Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Jesus amongst us?


Do you see an empty space between the branches of the tree? Well, what does it look like? Please stretch your imagination and see if you can give it some shape.
In a village near a place called Cuncolim, in Goa, few friends who were out for a walk one evening saw such a space between the dense foliage of some trees at a distance. The first one exclaimed
“Eh, what is that there on the trees?”
The second one said “yes, there is something”.
The third one’s imagination was better, “looks like a ghost”.
It looked like a “divine apparition” for the fourth, who felt it is better to have gods than ghosts
and the faithful fifth, confirmed that it was Jesus Christ.
In no time the place was crowded with thousands of devotees praying and chanting. The nearby national highway was blocked with vehicles.
One sensible fellow, who felt that the lord will never risk venturing so close to his flock, if he knew them as he should, (he was also sensible enough not to say it aloud), suggested that they ask the local priest to confirm the presence of Jesus. The priest, who possibly knew the lord better, seconded the opinion of the sensible fellow, but expressed his doubts in a “sitter on the fence” manner and got away with his limbs and life intact.
The faithful, who did not intend giving up the Lord so easily, took the matter to the higher authority, the bishop. But the Bishop was out of station and the lord (who did not possess either PAN card or driving licence)had to wait to have his identity confirmed.
Meanwhile there were discussions as to why the lord chose to visit Goa? Did the “Sell the raindrops” campaign of the five star hotels and tourism department even fool lord Jesus ?
One person who believed in world welfare said “lord Jesus has descended on the earth to save humankind from terrorism, global recession and nuclear conflicts.”
But another, who had a somewhat narrow vision and whose property the government had acquired for widening the highway, said “Lord Jesus wants to sensitise Goans about the wrong policies of the state government, including widening of the NH 17 and displacement of people from their village”. Clever fellow. He found a free advocate in the form of Jesus. Who knows? The sentiment may catch up and save his property!
Report in Navhind Times dt 25th July. Matter has undergone some alterations but the quotations are as they were. I do not know if Jesus is still with us. Page 3 of Times of India to-day, only mentions Deepika padukone, Arshad warsi and Anil ambani as the celebrity visitors.

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