The Cuddly Faith

 (23)

“If I say, Faith is cuddly, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?”

“My Teddy.”

“My Pillow” All smiled.

“Good, why do you get these pictures in mind?”

“Teddy is my strength when I am hurt or lonely or unsure of myself.” All nodded.

“Yes Monica, you’re right. Man’s life can just get drowned easily in the maze of experiences and people and if we do not have a ray of hope with something or someone, what would be the situation?”

“Hearing it like this, its scary Rafael.” All nodded

“Rebecca, it’s a fact. Man without hope is a dead person. He needs to be enveloped by security, then  he would go through any obstacle without  any difficulty. But is it as easy as that?” All nodded in the negative.

“Then How would we get hope, Rafael? What is the reason of hope?”

“That is what we call faith. If you have faith in you then surely, hope would sprout immediately.”

“Really, Are you sure? Faith is one thing and hope is totally something else. Then how come it gets connected?”

“OK. What is faith, Rebecca?”

“I feel that it is the complete belief, with not a sense of doubt on a person or thing? Like, when I say, I have full faith in him or on my car, etc...Is it right? ”

“Yes, Rebecca, you’re absolutely right. Now when you believe in that person, what would you expect him/her/it to do.”

“Even the most impossible thing they would be able to do, unfailingly.”

“Exactly Rebecca, we are sure that they would not fail even if it is the most difficult job and that is what we call hope. So if you don’t have the faith then how will you have hope?” All nodded understandingly.

“When Titanic was ready to set out for her maiden voyage, all the people who were connected with its construction did believe that no force could destruct the ship. That is faith. That is belief. But unfortunately, it got sunk on the very first journey, with it sunk lots of hopes and aspirations.”

“That was a terrible tragedy.”

“Yes Mathew, do you know, why we feel its terrible?” All nodded in the negative.

“Because it just tore the very faith of human hearts, the motivational force behind human existence. This proves that no created element could rise upto your belief or faith. It cannot keep up to your expectation because they have their limitations. They are not whole. But if you channelize your faith, your belief to the creator, God the father, then surely, you would never have to look elsewhere to fulfill your every need.”

“But Rafael, with things, yes we cannot bank our expectation, but our parents, grand parents, the people who really care for us, they surely can keep up to our expectation, don’t you think?”

“100 percent. But they are human, just like you and me. They really do want to be the perfect parents or grand parents. But they have their limitations. Their circumstances, their health, nature around all are cause enough to block them to come up to your expectation. That you should understand. If you are able to keep up to others expectation, you would know how much difficulty you will have to go through to keep up to their standard of expectation. Likewise all the other people have their difficulties. So whenever you plan to put your faith in someone or something. Just know that they have their circumstances not to fulfill. So don’t break heart for that. You are too precious a creature for the creator, for God. Believe in Him, believe that if He can create all what we see including us from nothingness, then what would it take to fulfill our petty wishes?” All nodded.

“You know Rafael, I believe there is God. But when we put faith in God, its like we are putting faith in nothingness. It’s a void. So that is one reason, why its difficult to think in so much terms as that of putting expectations inside nothingness. Like Teddy or the pillow, if we have something to hold on, then that is a totally different issue.” All nodded.

“Good Monica, that is really a very big issue. I think, God might have foreseen this question ages before because He has given an answer perfectly for that.”

“Oh!!! Really. How is it?”

“Can you name a thing which you cannot live without. You would die if you do not have it and that too within minutes.”

“Air?”

“Exactly Mark, Air. Can you just stop breathing for fifteen minutes?” All smiled and nodded in the negative.”

“Can you see air? Do you choose which air to breathe? Do you know where it comes from? Do you know how it is produced?” All nodded in the negative.

“No Rafael, we cannot see air, then there is no choice left other than breathe what we get. But I have never thought of the origin of air, its manufacturing unit or  where it comes from.” Mark shrugged.

“But still you know, its there because you have felt it, right?” All nodded.  “What does this prove?”

“That all things cannot be proved through the five senses.”

“But Rafael, Can you explain it a little more?”

“Sure, can you define the colour of the sun to a blind man? Can you explain the taste of sweet to a person who was born tongueless? Can you put the right words for the fragrance of roses? How can you make the flesh understand the warmth of the sun?”

“Its impossible, Rafael.”

“Yes Rebecca, its impossible, but does that mean, the taste is not there? the fragrance is not there? the warmth is not there? The thing or person is not there?” all nodded in the negative.”

“A mother doesn’t have to use words to communicate with her children, likewise there are some things beyond human comprehension. Don’t limit yourself to the five senses but there is another organ that helps you understand much more deeply the truths of nature - the belief in God.”

“Really? Which one?”

“The Heart.”

“Our Heart?”

“Exactly Monica,  our heart. That is what Jesus proved during the way to the Calvary. He was beaten terribly, usually after a nice lashing, we lose the sense of touch. He heard what he least expected, his right hand disciple, Peter denying Jesus- that moment the sense of hearing goes numb because, it has got the worst hurt. Likewise all His senses were mutilated in all possible ways and ultimately  death. But after death, when the heart was pierced, blood and water gushed out. Do you know why?”

“It had life?”

“Yes Mathew, to prove that, whatever the situation you are in, the only thing that can take you forward is the heart. It always would beat for you, even if you have hurt a million times, then too it would be there with you. That is the only organ that could break the barriers of all senses. To make you believe.” All nodded.

“A mother knows, when her child is hungry, she knows when her child gets hurt even if he is miles away because the connection is with the heart. Its beyond the five senses, beyond human intelligence. Even if hundreds of proofs are put forward, it cannot be acceptable unless and until you live with your heart. So the last significance for the death on the cross is this, stop relying on your senses and live with your heart. So from now on don’t go in search for proofs because proofs are only words, the real truth is still behind the curtain. So see with your heart, feel with your heart hear with your heart, sense with your heart and smell with your heart.”

“In short, Open our heart.”

“Yes, exactly Mark. Open your heart and put the signature of your identity by your blood and water because no one would be able to wipe it from this face of Life – Through Love. Love is unconditional, all giving, unselfish. It is the fire that lights the lamp of life and shows us the way. It is love which gives us the power to have faith in others and above all believe in the unbelievable. Children has it in abundance because, they have not started to use their intellegence and they do not need proofs. They do not need any flowers of gifts to know that their parents love them. They know it. Likewise, just open your heart and live your life.” All nodded and smiled.

“Children, now we’ll have to go back to the instance after the death of Christ.”

“Oh good, I was just dying to ask you Rafel, did Jesus really resurrect from the dead? Do you really believe it?” Rafael smiled.

“Yes Monica, He did Resurrect and I do believe 100 percent. Why don’t we discuss it tomorrow?” All nodded

...to be contd....(24)....

Until then... Take care.....Bye

Meena