A Time To Pray…

Dear Readers,

India’s response to the second wave of the deadly pandemic, much like the virus itself, has mutated from grappling with the virus, to crumbling under its predominance over our efforts… to helplessly watching the near collapse of the systems that were supposed to protect us. India continues to lead the world in terms of average daily cases and now accounts for one in three cases reported every day, recording over three lakh new daily infections.

The daily vaccination rate has been declining and hospitals are running out or have run out of life-saving oxygen. There’s death and sickness at every corner, especially with the new, third Indian variant of the coronavirus, which is known to dodge the antibodies, mortally infecting the young and old, alike. It feels like a never-ending nightmare as death and devastation make their way closer to and into our homes. The past few weeks have seen a large surge in the number of deaths within our community – Parsi Times extends heartfelt condolences to all dealing with the sad loss of loved ones.

While it is only natural to feel a sense of helplessness in the face of this global catastrophe, we need to remember that we are neither powerless nor hopeless, as long as our faith is intact. The most powerful thing we can do at this moment is pray – in the true sense that our worship was intended to be practiced, based on our three eternal tenets – Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds. Applying active ‘live-service’, not just lip-service, to these divine guidelines, is all the prayer and hope we need to help us get through this. 

The power of intention and positivity manifests into reality with our Good Thoughts. There is no greater and ideal platform for prayer, than a mind that wishes well for one and all. Such thoughts empower you and your loved ones with positivity, and manifest into divine, potent energy, thereby realising the true essence of prayer. 

Good Words literally set the tone for healing – be it the words read out loud from our prayer books or those which comfort and console others. Good words are a powerful, creative force which birth an energy that can restore and repair the world order. If that isn’t prayer – what is? In the words of Mother Teresa, “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” 

There is truly no prayer greater than doing God’s own work through your Good Deeds. It is said that positive words heal the mind and positive deeds heal the world. While our thoughts and words make up for ‘what we are all about’, it is our deeds that show ‘who we really are’. Selfless service or a good deed done for others, immaterial of its size, is true prayer in motion. 

Today, humanity is in need of prayer like never before. It’s a time to come together in prayer – in thoughts, words and deeds – and help exorcise the world of the coronavirus evil… a time to pray.

– Anahita