John 6:50-58 Onam brings celebrations.

The harvest festival of Onam corresponds with the Malayalam New Year, Chingam masam (ending of August and beginning of September). Onam is the most important harvest festival of Kerala and is an attraction for millions of people within and outside Kerala irrespective of their religions. Ranging from four to ten days, all the activities during this season are centered around worshipping, music, dances, sports, boat races and good food. After three months of heavy rains, the sky becomes a clear blue and the forests a deep green. The brooks and streams come alive, spitting forth-gentle white foam, the lakes and rivers overflow and lotuses and lilies are in full bloom. It is time to reap the harvest, to celebrate and to rejoice. Here we see the culmination of creator with the creation to unite you and me, to ignite his beloved. May be it's time for us to walk through the forgotten Eden. Jesus Son of a carpenter on Nazareth walked to reap, to celebrate and to rejoice to redeem the oppressed, heal the sick and lead through The Way. It was then He had a Onam. And let us look at the Onam that Jesus had - Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. John 6:12 When they were filled, he said to his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.John 6:13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above to them that had eaten.Can we call it as Onam. How different was then this Onam that Jesus had from that of we celebrate in Kerala. The Onam in Kerala or Malayali celebrates is of the most popular legend King Mahabali who is to visit every year. His reign was seen as the 'golden era', for it was a time of peace among all communities. Neither crime and poverty existed while the rich and poor were equally treated. Gods felt challenged with the growing popularity of Mahabali. They seeked help from Vishnu who was worshiped by King Mahabali. Vishnu took the avatar of a poor and dwarf Brahmin, called Vamana and came to the kingdom of Mahabali just after his morning prayers, when the King gave boons to the Brahmin. The disguised Vishnu asked for as much land as could be covered by his three steps. The King made a promise to do so. Suddenly, Vamana increased to a massive size. With his one step he covered the whole of the sky and with the other he covered the whole of earth. He then asked for a place to put his third step. King realised that the boy was no ordinary Brahmin and asked Vamana to put his third step on his head. The boy did so, pushing Mahabali in the nether world, the patala. Vishnu was pleased with the King Mahabali's generosity and granted him a boon. Deeply attached with his people, the King said he would like to visit Kerala and his people every year. Being pleased on it, the request was granted. It is this homecoming of King Mahabali that is celebrated as Onam every year. But if Mahabali had to come in real what would he see welcoming him? Tons of liquor, violence, corruption, injustice, discrimination, and the list will never end. Is there something better that we can find. Lets not just criticize and negate, for certainly there is something good that Onam has to give. It has something that we all have to exercise and practice. In relation with the Onam that we are going to celebrate lets consider the Onam that Jesus arranged which was with an experience that begins with Knowing Him as Living Bread. Broken and shed on the Calvary, for the redemption of sins and salvation to the whole of the creation. Therefore I would abbreviate Onam for our remembering and understanding Onam celebrations through Christ. O-Oneness of Life Look at the different Onam games, say Valam kali-boat race, vadamvali-Tug of war, killithat, etc. All these sports need individuals to have Oneness, Unity and togetherness. We need to realize the experience that every individual shared when Jesus fed 5000 men and women and Children with just 5 loaves of Bread and Two fish. It very much reminds of having Oneness of Life, 12 disciples from different corners of life with the master for the celebration of the feast. This was different experience for each of them. It was the occasion of Oneness in life. Life in abundance. Treating

everyone around as equal as you are. Seated beside without any discrimination with respect to caste, creed or culture. N-Negotiating Borders The major barrier in a state like Kerala is casteism, discrimination, rich-poor, and so on. Veli in Malayalam means boundaries and we need to find the boundaries that we are formed with. Todays Politics is what build borders. The poor is broken as there is only injustice found. Women are abused negating the fact that they are also the image of God. Jesus lived by negotiating boundaries. It was not an easy task. He had to deal with most difficult thing called SIN. It was not just the extension of borders, but completely negotiating it. The last point where negotiating goes is where there is nothing further to negotiate. Everyone can walk to the cross. The path is cleared. A-Aroma of Christ Atha-Pokalam we see a fragrance that is spread through the flowers used in Atha-pookalam. The plucked flower continues to keep giving its fragrance as long as it can. Use of plastic, waste dumping, cutting down of the trees and so on is in high. And today as a mark of the outcome is creation is groaning. As the mother earth the Land is losing its fertility, can we find the lost Eden. We need to turn to the creation for a sustainable life and development. Jesus was the plucked flower and its amazing to see this flower was crushed and trampled so that we may continue to spread His kingdom. Only then we will turn to spread the Aroma of Christ which we are called to be and thus we become the true followers of God. M-Meals that heals. Onam Sadya which is mixed with all varieties of dishes resembles unity in diversity. It gives wonderful taste. Onam Sadya is thus not just a meal. It desires that no one in this world remains hungry. This Sadya is like that of the last Supper Jesus had. The only difference was the Onam sadya is variety of dishes while the Last Supper was the breaking of the master. He was broken into pieces that that we will have Peace that passes all understanding. Conclusion:Let us think for a moment and see if we are being a useful instrument that God wanted us to be. Let this Onam help us to make a decision to live worth the calling. To lead one to have Oneness of Life, to negotiate the borders, to Spread the Aroma that Christ has spread through the wooden blocks. To help one to experience the joy of being a part in the meals which can heal others by giving ourselves as a bread to be broken. When the boy who was there in the crowd submitted before Jesus what he had before Jesus, it was made plentiful and there was great blessing and nourishment. Let this years Onam celebrations enable each one of us to submit before Jesus so that he can make the community nourished and there would be happiness all around. May God bless us all with these words