellion, disobedience and sin. But then can a God of justice leave the guilty unpunished? The only way out for anyone is to cry out for the mercy of God.
Yes, God is unchanging in his holiness. Therefore his unchanging wrath and judgement on sin fell on his innocent Son Jesus on the cross.2 This was the greatest expression of his unchanging love towards you.
“I the LORD do not change,” also means that he is a rock and tower of strength to those who trust in him. God can be relied on in all the changes of life because he, the LORD, does not change!
— 1Malachi 3:6 Bible 2“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us.” — 2 Corinthians 5:21 Bible.
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
Ceremonies are part of our culture. Today we were privileged to be part of a great tradition of our College of Nursing that began with the impressive procession. We witnessed a coming in and a going out. In a sense it is this continuity that marked today’s events.
We welcomed the newcomers with the lighting of lamps signifying the privileged role of nurses as bringers of hope into a dark world searching for comfort and strength. At the same time we are expressing our confidence that those students who are passing out and graduating with flying colours will do this Institution, teachers, and parents proud in the days to come.
Now as Principal of this Institution I stand here to express our deep sense of appreciation and immense gratitude to all those who made today’s graduation and lamp lighting ceremony a memorable and cherished experience.
First of all our thanks are due to Rev. Fr. ………… the Director of our Educational Institutions who presided over this function. We are grateful to have had such an eminent administrator and a man with a vision and mission as our Director. His leadership is reflected in all developmental activities of our educational institutions. Thank you so much for presiding over this function.
Our chief guest of the day Prof. Dr….. the Controller of Examinations of our University is a person with an illustrious career in the medical field. We have been really privileged to have him here with us today. His inaugural address set the tone for the events of the day. It was appropriate that his gracious presence for the distribution of awards and certificates for academic excellence was a great encouragement to students in particular. Thank you very much Sir.
As I said at the beginning we are witnessing a coming in and going out. Both are momentous occasions in the life of newcomers as well as those who are graduating. To address both batches is a challenging task and in Prof. Dr. ….. Academic Dean, College of Nursing, we found a worthy person equal to the task. Her words of wisdom, practical tips, and encouragement were so much interwoven into the tapestry of today’s ceremonies. We are grateful to you Madam for delivering the keynote address and also passing the light to freshers.
Bishop ……….. has blessed us with his gracious presence and words of wisdom. The thoughts he shared will remain in the hearts of all for a long time to come. We, especially the student community here, are much indebted to you for your priestly blessings. Thank you very much for bringing to this occasion a sense of the heavenly and for delivering the benedictory address.
The Oath taking ceremony is part of tradition and it is a significant moment in the life of a nursing graduate. I wish to thank Ms….., Nursing Superintendent, College of Nursing for administering the same.
Now I wish to thank ……. our Joint director who welcomed the gathering. His innovative ideas in the conduct of programmes and meetings deserve special mention as well. My thanks are due to Dr. ………….. Associate Medical Director and ………. our PTA president for their well-crafted words of felicitation.
A word of thanks is due to Ms. ………. of the previous Batch of Nursing of our College for presenting before us your reminiscences of life here at our college of nursing in such a lovely way.
I take this opportunity to thank all my colleagues who have laboured hard to make this occasion such a memorable one. To all parents and students, thank you for being part of our College of Nursing. We hope that that our association will continue in meaningful ways in future too.
A word of thanks to all in ways big and small contributed to the success and smooth conduct of this august function, thank you so much.
Finally I thank God Almighty for showering his blessing upon today’s function and once again I thank each one of you gathered here today. Thank you one and all.
Respected dignitaries on the dais, beloved colleagues, and graduating students,
Have you wondered how it feels when you’re aboard a ship going on a long voyage for the first time? What is the feel when the ship moves away from shore? You slowly lose sight of your loved ones and all familiar landmarks. Then it is all water everywhere.
But then what sustains you there? Hope! Hope of fulfilling your dreams, hope of a better tomorrow, and hope of a great journey ahead. My dear graduates and post graduates College of Nursing, you are soon going to be part of this situation I have just described. Life, my dear friends, is forward. There comes moments when we have to step out into the unknown and unmapped territories.
Let me briefly spell out three magic words that can light up your path ahead:
The first magic word I would like to shout out loud to you is the word LIFE.
We live in a world which is increasingly becoming hostile to life. The dignity of life is challenged everywhere. People are being reduced to labels, numbers, and even objects. It is in this context that we Nurses are called to nurture life, value life, cherish life, and bring health and healing to the world.
Have you understood the real impact of this? There was once a man, a common labourer in Europe who said, “I am building here a cathedral with the great Architect Sir Christopher Wren.” See, that person had the insight that though his role was to bring together the bricks and build the wall; he was engaged in a larger task of helping people worship God in a beautiful cathedral. He also had the sense of pride and dignity that he was working along with a great builder of cathedrals.
My dear Nursing graduates, you too are working along side our Creator God. He is in the business of giving life; and you along side with him are also engaged in helping people maintain healthy lives. Be thankful that God has entrusted you with this awesome privilige.
In this context let me remind you those beautiful lines from Michael Jackson,
Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
Make it a better place
For you and for me.
The second magic word I would like to leave with you is PURPOSE.
In that classic movie Chariots of Fire which shows the Olympic Gold winning effort of Eric Liddel, there is a moment where he speaks his heart out to his sister Jennie. He says, “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast! And when I run I feel his pleasure.”
Likewise you all are called to be nurses with a purpose—the purpose to care, to give hope, and to put confidence in people. This is a high calling in life. To fulifil that call, you may have to make personal sacrifices.
Lini Puthussery is one among us in Kerala who with great courage and dignity made a great sacrifice to take care of people infected with the Nipah Virus. She could have played it safe. But she chose to pursue the call of duty. Florence Nightingale could have played it safe duringthe Crimean war but she was ready to be used as an instrument of healing in God’s hands. Or take the example of Edith Cavell, a British nurse who was executed by the Germans for saving the lives of many soldiers during World War I. She was quoted as saying, “I can’t stop while there are lives to be saved.”
So my dear graduating students, you are on a mission with a purpose–the purpose to care, to give hope, and to put confidence in people while nursing them back to good health.
The third magic word I would like to bring to your attention is COMPASSION.
We live in the age of ever-happening technology. What is the impact of this? Many husbands know their mobile phones better than their wives and vice versa. With artificial intelligence making great progress; today life is becoming more and more mechanical and robotic. Lost is the time of family prayer and dinner together. We have also let go of simple conversations at home. Everybody is busy chatting with everyone else in the world but not with members of family.
As Mother Theresa noted, “We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.”
So know that most people who come into your care are poor. They may have houses, cars, jobs, and plenty of gold but they are emotionally and spiritually poor. What they need is compassion. One of the characteristics of Jesus during his earthly ministry was that he stopped to listen to the cry of individuals because he was moved with compassion.
Can you be a channel of God’s compassion? If yes, a healing beyond that of physical sicknesses can take place. That is a greater miracle.
Let me conclude. I would like to thank all of you for inviting me to deliver this graduation address. I am deeply thankful for the kind words of introduction too.
My dear graduating students you are now going to be angels of encouragement and hope. You are going to be carrying the light of hope in jars of clay. In yourselves you may feel weak and inadequate for the great task ahead. But let me wish and pray that God Almighty hold you by your right hand and lead you on your journey ahead.
King David wrote in his famous Psalm 23, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” Yes, he was looking to the presence of God with him for strength in the difficult times of his life.
What an assurance the promise that God himself is with us does give you and me: “I am with you always.”1
Life is a journey where we need companionship. Our loved ones and friends do give us needed support in different phases of our journey. But then is that enough? Isn’t there that vacuum in your heart that only God can fill?
It is when you feel lonely and without hope that you should be able to hold on to this reassuring promise of the Risen Christ: “I am with you always.”
When God himself is with us, it is a treasure that no riches of the world can compare to or is a match for. The realization that God is with you is the greatest motivation for you to walk out of discouragement today.
Yes, the presence of God with us gives us courage to face life and all its challenges. In God, you have a constant companion and friend. When you walk along with him, you need to align yourself with him to walk in step with him. The easiest way to do so is to do what pleases him. But is that easy? I doubt.
Yet the assurance “I am with you always,” is that of God and isn’t it comforting to know that he holds your hand even when you falter and lifts you up when you fall down?
— 1“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” — Jesus Christ, Matthew 28:20b Bible NIV 1984
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
My dear friend, “Are you thirsting for true love?” If so, your thirst ends here. For it is God who is saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”1
First of all, it is God’s promise of love. What he promises, he keeps. He remains true and faithful to what he has said. That means he will never break his word to you: “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”
Secondly, it is God’s love that is immeasurable. You cannot go beyond the extreme heights or depths or length or breadth of God’s love.
Thirdly, it is God’s love that death cannot break. God’s everlasting love goes beyond time to timelessness and stretches beyond death to all eternity.
Finally, it is God’s love for you for which proof and evidence has been already given. For God so loved you and me and the people of the whole world that he sacrificially gave and gifted his Son Jesus to bleed and die on the cross.
Yes, my friend, God has indeed loved you with an everlasting love. Do not trust your emotions which might feel this love at times and on other occasions feel great dryness in your heart and soul. God loving you with an everlasting love is real fact and truth. Will you love him in return?
— 1“The LORD appeared to us in the past saying, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” — Jeremiah 31:3 Bible NIV 1984
Most of us worry constantly. It can depress you and make you lose hope. In the midst of your anxieties, one way to stay afloat without losing hope is to ask yourself the question, “Why are you downcast, O my soul?”
Asking that question will compel you to think. It will make you confront the basis of your confidence, hope, and trust: “Who am I trusting my life with?” If it is God, then there is no reason for your soul to be downcast or for you to be disturbed within.
See, the present crisis in your life is yet another opportunity to trust God with. His arm is still strong to save and he is willing to help you. Do not give up hope. Your trust in God will be rewarded. You will not be put to shame.
Instead of the sighing you are going through now; your mouth will sing forth praises to God. Look forward to that moment. God has a way of making the end better than the beginning, the latter half more glorious than the former one.
The delay has always been in his sovereign control. He will never be late but on time. And when he acts, he will do it swiftly in its time. It will be immeasurably more than what you asked for or imagined.
Therefore say to yourself in the words of the Psalmist, “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.”1
— 1Psalm 42:5, 11; and 43:5 Bible NIV 1984
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
Did you know God is waiting for you? He knows that like a foolish child you’ve strayed and lost your way. So he is anxiously waiting to see you come back home.
“Come back home, my child,” is your Heavenly Father’s voice to you today. “Return to me,” is the call he sounds to you now. So take words with you, “Father, I have sinned against you. Please forgive me.”
Oh, God will run to you, embrace you, kiss you and accept you when he sees you come back from afar!
He will not find fault with you nor condemn you for wasting your life in wild living. But he will receive you with great compassion when you come back. He will show you great mercy.
The door of heaven and the heart of God is always kept open for you to come back. Angels will rejoice at your coming back. There will be celebrations in heaven when you come back to God and your home.
When you get back home my child God will put rich and royal robes on you. Then to all you will no longer be the beggar on the streets, but a son or daughter of God. Come back home my child to the rich welcome of God.
— This post is inspired by the story of the Prodigal Son Jesus told (Gospel of Luke Chapter 15 Bible).
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
Not many of us are fully satisfied with what we see in the mirror; are we? Your image in the mirror does not reflect you accurately; does it? But then a mirror reflects a longing within us to see ourselves as we truly are; to be known fully and perfectly as God alone knows you and me.
St. Paul uses the image of a mirror to write about things we know now on earth and things we are yet to see in life beyond the grave. He says, “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.”1
Today we see through a glass, darkly; or in a mirror, dimly. But he shouts out the hope that one day we shall see face to face.
Yes, those who have known the love of God in their lives and have responded to that supreme sacrifice of Jesus on the cross where he poured out his blood for the forgiveness of our sins; one day will see Jesus face to face.
We will also see our loved ones again—all those who have died believing in him who died for them and rose again from the dead.
Then reflections in the mirror will give way to realities when what is dimly seen becomes clearly seen. This is our blessed hope when Jesus comes again as he promised to take us home for ever!
There are times when the flowers are in bloom, the sky is clear and blue, and everyone seems to sport a smile, but you are down; unable to see any good in things around you! It simply means you are depressed. And there seems to be no way out. But wait. There is still one thing you have; that is, hope in God. It will be your strength in these difficult days and times.
Even when there seems to be no way forward; even when no one seems to care or understand; even when there is no end to criticism against you; even when everything you’ve tried to do have seemed to have failed; there is God above it all, watching over you my friend. You are the apple of his eye. No trouble will separate you from his love and he will not give up on you. So hope in God and he will be your strength.
“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.”1
Who has not been inspired by a teacher? Somewhere at the back of our minds stands at least one or two who showed us light and pointed out to us the path we need to travel. It is deeply appreciated from all of us. You deserve and have our utmost respect dear teachers.
On this occasion of Teacher’s Day, let me spell out who a teacher really is. A teacher is one who has a heart of love, a passion for knowledge, and a skill for communicating the same.
A huge gallery of famous personalities owe it to their teachers for having first identified their talent and are thankful to them for having nurtured it. The story of Helen Keller and how her teacher Anne Sullivan had influenced her is a timeless inspiration to all; isn’t it?
A teacher believes in a child even when others label him or her negatively and will not neglect a student because others have given up on that student saying that the student is not good in studies.
Many students have found the courage to hope and the dare to dream just because of one teacher who said, “Yes, you can!”
A teacher is one who is not satisfied with the knowledge of the past; but is always updated on what is new in his or her subject. He or she makes an extra effort to bring something new that is interesting, informative, inspiring, and even inter-disciplinary to class each day.
This extra effort is a thing of joy for the teacher and extremely satisfying as the class responds enthusiastically and attentively.
A teacher is one who listens carefully and attentively to what students tell him or her. In other words, when students find in a teacher a caring heart, they trust the teacher with even personal and intimate matters of the heart that they cannot share with even their best friend.
Above all these things, a teacher inspires. One timely word of appreciation from a teacher can ignite a spark and a fire in the lives of students.
Thus a teacher shining a small burning light even in a remote village might be igniting a fire in the life of a brilliant student who will carry that to the ends of the earth one day!
—
“I sing the praise of the Unknown Teacher,” wrote Henry Van Dyke, himself a teacher. “Great Generals win campaigns, but it is the unknown soldier who wins the war. Famous educators plan new systems of pedagogy, but it is the unknown teacher who delivers and guides the young. He lives in obscurity and contends with hardship. For him no trumpets blare, no chariots wait, no golden decorations are decreed.
“He keeps the watch along the borders of darkness and makes the attack on the trenches of ignorance and folly. Patient in his daily duty, he strives to conquer the evil powers which are the enemies of youth. He awakens sleeping spirits. He quickens and communicates his own joy in learning and shares with boys and girls the best treasures of his mind. He lights many candles which, in later years, will shine back to cheer him. This is his reward.” Source: https://repository.mainlib.upd.edu.ph/omekas/files/original/9e107c3a86ea8311c4812b044874b9d140684fcb.pdf
My dear parents and beloved teachers,
