A memorable Sunday service…
“So I say to you, Ask and it will be given to you;
search and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you.-Jesus
Christ”
Well I can say that this was one of the most
memorable Sunday I had in my life. Few months ago I discovered that one of my
friend is Christian and he goes to church on Sundays. I felt like I should try
this time to attend church with him once, because where my home town is, we
don’t have many churches and the one we have, I always felt something
mysterious about that place. I had always an attraction of church, because
unlike any other regional place, it is not filled with other sounds and
loudness making us deafen to our own voice. I rather loved the sound of softly
clinging bell, and the beautiful voice of people singing hymns with the piano.
I declared to
my friend that I want to go to church someday, and he too agreed that of course
we shall. The days went by and we somehow found this Sunday to go to church. We
accompanying with one of our professor who is also a Christine and always takes
my friend with him to church, whenever he is going. It was absolutely a
beautiful brisk summer morning, and roads were filled with golden sunrays. and
I was sitting in the backseat how visiting church would be.
Well its not that I never went to any church, I have
seen churches at Goa, and some places, but yet this one was not like visiting a
tourist destination, it was more of an important something for me. Like proving
our theories moment o something…
I thought to myself as maybe pune looks more
beautiful when all people are sleeping , tucked in the lazy summer morning. and
we reached to the army campus where actually the church is.
My friend showed me the school behind the church and
then I saw a familiar building which could be termed as the church. I heard the
soft murmuring of people singing and
trailed with the piano playing with it, and a smile escaped though my lips. I
felt happy for the reason I don’t know. I was feeling like this is it. This is
what I was waiting to be felt, when you reach a place and its entire aura fills
you inside out. I didn’t stop smiling till I reached to the stairs of the
place. And my ears were still listing to the beautiful sound.
Our professor asked whether the service has been
over, but the person replied as its still there. And we entered in the
building. I saw people standing, holding small books in their hands and singing
their hearts out. I saw the beautiful glass painted exactly in front of us.
Although I missed the entire view as we got place in one left corner. I stood
besides my professor unsure of what to do next. I just stood there and looked
around, people were looking in the book and singing something.
Later the priest told us to turn to page number
something, and I saw two books lying there, I picked the wrong one and my
professor corrected my by showing the actual one. I heard the number, and found the book
everyone was singing. It had the hymns and some lines of the rituals. We found
each one after another as we go further. And I just started humming the tune. It
was even fulfilling
After some minutes I lost the page count and just
started staring around. I saw the golden cross hanging at the middle of the
church. And felt as how many years it had been, and the cross still holds its
beauty along with its sacred purity and the touch of god. Like it had been
running for thousands and thousands of years till it reached us.
We finished with the hymns and then everyone started
going further for prayer. I thought I should go too, so I just got up and went
straight through aisle and reached to the middle of the passage, I saw people
leaning against their knees paying and priest was giving them something to
drink. I didn’t know what do we have to do, so when my turn came I just went there
and leaned on to my knees, and closed my eyes.
When I am praying to my god(I am hindu by religion),
means the usual morning or evening prayer, I always have something to talk
about. I talk about my day, or even something I want fixed in my life, or even
thanks for giving me already something I wanted. But here I got totally blank,
I couldn’t think of anything to say , I just closed my eyes and stayed there
for a second or two. The priest was in front of me now, he asked me something
but I couldn’t hear. I looked at his glass and a white round piece of something
I didn’t know. I just blurted that “I don’t know, what to do”.
He asked me again, “Are you Christine?” I nodded as
“NO”
And he said okay , and draw a cross on my forehead
with his thumb. I felt it more strongly for no reason maybe. I closed my eyes
again for just a second, and returned to my seat. We sang one more hymn and
then they declared as the service was over. We saw people getting up one by one
and leaving church, but we sat for some more minutes and then headed out.
I saw one little boy trying to put 10 rs. Note in
the money collecting box, but it was shaped as sharp cross and he couldn’t fit
into it. Even so somehow he did, but couldn’t push further with his fingers so
I pushed it inside with my pointed nails. :D
We went out and had coffee served for the
people. I saw around and found the area
surrounded with the trees and the yellow blossom flowers covering the roads.
And then I remembered what I had to say to god in there.
“Thank you!”
J
I just wanted to thank you for letting me see you,
and embrace you in another form. I am always seeking for some kind of spiritual
enlightenment, and this was one of the most beautiful experiences I had. I wish
I will visit so many churches over the year because it’s more calm and subtle
way of prayer. I thank you for such a
beautiful morning, for the sun and stars thy gave us, and the courage to
discover the truth of our hearts, and the strength to achieve what our hearts
seek for. Forgive us for our sins and I
shall love thee till I find out where we all going .
To the Christ
, whose door I knocked and who opened it for me… J
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