Meena Mangalathil:

  (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 c

 (22)  “You mean to say Rafael that our doubt is what leads to our misfortune?” “Yes Rebecca, that is what it is. To make miracles happen, just believe in the majesticity of God, the power of God, the love He has for us and complete faith in Him. If He can place our delicate and precious lives solely in our care believing that we would do just fine with that, then we should have faith in Him, who would only direct us through the right path. The only thing you should do is, Give your life to Him, blindly. So have full faith, that is why the Jesus told the parable of the mustard faith. So be a child and keep its innocence.”  “Mustard faith?” “Yes Mathew, “The Mustard faith. If you read the Bible, especially the New Testament, Jesus would always have a parable of a mustard seed or its tree. Have you noticed it?” All nodded. “ Good. Now, we’ll go to the finest kitchen and to the best Chef. We’re going to request the Chef to help us.” “Rafael, how can a Chef help us to p

(21) “Can anyone say the difference between a man and a child?” “One is big and the other is small, one knows nothing and the other knows everything. One is mature and the other is immature.” “Exactly Mathew. Now the next question. What is the specialty of a child?” “He has only questions Rafael.” “And What about Man?” “He has both questions and answers.” All smiled and nodded. “Great Mark. There is one more thing, which I would like to add, one of the decisive quality.” All nodded. “Man wants proof and the child doesn’t need any.” All nodded. “Yes its true Rafael. When my kid cousins come for holidays, it is a nightmare for us bigger kids when they barge us with their questions. But the only relief is they believe just about everything we say.” All smiled. “Exactly Rebecca, they do not need proof because they have complete faith in you. I read this story somewhere about a 5yr old child in a burning house. The child was sleeping and alone in the flat when the

(20) “But Rafael, you have been saying only about Jesus, which means Christian faith. So how does it encompass all mankind?” “Great question Mark. Now I’d like to ask a question?” All smiled and nodded?” “Do you believe in God?” “Yes Rafael, we believe in God” all spoke in unison and Rebecca continued, “ He is only one God and He is the creator this Universe. In short He is the owner of all what we see here and the unseen.” “Wow!!! Rebecca, that was simply superb. You surely can give punch lines.” Mark spoke in wonder. “Oh come on Mark, you believed it, I spoke it, that’s the only difference.” All nodded. “Yes, Rebecca, what you said is true and Mark has pointed you one of your innate talents, try to develop it.” All nodded “Thank you Rafael, Thank you Mark. I’ll sure take up on that.” Rebecca said smiling. “OK now back to the topic. How many religions are there in this Universe?” “Countless.” “The same answer would be for how many cultures, castes, cr

(19) “Rafael, if a child is thrown by his own parents out of the house, what would be his duty?” Rafael smiled. “Naturally, God has planned his presence in another area, he would be directed there and that is where he should fulfill his duties. Monica, there are people who become our cause of suffering. Don’t blame them, its only for our own good.” “Oh Rafael, its terrible. I really cannot imagine myself being the cause of others suffering.” All nodded. “Yes Monica, we all think and pray the same, that is what Jesus spoke about Judas during His last supper, “If the person had not born” Rafael continued, “When we are born, we are destined to keep our promises, which we are not sure but God has set some milestones in the form of people, incidents and circumstances at every corner of our lives. And these milestones help us in fulfilling our promise. So for the child, his parents became a milestone. “Rafael, does that mean, that what the parents did to the child i