A Tryst With Destiny

70 years ago, our first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, spoke these words in his speech: 'Awake to freedom.' He said, "Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially.  That future is not one of ease or resting, but of incessant striving so that we might fulfil the pledges we have so often taken, and the one we shall take today. The service of India means the service of the millions who suffer. It means the ending of poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of opportunity. The ambition of the greatest man of our generation has been to wipe every tear from every eye. That may be beyond us but as long as there are tears and suffering, so long our work will not be over."

And it isn't over.  India is still work in progress.  Like a huge tanker it turns inexorably towards the path of opportunity, economic stability and social equality.  But like the mammoth tanker it has a long way to go in actualizing these ideals.  And so, on this 70^th Independence Day, a few thoughts and a prayer:

Let us, as a nation, be thankful for our land—sovereign, diverse and a platform for exciting entrepreneurship. For grounds that can be used for cultivation; for oceans that provide occupation to thousands of fishermen; for natural resources found beneath us; for skies that bring rain on parched lands and hungering seeds. And when the skies proved too generous in their outpourings, inundating cities, it brought to the fore opportunities to showcase humaneness, compassion and care for so many who lost so much. Resilience was once again modeled, reminding us as we bounce back, that adversity may come, but as a people, as Indians, we will rise to overcome because we are brothers and sisters bound together with a common heritage.  

And then, we must be thankful that in this past year the seas have respected their limits and waves have been gentle and kind; that the earth has not opened beneath us and fault lines have not widened to bring destruction.  We must be thankful too, that for the most part, swollen rivers have dutifully emptied themselves into the sea and riverbanks have channeled their waters in disciplined fashion.

And, let us be thankful that we are citizens of this beautiful nation and be good stewards of this land.  Let us be faithful, to justify the faith that God has placed in us in planting us here, and rely on His wisdom to make good choices.  May we have the vision to see beyond the visible and to imagine things that may seem to be near impossible, with the indefatigable will to go after them anyway.  May we have the moral courage to stand against injustice in all its evil forms, to be pillars of strength for the oppressed, the disenfranchised and the downtrodden, and to have eyes of compassion that will always recognize need, never get too haughty, and always be ready to see beyond the façades that often camouflage pain and suffering.

May we lead lives of integrity and honesty primarily mandated not by laws and legislature but by heartfelt, and heart-owned convictions.  May we be known the world over as people who stand by their word, who treat each other with equality and who stoop to help a struggling stranger.  May we become not only a model for economic growth, but a representation of a humane and just society where equality and mutual respect is offered regardless of gender, race, caste or economic or social status and where dignity comes from who we are rather than what we do.

May this pledge, penned in 1963 by Shri  Venkata Subba Rao, be our standard as we say: India is my country. All Indians are my brothers and sisters. I love my country, and I am proud of its rich and varied heritage. I shall always strive to be worthy of it. I shall give my parents, teachers and all elders respect and treat everyone with courtesy. To my country and all my people, I pledge my devotion. In their well-being and prosperity alone lies my happiness.

All this we know, cannot be achieved on our own.  So, help us we pray, Almighty God, You who are all-powerful, You who care so much for the poor and You who want so much Your will to be done here on earth as it is in heaven. Help us, citizens of this great and beautiful country we call India, to use this Independence Day to spur each other on to greater heights that will lead to a brighter future for our country and a lasting legacy for our children.

In Jesus' Name we pray.

Amen.