April 18,2025 Good Friday Worship at Christ Church

 

April 18,2025      

Good Friday Worship at Christ Church

Though we stay afar we managed to reach the Church at 7.00am. We were happy we were in time. The Worship commenced at 7.15am. We could observe the womenfolk were mostly in their ‘Whites’. Well, on special days’  it’s an all white attire for them.

As the Worship progressed there was a tumult at the men’s back row. It was 7.50am.             

Mr. KM Mathen, a good friend, was unwell. He had vomited. Dr.Thomas Varghese, Neuro Surgeon, was among the worshippers. He stepped in. A wheel chair was brought in. Mr. Mathen was brought out on it. He was kept under observation in the Vestry. A medical student volunteered to attend on him. She was a member of the Choir.

Meanwhile the Worship went on. The Asst.Vicar began  delivering the message at 7.55 am.

Ms. Georgina was beside her husband. Later we could see her coming out of the Vestry. She stood there leaning on to a table. We could sense she was unwell. She seemed disoriented. Her body language reflected vividly her helplessness.

Someone guided her to a chair. She quietly sat there.

We could see the officials of the Church running around silently and tackle the harrowing incident.

The sexton quickly cleaned up the floor.

Meanwhile we saw Ms.Jula, the lone IAS Officer in the Church, helping out. She managed to obtain some sweets for the patient. We learned later that Mr. Mathen had a bout of Hypoglycemia.

In the interim, an official had called for 108 Ambulance. It arrived in a flash.

Mr.Mathen was carried on a stretcher to the Ambulance. Ms Jula held Ms.Georgina with one hand and carried Mr Mathen’s footwear in the other hand. She  led the disconsolate lady to the Ambulance. It seems she had accompanied the patient on the ride to the Hospital as well.

The Asst Vicar took 15 minutes to conclude his message. The patient was off to the Hospital in that time.

The altruistic efficiency of the officials and the members of the congregation was unbelievable.

I felt a mention of the event could have been made from the altar. It did not. Mr. KM Mathen was worshipping along with the congregation till he fell ill all of a sudden..

Not that it matters either.

Because it never happens in Christ church

The episode took us both back to what happened to us 23 years ago. A defective fan at the  Church had altered our lives forever. It taught us human life was fickle. But it made us understand God is there to take care of us.

Like on that fateful day as well as today, we feel  it would have been  good if the worship is paused for a few moments and an announcement conjoined with a word of prayer is made on behalf of the unfortunate co-worshipper.

For hard core ritualistic as we are, we have to understand that sanctity of the Worship would never be shredded or compromised on such an unforeseen  recess. A word of prayer and a healing touch by the Vicar would go a long way in soothing the severe trauma that had hit the family out of the blue.

The Bible says a mere touch by Jesus cured the sick.

Exactly 1992 years ago,  though badly mauled by the criminals and the misinformed in the garb of ardent holiness, our savior had admonished Peter after resetting the ear of an adversary that Peter had sliced off.

He was never ritualistic.

We follow Him. 

Do we?