Hi friends,
Hope you are all doing well. This past week we had some good rain, little more than what we really needed. That is the abundance of nature’s generosity. Let us be grateful. Mother nature is always good until we mess with her.
In India, when the results for the examinations come out, we see students who fail in the examinations commit suicide. This sure happens in other countries too. They are not able to take it that they have failed. I saw on the news that one TV celebrity with versatile personality, Anthony Bourdain committed suicide. Some people who incur a loss in business or people who lose their loved ones commit suicide. The statistical data show that in the US, the rate of suicide keeps increasing. One study says that the rate has increased a 30 year high, which is alarming.
Why do people commit suicide so easily or quickly? One of the many reasons is that they do not equip themselves to face the hard realities of life. They might not have been trained or brought up the harder way which could enable them to accept and face the real situations of life. The first thing we need to understand is that the life is not a rose bed with all fragrance and softness. Sometimes it is a hard bed with some stinks sometimes and we need to take it as it comes. If we have only positive things in life, the life will become so monotonous that it may end up to be another reason for suicide. The life will lose its taste if it is always sweet. Sometimes we need bitter things to understand and appreciate the sweetness of life.
Another thing about life is that it is not our own. We did not earn it or we did not merit it. It is a purely gratuitous and a generous offer from God to whomever the life is given. We do not have any right over it except to cherish it and make to the full length until it is decided by the owner that the life given by him needs to be taken away from us. Until then we need to hold it fast enough and cherish it with all goodness for others. The life’s worth is not really understood as it is not hard earned. Only those who struggle with life with all sickness and deceases would to some extent know the value of it. Sometimes we are given struggles to strengthen our life, but unfortunately, we fail the test very often and so bad.
Terminating one’s life is not a solution to any problem or trouble. In fact, it is going to be the starting point of troubles for the other people who are left behind after one commits suicide. Life is given to us to enjoy it. When I say enjoy I don’t mean that everything is going to be cozy and comfy. As we enjoy the roller coaster, we need to take it. There are ups and downs in the roller coaster, but still when we are done with it we cherish the very thought of it. Life is something similar to that. Though we have lots of ups and downs, at the end of the day we should be able to cherish the thought of it. That is why God has given us time to live and then cherish it in our thoughts. Those who have overcome the temptations of suicide will sometime think of this time in future and laugh at themselves saying, “Did I think of committing for this silly reason at that time of my life? Really?”
This is what we need to do: Expect all troubles in life, and when they come we will be happy that we were right or when they don’t come we will be happy that we did not get any trouble. Simple. Let us remember those people who encounter troubles that they could not counter. May God give them courage and grace to live a happy life.
God bless. Sincerely in Christ Jesus, Fr. A. Antony.
Hope you are all doing well. This past week we had some good rain, little more than what we really needed. That is the abundance of nature’s generosity. Let us be grateful. Mother nature is always good until we mess with her.
In India, when the results for the examinations come out, we see students who fail in the examinations commit suicide. This sure happens in other countries too. They are not able to take it that they have failed. I saw on the news that one TV celebrity with versatile personality, Anthony Bourdain committed suicide. Some people who incur a loss in business or people who lose their loved ones commit suicide. The statistical data show that in the US, the rate of suicide keeps increasing. One study says that the rate has increased a 30 year high, which is alarming.
Why do people commit suicide so easily or quickly? One of the many reasons is that they do not equip themselves to face the hard realities of life. They might not have been trained or brought up the harder way which could enable them to accept and face the real situations of life. The first thing we need to understand is that the life is not a rose bed with all fragrance and softness. Sometimes it is a hard bed with some stinks sometimes and we need to take it as it comes. If we have only positive things in life, the life will become so monotonous that it may end up to be another reason for suicide. The life will lose its taste if it is always sweet. Sometimes we need bitter things to understand and appreciate the sweetness of life.
Another thing about life is that it is not our own. We did not earn it or we did not merit it. It is a purely gratuitous and a generous offer from God to whomever the life is given. We do not have any right over it except to cherish it and make to the full length until it is decided by the owner that the life given by him needs to be taken away from us. Until then we need to hold it fast enough and cherish it with all goodness for others. The life’s worth is not really understood as it is not hard earned. Only those who struggle with life with all sickness and deceases would to some extent know the value of it. Sometimes we are given struggles to strengthen our life, but unfortunately, we fail the test very often and so bad.
Terminating one’s life is not a solution to any problem or trouble. In fact, it is going to be the starting point of troubles for the other people who are left behind after one commits suicide. Life is given to us to enjoy it. When I say enjoy I don’t mean that everything is going to be cozy and comfy. As we enjoy the roller coaster, we need to take it. There are ups and downs in the roller coaster, but still when we are done with it we cherish the very thought of it. Life is something similar to that. Though we have lots of ups and downs, at the end of the day we should be able to cherish the thought of it. That is why God has given us time to live and then cherish it in our thoughts. Those who have overcome the temptations of suicide will sometime think of this time in future and laugh at themselves saying, “Did I think of committing for this silly reason at that time of my life? Really?”
This is what we need to do: Expect all troubles in life, and when they come we will be happy that we were right or when they don’t come we will be happy that we did not get any trouble. Simple. Let us remember those people who encounter troubles that they could not counter. May God give them courage and grace to live a happy life.
God bless. Sincerely in Christ Jesus, Fr. A. Antony.