No more coffins for the dead!

This morning I read an article in the News paper about how a priest of the Vasai Diocese, India is promoting the use of a common coffin instead of single expensive ones each time someone dies! He himself took his father who died recently to the grave after the funeral ceremony in the common coffin belonging to the church, and they very respectfully laid him to rest in a shroud.

The bishop of the diocese , Thomas Dabre approves of it.


There are pros and cons to this. It seems to be a novelty, eco-friendly, cheap. However it will adversely affect the business of undertakers!

I wish Fr. Robin Dias, all the best in his new ideal!!

Da Vinci Code

Da Vinci Code is out to be released in India in the coming week. The Indian audience wonders why the controversy. The Christian community is hurt at Ron Howard's callousness as with Dan Brown's insensitivity.

All things happen for good, the protests are for good, the release of the film if it happens....we have to find what good is there in it. One thing for sure, it has once again brought together the Christian community in communion of faith. One is challenged to think of why one is still a Christian and re-emphasize her or his living of the Christian values in day to day living.

All said and done, does Christ need the defence the Christian community offering for him? No he does not. But we human beings need it ,for our sustennance in the world as a Christian community. Because today Christianity is and the Church have become almost synonymous. Are they? Is the kingdom of God which Jesus preahced wider than the boundaries of the Church? These are questions which we need to ponder.

Coming back to 'Da Vinci Code', geographically and historically there are many loopholes in th Dan Browns work, so rightly , it is fiction.

As he proposes of Jesus' marriage to Mary Magdalene, Christians are called to ponder on why their sentiments are being hurt by this. Is it because Mary Magdalene was portrayed as a prostitute even though she was not. The Gospels do not say that Mary MAgdalene was a prostitute, it was one of the Popes of the middle centuries that said so...mistakenly...and it carried on.

Is the married status lower than than the celibate one? Does the married state call for sacrifices which the celibate does not even have to bat an eyelid for?

If Jesus was married, does it in anyway reduce our redemption by his precious blood?

Think friends think.... Is your faith and salvation based on history books or on your experience of the Risen Lord?