Three Lives, One day

Wake up Jimmy! It is your special day today! Jennifer stirred her baby up while the whole town is still asleep. As the sun slowly rose, Baby Jimmy was all dressed and pampered as he awaits his initiation into Gods own family. As usual, all the ladies were trying to kiss and pinch his cheeks and exclaiming, Oh, look how cute he is! Jimmy was having the time of his baby life. Sixteen year old Jennifer could only watch from a distance as she hurriedly hand out small beribboned bags of butter cookies to the family and friends who have gathered to witness this event. It was a tradition for her family to hand out the same homemade butter cookies to every guest during a baptism reception. However, some of the guests were discussing on the status of Jennifer of giving birth without being married. Those words hit Jennifer at the heart but she toughens up as she drew her strength from her precious son. It was his day, not mine, she thought.

At the priests gentle gesture, the radiantly smiling sixteen year old mother anxiously laid him on the crib placed for him on the altar. As she bent down and adjusted the blanket, she could not help but drop a tear. Kissing the cooing babys face, she wondered how could she ever consider abortingno, killing this precious life She bit back her tears and hastily stepped back, as Father Adrian began to pray, We are gathered here this Easter in the Lords name to bless this renewal of life.

****************************************************************
Stop doing that Asha!

Nalini, dont they ever teach you how to tie a ribbon

Asha, Nalini, Mala! Are you all ready Come over here Mala, you left your sash on the door. Quickly now, Mother Priyankas has been waiting at the chapel for hours already.

As the girls scurried down to the chapel in their white hand-me down dresses, one couldnt stop wondering on how beautiful the chapel is. Despite of its poor and run down appearance, the garden is splendid with jasmine and azaleas blooming radiantly and ever so slowly moving in the hot morning sun. No one could resist the charming garden, not even the three teenage girls as they skipped down the rock trodden pavement.

Sister Anita eyed at them and wanted to remind them on Mothers Priyankas about behaving. However, she did not want to spoil their fun as they are the Gods special children for the day. It had been a hard long life for them. Begging on the streets and abandoned by people they love. St Theresa was a place of shelter and haven for children like them and Anita was one of the first orphans who grew up there. It offers her hope and faith rather than being confronted with violence and abuse.

Come in children. Here, take these favors and give it to your new siblings. Mother Priyanka gestured them to the gift bags lying on the floor.

Asha, being the shy one, hesitated but was push in front by her two friends. Behold! There were chocolates inside those bags. All those who came up to receive these favors were beaming from ear to ear.

Mother then stretched her arms over them. Thank you Lord, for gathering us here today. I would like to offer these three beautiful girls to you as a part of Your family It was a wondrous beginning.

*********************************************************

Seng wheezed and grunted, trying to ignore the pain racking through his battered lungs, threatening to tear his body apart. Opening his eyes, he caught a glimpse of the crucifix above his hospital bed.

42 years is a short and long time for Seng. It was long enough to savour the happiness of a booming business. It was long enough to witness the joy of having Ai Ling and baby Meng as a part of his family. However, it was too short for his marriage to Ai Ling. Minna came and ruined the family as she tempted Seng into her snares.

It was heartbreaking to see the love of his life taking out a piece of divorce document and shoving it into his hands. He never saw her again.

Since then, life began heading to a downturn. With Ai Ling gone, Seng turned to Minna for comfort. She began to ensnare him and finally took over his business and left him. Feeling cheated, he drove Meng out of his life as well. Seng became angry and spiteful against God. He turned to booze, drugs and became a famous womanizer among his community. However, when the doctors diagnosed him with cancer, it was as though he was hit by a truck and began to rethink his life, regretting every puff and drink.

He realised that all he had left was Gods forgiveness. It was time to reconcile with him and repent his sins before it was too late. Seng pleaded with the nurses to bring him to a priest that evening. It was an old chapel. Before Seng had the chance to knock on the door, it opened slowly and what he saw was so astonishing that his legs gave way.

O Lord, is there any way I can redeem myself from these sins I have committed
Of course, but I need to repent my sins too. Dad, can you every forgive me

*********************************************************************

Through baptism, regardless of time and age and place, we are offered an opportunity to be forgiven of our sins and embraced as Gods people in his Holy Sprit of love. Thus the greatest baptism favor we can offer to ourselves and others is the same gift He is offering us, the gift of love.