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into the personal space of any individual without their consent
        is clearly a case human rights violation. Why and to whom these
        invasions occur is also a point of study. Not all are experienced
        invasions into their personal spaces. Power of the invader and
        the powerlessness of the victim is one reason. Powerless people
        are mostly the group vulnerable to such ‘invasions’. In the Indian
        context the marginalized groups such as the Dalits, Adivasis and
        Tribals experience such violations and attacks. Women are a
        majority in this regard; their bodies have been invaded without
        their consent for long period of time, be it sexual harassment
        or any other form of domestic or public violence by words and
        deeds. Jesus at all times was against invading into one’s personal
        space. Jesus condemns Peter’s act of cutting Malchus’ ear saying
        “put your sword back into its sheath” (John 18:10). Though
        Peter’s act was to protect Jesus, Jesus respected the personal
        space of those came to grab him and defended for their right.
        It’s about keeping a little distance also. A distance that would
        help the other to be safe; a distance that would give dignity to
        the other; a distance that would allow the other to express what
        they wanted to. Let this Lent season help us to ponder on these
        aspects of distance. If we are maintaining distances that creates
        ‘other’ let us be closer, let us feel the uniformity between the ‘I’
        and the ‘you’. If we are not respecting each person’s individual
        spaces, then let us keep a little distance so that all get their spaces.
        May the Lord help us to redirect our thoughts and retrospect
        our actions.

        Prayer

               Dear Lord, help us to identify the various means that
        created a distance and the other feeling. Help us to see that all
        are united in you and each other. Lord help us also to find those
        instances where we disrespected the other person’s spaces. Help
        us Lord not to fall into actions thaate ‘other’ and breach one’s
        personal space. In Jesus’ name we.

                                                        Rev. Jenu John
                                                  Madhya Kerala Diocese
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                        Lenten Meditations   Re - Imaging People
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