COVID-19, mental health and religion: an agenda for future research

COVID-19, mental health and religion: an agenda for future research by Simon Dein , Kate Loewenthal , Christopher Alan Lewis & Kenneth I. Pargament

We are currently facing a worldwide pandemic of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) for which there is yet no effective treatment or vaccination. This has resulted in the world being turned “upside-down” where many of our “normal” social behaviours have undergone dramatic changes. As of 3 May 2020, there have been approximately 3,546,758 global cases of COVID-19, 1137,349 people have recovered from the disease, while there have been 247,312 deaths from the virus (Worldometer, 2020). First identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019, the virus has reached most parts of the world. At the time of writing, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain have been the four countries worse affected by the pandemic. At present, there is an almost global lockdown, and social distancing appears to be having some effect on reducing the prevalence of infection. One aspect of the lockdown is that places of worship have been temporarily closed and the internet has become the primary locus of religious activity primary locus of religious activity. In this brief paper, we ask what are the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for religion and mental health? Given that the viral pandemic has existed only for six-months or so, there is a dearth of empirical research, and currently, there is little information available on this topic. The evidence base for this paper largely derives from newspaper articles on the internet rather than scientific empirical studies but indicates what is happening to religious beliefs and practices. Much of the information on the Net pertains to Christianity, which is a central, though not exclusive, focus of this paper.

When the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic began to be appreciated, attempts were made to assess this impact (e.g., Ho et al., in press; Van Bavel et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2020). For example, Wang et al. (2020) reported from a general population survey in China that 28.8% of those surveyed reported moderate to severe anxiety symptoms, and 16.5% reported moderate to severe depression symptoms. Classical European literature does mention the possible roles of religion in responding to and coping with epidemics of contagious illnesses such as the Plague (e.g., Boccaccio, 1353; Camus, 1947; Defoe, 1722; Mann, 1912) but recent work contains negligible mention of religion in responding to and coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here we examine some factors. First, religious doctrinal responses. Second, religiously related behaviour. Third, prejudiced attitudes and behaviour towards religious groups. Fourth, tensions, strains, and conflicts about religious matters.

Religious doctrinal responses

We first describe some Christian responses, including some beliefs that the pandemic is not merely extraordinary but apocalyptic. Such beliefs may appear in all or most other religious groups, although a serious conviction that apocalyptic change is imminent may be confined to a minority of individuals within any faith tradition.

Since it was first written in 95 AD by John of Patmos, the Book of Revelation has deployed to account for world events in terms of the “end times”. While there is disagreement among scholars as to how the text is to be interpreted, the book spans three genres: Epistolary, the apocalyptic, and the prophetic. Many have taken the text as a literal description of the end times while others have used it as a revelation of divine will. Revelation describes four horsemen of the Apocalypse who appear when the seven seals are opened. The first symbolises Christ. The second represents war and bloodshed. The third is identified with famine, and the fourth is associated with pestilence and death. Some Christians claim that COVID-19 is proof that the plagues of the book of Revelation, and more specifically, the seven Seals of Revelation 6:1–8:1, are occurring now and Jesus’ return is imminent. For them, Revelation has indeed predicted the COVID-19 pandemic. Corona has been associated with the fourth horseman.

Christian sources on the internet quote a range of biblical sources about the preceding of the end of time with pestilence. For example, Revelation 6:8 – And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. Matthew 24:7–13 – For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in diverse places. Ezekiel 38:22 – “I will plead against him with pestilence and the blood”.

lence and the blood”. There is evidence that some religious groups have neglected health preventative measures for COVID-19 and have, therefore played a role in spreading the virus. For example, a major source of COVID-19 infection in South Korea has been the Shincheonji church (Rashid, 2020). It was established by its leader Lee Man Hee in 1984 who is held by his followers to be the second coming of Christ, the “Promised Pastor” in the Bible and the Messiah (Lincoln, 2017). The group is known for its aggressive and deceptive proselytising practices and packing its members tightly in the church during services. Worshipers were instructed to keep their church affiliation secret. Its leader has promised entry into the “New Heaven and the New Earth” to its members, who have been declining treatment and preventive measures for virus infection.

Approximately 60% of the total infections nationwide are held to have originated from the church (Bostock, 2020). The Koreans were outraged by the fact that church members were told to continue proselytising even after the outbreak had begun and were taught not to be afraid of sickness. A 61-year-old female member of the sect was one of the first to be infected and initially refused to be taken to a hospital to be tested. She attended a number of services while unwell and was a major source of contagion.

while unwell and was a major source of contagion. The Seoul city government instructed prosecutors to charge the religious group’s founder and other senior members of the group with murder, causing harm, and for violating the Infectious Disease and Control Act (Agence France-Presse, 2020). Authorities have blamed the church for hiding the names of some members and allege that Shincheonji members infected one another in the southern city of Daegu last month, before spreading through the country. It has been difficult to locate and screen church members for the COVID-19 virus.

Another group who have not taken preventative measures are Haredi Jews in Israel (Halbfinger, 2020). The Haredim are groups within Orthodox Judaism who strictly adhere to their interpretation of Jewish law and values and are opposed to modern values and practices. They strive to limit contact with the outside world except for economic purposes and essential public interactions. In Israel, many live in poor environments, and overcrowded accommodation and social distancing would be difficult, to say the least. According to the Jewish newspaper The Forward (2020), Haredim constitute about 12.5% of Israel’s population, but, according to health officials, they make up a third of the country’s COVID-19 cases. In Bnei Brak, an ultra-Orthodox area outside of Tel Aviv, Israel, approximately 40% of residents may be infected (Zevloff, 2020). Religious leaders have been blamed for encouraging their followers

to continue life as normal, and some people have continued to congregate for prayer. A funeral of a Haredi Rabbi in Bnei Brak in March was supposedly attended by 400 followers (Staff, 2020). Israeli newspapers accuse them of flouting government directives, and they are driven, allegedly, by their religious beliefs that if they pray and study, they can defeat the virus (Halbfinger, 2020). The pandemic for them is a punishment for inadequate religious observance. Could it be that being cut off from the outside world, they are not exposed to everyday news and therefore not to blame for their own predicament? However, in the USA it is reported that large numbers of Haredi Jews recovered from the virus are “flocking” to donate plasma for all current patients in need: 50% of plasma donations in the USA are reported to be from Haredi Jews (Sharp, 2020).

In a third recent instance, 16,000 Muslim pilgrims came together in Malaysia and, returning home, spread the COVID-19 to half a dozen countries (Beech, 2020) The worshippers came from Tablighi Jamaat, the largest Islamic missionary movement in the world. This movement emphasises returning to the way life was lived in the age of the Prophet Muhammad, praying and eating together in mosques. Despite the public outcry against another large planned religious event, 8,700 people met in a subsequent gathering, sharing food and crowding together in tents. One participant said: “None of us have a fear of corona. We are afraid of God”. A worker employed by the ministry of health said: “All sickness and all health is from God. Whatever happens to us is God’s will”

While the increased prominence of apocalyptic texts and beliefs can offer comfort in the time of COVID-19, some religious doctrinal responses may have been counter-productive and have led to spreading of infection, and also to dislike by others towards those holding to these doctrines. There are many kinds of other religious beliefs that could offer comfort in relationship to COVID-19 (e.g., beliefs in a loving, protective God, beliefs in an all-knowing, all-powerful God, beliefs in an afterlife).

Religious behaviour

Passing from doctrinal beliefs, we examine religious behaviour resulting from the pandemic. The pandemic has affected religious practice in significant ways, including the cancellation of live religious services, closing religious schools, cancelling pilgrimages and prohibiting group interactions during festivals and celebrations. Some religious organisations have been involved in the process of providing disinfectants, ventilators, face shields, gloves and food to affected areas while others have offered COVID-19 tests to the general public. In the United States, President Donald Trump declared 15 March 2020 a National Day of Prayer. As an alternative, churches, mosques and synagogues have provided creative ways of providing services online through live streaming, radio and television. These lack the communal dimensions of live face to face interactions and for Christians do not provide the opportunity to partake of the Eucharist. Some Christian denominations have started up drive-in church services in church parking lots. In other instances, Christians deploy online apps for prayer and daily devotionals. There are reports that hospital chaplaincy services in the UK, which have been declining in recent years due to funding cuts, are being increased in Coronavirus (Nightingale) hospitals (Rookes, 2020).

gale) hospitals (Rookes, 2020). Some religious practices have changed. The obligation to observe the custom of abstaining from eating meat on Fridays during Lent was suspended by some Roman Catholic bishops during the COVID-19 pandemic, which coincided with Lent in 2020 (Noori, 2020). Episcopal and Catholic churches have requested that older worshippers remain at home rather than attending Sunday Mass which is usually required (Parke, 2020). Thousands of Jews prayed together at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem on 15 February 2020 to stop the COVID-19 pandemic, led by Chief Rabbi of Safed, Shmuel Eliyahu. Following a police request on 12 March 2020, Israel’s chief rabbis David Lau and Yitzhak Yosef instructed observant Jews to stop visiting this holy site, but a few people still continued to pray there. However, even though the government prohibited collective prayer with a minyan (publiс prayer quorum of 10 people or more) on 30th March, a special exemption was made in order that prayers might continue at the Wailing Wall thrice daily. For the first time in 2020 Jews celebrated the Passover without guests and the mosque in Regents Park, London is closed, with Muslims being asked to pray at home. And Muslims have been instructed to delay Haj and Umrah bookings (Heren, 2020).

There is some compelling evidence for a link between natural disasters and increased manifestations of religiosity (Bentzen, 2019). It is well recognised, however, that prayer is a common way of dealing with adversity. When catastrophe strikes, people seek closeness to God. Prayer is one strategy for doing so. Pargament (1996) has asserted that religion can facilitate coping in situations beyond their control. There is evidence for an intensification of prayer activity during this pandemic (Coppen, 2020). Searches for “prayer” on Google escalated in April 2020 and has doubled with every 80,000 new registered cases of COVID-19 (Bentzen, 2020). In our view, this suggests an increase in the actual number of people praying. Also searches for the terms God, Allah and Mohammad increased significantly. Bentzen (2020) speculates that the COVID-19 pandemic encouraged religious coping. Given the lockdown and the closure of religious institutions, this might indicate a marked shift from public to private prayer. Pray.com, which calls itself “the world’s #1 prayer app and website”, has been highly successful in attracting new subscribers and revenue (Heilwell, 2020). A Pew poll (Pew Research Center, 2020) indicated that 55% of Americans had prayed for the pandemic to end. This included 15% of those who “seldom or never prayed” and 24% of those who endorsed no religious affiliation had prayed about the virus.

On the other hand, there are data suggesting that in the last four decades there has been a significant decline in religious affiliation. The 2014 British Social Attitudes Survey (Clements, 2015) indicated that there was a 50% reduction in the number of Anglicans between 1983 and 2014. Between 2001 and 2011, the number of people identifying as Christian in the UK diminished by 4.1 million. This occurred despite 1.2 million adherents from Eastern Europe arriving in the UK. Bullivant’s (2019) Mass Exodus examines Catholic attrition in the UK and in the USA. The author notes that in America, only 15% of those born Catholics report that they attend Mass weekly; meanwhile, 35% no longer endorse the “Catholic box” on surveys. In the UK, of those brought up as Catholic, only 13% still attend Mass on a weekly basis, and 37% state that they have “no religion”. He speculates that church attendance will lessen after the COVID-19 pandemic for three reasons. First, churchgoers both lay and clergy, are often elderly, are most affected by the virus, and likely to die from it. Second, with the lockdown immigrants can no longer enter the UK. Many churches are highly dependent upon them for their congregations to grow. Third, the habit of churchgoing may be abolished, and once gone, its hard to take up again. A long period of lockdown may well break the habit of church attendance for a sizeable number of attendees

So, what have studies observed to date? A Gallup report states that “the most dramatic result (of the pandemic in religion) has been the exceedingly quick shift of religious services from in-person to online worship”. This is an unprecedented move in the history of world religions. The Poll indicated that 19% of Americans responded that their faith has intensified and only 3% reported that it got worse (Newport, 2020). A Pew Research report in March 2020 describes a change in peoples’ religious habits during the pandemic (Pew Research Center, 2020). Over 50% of respondents stated that they had “prayed for an end to the spread of coronavirus”, “attended religious services in person less frequently”, and “watched religious services online or on TV instead of in person”. Finally, according to Time Magazine, there has been increasing use of drive-in services in the US following the pandemic (Price, 2020).

This material suggests that many forms of religious activity have changed in response to the demands of the pandemic. In particular, collective worship has become difficult, online worship is increasing and while private worship/prayer appears to have been considerably on the increase.

Prejudice

We turn now to a classic topic in the study of religion, namely prejudice (Burch-Brown & Baker, 2016). We will look at prejudiced beliefs associated with the pandemic, and at behaviours. There is as yet negligible evidence about the numbers and nature of those prejudiced against other groups about the causes of the pandemic.

As mentioned above, some Christian and other religious sources have suggested that the pandemic is a punishment for sin, for example, for gay marriage. American Evangelist Preacher, Perry Stone sees the COVID-19 outbreak as a “reckoning” on America for abortion and gay marriage (Mantyla, 2020). More moderate faith leaders, however, reject the idea that the pandemic is a punishment for sin. “God is not interested in humanity perishing but to have eternal life”, Lightner said. “God did not send his only son to condemn us but to redeem us” (De Jesus, 2020). One empirical study of a sample from the United States, presumably largely Christian, found people agreeing only to a modest extent (Mn = 1.71 on 0 to 4 Likert scale) with the statement “After thinking about the Coronavirus, I wondered if God was angry with or had abandoned some people” (Lee, 2020, p. 394).

There has been a longstanding tradition in the monotheistic religions of accounting for illness in terms of sin. Recently fundamentalist Protestants and radicalised Catholics have taken to the internet to propagate their views that the pandemic is a punishment for a variety of sins ranging from gay marriage, abortion, blasphemy, environmental pollution, paganism and witchcraft, women having employment outside the home, and the Pope allegedly not consecrating Russia to the Immaculate Heart. While there have been no empirical studies of Christian explanations of COVID-19, over the past two months increasing numbers of reports have appeared on the internet quoting pastors who allege a direct relationship between sin and the development of COVID-19; the sins usually but not always involve homosexual issues. It is unclear at present how prevalent these views are among Evangelical Christians, how representative these views of the internet pastors are, and indeed some Christians have cautioned against linking COVID-19 with sin (Valerio & Heugh, 2020).

Some illustrative examples. Franklin Graham is an anti-LGBTQ+ evangelist, missionary and CEO of the Billy Graham Foundation who is well known for blaming gay people for a “moral 9/11”. He compares LGBTQ+ medical workers to “drunks and drug users”. He asserts that COVID-19 is caused by the world “turning its back on God”. He publicly stated, “This pandemic, it’s a result of a fallen world, a world that has turned its back on God” (Duffy, 2020). In another instance Pastor Rick Wiles, creator of the TruNews streaming channel, claims that COVID-19 has been “sent” to purge the world of sin, particularly sexual immorality and “filth” on TV. Furthermore, he argues that those who are devoted to Jesus are immune to the virus. He calls for Americans to “get right with God”. In a third case, extreme right pastor, Stephen Anderson quotes biblical verses prohibiting homosexuality, sodomy and transgender identity (Schlatter, 2010). He calls himself the leader of the American Christian denomination. He argues that COVID-19 is a consequence of “National disobedience of God’s laws and has called for March to be Repent of LGBT Sin Month and states that obeying God protects the US against Coronavirus”. Associated Press (2020) cites a recent Tel Aviv University report that anti-semitic beliefs are becoming more widespread – as in the past, disasters are blamed on the Jews. Examples of anti-semitic beliefs include the beliefs that the Jews developed the virus in order to later gain credit and profit from the vaccine that they will develop. They are alleged to be benefitting from the economic recession associated with the pandemic. Another anti-semitic belief is that the pandemic is a punishment for Jewish denial of (the divinity of) Jesus. There has been an 18% rise in anti-semitic incidents worldwide since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, including murders, other physical attacks on Jews, and desecration of synagogues and cemeteries (see Associated Press, 2020).

Other prejudice against religious groups includes anti-Christian persecution which has escalated in some countries like China with its policy of State Atheism. The government made use of the COVID-19 pandemic to pursue its anti-religious agenda. Xiangbaishu Church in Yixing was demolished and a Christian Cross from the steeple of a church in Guiyang County was removed. In the Shandong Province, “officials issued guidance forbidding online preaching, a vital way for churches to reach congregants amid both persecution and the spread of the virus” (Parke, 2020).

One conclusion that may be safely drawn, unfortunately, is that prejudice against others is likely to increase their distress, and in some cases, precipitate mental ill-health.

Religious struggles

Finally, it is important to recognise the potential for major life crises to shake people not only psychologically, socially, and physically, but religiously and spiritually as well. Religious struggles – defined as tensions, strains, and conflicts around sacred matters – are not at all unusual over the lifespan (Exline et al., 2014). Although data on COVID-19 are as yet lacking, other studies have demonstrated robust links between trauma, such as natural disaster and medical illness, and religious struggles. For example, in a study of a representative sample of adults from the United States, greater exposure to major life events was tied to higher levels of religious struggles which were, in turn, related to higher levels of psychological problems (Pomerleau et al., in press). Religious struggles can take many forms: feelings of anger toward, abandonment or being punished by God; concerns that a trauma may reflect the work of the devil or demonic forces; doubts about the truth of one’s religious faith; questions about ultimate meaning and purpose in life; struggles with living up to one’s moral values; and conflicts with other people about religious issues (Exline et al., 2014). We might expect the COVID-19 pandemic to trigger many of these profound religious and existential questions. Doehring (2020), for example, speaks to the moral struggles elicited by COVID-19 among frontline healthcare providers who must wrestle with the conflict between limited medical resources (e.g., ventilators, oxygen), a flood of patients, and the injunction to “do no harm”. Other people are likely grappling with ways to reconcile their beliefs in a loving God with the suffering engendered by the pandemic. And still, others may find their ultimate purpose in life thrown into question by the virus.

A significant body of research has tied religious struggles to greater distress, psychological problems, and physical decline, including a greater risk of mortality (e.g., Pargament & Exline, in press). For example, Vitorino et al. (2018) found that religious struggles among Brazilian hemodialysis patients were associated with greater pain and fatigue and poorer physical functioning. Another study of end-stage congestive heart failure patients showed that higher levels of religious struggles at baseline were related to more nights of hospitalisation and, marginally, greater physical impairment three months later (Park et al., 2011). In one of the first studies conducted in relation to COVID-19, Lee (2020) reported that higher levels of struggle with God were associated with elevated scores on a Coronavirus Anxiety Scale. If these and other studies are any guide, we should expect a rise in COVID-19 related religious struggles among various religious groups and subsequent mental health-related problems, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and suicidality. Research will be needed that points to factors that may buffer the effects of religious struggles on subsequent health and well-being will (e.g., Abu-Raiya et al., 2016).

Implications for future research 

The discussion above raises several specific issues pertaining to religion and mental health. . How do virtual religious activities impact mental health, and are they as effective as their live counterparts? . In what ways do apocalyptic beliefs and other religious beliefs help or hinder coping with COVID-19? . What strategies can be used to enhance preventative behaviour in religious groups pertaining to COVID-19? . What role does prayer and other religious practices play in coping with COVID-19 and how effective is this strategy? . To what extent do pandemics like COVID-19 intensify or diminish religious beliefs? . How can prejudice against others be reduced in the context of the pandemic? . What factors can cushion the effects of COVID-19 related religious struggles on subsequent distress, psychological problems, and poorer health?

In conclusion, in this brief paper we have begun to reflect on some of the possible implications of COVID-19 for religion and mental health. Noting that there is exceedingly limited empirical research on the topic available, we have relied heavily on newspaper and internet sources. Four general areas of attention were noted: religious doctrinal responses; religiously related behaviour; prejudiced attitudes and behaviour towards religious groups; and tensions, strains, and conflicts about religious matters. Some pertinent research questions are presented to help stimulate research on COVID-19, mental health and religion.

Towards people-centered Church post Covid-19

In the context Covid 19 a lot of reflection and discussion is going on regarding the post Covid world: religion, society, economy, health care system, and international relations.

During the lockdown almost all worship centres are closed and all religious gatherings are banned in view of preventing the spread of coronavirus. People of all faiths are confined to their homes and perform their religious rituals and prayers. Online religious services are made available to the Catholic faithful by the parishes and dioceses.

Many people are of the view that there may not be any reduction in the religious fervour and zeal of the people in post Covid 19 period. Some observers predict a surge in the religious activities because of the growing anxiety and insecurity in the people, especially with regard to job and livelihood.

Covid 19 provides an opportunity for the Catholic Church to reinvent itself. Even before the pandemic started spreading the churches in Europe faced a serious crisis. According to Pew survey report in My 2018, 64 percent people surveyed in Western Europe identified themselves as Christians, but only 18 percent said they attended church at least once a month.

As many as 46 percent said they were non-practising Christians and 24 percent religiously unaffiliated. As a result, churches are being sold out or being converted into other utilities, as their maintenance have become difficult.

The Church in India has not faced dwindling of the number of faithful attending church services. At the same time, there has been drastic reduction in the vocation to religious life and priesthood. Many women congregation face a crisis of vocation. This could be an indication of the future scenario of the Church in India. Opposition from the Hindutva forces is another serious challenge. Hence the need for reinventing the Church in India.

The Second Vatican Council described the Church as ‘People of God’ and initiated a series of reforms to transform the institutional Church into a Church of the people. Unfortunately, in course of time these attempts got defeated and as a result the Church in India has become more and more institutional and hierarchical.

Feedbacks from the faithful indicate that their faith has not been weakened as a result of not going to the church during the lockdown. In fact, every family is converted into a church during the lockdown period. This experience of people throw some light on the future shape of the Church if it has to become dynamic and influential.

Instead of large gatherings or crowds small communities can contribute to spiritual growth and building communion among the members. The early Christian communities were small gatherings of the faithful. Jesus has promised his presence in the gatherings of his followers and not in huge buildings and statues.

“For where two or three come together in my name, I am there with them” (Mt 18:20). What Jesus has emphasized is communion among the members rather than the size of the gathering. Hence the focus should be on small communities with communion and presenting them as role models of Christian living, reflecting the core values of forgiveness, compassion and love.

If the Church’s focus shifts to forming small Christian communities that strive to follow the way of Jesus, big churches are not needed. They need only user friendly small buildings as churches. The early Christians are described in the Acts of the Apostles as those who followed “the way”, the way of Jesus. Hence the Church in India should shun all plans to build huge church buildings in the future. Some existing churches could be converted into multi-purpose utilities for the service of the people.

Presently most churches are being used only for two or three hours in a day. In the mission areas, many church buildings are used only on Sundays and that too for a few hours. The rest of the time the church buildings remain idle. Should we set apart a building only for worship for two or three hours in a week? Why can’t we think of multi-purpose buildings which can be used as churches whenever needed and the remaining time for philanthropic activities?

In some places even today classrooms or halls of the schools are being used as churches? Why don’t we continue this practice and use the money meant for building churches to build houses for the poor? Jesus, who was born in a manger, lived as an itinerant teacher and died on the cross, does not feel comfortable in huge and opulent churches.

As a corollary of shifting from crowds to small communities we could also discard many other paraphernalia. Big statues can be replaced with photos and beautiful paintings. Simple attire can replace costly and glittering vestments used for prayer and worship. Loud and shouting prayers can give way to reflective and meditative prayer, focusing on contemplation.

The administration within the Church also should undergo a drastic change. The role of a priest should become that of a facilitator and animator, helping and guiding the faithful in their spiritual growth. Depending on the number of the Christian families, the parish priest can take up activities like teaching or training.

Administration of the temporalities of the Church should be handed over to the representatives of the faithful, periodically elected by the community members. The priest may do the facilitation of the administrative team, but the decision making power should be with representatives of the community.

The practice of charging fee for various spiritual services should be discontinued. Every family of the community shall make an annual contribution to the church according to its income. The parish community in consultation with the concerned family shall decide its contribution to the church. The contribution can be given in yearly, quarterly or monthly installments as per the financial status of the family.

Besides the annual contribution, the families could be encouraged to make voluntary contribution for philanthropy. The priest shall be maintained by the parish community by giving him a decent honorarium. If a particular parish does not have enough financial resource to maintain a priest the diocese shall support that parish.

The topmost priority of a Christian community or parish should be presenting itself as a role model of living the values and teachings of Jesus. The families should help each other in their needs. The poor families are to be supported by the community in such a way that they should become self reliant in course of time.

Christian communities should become facilitators of reconciliation and forgiveness between the communities that are in conflicts. In the context of India the Christian communities have the opportunity to become builders of harmony among different religious, caste and ethnic groups.

Let the Church in India remember the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “A rose does not need to preach. The fragrance is its own sermon.” Covid 19 has given an opportunity to the Church to become a rose that emits fragrance, a light that enlightens others, salt that prevents from being corrupted and adds taste. In order to make use of this opportunity it needs a paradigm shift from institution centred to people centered.

Stole and Towel - Authority and Service

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 Stole and Towel - Authority and Service

From Fr. Tony Kadavil:

1 The Stole and the Towel: It is  the title of a book, which sums up the message of the Italian bishop, Tony Bello, who died of cancer at the age of 58.  On Maundy Thursday of 1993, while on his deathbed, he dictated a pastoral letter to the priests of his diocese.  He called upon them to be bound by "the stole and the towel."  The stole symbolizes union with Christ in the Eucharist, and the towel symbolizes union with humanity by service.  The priest is called upon to be united with the Lord in the Eucharist and with the people as their servant.  Today we celebrate the institution of both the Eucharist and the priesthood: the feast of "the stole and the towel," the feast of love and service. 

2 “Jesus Christ gave a lasting memorial”:

One of his Catholic disciples asked the controversial god-man Osho Rajneesh about the difference between Buddha the founder of Buddhism and Jesus Christ.  He told a story to distinguish between Buddha and Christ. When Buddha was on his death bed, his disciple Anand asked him for a memorial and Buddha gave him a Jasmine flower. However, as the flower dried up, the memory of Buddha also dwindled. But Jesus Christ instituted a lasting memorial, without anybody’s asking for it, by offering His Body and Blood in the form of bread and wine and commanding His disciples to share His Divinity by repeating the ceremony. So Jesus continues to live in His followers while Buddha lives only in history books. On Holy Thursday, we are reflecting on the importance of the institution of the Holy Eucharist and the ministerial priesthood. [Osho Rajneesh claimed himself to be another incarnation of God who attained “enlightenment” at 29 when he was a professor of Hindu philosophy in Jabalpur University in India. He had thousands of followers for his controversial “liberation through sex theology,” based on Hindu, Buddhist and Christian theology.

3: Why is the other side empty? 

Have you ever noticed that in Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of the Last Supper everybody is on one side of the table? The other side is empty. "Why's that?" someone asked the great artist. His answer was simple. "So that there may be plenty of room for us to join them." Want to let Jesus do his thing on earth through you? Then pull up a chair and receive him into your heart (Fr. Jack Dorsel).

4: Holy Communion on the moon:

On July 20, 1969, the space rocket Apollo 11 became the first manned vehicle to land on the surface of the moon carrying the astronauts Neil Armstrong (commander), Michael Collins (pilot of the command module) and Edwin Aldrin (commander of the lunar module). It was an event that inspired awe all around the world. After landing on the moon, Aldrin radioed earth with these words: "I'd like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours, and to give thanks in his or her own way." Then, when he journeyed out of the space module onto the moon's surface, he did something quite significant. He took out a small home Communion kit and became the first person to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion on the surface of the moon. This is to say that the event we celebrate this night is the only religious rite in all the world that has been celebrated on the surface of the moon. Here's an interesting sidebar. Aldrin kept his intent to celebrate Holy Communion on the moon a secret, even from his fellow astronauts. Why? Because earlier someone had filed a lawsuit regarding the reading of Genesis 1 by the astronauts on Apollo 8 as they circled the earth on Christmas Eve a few years earlier. (Chaikin, Andrew. A Man On The Moon. Cited at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buzz_Aldrin ) It is nice to know, isn't it, that the Eucharist has been received by a man on the moon. It's much more critical to know that we have this rite to celebrate because God came down to earth. This is a rite initiated by the Master himself. Understanding that is particularly significant when we read John's portrayal of that First Holy Communion, which we know as the Last Supper.

5: "Now she's ready for living--in this life and the next." 

TV pastor Robert Schuller tells about the time Bishop Fulton Sheen spoke at the Crystal Cathedral. Fulton Sheen was one of the most effective religious communicators of his time. In the early 1950s, his weekly television broadcast was the most popular program in the country. Because he was so popular, thousands of people came to hear Sheen at the Crystal Cathedral. After the message, he and Robert Schuller were able to get to their car only because a passageway was roped off. Otherwise, they would have been mobbed. Along both sides of the ropes, people were reaching out in an attempt to touch the bishop. It was as if the pope himself had come to town. As Sheen was passing through this section on his way to his car, someone handed him a note, which he folded and put into his pocket. Then, as he and Schuller were on their way to the restaurant where they where going to eat lunch, Bishop Sheen pulled out that note, read it, and asked Schuller, "Do you know where this trailer park is?" Schuller looked at the note and said, "Yes, it's just a couple of miles from here." The bishop said, "Do you think we could go there before we go to lunch?" "Sure," Schuller answered. "We have plenty of time." So they drove to this little trailer park, and Bishop Sheen went up to one of the trailers and knocked on the door. An elderly woman opened the door, and seemed surprised--flabbergasted, really--when she saw who had come to visit her. She opened the door and the bishop went in. After a few moments, he came out, got back in the car and said, "Now she's ready for living--in this life and the next." [Robert A. Schuller, Dump Your Hang-ups (Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 1993).] Bishop Sheen showed the Spirit of Jesus on Holy Thursday. 

6:  A president in servant’s role:

"When I try to tell people what Ronald Reagan was like," says Peggy Noonan, former White House speechwriter, "I tell them the bathroom story." A few days after President Reagan had been shot, when he was able to get out of bed, he wasn't feeling well, so he went into the bathroom that connected to his room. He slapped some water on his face and some of the water slopped out of the sink. He got some paper towels and got down on the floor to clean it up. An aide went in to check on him, and found the president of the United States on his hands and knees on the cold tile floor, mopping up water with paper towels. "Mr. President," the aide said, "what are you doing? Let the nurse clean that up!" And President Ronald Reagan said, "Oh, no. I made that mess, and I'd hate for the nurse to have to clean it up." [Pat Williams, The Paradox of Power (New York: Warner Faith, 2002).]

7: Waiting and remembering:

One day the professor of Eucharistic theology came in carrying a brown paper bag, and declared that his theology students were going to learn the significance of the Lord’s Supper. As he began to talk he reached into the bag and pulled out a hand full of Buckeyes, and began throwing them, one by one, to each member of the class. (If you are not familiar with the Buckeye, it is the large, shiny brown seed of the Horse Chestnut tree. It is especially abundant in Ohio which is the reason Ohio is known as the Buckeye State.) The professor then reached into his own pocket and removed a small, brown, shriveled up something. Holding it between his two fingers for all to see he said to the class, “See this? This is a Buckeye like you have. I have been carrying it around in my pocket since 1942. I had a son who went off to the war that year. When he left he gave me this Buckeye, and told me to put it in my pocket and keep it there until he came home. That way each time I reached in my pocket I would always remember him. Well, I have been carrying that Buckeye in my pocket since 1942. And I have been waiting. Waiting for my son to come back, and each time I reach in my pocket I remember my son.” Eucharistic celebration is about waiting and remembering. Each time, we, as a community of faith, gather around the table to take the consecrated bread and cup we are remembering, and we are proclaiming that we are waiting for our Lord to return. (Jerry Fritz, http://leiningers.com/waiting.html).

8: "You don't recognize me, do you?”

There is an old legend about DaVinci's painting of the Last Supper. In all of his paintings he tried to find someone to pose that fit the face of the particular character he was painting. Out of hundreds of possibilities he chose a young 19-year old to portray Jesus. It took him six months to paint the face of Jesus. Seven years later DaVinci started hunting for just the right face for Judas. Where could he find one that would portray that image? He looked high and low. Down in a dark Roman dungeon he found a wretched, unkempt prisoner to strike the perfect pose. The prisoner was released to his care and when the portrait of Judas was complete the prisoner said to the great artist, "You don't recognize me, do you? I am the man you painted seven years ago as the face of Christ. O God, I have fallen so low." 

9:  “Neither is your best good enough for Almighty God."

There was once an old retired Methodist bishop who never missed an opportunity to say a word for his Lord. One day he was in the barbershop receiving a haircut from the young man who was his regular barber. There was enough conversation in the shop to allow him to speak with his barber privately, so he said, "Harry, how are you and the Lord getting along?" Rather curtly the young man replied, "Bishop, I do the best I can and that's good enough for me." The bishop said no more. When his haircut was finished, he got up and paid the barber. Then he said with a smile, "Harry, you work so hard that you deserve a break. Sit down, rest, and have a coke. I'll cut the next customer's hair." The barber smiled and said, "Bishop, I appreciate that but I can't let you do it." "But why not?" asked the Bishop. "I promise to do my best." "But," said the barber, "I'm afraid that your best wouldn't be good enough." Then the bishop added the obvious, "And son, neither is your best good enough for Almighty God."

10: Precious gift:

We are all familiar with the situation of the little boy who wants to give his father a birthday present but does not have any money to buy one. His father, realizing his son is too young and unable to make any money, slips him five bucks so that he can do some shopping the next time they are in town. The big day comes, and the little boy proudly presents his father with a beautifully wrapped, birthday gift. He is so very happy and proud of himself. So is his father - proud and happy to have such a loving son. God gave us his Son so that we could give him back as a gift and become once again his sons and daughters. Jesus Christ was placed in our hands so that we could have a gift, the best of gifts. During each Eucharistic celebration we give this precious gift back to God the Father. Today we celebrate the feast of the First Mass (Fr. Jack Dorsel).

11: “Gone, But Not for Cotton:”

There is an absolutely terrible old joke about a bill collector in Georgia who knocked on the door of a client who lived out in a rural area. This client owed the bill collector’s company money. “Is Fred home?” he asked the woman who answered the door.” Sorry,” the woman replied. “Fred’s gone for cotton.” The next day the collector tried again. “Is Fred here today?” “No, sir,” she said, “I’m afraid Fred has gone for cotton.” When he returned the third day, he said sarcastically, “I suppose Fred is gone for cotton again?” “No,” the woman answered solemnly, “Fred died yesterday.” Suspicious that he was being avoided, the bill collector decided to wait a week and check out the cemetery himself. Sure enough, there was poor Fred’s tombstone. On it was this inscription: “Gone, But Not for Cotton.” That’s terrible, I know, but it is a reminder that tonight as we participate in the Lord’s Supper, proclaiming that Christ is neither gone nor forgotten. We assert our faith that he is present, here with us, as we receive Holy Communion in remembrance of him.

12: “I still think they are wonderful."

Dr. Robert Kopp tells of an interview someone did with the great composer Irving Berlin. We remember Berlin for favorites like "God Bless America," "Easter Parade," and "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas." Berlin was asked, "Is there any question you've never been asked that you would like someone to ask you?" "Well, yes, there is one," Berlin replied. He posed the question himself: "What do you think of the many songs you've written that didn't become hits?" Then he answered his own question: "My reply would be that I still think they are wonderful." Then he added, "God, too, has an unshakable delight in what--and whom--He has made. He thinks each of His children is wonderful, and whether they're a ‘hit’ in the eyes of others or not, He will always think they're wonderful." Irving Berlin hit it right on the head. Here is the critical truth about faith--it is grounded in God's wondrous love for us. We may not feel worthy to be loved, we may even repudiate that love--but we cannot keep God from loving. That is God's very nature. God is love.

13: “Forget-me-not:”

There is an old legend that after God finished creating the world, He still had the task of naming every creature and plant in it. Anyone who has ever faced the task of naming a newborn knows this is not as easy as it seems. Thinking Himself finished at last, God heard a small voice saying, "How about me?" Looking down, the Creator spied a small flower. "I forgot you once," He said, "but it will not happen again." And, at that moment, the forget-me-not was born. [The Great American Bathroom Reader by Mark B. Charlton, (Barnes & Noble, New York, 1997), p. 260.} It's just a silly legend--a myth, if you will--but the reason such legends and myths abound is that they reflect the truth about God. God loves. God loves each of us as if God had no one else to love. Originally developed to track Israeli secret-service agents abroad, the $5,000 battery-less Sky-Eye chip sold by Gen-Etics runs solely on the neurophysiological energy generated within the human body. Gen-Etics won't reveal where the chip is inserted but says 43 people have had it implanted. ("World Watch," edited by Anita Hamilton, Timedigital, Nov. 30, 1998, p. 107.) It is amazing to me that it is easier for some people to believe that technology can track an individual person's movements anywhere in the world, but that somehow we are lost to God. How absurd. We are under the watchful eye of a Heavenly Father who never forgets us, never leaves us and is always concerned about our well-being.

14: "I missed."

Former President Reagan told a humorous story during the last days of his administration. It was about Alexander Dumas, author of The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo. It seems that Dumas and a friend had a severe argument. The matter got so out of hand that one challenged the other to a duel. Both Dumas and his friend were superb marksmen. Fearing that both men might fall in such a duel they resolved to draw straws instead. Whoever drew the shorter straw would then be pledged to shoot himself. Dumas was the unlucky one. He drew the short straw. With a heavy sigh, he picked up his pistol and trudged into the library and closed the door, leaving the company of friends who had gathered to witness the non-duel outside. In a few moments a solitary shot was fired. All the curious pressed into the library. They found Dumas standing with his pistol still smoking. "An amazing thing just happened," said Dumas. "I missed." I am amazed how many Christians have been in the church all their lives and still have missed the Gospel. So many folks still live in the Old Testament, bound by legalisms, restricted by the "Thou shalt nots" without being empowered by "Thou shalts." Some are experts at the Ten Commandments, but absolute failures at the eleventh and most important of all. Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men shall know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another." (RSV)

15: "What did you have for breakfast today?"

President Nelson Mandela of South Africa is one of those rare politicians who has the common touch even when the cameras are not rolling. When he speaks at banquets, he makes a point of going into the kitchen and shaking hands with every dishwasher and busboy. When out in public he often worries his bodyguards because he is prone to stop to talk with a little child. Typically he will ask, "How old are you son?" Then his next question is, "What did you have for breakfast today?" In that strange, wonderful company called the Kingdom of God, even the bosses wash feet. Have you allowed Jesus to give you a servant's heart and servant's hands? Be servant leaders in a serving community. 

16: He picked it up and returned it to the bench:

Many years ago, a sticky situation arose at the wedding ceremony for the Duke of York. All the guests and the wedding attendants were in place. Majestic organ music filled the sanctuary of Westminster Abbey. But something was wrong. As part of the marriage ceremony, the Duke and his bride were to kneel on a cushioned bench to receive a blessing. A nervous whisper spread through the congregation as guests noticed that one of the cushions from the kneeling bench had fallen on the floor. Most of the attendants standing near the kneeling bench had royal blood lines; at the very least, they were all from the upper crust of British society. To reach down and pick up the pillow would have been beneath them. They all pretended to ignore the misplaced pillow until finally the Prince of Wales, who was a groomsman, picked it up and returned it to the bench. (George C. Pidgeon) That may not impress us very much, but in a society that is as class-conscious as British society is, this was an extraordinary act. No wonder Jesus washed the feet of his disciples.

17: Jesus has no desire to be cloned:

That night in the upper room Jesus knew what it would take to change the world -- not strife and revolution, not warfare and bloodshed, but love, sincere, self-sacrificing love on the part of his people. Last November, Dr. Avi Ben-Abraham, head resident of the American Cryogenics Society, told an audience in Washington, D.C., that several high-ranking Roman Catholic Church leaders had privately told him that despite the church's public stance against research in genetics and gene reproduction and experimentation in artificial life production, they personally supported his way-out research. According to Ben-Abraham, those church leaders hope to reproduce Jesus Christ from DNA fibers found on the Shroud of Turin. If Dr. Ben-Abraham is right, somebody’d better tell those venerable church leaders that Jesus has no desire to be cloned -- except in the lives of those who love him and follow him. That's why he takes bread and wine and gives us himself in Holy Communion, to bring us forgiveness and to strengthen us to love one another. “This is My will -- this is My commandment for you.”

18: The Beloved Captain:

Donald Hankey’s The Beloved Captain tells how the captain cared for his men’s feet. After long marches he went into the barracks to inspect the feet of his soldiers. He’d get down on his hands and knees to take a good look at the worst cases. If a blister needed lancing, he’d frequently lance it himself. “There was no affectation about this,” says Donald Hankey. “It seemed to have a touch of Christ about it, and we loved and honored him the more” for it. – Is there a ‘touch of Christ’ about our concern for our brothers and sisters? “Jesus, my feet are dirty…. Pour water into your basin and come and wash my feet. I know that I am overbold is asking this, but I dread your warning, when you said, ‘If I do not wash your feet, you can have no companionship with me.’ Wash my feet, then, because I do want your companionship.” Mark Link in ‘Daily Homilies’ (Fr. Botelho)

16) Pope missing:

A story from the life of Pope John Paul II brings home the profound significance of what we do tonight. Bishop John Magee, who was personal secretary to the pope, tells about something that happened after Pope John Paul's election. An official came to Vatican asking to speak immediately with the new pope. Bishop Magee went to the pope's room. He was not there. He went to the library, the chapel, the kitchen, even the roof. When he couldn't find the pope, he began to think about Morris West's novel, The Shoes of the Fisherman. In that novel a newly elected Slavic pope slips out of the Vatican to find out what is happening with ordinary people in his new diocese. That was fiction, but if the new pope actually did it, it might turn out badly. So Bishop Magee ran to a priest who knew the pope. "We've lost the Holy Father," he said. "I've looked everywhere and cannot find him." The Polish priest asked calmly, "Did you look in the chapel?" "Yes," said Bishop Magee, "he was nowhere in sight." "Go further in," the Polish priest said, “but do not turn on the light.” Bishop Magee walked quietly into the darkened chapel. In front of the tabernacle, lying prostrate on the floor, was the pope. The Polish priest knew that, before his election, the pope often prostrated himself before Jesus truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. Tonight we commemorate that greatest of all tangible gifts. St. Paul quotes Jesus saying, "This is my body that is for you." Jesus gives himself to us in a humble form - unleavened bread like that the Israelites ate during their Passover. (Fr. Phil Bloom).

Stress:

Ø  Stress is the body's reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response.

Ø  In a medical or biological context stress is a physical, mental, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension. Stresses can be external (from the environment, psychological, or social situations) or internal (illness, or from a medical procedure).

Ø  According to American Psychological Association (APA), there are 3 different types stress 

1.     acute stress,

2.     episodic acute stress, and

3.     chronic stress.

1.     Acute stress (immediate perceived stress),

Acute stress is usually brief. It is the most common and frequent presentation. Acute stress is most often caused by reactive thinking. Negative thoughts predominate about situations or events that have recently occurred, or upcoming situations, events, or demands in the near future.

For example, if you have recently been involved in an argument, you may have acute stress related to negative thoughts that are repetitive about the argument. It is usually brief but the most common and frequent presentation. It often caused by reactive thinking. Negative thoughts predominate about situations or events that have recently occurred, or upcoming situations, events, or demands in the near future.

Acute stress can present in anyone’s life. It is highly treatable and manageable. However, repeated acute stress can become very harmful for your physical and mental health. elevated blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, rapid pulse, sweaty palms, heart palpitations, dizziness, migraine headaches, cold hands or feet, shortness of breath, sleep problems, and chest pain.

2.     Episodic acute stress, (When acute stress happens frequently, it's called episodic acute stress. People who always seem to be having a crisis tend to have episodic acute stress. They are often short-tempered, irritable, and anxious. People with this kind of stress will oftentimes take on more responsibilities and projects than they can handle. They may seem like they're constantly in a rush, always running late, and are disorganized. CBT can help) and chronic stress. Eg. Transient stomach, gut and bowel problems, heartburn, acid stomach, flatulence, diarrhea, constipation.

Ø  There are 2 main personality types that frequently present with Episodic Acute Stress: 1) “Type A” personality 2) The “Worrier”

Type A personality have an excessive competitive drive, aggressiveness, impatience, abrupt, and a sense of time urgency. In addition, Type A personality presents as reactive with hostility, and almost always a deep-seated insecurity about performance. These personality traits create frequent episodes of acute stress for the Type A individual. The cardiologists, Friedman and Rosenman found Type A’s to be significantly likely to develop coronary heart disease.

The “Worrier”:  The Worrier presents with almost incessant negative thoughts causing episodic acute stress on physical and mental health. “Worry warts” project probable disaster and negatively forecast catastrophe in almost every situation. They have core beliefs that the world is a dangerous, unrewarding, punitive place where something awful is always about to happen.

               These individuals can be very resistant to change their behaviors and thinking patterns. It is common for these individuals to only seek psychological treatment when physical pains and discomforts become too much.

3.   Chronic Stress

It is the most harmful type of stress. If chronic stress is left untreated over a long period of time, it can significantly and often irreversibly damage your physical health and deteriorate your mental health.

For example, long term poverty, repeated abuse in any form, unemployment, dysfunctional family, poor work environment, substance abuse, or an unhappy marriage can cause significant chronic stress.

Chronic stress can also set in when an individual feels hopeless, does not see an escape from the cause of stress, and gives up on seeking solutions.

Chronic stress can be caused by a aversive experiences in childhood or traumatic experiences later in life.

When an individual lives with chronic stress, his/her behavioral actions and emotional reactions become ingrained. There is change in the hardwiring of the neurobiology of the brain and body. There by making them constantly prone to the hazardous stress effects on the body + mind+ cognitive regardless of the scenarios.

People with chronic stress have the list of signs and symptoms previously mentioned, but the signs and symptoms are chronic and can result in a physical and mental breakdown that can lead to suicide, violent actions, homicide, psychosis, heart attacks, and strokes.

Treatment for chronic stress  

When a person never sees a way out of a miserable situation, feels anxiety of unrelenting demands and pressures for seemingly interminable periods of time. With no hope, the individual gives up searching for solutions.

Some chronic stressors or triggers stem from traumatic early childhood experiences that become internalized and remain forever painful and present. Early childhood experiences profoundly affect personality; often resulting in core belief systems that are created by causes of unending stress for the individual (e.g., the world is a threatening place, you must be perfect at all times). When personality or deep-seated convictions and beliefs must be reformulated, recovery requires active self-examination with professional psychological help. Good news is psychological treatment is very effective.

The worst variable of chronic stress is that some people habituate to it. They almost forget it is there. In some ways, one could say it is an adaptation in the form of a ultimate psychological defense mechanism. People are immediately aware of acute stress because it is new. However, individuals with chronic stress frequently ignore all of the signs and symptoms because it is old, familiar, and also because often they feel helpless and hopeless.

Chronic stress kills through suicide, violence, homicide, heart attack, stroke and, perhaps, even cancer. People wear down to a final, fatal breakdown. Their physical and mental resources are depleted through long-term attrition. The signs and symptoms of chronic stress are difficult to treat, but not impossible to treat. People with chronic stress require extended medical and psychological treatment that includes behavioral and stress management.

On Day 10 The Mind is a thought generating Machine

On Day 10  The Mind is a thought generating Machine

The Mind is a thought generating Machine, and it always seeks to do pleasurable things instead of taking the hardships to do things that are beneficial for life (for example, wasting too time on TV instead of doing some exercise, etc.) 

However, Controlling the Mind is easy. For example, some children are not interested in studying and more keen on playing. However, during the time of final exams, they focus their Mind in giving the best answers to questions without any distraction for a few hours, knowing very well that if they don't, they will fail the class. That is the power of the Mind when the intellect guides it in the proper direction. 

So how can we guide the Mind to do the right things and desist from doing anything wrong? For that to happen, we need to illumine our intellect with divine wisdom, which is readily available from Saints and Scriptures. The Scriptures tell us what to do and what not to do, so if we repeat and revise the knowledge of Scriptures every day through the help of a Spiritual Master, that will help us guide the Mind and intellect in the path of righteousness.

Action item for Day 10: Think about the number of days you spent the time to read Scriptures like the Holy Bible, the Quran, the Bhagavad Gita, which tells us the way to succeed in life, grow spiritually, and what things to do and not do. Make a firm resolve today to make it an everyday habit to spend time on reading scriptures and illumine your intellect with divine knowledge. Strive to implement what you learned. 

Psalm 119:11 : I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Always Remember - One Gem of Divine Knowledge can transform your life if you sincerely implement the learnings with faith. 

NB:  Indebted to Swami Mukundananda 

The right attitude in which we need to work to get the best results.

On Day 9 of Life Transformation Challenge,  the right attitude in which we need to work to get the best results. 

We all do work to accomplish something. However, when we offer all our works for the pleasure of God, we will be inspired to put in our best efforts, and that will lead to success. We can develop such an attitude in anything we do in our life. For example, when you are cooking food, if you make it for the pleasure of God, offer it to him, and take the remnants of it, that adds a divine consciousness to your cooking work and makes you humble. In this way, when you add God to anything you do, you will be inspired to put in your best efforts, which will give you the best results. Watch more to find out.

Action item for Day 9: Think about some of the work you did yesterday. Ask yourself - did you develop divine sentiments on any of those works? Did you offer it for the pleasure of God? Make a firm resolve to bring God in anything you do, and slowly and steadily, you will do every work for the sake of God, and that will attract divine grace.

NB:  Indebted to Swami Mukundananda 

A solution to remain Stress-Free even while working hard.

On Day 8 of the Life Transformation Challenge: A solution to remain Stress-Free even while working hard.

Most of us think that Stress comes because of hard-work. However, the real reason for Stress is not Hard-work, but attachment to the results of the works. The Attachment to Results creates anxiety, tension, and takes the focus away from giving our best efforts. Lord Krishna, in Bhagavad Gita, advises us to focus only on our efforts and not the results to get rid of Stress. Jesus said ""But seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" Matthew 6:33

Luke 12:22–31; Matthew 6:25–33

Action item for Day 8: Think about the situations where you were tensed and anxious in the past. What was the reason for it? Find out the attachment that was causing the tension. Think about the ways to address such situations in the future without getting stressed.

Always Remember this - Only the Effort is in our control and not the results, for the results depend on several factors, including the will of God. So why worry about the results? Focus on giving your best. Let us know in comments how you plan to lead a Stress-Free life from now.

NB:  Indebted to Swami Mukundananda