'God's sense of justice is different'

COLUMN: SPIRITUAL MATTERS

Leela Manjooran, a former teacher, says that there is no explanation why bad events take place in our lives

By Shevlin Sebastian

One day in March 2008, Leela Manjooran was flipping through a matrimonial booklet. She saw a photo of a boy who had done his Masters in Dental Science and came from a good family. But her daughter, Alka, was far away, in Besancon, France, doing a one-year course in French. “She had specifically told me not to look for any boy during this time,” says Leela.

March 20th was Alka's birthday. At midnight, she cut a cake and shared it with friends. Her wish on her birthday was simple: “I hope this year I can meet somebody whom I can love and marry.” At 6 a.m., Leela called and told her about the proposal. Alka was noncommittal, but gave permission for the boy, Manuel, to send an e-mail.

“But she warned me that she would not take a decision without seeing Manuel,” says Leela, a retired professor of political science at St Teresa's College, Kochi. However, two weeks later, after numerous e-mail and webcasts, Alka and Manuel agreed to marry.

“This was God's intervention in my life,” says Leela. “I had prayed to Him for help to get a suitable partner for my daughter and God replied immediately.”

Leela also feels that her mother, who died in February, 2008, lent a helping hand. “Alka was very close to my mother,” says Leela. “I think she extended a thread downwards and Alka took it.”

Leela feels that a lot of things can be achieved through prayer. So every morning, she attends the 7 a.m. Mass at the St. Joseph's Church at Thevara, where she stays. “I pray for health, happiness and peace,” she says. “I ask God to protect my family, so that they remain on the right path.” She also prays for her relatives and deceased parents.

When Leela closes her eyes to pray she sees an image of Jesus Christ. “He has shoulder-length hair, brown eyes, a long nose, and strong jaw,” she says. “The heart is visible. It is radiating a bright yellow ray of light.” On other occasions, she sees the picture of a crucified Jesus nailed to a wooden cross.

Leela's favourite church is the Our Lady of Ransom Basilica at Vallarpadam. “I have been going there since my childhood,” she says. “There is a certain power in that church. Whenever I have asked for something I have received it.”

For many years, Leela and a friend would park the car near the High Court and walk the two kilometres to the church as a sort of penance. But now, with the Vallarpadam International Container Terminal coming up, the road has become congested and it has become difficult to walk.

Leela, of course, has no doubts about the existence of God. “Look at the variety of nature,” she says. “Only God could have made it. I believe that an invisible power is controlling the world. I feel His Presence all the time. He is looking at you and me as we talk.”

Asked whether she gets upset when negative events takes place, Leela says, “Not at all. God's plan and sense of justice are different from man's. There is no logical way to explain why bad things happen. I feel that a bad event is usually followed by a good incident. In life, it is not possible that only good happenings will occur. Nevertheless, I have been lucky that not too many bad things have taken place in my life.”

(The New Indian Express, Kochi)