by Anthony G. V. Peries

The word "Charismata" is a Greek word, and is a technical term for spiritual gifts of the ‘Holy Spirit’. Any person whether he/she is rich or poor, educated or uneducated, popular or unpopular will be blessed with this rare gift provided he is true to himself. When a man is true to himself, he is a true believer of God, but if he is not true to himself he is really a half-hearted believer of God.

Therefore when the impartial "Meciful God’ comes to know, a person who is true to himself, he will bestow this person with deserving "Charism". When a popular political person who is a real believer of God, does good to his country, unpopular incapable greedy politicians will go all out to discredit him. Therefore, the popular politician who is sustained with "Divine Help" should ignore the wicked deeds of his opponents because God is with him for his protection. However, if this popular politician misuses this gift and overtly pretends to be true to God, but not true to himself, verily he will be punished with "Divine Vengeance" because God detests all those who are involved in iniquity.

Magnificat says: - "Merciful God has mercy on those who fear him in every generation, he has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit, he has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly".

Let me inform the enthusiastic readers about the facts pertaining to two honourable men who had been purposely rejected by unscrupulous political administrators, but ultimately they were rewarded by merciful God with compound interest because they were true to themselves.

(01) Albert Eeinstein after the first world war, had tried to enter a "technical college" in Germany twice, but miserably failed to gain entrance. His father who was a capable mechanic was astonished and very much perturbed about rejection of very intelligent son owing to some unknown reasons and hence emigrated to America with his disgruntled son. Albert’s father was a quiet god-fearing man, unexpectedly found a job under a professor of physics in a university. This honest man was very joyful when his employer was perfectly satisfied with his work. Albert was well looked after by his father who requested Albert to continue his studies privately and pleaded with his boss earnestly to give a helping hand to his son. Professor of physics did this with pleasure.

After some months, Albert was given a job in the university under the supervision of the professor of physics. His first job was "unpaid lecturer in practical physics". Albert was quite happy with his job, because he knew that this could be the first step for his celebrated day to be. After a few years he was successful in presenting his famous "Theory of Relativity". E-Mc2. During World War II "Atom Bomb" was said to have been made by using his formula. When Hiroshima and Nagasaky were bombed the Germans and Japanese trembled and surrendered forth with and peace was restored in no time. These facts had been stated by Scientist Albert Einstein’s sister, who was a doctor in Germany, in two articles published in the "Sunday Observer" either in 1971 or 1972.

(02) As reported in the "Sunday Island" (11-05-2003) Nobel Prize winner Dr. Khorona after obtaining his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in India in the year 1945, had proceeded on a scholarship to Manchester University and obtained his PhD. in bio-chemistry in 1948. He then came back to India to work for his country but failed to find a suitable job and remained without a job for several months. Really this scholar would have been rejected by a political administrator. This depressed scholar went back to England and worked under a Nobel Laureate and obtained his "Nobel Prize" in chemistry in the year 1968. Even in Sri Lanka many graduates languish without suitable jobs. The administrators should look into this unbearable painful injustice.

Bible says about wicked king Ahab of Israel and his very wicked queen Jezebel, a terrible woman who scared everybody and was out for the blood of Prophet Elijah. This wicked king and his queen ignored merciful God and worshipped god Baal and their palace was littered with idols. Naturally God will abhor blood thirsty and deceitful people. Next door to their palace lived a man called Naboth, a god-fearing man who was a farmer and a specialist, in grapevine plantation. King Ahab wanted to buy Naboth’s vineyard but Naboth refused to sell it. This terrible woman Jezebal got busy, wrote lying letters bribed and corrupted, threatened and brought false witness and in the end Naboth was accused of treason on a trumped-up-charge in front of dishonest judges and he was found guilty and taken outside the city and stoned to death. Obviously, it was a disgraceful business. Prophet Elijah was sent by God to meet the king with one or two messages. Elijah told the king you have broken every commandment in the Book by killing that poor just man Naboth. Because of this grievous injustice nobody belonging to you will get a funeral, jackals and vultures will eat their dead bodies. Everything came to pass as foretold by Prophet Elijah man of God, some sooner and some later.

In many countries including Sri Lanka, there are many who are like king Ahab and his wicked queen Jezebel. The prevailing calamities like earth quakes, earth slips, infectious diseases (SARS), floods, in many countries including Sri Lanka could be attributed to the punishment of God. Hence, it would be advisable for the administrators to repent of their misdeeds and attend to their administrative duties impartially to appease, the one and only God.