Francis Gonsalves
Shanti, salaam, shalom
Christianity, like other religions, finds itself divided into sects or “churches”, popularly called “denominations”.
Pongal pots, kites and life
Having lived for long in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Delhi, January 14 evokes within me an urge to flow, overflow and fly high in rhythmic resonance with today’s festivals: Makarasankranti, Uttarayana and Pongal. Overflowing man-made confines of caste and creed, and flying over land-limits like north-south, east-west, these festivals bid us to flower and flow, bubble and boil over, spread out and soar up.
Think of the good times
“For everything there is a season, and a time: a time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck; a time to mourn and a time to dance...
Rights before religious rites
“This is politics, not religion”, is the retort I hear from some religionist-friends when I talk about human rights.
To watch and to wait
Late for college, a professor hopped into a taxi and instructed the driver to drive fast. Later, unsure whether he’d told the driver his destination, he inquired: “Do you know where we’re going?” “No!” retorted the driver, “but, as instructed, I’m going very fast!” Most of us are not sure where we’re going although we’re moving very, very fast.
God goes green
What colour is God’s skin? is the opening line of a song we sang in childhood. Perturbed by people’s prejudices about skin colour, a little kid asks his father this question. His dad replies: “It’s black, brown, yellow, it is red, it is white — everyone’s the same in the good Lord’s sight!” True, God is Mother and Father of all peoples;
Food for thought
Gandhiji once said, “If God were to come to this world, he would come in the form of bread”. God is considered the “Giver of Bread” in many religious traditions.
Death, where is thy victory?
“Carlette has passed away.” With this short sentence I was informed about the sudden death of my sister-in-law on September 27.
God talk and Babel
The “tower of Babel” story — often interpreted as God’s curse on humankind — stands tall in the Biblical book of Genesis (11:1-9).
C’wealth of races, nations
Adam, it’s said, is the fastest athlete in history, since he came first in the human race!
