Homily – Sunday, the (date)

Reading: Psalm 139

All of us appreciate master pieces of art. It could be in literature, painting, sculpture, music or what not. If I suddenly ask you to list a few master pieces that you have personally encountered which ones would that be.

Now look at that list again. Does that list include yourself- A masterpiece of the Divine maestro?

The Psalmist in Psalm 139 takes time to appreciate the master craftsman- the divine creator and acknowledges how wonderful the Psalmist himself- in this case David-  was created and sustained by God. It is worth taking time some time for self-evaluation and self-appreciation.

It was Ralph Waldo Emerson who once said- what lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

It is when we start appreciating the marvel of God in each one of us that we begin to value life and start trying to make it as worth the living as possible. That’s why Confucius says- respect yourself and others will respect you.

A Masterpiece that is Marvelously made

The Psalmist says

For you yourself created my inmost parts;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I will thank you because I am marvelously made;
your works are wonderful, and I know it well. (v.12,13)

Imagine someone puts this question to you- Describe yourself in five sentences? Beyond your name, nationality, profession and identity who are you?

Look at the testimony of David- I will thank you because I am marvellosly made. The Psalmist takes a close look at himself and realises that there a thousand reasons to thank God.

He acknowledges that many a time we take God for granted and the blessings of God are seldom appreciated and adeqately thanked.

Look at what the Psalmist says- God created our inmost parts

What do we meaning by the phrase that God created our inmost parts?

First look at the body. Yes there is the physical aspect- human anatomy is not just about internal organs and their interconnectness. It is far beyond.

Each human organ is a materpiece in itself and the way they are intrinsically knit together is a beauty.

Beyond the physical dimension, look at the psyche, the psychological dimensions of a person including the mind, emotions, conscious, sub conscious and uncounsious processes, mental agility, cognitive skills, the interactions of the senses. Would we ever be able to fathom how human personhood unfolds itself and how circumstances transforms them.

There is then the soul- the core or essence of a persons existence that brings in the eternal dimension of the continuum that a person is part of. Helen Keller said- the best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, or heard or touched- they must be felt with the heart.

There is then the spirit- the intangible transcendant aspect of a person that includes beliefs, faith systems and spirituality. Emerson reminds that the spiritual life does in no way remove us from the world but leads us deeper into us helping us to make further sense of the purpose of existance.

Like dancing it is not able the destination alone- each moment and each movement becomes graceful expressions of inner emotions.

Have we ever imagined how these elements of the inner being are beautifully co-related. When we carefully take a look at how marvellously each one us are made we are amazed at the master craftsman and that adds to our self worth

We realise we are each masterpieces of a great master craftsperson- marvellously made.

Lets give ourselves a tap of appreciated and say a prayer- thank you Lord for marvellously making me me. That helps you become who you are and who God wants you to be.

A Masterpiece that is Meticulously Made

My body was not hidden from you,
while I was being made in secret
and woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes beheld my limbs, yet unfinished in the womb;
all of them were written in your book; (v.14,15)

Have you closely watched a painter fine tuning his or her painting giving that subtle last minute strokes.

This verse- your eyes beheld my limbs, yet unfinished in the womb struck my attention through a recent autobiography that focuses on this verse- the unfinished limb!!

Leonardo Da Vinci once said- Even is the smallest feline is a masterpiece. I was recently given an interesting book titled Divyanga. It is story of a Cat and the lessons she taught us. The speciality of the cat was that it had only three limbs and yet was a cute and lovable as any other cat. The missing limb was for her the divine limb- the divya anga.

• Disability is part of Divine Design- the craftsman was not sleeping, neither was he making a mistake but was closely watching my unfinished limbs.
• Disability always comes with a coping mechanism- the divine limb that others are not able to see.
• Disability is part of the Diversity of God’s creation. It is a profound question that Moses is confronted with- Is it not I who made the blind and the mute and the lame. The issue is with our understanding or defenition of perfection.
• Disability is part of every person’s existance. Disability could be physical, behavioral, developmental or sensory and every person could be having traits of one or more without being acknowledged, identified or diagnosed. Joni Eareckson says- God’s power and God’s love is bet revealed in our weakness and points of vulnerability.
• Disability could happen to anyone anytime and therefore never ever be judgemental

Vasthi was a close friend who lived with no arms and this verse was taken one day when she led a morning devotion- your eyes saw my limbs even when they were created. Thank you God finding me more beautiful without my limbs than with them. With Nic Vujicic she used to say- I had the choice to be angry for what I did not have or be thankful for what I have and I chose the latter. Vasthi always said- my weakness was the window through which God’s love entered and filled me. One of Vasthi’s reflection was titled- made perfect in weakness!!

Friends, we are meticulously made, the way we are with a divine purpose.

A Masterpiece that was uniquely Made

they were fashioned day by day,
when as yet there was none of them.
How deep I find your thoughts, O God!
how great is the sum of them! (15,16)

It is interesting to note that there is none like another- each is unique. Be it finger prints, be it retina identification, be it face id, be it any other bio metric indices used- each person is unique.

Sometimes we fail in identifying this uniqueness because of our error in judgement. Like what Einsten reminded us- if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree- you might think it is stupid, but the fish is uniquely made to explore the beauty of the depths of the ocean.

As several fables tell us- within each person like a unique creation capable of transoforming the entire world with their own special light.

Aesop tales narrate the story of a crow who one day chanced upon a few fallen feathers of the peacock. She thought it would be a good idea to have the beaitiful peacock colours and took them and tucked them into her own feathers. Proud as she was she flew into the company of peacocks relaxing who smiled mockingly at the imposter and one of them- I have always admired the black feathers of the crow with this ash tinch- what do you make a mockery of yourself? The crow returned to her own fold only to see her companions smiling at her. Realise how uniqely beautiful you are and stop doing silly things- a crow elder advised her.

The moral of the fable is simple- You are unique. Be yourself. Embrace and Enjoy your true nature. Stop pretending to be someone you are not. There is nothing that can replace you.

A young friend of ours lost her dear husband unexpectedly and she wrote- we had lot of unfinished conversations- he went away too quickly. Those will ever remain unfinished because no one would ever replace him. He was so preciously unique.

Give a tap of appreciation. Thank God for your uniqueness

This is what we sang in our opening song

For you created me and shaped me,
Gave me life within my mother’s womb.
For the wonder of who I am, I praise you:
Safe in your hands, all creation is made new.

A Masterpiece that is Constantly in the Maker’s Gaze

The opening song today was based on Psalm 139 and we sang

O God, you search me and you know me.

All my thoughts lie open to your gaze.

When I walk or lie down you are before me:

Ever the maker and keeper of my days

The Psalmist says

Lord, you have searched me out and known me;
you know my sitting down and my rising up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.

You trace my journeys and my resting-places
and are acquainted with all my ways.

Indeed, there is not a word on my lips,
but you, O Lord, know it altogether. (v.1-3)

A God who watches over us like a mother brooding over the chicken in the field. The love and compassion of the mother traces every small step or the little chick and even while the chick is resting the eye of mother is upon her.

It is the like the hen who can imagine how the chick would be thinking of the next steps even while being a bit afar. Whose heart ever remains with the little chick.

That is the essence of the two little loving eyes constantly watching over us.

What does that imply?

A Masterpiece that is Constanly in the Maker’s Protection

You press upon me behind and before
and lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is so high that I cannot attain to it. (v.4-5)

That’s the testimony of David- Your presence is behind me and before me and your hand is upon me

I am God’s masterpiece, God’s signature creation

And so is everybody else

Vinod Victor

June 2, 2024