I remember when I was Kid my parents used to carry me to venerate a statue in the church . I used to think that Jesus & Mary resides in the statue .& at times I used to struggle to get to the same .Sometimes when the church was crowded we almost trampled over each other to get to the statue Praise God!!!! its not the same anymore ..... If I cant get to venerate the statue ..its ok with me now as I know the Place where God resides :-) Yes it is very difficult to make people understand that ......Times are changing & so are we .Thanks to the renewal happening all over... People are getting to know God more personally rather than The God on the altar. Anyway ..I just want to narrate an incident with my late uncle who had left the church then . I always escaped him cos he used to qt me on the statues concept..I had no answer for it ...I hardly read scriptures too at that time .So I knew I wasn't in a position to answer to any of his cross-questions. One fine day he happened to get hold of me ..he threw the same Qt on me again ...(by the way I was the Favorite of all nieces ) He asked me are u venerating the Photograph/sculptor for their marvelous work ??? Well I was zapped wasn't prepared for the answer ..but ..I quietly prayed to the holy spirit to guide me & as I was praying my eyes fell on his & wife snap on the wall. I asked him ...uncle y have u kept your snap in the house ,to this he replied "Welchy this house belongs to me ...I am the owner of the house ..that's y the snap" Ohh I see!!!!!!! I replied ...if u can keep your snap there on the way to glorify yourself...y not the Lords picture then ???? I looked at his daughter (who stayed in the house alone when her parents were in Goa .)& then to my uncle I said "Glenes (that's His daughter ) is at times frustrated when she does not find both her parents around. She has to do everything on her own in Mumbai ,,,,It sad for a Gal to stay lonely here without here parents She feels so lost & bogged down " But something marvelous happens each time she looks at the parents snap..she is up-lifted ......Your snap consoles & speaks to her. She feels that she is no longer alone .Its her parents love always with her Its the same with our statues in the church they are reminders that we are not alone ..There is some one who cares for us . & at the Death Bed of my Uncle ,,,I heard him reciting the Hail Mary after years together . Many a times as I look at the picture of the agony in the Garden ..I am reminded of Jesus agony then .....& his agony now How painful it must be to the lord at the Garden !!!!!!& his sweat turning into blood ...Science says is the when the person is extreme pain...that's what happens !!!!Ohh my what tormenting pain for Jesus . By the way We had the statute of Ol of Fatima at my place yesterday.My neighbors & family came over prayed together . & the end of it we relished ourselves with Chana . That it!!! Good day & God bless Welchy Mumbai
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