CEASELESS SEARCH

An old man was reclining on an easy-chair. His grandson brought the news paper to him. Eager to read the news, he started to search for his spectacles. After a while the child asked what he was searching for. He replied that it was to find his spectacles. Laughing aloud, the child pointed to his face and said, "Grandpa, it is there-right on your face."

The old man realized that he was searching for his spectacles wearing them on his face.

On a dark night, a man was found to search for some article under the bright light of a street-lamp. Passers-by enquired about it. He replied that he was searching to find a lost needle. They gladly joined him in the search. After sometime they gave up the search as they could not find it. The man told them, "I was sure that you would not find them." They asked, "Why?" He replied, "That is because I lost the needle on the other side of the road." "But why did you search here, instead of searching on the other side?" they asked him. He replied calmly, "Simple. There is no light there. But here we have plenty of light." The people left the place cursing the crazy man.

Man is in continual search for many things- God, peace and joy. But he forgets to find them within him. Jesus taught, "The Kingdom of God is within you" {Luke 17: 21}.

Peace and joy are the results and reflections of a pure and innocent heart. "Happy are the pure in heart, they will see God!" {Matthew 5: 8}. Let us learn to listen to the whisper of our conscience. That is the word of God from within us.

Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India. For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit the web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com

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A smart and active child was playing with a battery-operated toy car. It fell from his hands and stopped working. He took it to his father who was an engineer.

His father opened the car with a screwdriver to examine the trouble. The curious child was watching carefully. Suddenly he cried out in joy, "Daddy, I have found out why it doesn't work." He put his tiny fingers into the car's front seat and took out a dead fly. He declared aloud, "How can it work when the driver is dead?"

Actually, it was a wrong diagnosis. The father had found that the cells had been displaced by the fall. But he enjoyed the child's innocent comment. Later he repaired it and returned it to the child who resumed his play.

Whenever we encounter a failure or disaster in our life or career, we assign the responsibility to some other person. In some cases, the actual fault may be our own. But we attribute it to others or to 'ill-fate'.

Failures and negative incidents in life should be seen as part of God's plans for our ultimate welfare.

. God has definite and specific plans about every man.

"The Lord says I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for" {Jeremiah 29: 11}.

Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India. For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit the web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com

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SILENT SUFFERING

A saintly monk was leading a life of meditation near a village. The villagers used to give him food and respect his words of wisdom. One day the villagers rushed into his hermitage in a rage. They pushed a girl to his front and accused him of raping the girl as she had confessed before them that the monk was responsible for her pregnancy. He was innocent, but did not try to defend himself. He calmly asked them, "Is it so?" He readily agreed to support the girl in his hermitage. The villagers stopped feeding the sage and they started to ridicule him. To support him and the girl, the monk went to the forest and cut firewood. By selling the firewood, he could earn food for them. The girl delivered a baby and he supported them whole-heartedly.

Twelve years passed. Then, one day, the villagers came tearfully to the monk and begged his pardon for suspecting his sanctity. They had identified the culprit who had made the girl pregnant. He was now ready to accept the girl and child. The girl who was afraid of the miscreant had then told the name of the monk instead. The monk, without any excitement, repeated his earlier question "Is it so?" Then he entrusted the girl and the child to the villagers and silently resumed his meditation.

Silence is more powerful than argument. Jesus did not defend himself before the Priests, Pilate and Herod when the Jews accused him falsely. He silently suffered the Passion to redeem us from the clutches of sin.

Isaiah foretold the Passion of Christ in the words: "He was treated harshly, but endured it humbly; he never said a word. Like a lamb about to be slaughtered, like a sheep about to be sheared, he never said a word" {Isaiah 53:7}.

"When He was insulted, he did not answer back with an insult; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but placed His hopes in God, the righteous Judge" {1 Peter 2:23}.

Jesus taught us, "Happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of evil lies against you because you are my followers. Be happy and glad, for a great reward is kept for you in heaven" {Matthew 4: 11, 12}.

Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India. For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit the web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com

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PASSION FOR FASHION

A man was in a queue for a ticket in a railway station. The person in his front was neatly dressed in pants and shirt. To start a conversation, he told the person in the front, "Did you notice that boy near the window? He has no manners." The person in the front corrected him, "Hey, That is not a boy. She is my daughter."
The man at the back apologized, "I am sorry, sir, I did not know that you were her father."
The response from the front was sharp,
"What nonsense! ...I am not her father. I am her mother!"

The story reveals the increasing passion for fashion shown by people of all age groups today. Ladies dressed like men are quite common. Men with long hair and feminine attire are also seen. People darken the hair and whiten the face to conceal the gifts of nature. The use of cosmetics has increased tremendously. A large number of potentially harmful and dangerous chemicals have been detected in many popular cosmetics by experiments.

It is a good habit to be clean and healthy and to wear neat dress, but over-indulgence in cosmetics and fashion is harmful to the health of the body, mind and soul.

The true purpose of clothing should be remembered. St. Paul reminds the Corinthians, "Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and who was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourselves but to God; He bought you for a price. So use your bodies for God's glory"{1 Corinthians 6:19,20}.

St. Peter advises against the use of outward aids to make one beautiful, such as hair-make-up, jewellery, or dresses: "Instead your beauty should consist of your true inner self, the ageless beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of the greatest value in God's sight"{1 Peter 3: 3,4}.

By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India.
For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit the web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com

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A LESSON FROM THE LIZARDS AND CRABS

Three lizards were resting upside-down sticking to the roof of a room. One of them fell down accidentally. A few seconds later, the other two lizards also fell down. Why? This is a silly question often asked to kids to entertain and enlighten them. The expected funny answer is as follows:

The lizard is held tightly to the supporting surface even against gravity by operating the special structure of the palms. On seeing the fall of their friend, the two lizards laughed at him and enjoyed his fall by clapping their hands. This abolished their contact with the roof and they fell down flat!

Crabs captured from water are often transported in open cages. A lid is not needed, as any crab trying to rise to the top to escape will be quickly caught and dragged back to the bottom by the other crabs in the cage.

How do we react when others fall or try to rise? Are we stepping-stones or stumbling-blocks for the progress of others? Jesus taught us the language of love for inter personal relationship, communication and evangelization. Even the blind, the deaf and the mentally retarded can perceive love.

In the book of Genesis, we read that Cain killed his brother. God asked Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” Cain answered, “I don’t know. Am I supposed to take care of my brother?” (Genesis 4: 8,9.).

Like the Good Samaritan, let us render a helping hand to the helpless people around us. Otherwise we will be cursed like Cain.

By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India.
For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit the web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com

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