One Year, 10000 Views!!!

It may make me sound very ancient, but when I first started exploring the cyber space there was no such thing as YouTube - now, the third most visited website and something which has become a part and parcel of our lives. Everything – from music, to movies, to sports, to news, to bloopers, to random videos – everything is there on YouTube! A few years back I also joined the bandwagon and opened my account. Today I want to share about one of my videos, which is not the most viewed in my channel, but which stands out to be a special one for me. I’ll get back to more details about it shortly.

Let me take you to 30^th March 2013. It’s a Saturday evening, the one before Easter. I decided to go to my parish church and help out with anything I could for the midnight Easter Vigil Mass. During the few hours that I spent there with the youth from the parish, I realized that each one of them was so gifted, so talented. Some could sing amazingly well, some play instruments so professionally, some compose such soul-stirring songs, some are artistic and good at decorating, some good event managers....... And I stood in midst of them, just dumbstruck at all the talent that surrounded me!

I personally feel, believe and know that I do not have any talent in me. When I was in school, I did win some competitions, but all that vanished soon. I went into a shell and didn’t even have the courage to look at people's face and talk. And that’s when God intervened and changed my life upside down! I don’t know when or where, but I remember sometime during those first few years of my walk with God - our Father, I came across a phrase which was an eye-opener for me: “God doesn’t always call the qualified, but He always qualifies the called.” And trust me, this has been so true in my life!

Those who know me, know how terribly I sing. But there have been days when people would come to me and tell, “You sang that song so well” and there was one day when I sang in a choir in front of thousands. I do not know pure Hindi especially when it comes to Church related terms, but there have been days when I had to do a real-time Hindi translation of a session being taken by an international speaker, and I did that so seamlessly that many came and appreciated me for that. The best part being the fact that I spoke words which I never knew before and which I didn’t remember right after the sessions! I got a chance to act, to dance, to speak, to write, to click pictures, to compose songs all of which I know I cannot do on my own. And I got to makes videos as well!

Coming back to the story about the video I mentioned in the first paragraph. Well some time during Lent last year, I had this immense inspiration to make a video on one of favourite songs and upload it on YouTube. I’m not a professional at making videos. I don’t have any technical skills. When I started making it, I realized how difficult it was. I didn’t have the right software, the one that I had didn’t work with the format in which I had the video clippings, wasn’t able to synchronize the sound and to add to that I had a pathetically slow internet connection which made it all even worse. During those days I had crazy workload at office. But the inspiration, the urge was so strong that I couldn’t help but make the video. I had to upload it before Easter and I was working night and day to prepare it by that time. Once made, I couldn’t upload it for days due to the slow connection. Finally, I had to go to an internet cafe and upload it. Throughout those days, I could see God leading me so well, with the right resources, right insights, right help at the right time. I remember somewhere during the initial few days of uploading I very casually said to God, “It would be great if in one year this video could get 10,000 hits.” And I left it at that. I absolutely forgot that statement, but I guess God didn’t. I remembered that statement, which I so casually told God, early this month. I uploaded the video on April 3^rd 2012 and on April 2^nd 2013 it had received 10, 487 views!! Praise God!! This is the video I’m talking about: 

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6gSU1Y0XGM

If you watch it, you would realize that it is not the best video you would have seen, it is not the most professional video, it is not the most viewed video, not even in my channel, but it is this video, and the comments left by the viewers, that reminds me that God qualifies the called!

The next time you think that you are not talented, not capable, not qualified enough for anything, think again. Moses was a stutterer, but God called him to show His people the Promised Land. Rahab was a prostitute, but God called her to save His people and to help give them victory. Jeremiah said, “Lord, I do not know how to speak; I am still young”, but God called him to speak His words to the most difficult audience. Isaiah was a man of unclean lips, but God called him to prophecy about the coming of Christ. Peter was an illiterate fisherman with no social stature, but God made him stand in front of thousands including the most qualified men at that time and speak so strongly that they were surprised and they realized the power of Jesus. Saul, was busy persecuting those who believed in Jesus, but God called him to be His chosen instrument. Renamed as Paul, almost half of the New Testament is written by him. Augustine was a rich, highly educated, spoilt lad with infamous past, but God called him to be a Saint, a Doctor of the Church, whose writings have greatly influenced philosophy. Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, was a timid young girl from Southeast Europe, but God called her to travel almost half-way around the world to show the world the most radical way of caring for the sick, the unwanted, the unloved, the dying and in this way become Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.

The list carries on and on, the names are innumerable. If God has worked in them, He surely can, in you and me. No wonder St. Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

So all those who think you do not have any talents, give whatever little you have to Him and see Him work wonders. And those who have, I don’t know what to say to you guys, except that: “YOU ARE BLESSED!!!” Realize this blessing, thank God and use it well.

God Bless!!

Mother Shows the Way

In everyone’s life there comes a stage when almost every time they log into their FB account they would see their friends inviting them for their wedding, uploading their wedding pics or updating their status to either “Engaged” or “Married”. For me, that stage has arrived! And last week, I attended a much awaited wedding of two of my very close friends. I met them during my MBA course and since day-one we have been friends. After all these years, it was amazing to see them share their wedding vows, promising to be with each other in good times and bad, for better or worse, through sickness and health.... 

After the wedding service, we headed for the reception where everyone was waiting to wish the newlyweds and get their photo clicked with the stars of the day. The MC asked everyone to come in a line, enter the stage from the left and leave from the right. In no time a long queue formed. My friends and I decided to wait and go after some time when the mad rush to wish the bride and groom simmered down. So almost after an hour, we decided to finally join the queue. We were waiting for our turn to enter the stage from the left, when I saw the groom’s mother entering the stage from the right. With her were a few people whom she introduced to the couple. They wished them, got a snap with the bride and groom and left – all that without waiting in the queue!! And that’s when I realized that mothers always know the short cut to reach their son.

Isn’t our Mother Mary like that? Isn’t she the “the safest, easiest, shortest and most perfect way of approaching Jesus” (St Louis de Montfort)? The wedding reception reminded me of the wedding feast at Cana where Jesus performed his first miracle. (Click here to read more) And what led to that miracle? Mother Mary’s words – “Do whatever He tells you.”  (John2:5) Till that day no one had seen the divinity of Jesus. No one knew Jesus had the power to help those in distress. No one knew He could perform miracles. No one except His Mother. Mother Mary understood the anxiety of the family of the newlywed, the worry of impending shame of not being able to serve the guests with the ceremonial wine, the helplessness of the ones arranging the feast. When she saw them running out of wine, she approached Jesus and with confidence in her Son, she asked others to obey Him. Jesus performed his first miracle and changed water into wine. The guests received the choicest wine of the day and the family was saved from a lifelong embarrassment.  All this, just because Mother showed them the way to Jesus!

Over the last few years since I came to know God’s love for me, I was always grappling to answer the questions - why should I respect Mary, why should I show my devotion to her, why should I ask her to pray for me. But that day, during the wedding reception of my friends, I got the answer! Many years back a reporter asked Mother Teresa a similar question and she replied, “It’s really quite simple: Mary is the mother of Jesus; without her He wouldn’t have been born. No Mary, No Jesus.”

So, this month as we celebrate the devotion of Holy Rosary, let’s take time to recite this powerful prayer and ask our Mother Mary to lead us to Jesus his loving Son!

God Bless!

Mercy Quotient

In the past two years of my life here in Chennai, I have come across many who put others before themselves, who go out of their way to help others, who can never say ‘No’ to any request. I really admire them especially because I lie on the other extreme end. I am someone whose default answer to any request for help is “NO.” In some cases I might say “I will try”, but that’s also effectively a “NO”. And in some other cases I will postpone it which is even worse than a “NO”. For me, my priorities and plans are most important. Rest everything comes after that. But during the last few days, the Lord has been trying to change me. And today morning, while praying, He taught me about the Mercy Quotient (MQ). Will let you know what it is, but before that I want to share how it all began.

Well, it all started on the night of 13^th March, during the monthly Night Vigil prayer conducted by Jesus Youth in Chennai. One of my friends, who was leading the Praise and Worship asked us all two very simple questions to think about and then share. 

1. Think about an instance in which God has shown mercy on you.
2. Think about an instance in which you have shown mercy on others.

The first question was easy and I had so many experiences to share, but the second question left me searching for an answer. I couldn’t think of a single incident in which I showed mercy on others. I was completely blank. And that is when it hit me so hard. All through the past few years, I have been receiving God’s loving mercy immensely, but I never shared it with anyone. I just kept it to myself. I was never bothered to go out of the way and help someone or sacrifice my happiness and make someone else happy or take that little bit of effort to make somebody’s day. It was always me and my comfort zone. But that night God showed me what to do.

After the midnight Mass, I rushed to the priest and confessed and no sooner did I repent was I filled with a desire to help, to share God’s mercy. And as it is with God, who always knows my slightest desires and fulfils it, He did it this time too. After the Hole Mass, my friend Praveen and I were coming back to the hostel at around 2 o’ Clock in the night. On the way back through a deserted road, we met a guy whose bike ran out of fuel and there was no petrol bunk anywhere nearby. Even we didn’t have enough fuel to share with him. Had it been the usual me, I would have suspected that guy to be a thug, refused to help him and just walked away. But this time we took a little bit of effort and made sure he reached were he wanted to go. Before we reached hostel we got a chance to help one more person. We were happy that God gave us a chance to help two persons. So the count stood at 2. But at that time, it was almost 3 am, we needed the watchman’s help to enter the hostel. And thankfully he helped. So Praveen said that, the net count is now 2-1 = 1. We were both very happy that at the end of the day we were able to help someone out. That night I hit the bed with a smile on my face and so much of peace in my heart.

And that’s how the Mercy Quotient came into being. This is what MQ is:

MQ = (Number of times you have helped someone) – (Number of times someone else has helped you)

For us that night it was, MQ = 2 – 1 = 1.

MQ can be calculated each day. And higher the MQ the better. The objective is to keep your MQ positive and do so by helping as many people as possible.

Caution: Don’t fall into the trap of 

• Helping others just for the sake of helping without them actually needing it. 
• Denying others who offer to help you, so that your MQ would be positive.  
• Becoming complacent or proud once your MQ is constantly high

Remember, the entire focus of MQ is to be able to share God’s mercy, to go that extra mile to put a smile on someone’s face. It might be difficult to change all of a sudden. Trust me on this. But it will work if you are determined. For the past few days I have been consciously trying to improve my MQ by helping others. And it’s working. If you can’t do it on your own, ask the Holy Spirit to help you out. He surely will help you lend a helping hand.

And as Mother Teresa would say, “It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving.” Let’s not help or give or serve out of compulsion, grumbling all the time; let’s do it with love. Sometimes it might be painful, but then it is nothing compared to the pain that Christ went through for each of us, so that we could receive God’s mercy.

So spread the Mercy of God and increase your Mercy Quotient every day. It might sound like a very simple thing, but it will surely change the way you look at life.

“Be merciful just as your heavenly Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:36)

God Bless!