Loving God the Creator is the first duty of mankind. In keeping with this duty
and as a Christian, I am constrained to speak out on a matter that has clearly
hurt my spiritual sentiments. To start with, for the uninitiated, the Holy Mass
conducted in Churches across the world is considered by many Christians as the
Queen of All Sacraments. Doubtless it is so for the Malankara Orthodox
Christians as also the Jacobite Christians. Given below is a link pertaining to
the Holy Mass (also called as Holy Qurbana).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Qurbana

In the Holy Mass, among most Malankara Christians, by virtue of the descending
of the Holy Spirit on a small loaf of bread and about a glass of wine that is
used during prayers (which typically would extend for about 1 – 2 hours at
least!) is believed to be converted into the Body & Blood of Jesus. Yes,
Christians believe that Jesus blends Himself fully with His believers through
this divine Food and Drink. Likewise, there are other crucial aspects of the
Holy Mass as well that takes place.

Now the moot point is – if a member of the clergy (regardless of which faction
he may belong to) were to make a spectacle out of such a Divine Sacrament (by
his 10-15 minute pretension around tombs of the departed) and then have a smirk
on his face during a subsequent press conference, would it not hurt the
religious sentiments of a true Christian? More so, when the objective of such a
spectacle is to unlawfully stake a claim on a property (even if it be within the
Thrikkunnathu Seminary and Church premises) attached to which these tombs are
located? Indeed, it would!

And, make no mistake; I am of the view that this tortuous act is of much higher
gravity than that which was subjected upon the Sikh community of late! Needless
to say, I have little doubt in my mind that the invisible hand of God is much
mightier than the visible and long arm of the law! Thus, regardless of elections
and political affiliations, if any, it is time for the executive to take off its
kid's gloves and deal with the `smirker' in the way he deserves!

Also, let me close by stating that I pity the silent majority among the
Jacobites for their silence, as also those `Christians' who harbour ambitions of
protecting and promoting doers of such sacrilegious deeds merely by virtue of
their `proximity to power'!

Yours in Christ!

John Jacob, Pune