Dearly Beloved in Christ,

As the apostle Paul said, "Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death" (Philippians 1:20). The apostle Paul, a man of unwavering steadfastness, articulates his unwavering ambition in this verse. Regardless of the hardships he might face, he was determined to ensure that his life would serve as a means of magnifying Jesus. He held firm to this determination through peril, pain, and imprisonment, offering his body willingly as a sacrifice.

Some of us might struggle to see how Jesus can be magnified in our lives. We may think this is only possible during times of persecution for our faith. However, this is not the case. Our hands can magnify the Lord when we write letters of encouragement. Our feet can do the same as we run simple errands of helpfulness. Our voices magnify Him as we share our testimonies and sing His praises. Our hands can also magnify Him as we express in prayer our love for our redeeming Christ. Our ears magnify Him as we gratefully listen to sermons exalting His grace.

Over and above these, we have to magnify Christ through our life and mission. We are reminded of this calling through the beautiful words of Teresa of Avila, who wrote:

Christ has no body but hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

These words beautifully illustrate how we, as followers of Christ, are called to magnify Him through our actions. As it is written in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Our actions are not merely our own but serve as a reflection of Christ's love and compassion in the world. Indeed, as Paul wrote in his epistle to the Ephesians, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10).

Furthermore, 1 Corinthians 12:27 Paul exhorts, "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."

This scripture emphasizes the unity and purpose of the body of Christ, where each of us plays a vital role in fulfilling His mission on earth.

To embody Christ in our daily lives, we must:

• Use our hands to serve others and provide comfort to those in need.

• Walk with our feet towards those who are marginalized, offering them support and understanding.

• See with our eyes the pain and suffering in the world and respond with compassion and action.

• Speak with our voices to share the love and grace of Christ with others.

In these challenging times, let us extend our compassion and assistance to those affected by the massive landslide in Wayanad. This is an opportunity for us to be the hands and feet of Christ, reaching out to those in desperate need of help and comfort. Let us unite in our efforts to provide relief and support to the families and communities impacted by this disaster.

As we surrender ourselves and worship God, let us pray for the strength to carry out His will, as reflected in the prayer of Rabindranath Tagore:

"This is my prayer to thee, my lord - strike, strike at the root of penury in my heart.
Give me strength to lightly bear my joys and sorrows. Give me the strength to make
my love fruitful in service. Give me the strength never to disown the poor or bend my
knees before insolent might. Give me the strength to raise my mind high above
daily trifles. And give me the strength to surrender my strength to thy will with love."

May we all strive to magnify Jesus through our actions and bring His light into the world. If we know Jesus, we can lift Him up in our daily lives. This should be our song:

"Take my will, make it Thine
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart - it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne."

With love and prayer,

Rev. Vinoy Daniel
Vicar