Tomorrow the Hindu festival called Holi will be celebrated in India and to varying degrees throughout the world. You probably recognize the colored powered that celebrants throw on each other.
Holi is one of those originally religious festivals that have now grown beyond, like Thailand’s national water fight called Songkran and Christmas pretty much everywhere.
So why am I focusing on Holi in Muslim Connect? It’s a Hindu festival and “Muslim” is literally in the name of the email!
Well, some Muslims do participate. Maybe in the way you, as a Christian, might participate in Halloween or do yoga! Holidays and religious practices can be tricky. Muslims who’ve grown up with and socialize with Hindus may want to wish them well and I can imagine throwing colored powder on someone might be fun and not feel very religious.
However, the day will not be fun for many Muslims, particularly as Holi falls during Friday prayers this year. Imagine how you usually feel about April Fool’s Day, but if the pranksters legit wished you were dead! Or if you were non-Irish and St. Patrick’s Day celebrants turned your water supply green and pelted your house with empty beer bottles!
In one Indian city in particular, and perhaps many more I don’t know about, police are heading off sectarian violence by pre-arresting a ton of people and planning to be out in force. They’ve even tarped several mosques along the two routes of popular Holi parades to protect them from the colorful revelry.
It’s tough to be a minority anywhere. May God extend mercy and grace to our Muslim cousins this Holi-day and shine a light of hope and invitation to follow Jesus to Hindus all over as well.