Meditation Photography

Photo and Fable copyright Suresh Gundappa 2008

“In celebration of Christ” fable by Suresh:

As usual I was getting ready for morning prayer. You know today is special, its Christmas! and I have lot of people to attend to. I have been working as a Bishop for years and nothing much has changed except that church contributions have grown bigger and I have grown fatter and little balder. I have felt good being a Bishop!

My vesture looked nice and ironed. It’s always nice to walk around in Italy during Christmas, So much celebrations and festivity around. As I walked out of my house, a well built stranger with piercing eyes was waiting for me. I wished him well and asked him “who are you? What Can I do for you?”

He said “I am Mr. Jesus and I am here to bless you”

Hahahahaha,

I said “Good Morning Mr. Jesus, Nice to see you and would you like to come with me to address morning prayers?

Jesus: “Sure if you insist,

I said with half smile “Son what do you want? good joke but what can i do?

He said “I want nothing, I am Jesus and I have come back to help my people. I waited for a second and then said “Sure, would you like to show me your ID or some proof that proves you are Mr. Jesus.

He just walked near my pool and started walking on water. Afterwards he came outside the pool and called my servant John,asked him to show his limping leg. It took him few seconds to cure Johns’ leg. For me everything was moving too fast. John was down on ground with folded hands in eternal prayer.

I knew that this man is really Jesus!I thought this is not going well and its an important morning . I called Mr. Jesus inside “What’s this magic you are doing? I was stern and serious.

Jesus said “there is no magic, this is who I am” he continued “Can we go to prayer hall now? and I would love to meet my followers and dear Christians. I have waited for this day for so long.

I had to tell Jesus the truth.

“Look Mr. Jesus I can’t take you and introduce you in prayer hall”

Why not? Jesus asked.

I said “I have too much at stake, If you are the Jesus then why would anybody listen to me again? Why would anybody come to church again? What about me being Bishop? I have worked hard throughout my life to come to this position and I can’t just give it away. I am starting to have little fun you know.

Jesus said” but I thought you love me and you wanted me to resurrect again?

I said” Yes yes that’ true but things have changed since you are gone. We have built empire around us and we have charitable institutions, Banks and millions of priests depending on this setup. If you come now then it’s going trouble for all of us. We can’t allow the real Jesus to surface. Because we have too much at stake.

Jesus looked little sad “ what do I do now? Where shall I go?

I said “you stay at my place. No one will know, You can tell me stories about Bible and your crucification”. I will take care of you but I can’t introduce you to the world.

Jesus said “ Ok would you like to crucify me at least? That way there is a new hope for my loved ones?

Me: I can do that and what reason can I use now to crucify you?

Jesus : how about WAR? I want to die so that WAR can be stopped?

Me: Listen Mr. Jesus! , I know you are excited about the Crucification, but this is going bit too far. If you prefer I can shoot you. Don’t even consider WAR. We have politicians, businessmen supporting us in our community. The moment you take on them we will not get their support. So please stay out of this non-violence business. We need them and they need us. this nexus is working well for years!

Jesus: What do I do now?

Me: listen we have a problem here. I am running late for prayers. I will think through this. When I come back I will find a way to kill you. First of all you made a mistake coming back. Now you are troubling me. But don’t worry, you have given me a good life. So let me crucify you in return.

End of the fable

Parting note:

You will avoid that man. It is dangerous to So only those who are very courageous can come near to a Jesus. The greatest courage is needed to come near a man like Jesus. That means you are ready to take the jump into the abyss, you are ready to lose yourself.

To move with Jesus in the insecurity of the unknown, in the uncharted, in the ocean where the other shore is not visible, tremendous courage is needed. And this is the problem: very few will follow Jesus. Those who escape, they will miss him, and they will miss the very meaning of their own lives, because deep down, when you try to escape Jesus, you are trying to escape from your own truth. He is nothing but your future — you are a seed, he is the tree; he has come to bloom, he is your future, he is your possibility. Escaping from him, you are escaping from your own ultimate possibility.

I celebrate Christ and I celebrate Christ Consciousness.

Merry Christmas!

Love

Suresh