CONFUSION

When we reached home I asked ‘Ammachi’, “Where the ‘Jeevan’ or ‘Athmavu’ (Spirit) of a person is situated in the human body?” She explained, “According to the teachings of the Catholic Church, the ‘Jeevan’ or ‘Atmaavu’ or Spirit is a part of God and on one’s death the ‘Athmavu’ wishes to go back to the creator, the God Almighty. The Bible says so.”

I was not satisfied. I asked her, “How does the spirit leave the human body?” She said that she was not certain of that. She added, “It went out the way it came in.” We were pleased at this answer.

One further query sprang to my mind. I broached ‘Ammachi’ that I have yet another doubt. She was eager to listen and clear our umpteen doubts and queries. “How Lawrence’s young, orphaned children are going to survive?” She kept quiet for some time and then took out the Bible and read: -

Mathew, Chapter 6 Verses 24 to 34 (Luke 16-13; 12-22-31),

God and Possessions

24. “No one can be a slave of two masters; he will hate one and love the other; he will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

25. “This is why I tell you not to be worried about the food and drink you need in order to stay alive, or about clothes for your body. After all, isn’t life worth more than food? And isn’t the body worth more than clothes?  26. Look at the birds; they do not sow seeds, gather a harvest and put in barns; yet your Father in heaven takes care of them! Aren’t you worth more than birds? 27. Can any of you live a bit longer by worrying about it?”

28. “And why worry about clothes? Look the wild flowers grow: they do not work or make clothes for themselves. 29. But I tell you that not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers. 30. It is God who clothes the wild grass – grass that is here today and gone tomorrow, burnt up in the oven. Won’t he be all the more sure to clothe you? How little faith you have!

31. “So do not start worrying: where will my food come from? Or my drink? Or my  clothes?’ 

32. (These are the things the pagans are always concerned about.) Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. 33. Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things. 34. So do not worry about tomorrow; it will have enough worries its own. There is no need to add to the troubles each day brings.

Mariakutty was prematurely widowed. She neither had anyone to support her nor did she have any source of income.  So, after the mishap, ‘Ammachi’ accommodated her as one of the helpers in her kitchen. In this way she was able to find the food and other requirement for her children   thereby feeling secure about them. Mariakutty’s simplicity and sincerity made her ‘Ammachi’s favourite and taught her all the cooking so that she would be of immense help to the family. She was so loyal, and eager that she learned the skill and perfection in cooking so fast from ‘Ammachi’.

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography

by

Joseph J. Thayamkeril

Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.

josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com

josephjthayamkeril@google.com

josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com