February, 2005

Tsunami - Launching of Heaven on Earth

Rev. Dr. M. J. Joseph

(The poet is the director of the Ecumenical Christian Centre in Bangalore, India.)

O Lord of all creation,

Do you beget killer waves?

O God, the creator of the universe, are you not merciful?

The Tsunami waves of the ocean fury have raised umpteen questions in me.

Listen to the words of wisdom uttered in the Book of Life (The Bible)

I created the dry land and I called it earthI named the waters gathered together “Sea.”

I can make the sea into dry land as I did for the Israelites.

Do you know as the Song of Solomon puts it, “All streams run to the sea but the sea is not full”?

Do you know that Jesus, the Word incarnate, could still the storms on the Sea?

The Seer with celestial joy sings: “Great and amazing are your deeds, Lord God the Almighty!”

You may say that the Tsunami is a tragedy of high magnitude

You may complain that 150,000 perished and millions have been rendered homeless on Dec. 26, 2004, at the coastlines of S. Asia.

May I interrogate you for a while?

How many millions have been killed in World War II?

How many Jews have been exterminated by Hitler?

How many millions have been butchered by Pol Pot in Cambodia?

Do you have remorse in your heart for the mutual killing of people in “the promised land” for over a piece of land?

Do you lament over the perished ones in Iraq on account of power politics?

Do you stop killing of thousands in Kashmir in the name of an old covenant, you made?

What right have you to question me when you flout the moral laws?

What have you learned from your evil deeds?

Tsunami is not my wilful action to destroy you

Earth and its laws are meant to govern the universe.

I give rains

I bring forth wind

I make the Sun rise in the East and set in the West

I give colours to the flowers

I give life to all

I am the creator and the sustainer of the universe

You are my steward.

In your wisdom, you have to know my will

You are my co-creator

You have to protect yourself

For I created you in my own image.

Tsunami has brought the heaven from above to the earth

Your love and compassion have overflowed

For a while, you forgot that you are Hindus, Christians and Muslims

For you have now affirmed that there is no clash of civilisations!

You sang the song of Bhai, Bhai

Your Temple, Mosque and Church have disappeared for a while

For they have been submerged in the Indian Ocean!

You acted as brothers and sisters of the One World, I created

You have become innocent children in my sight

In times of testing, you act as angels of heaven

This is my lesson.

You are birds of the same nest

You are a channel of grace and agent of change

Your words and deeds heal all across geographical and religious divides

What have you learned form the killer cyclone in Orissa (1999)?

What have you learned from the Lathur Earthquake?

What have you learned from the Fury of the Earthquake in Gujarath?

Are you not still fighting over religious divides?

Are you not trampling upon justice?

Remember, O friends in India, you are brothers and sisters.

You are Indians!

Throw away the religious tags

Wear the badge of social amity.

O Friends in Sri Lanka, you are not Tamilians and Sinhalese

You are human beings to live with love and concord!

O People of Myanmar, how long will you live in the suppression of human values?

Time has come for you to repent!

O Peace-loving people of Thailand,

Search your hearts and see whether there is any evil way in you!

O my people of South Asia, you need the help of all people in the world.

Live in social amity and justice

Handle my creation with care

Everything is for you

You are for all.

The roaring of the sea brings mercy and compassion

The heaven displaces hell on earth.