PASTOR WENDY FERNANDO: Spirituality and Scripture

The guest on my video talk show today is someone I met just a few years ago, and yet she struck me for being one of the few FEMALE spiritual leaders in any religious tradition. It is invariably the Patriarchy that interprets the major religions of the world, and it is all too seldom, especially in a country like Sri Lanka, where a lady like Pastor Wendy Fernando can be seen in a role of religious leadership. I must mention right here at the outset that I am NOT a member of the King's Revival Church that Pastor Wendy co-founded, and so this episode is in no way an attempt to promote a particular church or denomination. However, since tomorrow is Easter Sunday, we felt that it would be interesting to talk about Christianity from a female point of view. I was born and raised Catholic, and have always had great friendships with many different Nuns (some of whom have taught me and mentored me), but find it very sad that the Catholic Church tends to be dominated by Male Clergy when Nuns are invariably better than Priests, in my experience. My own spiritual doctrine is probably closer to that of a traditional Catholic Nun, than to Pastor Wendy Fernando's, and yet Pastor Wendy's perspective is one that needs to be shared with the world, because we need more women offering spiritual guidance to people in a society that still tends to be more chauvinistic than not. 

She talked at the onset of my show about a female figure in the Bible to whom Jesus Christ revealed his true identity before even his (male) disciples received the revelation. Known as the Samaritan Woman, her personal character was completely tarnished, and yet Christ confided in her, and recognized her true potential, despite her reputation among men. Of course, one of the more famous women in the Bible is St. Mary Magdalene, whom we also discuss on my show today. Pastor Wendy reminded the viewers that Mary Magdalene was possessed by seven demons when Jesus first met her, and yet it is SHE that Jesus chose to reveal himself to on Easter Sunday, following his Resurrection. This was a privilege accorded to none of Christ's male disciples, not even St. Peter, and in fact it was Mary Magdalene who told Peter and the others about Christ's resurrected presence. This in fact led to some of the ancient Church Fathers to refer to her as "the Apostle to the Apostles". So I hope that my readers and viewers remember this important woman, Maria of Magdala (a.k.a St. Mary Magdalene), as Easter Sunday comes upon us tomorrow. 

In case anyone fears that this entire episode is only for hardcore Christians, fear not! We also delved into many universal issues, such as Forgiveness and Understanding. When I asked Pastor Wendy to single out her favourite out of the Ten Commandments, from the six commandments that pertain only to human beings and not to God, she noted the command to 'Honour Your Father and Mother', pointing out that one's parents are supposed to be accorded honour even if they don't engage in the most righteous conduct themselves. In fact, the Bible promises long life to those who abide by this commandment, again irrespective of one's parents' moral standing. Pastor Wendy reminded the viewers that Forgiveness is not only crucial for one's relationship with God, in order to receive Blessings and Forgiveness for one's own sins and transgressions from God, but that an unwillingness to forgive other people ends up hurting the grudge-bearer even more than the offender in the long run, which I could re-affirm from a Psychological perspective as well. In other words, unforgiveness damages one's own psyche, and compromises one's own mental well-being and happiness. I reminded my viewers of a statement made by Joel Osteen on Oprah Winfrey's show, where when asked how he is able to forgive those who attack him, he said: "I am too blessed NOT to forgive them!" This is something that I really took to heart, and which I always remind myself of, whenever people attack me personally as well. 

The reason most people attack others is because they consider themselves less blessed or less privileged in some way, and so a truly spiritual person must always have pity on those jealous, envious, spiteful, hateful people who consider themselves to be at a disadvantage, relative to the person that they attack. In fact, Pastor Wendy and I spoke quite a bit about the importance of not comparing one's self with other people, and not engaging in a sense of ridiculous competition. For each man and woman has been accorded certain skills and qualities, which they need to unearth, develop, and capitalize on, rather than always focusing on the things that they lack, which others have. 

Christ commanded his followers to love one another as they loved themselves, and so Pastor Wendy was quick to remind the viewers that SELF-LOVE is crucial. I myself have observed in my own life how those who hate others are those who are incapable of loving themselves first, which in turn prompts them to project the things they hate about themselves onto others,  a phenomenon well established in the field of Psychology, which Jesus Christ was apparently all too aware of two thousand years ago. For all this, and much more, do tune into today's episode of GEHAN COORAY'S MEETING OF THE MINDS, on Daily Mirror's online platforms (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter). I wish all my readers and viewers a very happy Easter. May you be blessed, and may you learn to love, and not to hate!