India Vision: |Venad| A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another.”

Thursday, April 9, 2009

|Venad| A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another.”

Maundy (Commandment) Thursday takes its name from the charge Jesus gave His disciples at their final meal together: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another." To demonstrate what this meant, He poured water into a basin, knelt and washed His disciples' feet, a chore usually reserved for the lowliest slave.

Hearing the passage read out loud, I recalled a Maundy Thursday service on Cape Cod that included a foot-washing ritual. Fifteen chairs were lined up in front of the altar, a towel and a basin of water at each one. Everyone, the minister instructed, was to wash someone's feet and to have his or her own washed. "If there's anyone here," he added, "who's wronged you in any way, that's the person whose feet you should wash."

I was glad this didn't affect me; the only person I knew here was my friend Elaine, who'd brought me. I washed the bony feet of an older man who seemed as glad as I when the little symbolic act was over.

Then it was my turn to sit. And from the back of the church someone all but ran straight to me. It was Elaine. As she washed my feet, I was astonished to see tears falling into the basin. Yesterday I'd remembered a time when I needed to forgive; now I was the offender! When? How?

Back at Elaine's house, it came out: an old resentment over a remark I couldn't even remember making. Apparently I'd said (about a clothing drive for Africa), "Until you've lived in a Third World country, you can't imagine how little people have."

"You've been to so many places," my friend said, tears coming again. "I'd love to travel, but because I haven't, you think I don't know anything."

It was my turn to cry—for the pain caused by my heedless remark. I apologized, Elaine forgave me, and our friendship has been deeper, stronger, more joyous ever since.

Lord Jesus, teach me to love.

MERRISON STEPHEN

LOCATION INCHARGE

INTERCAT HOSPITALITY L L C

POST BOX # 52044

DUBAI, U A E

Email : merrisonstephen@yahoo.com

website : www.intercat.ae

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The region south of Cochin centered around Quilion came to be known as Venad. It was an autonomous kingdom within the Chera empire. The port was visited by Nestorian Christians, Chinese and Arabs. A new calendar was established called 'Kolla Varsham' (Quilion year) starting in AD 825.The Kulasekara empire lasted for three centuries. }