I am privileged to be the eldest son of the eldest son. I feel that this privilege gives me some responsibilities; I guess I have to be an example to carry the flag that Koung Koung planted, meanwhile I assume the responsibility to share some of the great experiences I witnessed during the days when I was with him.

I have the memory of a grandfather who all of us feared whilst being very respectful to, and more importantly he was the grandfather we cherished and loved for his great integrity and rightfulness. Grandpa was a wise with no time to fool around person. His stringent respect of his promises was known to all the persons that knew him. He had extraordinary capacity to analyze complex situations be it in business matters or be it in human relations. It is precisely for these charismas that many persons came to him for counseling.

Interestingly enough, I was told that he decided to retire from the business after  having paved the way and made sure that a structure was in place for his succession. For some time acting as the non executive chairman of the business, he used to run a meeting every Friday evening with the sons who were running the affairs of the company. To occupy himself, he undertook the responsibility of administrating the immovable properties. From memory, I can recall the building of the Ciel Bleu property, the upgrading of the bungalow at Baie du Tombeau, the reconversion of the back yard of Joseph Riviere property into two apartments, and the refurbishing of La Paix street property.

I was indeed very blessed to have been the teenager boy who had accompanied him in his work. Grandpa was very thorough in work. He was a hard worker and was very systematic and practical. Whilst the design and engineering works for building the ‘Ciel Bleu’ were assigned to Mr. Chuck and his then junior Frank AHKOON, Grandpa himself together with foreman Mr. Gaston undertook to build the 2 storey building. Several times I accompanied him to Mr. Chuck office which was at Desforges street where he discussed of the plans. For long hours, he sat at his desk, thinking and working out the details of the work as well as monitoring the costs. He was assisted in his task by Uncle Francis in this project. Hats off to the shopkeeper who graduated to builder at the late age of sixty over.

What was his secret?

He was an astute observer. No action was taken before a thorough thinking was done. He would analyze the consequences of any initiative he would take. He planned minutely before execution. He would draw and put on paper all his plans. He monitored his execution. He noted all details and compare with the plans. He reflected on his actions and though of possible improvements. He reflected and learned from his actions. He documented all his work and systematically and methodically filed all his work. He was always calm and serene as a good Chinese he showed little emotions. He lived and practiced the principles he learnt and believed – temperate and thoughtful.

An unforgettable incident

One day we were being driven in the Rover car C141 to the bungalow at Baie du Tombeau by Bye Mamode, our faithful driver. We were late as grandpa requested Bye Mamode to speed up. On the road towards Roche Bois, a herd of goats crossed the road, Bye Mamode braked. He knocked down a goat causing a dent in the grill of the car. After the accident, Grandpa told Bye Mamode: Excuse me for having caused the accident, the next time I ask you to drive fast, just say yes to me and keep on driving slowly as usual. This is my permanent instruction.

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Pour ce dimanche, j’ai trouvé que les écrits du grand Saint Augustin sur le thème illuminant et plein d’espérance.  ‘Renoncer à lui-même et prendre sa croix’ m’évoquais une vie austère et pénible. Tout au contraire, indique Saint Augustin. Ni dur ni pénible, Emmanuel, notre Christ, celui qui commande saura nous aider. Renoncer à soi pourrait se faire que dans la mesure que le vide ainsi créé  en nous et bien pour le remplir de l’amour et plénitude de notre Christ Dieu. Plein de Lui, que pour Lui, j’aurai suffisamment de courage pour déplacer des montagnes, il suffit d’y croire. Augmente Seigneur en moi ta foi.

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Renoncer à soi-même, prendre sa croix et suivre le Christ

Réflexion de Saint Augustin :

Ce que le Seigneur a commandé : « Si quelqu’un veut marcher à ma suite, qu’il renonce à lui-même » semble dur et pénible. Mais ce n’est ni dur ni pénible, parce que celui qui commande est celui qui aide à réaliser ce qu’il commande. Car si la parole du psaume « à cause des paroles de tes lèvres, j’ai suivi des chemins difficiles » (Ps 16,4) est vraie, elle est vraie aussi, la parole que Jésus a dite : « Mon joug est facile à porter, et mon fardeau léger »  (Mt 11,30). Car tout ce qui est dur dans le commandement, l’amour fait en sorte qu’il soit doux. Nous savons de quels prodiges l’amour est capable. Parfois l’amour est de mauvais aloi et dissolu ; mais que de difficultés endurent les hommes, que de traitements indignes et insupportables souffrent-ils pour parvenir à ce qu’ils aiment !… Comme la grande affaire de la vie doit être de bien choisir ce que l’on doit aimer, est-il surprenant que celui qui aime Jésus Christ et qui veut le suivre se renonce à lui-même pour l’aimer ?…

Que signifie ce qui suit : « Qu’il prenne sa croix » ? Qu’il supporte ce qui est pénible et qu’ainsi il me suive. Car lorsqu’un homme commencera à me suivre en se conduisant selon mes préceptes, il aura beaucoup de gens pour le contredire, beaucoup pour s’opposer à lui, beaucoup pour le décourager. Et cela de la part de ceux qui se prétendent compagnons du Christ. Ils marchaient avec le Christ, ceux qui empêchaient les aveugles de crier (Mt 20,31). Qu’il s’agisse de menaces, de flatteries ou d’interdictions, si tu veux suivre le Christ, change tout cela en croix ; endure, supporte, ne te laisse pas accabler…

Vous aimez le monde ; mais il faut lui préférer celui qui a fait le monde… Nous sommes dans un monde qui est saint, qui est bon, réconcilié, sauvé, ou plutôt qui doit être sauvé, mais qui est sauvé dès maintenant en espérance. « Car nous sommes sauvés, mais c’est en espérance » (Rm 8,24). Dans ce monde donc, c’est-à-dire dans l’Église, qui tout entière suit le Christ, celui-ci dit à tous : « Celui qui veut marcher à ma suite, qu’il renonce à lui-même ».

It was worthwhile reading and listening to Obama’s nomination speech. He delivered to a very powerful speech. He firstly made his point by giving enough arguments to bring ‘change’ to American leadership, to end 8 years of Bush administration and of republican rule. Secondly, he did give his vision of the future American with a program. Thirdly, he maintained a lyric which qualifies him as a great speaker and leader.

It was 50 minutes of pure pleasure spent in front of my laptop, in spite of the intermittent wait and pauses due to the slow internet download. Luckily I could read the transcript from the New York Times.

I do wish that he is elected on the 4^th November and bring about the changes so much needed by not only in America but in the world.

It is worth noting racial segregation was encouraged by law in some of the southern states of America until a few decades ago. The story of Rosa Parks in Alabama and the battle she led, are telling. Up to now the mentality of some the people has not changed. The nomination of Obama and hopefully his election to the presidency may bring in speed in the mentality change in racial co habitation. Understandingly the mentality changes are required both from the whites as well as the blacks. I took almost a century from the abolition of slavery to the recognition of equal rights for the black. Mentality mind set is more tenacious.

Institutional racism still exists and will last much longer than one would think. This time it is not only restricted to whites-blacks discrimination but all the range of races. America in the past in 1882 had discriminating immigration law against Chinese. Today are still discriminated in America: Blacks, Hispanics, Middle-eastern and Muslims.

Admittedly, Obama will not as magic change the ingrained mentality overnight but will surely trigger the start of the process.

I took much pleasure in reading my preferred columnist of the New York Times:

A Biblical Seven Years

By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

Beijing

After attending the spectacular closing ceremony at the Beijing Olympics and feeling the vibrations from hundreds of Chinese drummers pulsating in my own chest, I was tempted to conclude two things: “Holy mackerel, the energy coming out of this country is unrivaled.” And, two: “We are so cooked. Start teaching your kids Mandarin.”

However, I’ve learned over the years not to over-interpret any two-week event. Olympics don’t change history. They are mere snapshots — a country posing in its Sunday bests for all the world too see. But, as snapshots go, the one China presented through the Olympics was enormously powerful — and it’s one that Americans need to reflect upon this election season.

China did not build the magnificent $43 billion infrastructure for these games, or put on the unparalleled opening and closing ceremonies, simply by the dumb luck of discovering oil. No, it was the culmination of seven years of national investment, planning, concentrated state power, national mobilization and hard work.

Seven years … Seven years … Oh, that’s right. China was awarded these Olympic Games on July 13, 2001 — just two months before 9/11.

As I sat in my seat at the Bird’s Nest, watching thousands of Chinese dancers, drummers, singers and acrobats on stilts perform their magic at the closing ceremony, I couldn’t help but reflect on how China and America have spent the last seven years: China has been preparing for the Olympics; we’ve been preparing for Al Qaeda. They’ve been building better stadiums, subways, airports, roads and parks. And we’ve been building better metal detectors, armored Humvees and pilotless drones.

The difference is starting to show. Just compare arriving at La Guardia’s dumpy terminal in New York City and driving through the crumbling infrastructure into Manhattan with arriving at Shanghai’s sleek airport and taking the 220-mile-per-hour magnetic levitation train, which uses electromagnetic propulsion instead of steel wheels and tracks, to get to town in a blink.

Then ask yourself: Who is living in the third world country?

Yes, if you drive an hour out of Beijing, you meet the vast dirt-poor third world of China. But here’s what’s new: The rich parts of China, the modern parts of Beijing or Shanghai or Dalian, are now more state of the art than rich America. The buildings are architecturally more interesting, the wireless networks more sophisticated, the roads and trains more efficient and nicer. And, I repeat, they did not get all this by discovering oil. They got it by digging inside themselves.

I realize the differences: We were attacked on 9/11; they were not. We have real enemies; theirs are small and mostly domestic. We had to respond to 9/11 at least by eliminating the Al Qaeda base in Afghanistan and investing in tighter homeland security. They could avoid foreign entanglements. Trying to build democracy in Iraq, though, which I supported, was a war of choice and is unlikely to ever produce anything equal to its huge price tag.

But the first rule of holes is that when you’re in one, stop digging. When you see how much modern infrastructure has been built in China since 2001, under the banner of the Olympics, and you see how much infrastructure has been postponed in America since 2001, under the banner of the war on terrorism, it’s clear that the next seven years need to be devoted to nation-building in America.

We need to finish our business in Iraq and Afghanistan as quickly as possible, which is why it is a travesty that the Iraqi Parliament has gone on vacation while 130,000 U.S. troops are standing guard. We can no longer afford to postpone our nation-building while Iraqis squabble over whether to do theirs.

A lot of people are now advising Barack Obama to get dirty with John McCain. Sure, fight fire with fire. That’s necessary, but it is not sufficient.

Obama got this far because many voters projected onto him that he could be the leader of an American renewal. They know we need nation-building at home now — not in Iraq, not in Afghanistan, not in Georgia, but in America. Obama cannot lose that theme.

He cannot let Republicans make this election about who is tough enough to stand up to Russia or bin Laden. It has to be about who is strong enough, focused enough, creative enough and unifying enough to get Americans to rebuild America. The next president can have all the foreign affairs experience in the world, but it will be useless, utterly useless, if we, as a country, are weak.

Obama is more right than he knows when he proclaims that this is “our” moment, this is “our” time. But it is our time to get back to work on the only home we have, our time for nation-building in America. I never want to tell my girls — and I’m sure Obama feels the same about his — that they have to go to China to see the future.

I can only agree fully to Thomas Friedman’s Editorial on all three counts:

1. The energy coming out from China is unrivaled.

2. For seven years China has been preparing for the Olympics, they put in their efforts and might to build their nation whilst America has been for the last seven years postponing the build up of the nation. The Americans were too busy sorting out terrorism.

3. Let Obama bring the wind of change. Let him proclaim the moment and time of nation building in America.

Le 28 août, c’est la fête de Saint Augustin. Cette date évoque en moi plusieurs souvenirs qui m’ont marqué toute ma vie. Je revis encore les séquences du baptême de mon grand père YIPTONG qui s’est tenu à notre maison de Port Louis. Grand Père était malade depuis quelque temps, à cause de son diabète : la plaie il avait a son pied ne guérissait pas. En effet, une gangrène rongeait peu à peu ses orteils et s’entendait vers sa jambe. Les médecins avaient décidé qu’il fallait amputer sa jambe. Il fut averti de la décision et il demanda immédiatement de recevoir le baptême avant d’entreprendre l’opération surgicale. (Ouvrier de la dernière heure, dirai je. Car il succomba a l’opération quelques jours après.)  Le Père Paul Wu bienveillamment accepta de baptiser grand père et grand mère à domicile et de donner à grand-père le sacrement des malades. L’atmosphère et l’ambiance, ce jour la, était lourd et triste car les conséquences du moment n’était guère réjouissants. Quoiqu’au fond du cÅ“ur de ma maman Cécette, je pensais qu’elle avait toujours souhaité et prié pour la conversion de ses beaux parents au christianisme. Dans d’autres circonstances cela aurait été un jour de fête.
Dans la panique et l’empressement, Père Paul demanda : quel est le nom de baptême choisi ? Un grand silence régna. Personne n’y avait pensé. Père Paul en regardant le carnet liturgique du jour nota que c’était le jour de la fête de Saint Augustin. Grand Père reçu ainsi le nom d’Augustin et grand-mère le nom de Rose en honneur de Sainte Rose de Lima que l’église fêtait quelques jours après.

Qui était donc Saint Augustin ?

Déjà, Monsieur Aimé Laval, mon professeur de primaire, nous racontait de temps en temps, surtout au jour de leur fête, l’histoire des grands saints que l’Église honorait. Saint Augustin fut l’un d’eux. Grand philosophe et docteur de l’Eglise, Monsieur Laval, nous racontât un jour Augustin marchant sur la plage, il était absorbé dans ses pensées par la résolution de prouver que Dieu existait. Voyant un enfant qui remplissait un trou dans le sable de l’eau de la mer, il s’arrêta et demanda à l’enfant : que souhaites tu accomplir là ? L’enfant lui répondit : je souhaite remplir le trou de toute l’eau de la mer. C’est impossible lui répondit Augustin. L’enfant ajoutât : de même que tu ne trouveras pas la résolution de ton énigme. Il suffit seulement d’y croire.

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Saint Augustin est l’un des plus grands génies qui aient paru sur la terre et l’un des plus grands saints dont Dieu ait orné son Église. Moine, pontife, orateur, écrivain, philosophe, théologien, interprète de la Sainte Écriture, homme de prière et homme de zèle, il est une des figures les plus complètes que l’on puisse imaginer. Ce qu’il y a de plus admirable, c’est que Dieu tira cet homme extraordinaire de la boue profonde du vice pour l’élever presque aussi haut qu’un homme puisse atteindre; c’est bien à son sujet qu’on peut dire: “Dieu est admirable dans Ses Saints!”

Augustin naquit à Tagaste, en Afrique, l’an 354, et, s’il reçut de la part de sa sainte mère, Monique, les leçons et les exemples de la vertu, il reçut les exemples les plus déplorables de la part d’un malheureux père, qui ne se convertit qu’au moment de la mort. A l’histoire des égarements de coeur du jeune et brillant étudiant se joint l’histoire des égarements étranges de son esprit; mais enfin, grâce à trente années de larmes versées par sa mère, Dieu fit éclater invinciblement aux yeux d’Augustin les splendeurs de la vérité et les beautés seules vraies de la vertu, et le prodigue se donna tout à Dieu: “Le fils de tant de larmes ne saurait périr!” avait dit un prêtre vénérable à la mère désolée. Parole prophétique, qui renferme de grands enseignements pour les nombreuses Moniques des Augustins modernes.

C’est à Milan, sous l’influence d’Ambroise, qu’Augustin était rentré en lui-même. La voix du Ciel le rappela en Afrique où, dans une retraite laborieuse et paisible, avec quelques amis revenus à Dieu avec lui, il se prépara aux grandes destinées qui l’attendaient.

Augustin n’accepta qu’avec larmes l’évêché d’Hippone, car son péché était toujours sous ses yeux, et l’humilité fut la grande vertu de sa vie nouvelle. Il fut le marteau de toutes les hérésies de son temps; ses innombrables ouvrages sont un des plus splendides monuments de l’intelligence humaine éclairée par la foi, et ils demeurent comme la source obligée de toutes les études théologiques et philosophiques.

Si les écrits d’Augustin sont admirables par leur science, ils ne le sont pas moins par le souffle de la charité qui les anime; nul coeur ne fut plus tendre que le sien, nul plus compatissant au malheur des autres, nul plus sensible aux désastres de la patrie, nul plus touché des intérêts de Dieu, de l’Église et des âmes. Il passa les dix derniers jours de sa vie seul avec Dieu, dans le silence le plus absolu, goûtant à l’avance les délices de l’éternité bienheureuse.

The world’s attention is now turned to the Democratic Convention happenings in Denver. The nomination and later on the 4^th November, the election of the president of the US will impact on our life whether you like it or not. The dominant influence of the largest economic country definitely affects all of us. For this very reason, I took the trouble to document myself and to listen to the speeches delivered at the democratic convention. I must admit that I have already made my choice when I listened to Barack Obama’s address in Berlin earlier. Yes I am a partisan of the Obama’s.

And now, I am eagerly reading the speech of Michelle OBAMA, where she puts in her contribution as the next first lady to be. Let us hope that the 4 day’s convention will bring the democrats nearer to take over the presidency for the next term. The official nomination of Joe Biden as vice president reinforces the case for the Democratic Party and the final success of OBAMA. It is reported that Joe Biden, the experienced senator of Delaware brings to OBAMA the supposedly short comings in Obama’s experience and competence in foreign politics affairs whilst it rallies the votes of the low and medium class white blue collar workers.

The big question still to be answered is: how would the Hispanic voters react to OBAMA’s nomination? How would the Hispanics accept a black President?

All in all, President OBAMA at the head of the richest country of the world will make history. It will once again confirm that the US is the land of opportunities for all those who are willing to work hard enough. Judging from Bill Clinton’s past policies, it would appear that the Democrats at the helm of the US would be more favorable to Mauritius.

OBAMA from New York times

Born to a free-spirited white mother and a black Kenyan absentee father, Mr. Obama spent his childhood in Hawaii and Indonesia. As part of a younger generation of black leaders, he represents the success — but not the historic struggle — of the civil rights movement. And his upstart campaign for the Democratic nomination, using a mantra of hope and change combined with tech-savvy, unconventional organization, helped him surpass one of America’s most prominent political establishments, the Clintons, to become the first African-American to lead a major party ticket.More »

Between earning degrees at Columbia and Harvard, Mr. Obama spent two years as a community organizer on Chicago‘s impoverished South Side. Left frustrated by the experience, he decided to pursue change as an insider and won a seat in the Illinois state senate. Mr. Obama has written of his “spooky good fortune” in politics, but his career includes one glaring political miscalculation — an ill-fated bid to unseat Bobby L. Rush, a former activist and a hero to black voters, in Congress.

Some accused Mr. Obama of impatience when he chose to seek the Democratic nomination just two years into his first U.S. Senate term. He faced a difficult decision after his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, when his proclamation that “We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don‘t like federal agents poking around our libraries in the Red States” propelled him to party stardom. Armed with his charisma and his public stance against the Iraq war before the 2003 invasion, Mr. Obama chose to run despite his comparatively little experience on the national stage.

Mr. Obama, known for his emphasis on the big picture and a tendency to delegate, has been called “post-racial” and “post-partisan.” “I am like a Rorschach test,” he said in an interview with The New York Times this past summer. “Even if people find me disappointing ultimately, they might gain something.” Mr. Obama has carefully eschewed identifying too closely with his party, despite a fairly liberal voting record. His campaign‘s innovative internet organization both dovetailed with his call for a new kind of politics and helped him raise record amounts of money from small and large donors alike. He is a regular on the basketball court and at the gym, and his comparative youth and lofty oratory inspired comparisons to John F. Kennedy.

Despite his focus on unity, his victory over Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton caused lingering resentments among her supporters. Critics call him an empty vessel, a charge fueled by his decisions to decline public financing and support an expansion of government surveillance powers after the election, both shifts from earlier positions.

Mr. Obama lives with his wife, Michelle, and two daughters in the Chicago neighborhood of Hyde Park.

Le 25 Aout nous célébrons la fête de notre capitale Port Louis, mieux encore la fête de notre cathédrale chef lieu de notre diocèse. J’ai a cœur le nom de Louis que je porte et que mes parents ont choisi. En effet mon papa s’appelait également Louis et mon fils aussi. Port Louis pour moi marque bien la ville ou j’ai grandi.

Louis, roi de France a donné son nom à notre capitale. Mais la France a connu beaucoup de Louis rois de grandes et petites vertus. Qui est donc le roi de France, le saint Louis en question ? Grace à l’internet, j’ai pris plaisir hier matin de lire plus amplement sur mon saint homonyme.

J’ai surtout retenu de lui : qu’il était réputé pour sa piété, Louis IX se taille, grâce aux croisades, une réputation de roi diplomate et juriste dans toute l’Europe. Les royaumes font appel à sa sagesse dans les affaires complexes. En grand pacifique, le 4 décembre 1259 à Paris, il signe un traité de paix avec l’Angleterre mettant ainsi fin à la première « guerre de Cent Ans » entre les deux pays.

Pour conduire ses sujets au salut, le roi de France interdit les jeux, la prostitution et punit cruellement le blasphème.

Je suis fier de porter ce nom et me souviens encore de mon enfance quand je regardais en admiration la statue de Saint Louis du haut de la tribune de la cathédrale Saint Louis.

I google searched Garbage to Gold to find out the numerous of projects and initiatives that are available on the web in turning Garbage into marketable products. More importantly, I wanted to learn from the projects the technology used which could be applied in Mauritius.

Whilst composting seems to be the general idea, it is interesting to find out the different composting methods. Recently I was talking to some eco experts in Riambel who are test driving a compost digester for the chicken farms in the south region. Anaerobic digesters have been used for centuries and is one alternative. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anaerobic_digestion

But have heard of vermicomposting? TerraCycle promotes this technique which seems to catch up fast. Would it possible to use the ideas promoted by TerraCycle in Mauritius?

Turning Garbage to Gold in Japan is also catching up too. Would our municipal authorities pick up ideas from what is being tried out in the city of Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture. Food and kitchen wastes from hotels could well be negative raw material to convert in fertilisers too? http://web-japan.org/trends98/honbun/ntj970731.html

Turning old containers into raw material is another great idea that I picked up from TerraCycle. Is it very Chinese to keep the old containers of margarine to be used as food container for the kids to carry their sandwiches at school?

Terra Cycle Story:

TerraCycle was founded in the fall of 2001 in a Princeton University dorm room — 82 Blair Hall to be exact. The idea was simple: take waste, process it, and turn it into a useful product.

The initial business plan was written for a business plan contest sponsored by the Princeton Entrepreneurship Club. The following summer, Tom Szaky and Jon Beyer made arrangements with Princeton Dining Services to accept dining hall waste and process it in their prototype ‘Worm Gin’. The waste turned out to be a bit messier than they had anticipated, but they perservered. Towards the end of that summer, they found their first investor who learned of the company through an interview with Bernard Spigner. They shortly moved into their first office at 20 Nassau St, Unit 14.

Tom took an extended leave of absence from Princeton in the spring of 2003. In May of 2003, Tom entered the Carrot Capital business plan contest, which offered $1 million in seed capital to the winning team. And TerraCycle won! However, they turned down the money because they didn’t like the direction in which Carrot Capital wanted to take the company.

The company continued, funded by prize money from business plan contests and angel investors. A major breakthrough was achieved in May of 2004 when The Home Depot began selling TerraCycle Plant Foodâ„¢ on their website. In 2005, TerraCycle continued their growth as Whole Foods, Home Depot Canada, Wal*Mart Canada, Wild Oats and Do-It-Best began carrying the TerraCycle line.

Most recently, TerraCycle has been named one of the 100 most innovative companies by Red Herring magazine and been awarded the Environmental Stewardship Award from Home Depot Canada. The Environmental Stewardship Award is one of only two company-wide awards given by Home Depot Canada.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 16,13-20.

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah.

This reading flashes me back to my visit to Caesarea Philippi in Israel some 15 years or so ago. Our selected group of pilgrims came back from Galilee went to visit Caesarea Philippi. I recall of the human size sculpture on a roman soldier placed at the entrance of the town.

‘But who do you say that I am?’ This is the question I am asking myself now. Who is Jesus to me now? What is the relation I have with him now? True enough, from the teachings that I had, I know and believe that He is the messiah, the son of the living God, the Saviour of humanity. My God is not some great remote organizer and Omni powerful being that is distant from me. My Saviour is a personal benefactor who out of love for me, has decided to come to take care of me. Somebody I can talk to, someone with whom I have to build an intimate relationship. Alas all too often, I forget of His existence. Forgive me Lord, for putting you often aside and neglect your presence.

You instituted a church and gave all powers to Peter to manage it. We are so grateful to you Lord Jesus. May we be reminded of you, and worship you through the church and its teaching. Give us to be closer to you and to be more aware of the love that you are showering on us now and forever.

Maranatha. Maranatha.

My grandmother had for many years been practising Buddhism before being converted to christianism at the end of her life. Being the eldest grandchild I had always accompanied her to her weekly trip to the various temples to make her weekly offerings. Though uneducated, as she never attended school, she knew from tradition, the stories about the gods and deities to venerate. She always made sure to spend some time over the statues representing Kwan Yin who she told me is the only feminine who dispenses mercy and compassion.

David, the brother in law of my wife and my friend sent to me today this paper cutting:

Thursday August 21, 2008

Nicholas Kristof’s column in the New York Times today contains a sentence about the Chinese “goddess of mercy,” Guanyin (Kwan yin), that I don’t think is accurate. But maybe Kristof is right and I’m wrong. Kristof writes,

When the first Westerners arrived and brought their faith in the Virgin Mary, China didn’t have an equivalent female figure to work miracles — so Guan Yin, the God of Mercy, underwent a sex change and became the Goddess of Mercy.

You may know that Guanyin is a manifestation of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. My understanding is that until the time of the early Sung Dynasty (960–1126), the bodhisattva was portrayed in art as male. From the 12th century on, however, in much of Asia, Avalokiteshvara took the form of a mother-goddess of mercy.

During this time there were Nestorian Christians living within the Mongol Empire, but I don’t believe the Nestorians venerated Mary. All the reference books says the first Catholic missionary to China was John of Montecorvino (1294-1328), who arrived in China in the early 14th century, when a female Guanyin was already well established in Chinese Buddhist iconography. For this reason I don’t think there was a direct connection between Guanyin and Mary.

However, it is interesting to me that during the 10th through 12th centuries, when the image of Guanyin was becoming popular, the veneration of Mary also was on the rise in Europe. Was there some cultural cross-pollination the historians don’t know about? Or some other factor that made mother goddesses particularly appealing during that time?