In 3 Days! Part 2

St Anne’s Church – Thottam

Stella Maris Church - Kalmady

Holy Family Church – Brahmavar.

I have been to the Church’ above and they are beautiful. All 3 of them recently rebuilt-renovated. The cost of it has run in Crores. There are many such Church' which are being renovated in Mangalore. And they are all lavishly built-renovated. St. Anne’s church is the one I go to. 

But there is something I write here because, it hurts when we see lavish church’ and we look at broken people. There were so many big contributors. When one has the ability to contribute in lakhs and does nothing for his brother or sister (neighbour), one cannot please the heart of God. 

I will add a few images here, as my heart breaks for them, I am unable to do anything for them. But hopefully you will perhaps understand, what we can do with the resources God has provided and how we turn a blind eye to it. 

Refugee children who have lost family

Stella Maris Church, Kalmady, was in need of restoration. The newly built church is in a shape of a boat. There are water fountains all over the Church. I don’t know the mechanism of how it runs. But when I was there for a celebration of the mass, there was a prayer made, for the rains. And I thought that moment, what an irony it is. It is lavishly built, in such circumstances, we forget reality and what is it we are asking? You have to be poor to understand what it means to have no water. Or maybe live in an area where there is a lack of water. It is very hard to adjust to the timings and the quantity of water you get to store and to make ration of the water for the purposes, one would require. 

Here, the water fountains were all around the Church. Maybe they have a resource, a way.

But to pray, we need to first understand what is it we ask and who it is we ask for? We don’t pray because others are praying without understanding. That would be meaningless. Because if the Kalmady people, truly understood their prayer they would have stopped the water fountain a long time back. They don’t know what they pray? They just pray, meaninglessly. If not water then the mechanism must cost. What a waste of the resources provided by God. What an unnecessary expense to the Church?

I was in a hurry thinking we were late for the celebration of the mass. What shocked me most is, on the staircase were the words, remove your shoes and enter. Maybe not the correct words, but it implied the removal of footwear. On thinking I was late, I did not want to cause a scene.

Stella Maris, the new Church, has a granite flooring. They don’t want dirt and this is the precaution they are taking. Not concerned of the soul, but yes the granite needs to be intact.

St. Anne’s, Church the one I go to, newly renovated, the cost of which was more than 2 Crores. Previously, it was renovated 15 years ago. The Painting work was done 2 years back. But St. Anne’s being the Parish Church to Stella Maris, the people did not want to be let out of the competition. After St. Anne’s inauguration, the collection of the money hasn’t stopped. In fact new announcements were made asking for more money as more things are needed to be brought for the church. Is it the requirement of the Church or the greed of the people?

Adding to that a request was made asking the people to remove their shoes when entering the Church since it is new and we must maintain cleanliness. The second week request, did not sound like a request, it was stated that when you go to Kalmady Church (Stella Maris) and remove your footwear, you can do the same here. Copycat issue.

Most of the Church’ in Mangalore, are keen on renovating. 

In Stella Maris and in St. Anne’s they have air coolers in the Sanctorum. 
St. Anne’s have copied Stella Maris with having 2 big air cool industrial ceiling fans. Stella Maris has 1 and even the Holy Family Church in Brahmavar has it. I think all of the Church' in Mangalore have it. 
Most Church’ have Bell towers. And some of them look way too expensive?
Generosity to build a Church or have it renovated, is a wonderful thing, but not the way it is at the moment in Mangalore. Renovation or remodelling cannot happen after a renovation that happened 15 years back and that too when there was no need for one this time around. It seems people have too much money and everyone wants the most lavish Church.  
Competition, must be in how much can I help my brother or sister? No initiative there?

Yes the Church’ are beautiful. But is this what Jesus wants or is it what we want? It is our desires, our lifestyles that we want reflecting in the Church. When in reality we must reflect Jesus. 

There were no fancy lights, no water fountains, no gold coloured towers. Jesus was born in a stable, kept in a manger with hay and live animals around. 

An Angel of the Lord appeared to the Shepherds. And the Angel, announced that to them a Saviour has been born. The Shepherds left with haste. 

We forget the poor, the deprived – but in reality the announcement of the birth of the Lord was made to them. 

Everything we have is God given, can we give to God that which is material?  
We are meant to share our resources with our poor brethren. In this lifetime, we are given a choice. Choose wisely.
When you stand before the Lord, you will be asked what did you do with what you were given?

In St. Anne’s 4 people gave 12 lakhs each. And the fourth person, did not want to be outdone added 5 lakhs more to his existing contribution in the name of his deceased family member. The level of competition.

Every person who contributes, his name is announced with the amount given. I heard it on a Sunday mass, being announced by the Priest after communion. So if you belong to a particular ward-the people of that ward will know who has not contributed. And people, having kept a track of their neighbour ask them as to why they did not contribute? This is not a Christian way. This is forceful contribution.

Is this charity in any way? Not at all. Ask Jesus.

Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:2-4

Jesus words, gone with the wind. I mean we have become convenient Christians. Remove the shoes to show reverence, but announce oneself (ones mighty deeds) in order of praise from people and forget what Jesus says.

Do you know, that all of the people who have contributed in 3 of the Churches I have been to have the contributors names with the amount - etched out on granite for everyone to see? All for one’s glory. Vanity of vanities! 

Jesus says, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23

We are not at all in obedience to what Jesus, has asked of us. We have become convenient, shallow Christians. All of us! 

REMEMBER

• There are people all over the world, who lack food and supply of water. What do you do?
• In the rains, in the cold, in the extreme conditions of heat, where do the poor people go? 
• We have granite floors in the Church, there is no where to sleep.
• Air coolers cost, industrial ceiling fan costs, the poor don’t have anything to cool them when the temperatures soar above 38deg C. 
• We are ready to rebuild Church' spending Crores. But when will we remember to build our brother or sister?
• On judgement day, each one of us will be made accountable for what we did not do to help the poor. Will you stand with no answer? 

Everybody is God’s child. How do we forget that?

Never do we ever realize the pain of the poor. We don’t think what we can do for them? Remember Jesus died for you and me. Not you alone or me alone. But Jesus died for all.

When we show love to our fellow brother or sister, we build a church in them. We build love, we let the light of Jesus shine. And that is what Christ expects of us. 

Jesus suffered and died. He counted us all in. It is a sacrifice, we need to remember. For when we do, each life will matter. 
We are all accountable to Jesus. What will you say?

Please continue to read…In 3 Days