30 December 2023 03:53 am Views - 347
Breathing a lesson unheard
Hope with a gentle persuasion
Whispers her comforting word
Wait ‘til the darkness is over
Wait ‘til the tempest is done
Hope for the sunshine tomorrow
After the darkness is gone
Whispering hope whispering hope, whispering hope
Oh, how welcome Thy voice, welcome Thy voice, oh, how welcome Thy voice
Making my heart, making my heart, making my heart
In its sorrow rejoice, in its sorrow rejoice
If in the dusk of the twilight
Dim be the region afar
Will not the deepening darkness
Brighten the glimmering star
Then when the night is upon us ooh
Why should the heart sink away?
When the dark midnight is over
Watch for the breaking of day
Hope as an anchor so steadfast
Breaks the dark veil of the soul
Whither the Master has entered
Robbing the grave of its goal
Come then oh! come Blessed Saviour
Come to my sad, weary heart
Come oh thou blessed hope of glory
Never oh! Never depart
This immortal and inspiring song written by American songwriter Septimus Winner as far back as 1868, was one of the favourite songs of my beloved sister Therese Jayachandra (Nee Benedict) who passed away on January 1, 2023
Early that morning I was awoken by a telephone call and I thought it was from a friend or relative wanting to give me New Year wishes. But the caller had sad news. She informed me that my dear sister had passed away. Therese was educated at Good Shepherd Convent in Kotahena where we lived then. Later we moved to Ratmalana where I lived with Therese and her family. We had a deep and close relationship and it was her husband Alex Jayachandra, an outstanding journalist, who opened the career in journalism for me in 1966.
After her higher education, Therese worked at Browns Group and as confidential secretary in several divisions, including the Head Office and the Motor Division. Later she worked for Star Garments Company set up by the international business tycoon Kumar Devapura. When he set up a factory at Yap Island in the South Pacific, Therese also went there to work as his Confidential Secretary.
She also went through her trials and tribulations, troubles and temptations but faced them with courage from the power of God. Perhaps she was inspired also by a famous song written by Fr. Frank Anderson. This hymn, titled ‘the Galilee Song’ goes like this: “Deep within my heart, I feel voices whispering to me, words that I can’t understand; meanings I must clearly hear, calling me to follow close, lest I leave myself behind, calling me to walk into evening shadows one more time; So I leave my boats behind, leave them on familiar shores, set my heart upon the deep, follow you again, my Lord; In my memories, I know how you send familiar rains, falling gently on my days, dancing patterns on my pain, and I need to learn once more in the fortress of my mind, to believe in falling rain as I travel deserts dry; As I gaze into the night down the future of my years, I’m not sure I want to walk past horizons that I know, and I need to learn once more like a stirring deep within, restless ‘til I live again beyond the fears that close me in.”
As the famous Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran has remarked, “It is said that before entering the sea, a river trembles with fear; she looks back at the path she has travelled, from the peaks of the mountains, the long winding road crossing forests and villages; And in front of her, she sees an ocean so vast, that to enter, there seems nothing more than to disappear forever; But there is no other way, the river cannot go back; Nobody can go back, to go back is impossible in existence; The river needs to take the risk, of entering the ocean, because only then will fear disappear, because that’s where the river will know, it’s not about disappearing into the ocean, but of becoming the ocean.”
My dear Therese was gracious and generous. She lovingly helped the family and others in extraordinary ways even at time when she did not have money. For instance, when we needed to buy our flat at the De Soyza Housing Scheme in Ratmalana, she gladly and immediately sent us about Rs. 100,000. She was like my second mother.
As written by Jeremiah Eames Rankin the abolitionist, champion of the temperance movement, minister of Washington D.C.’s First Congregational Church: “God be with you till we meet again, by his counsels guide, uphold you, with his sheep securely fold you; God be with you till we meet again; Till we meet, till we meet, till we meet at Jesus’ feet, till we meet, till we meet, God be with you till we meet again; God be with you till we meet again, when life’s perils thick confound you, put his arms unfailing round you; God be with you till we meet again; God be with you till we meet again, keep love’s banner floating o’er you, smite death’s threatening wave before you, God be with you till we meet again.”
Louis Benedict