African countries show improved financial sector compliance – report

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has noted significant improvements in financial sector compliance among African countries, attributing this progress to governments implementing necessary reforms.

“This has enabled several countries to be removed from the Grey List, subsequently attracting increased foreign direct investment,” said Mr Idrissa Diop, Director of Compliance at Afreximbank, in an interview on October 24 in Cairo, Egypt.

Speaking on the sidelines of the farewell conference and Investiture ceremony, Diop highlighted Uganda as one of the countries making notable strides in compliance regarding financial sector regulation.

“Countries like Uganda have made progress regarding compliance in the financial sector regulation and they are off the Grey List, and other countries are also working to get out of the Grey List,” Diop said.

He emphasised the importance of strong compliance practices, citing benefits such as financial stability, prevention of financial crimes like money laundering and terrorist financing, and building trust with international partners.

“Yes, there is a general understanding that Africa is weak in compliance, but problems are everywhere… So, we are making progress in Africa,” Diop noted, urging a focus on the positives.

Afreximbank’s Managing Director of Trade Finance and Correspondent Banking, Ms Gwen Mwaba, stressed the need for financial institutions, particularly banks, to train their staff to understand and manage risks across different economic sectors.

“Banks need to train their staff to understand the risks… because we are lending to our clients, some of which are commercial banks,” Mwaba said.

To attract increased trade financing from Afreximbank, Mwaba advised countries or companies to have viable and bankable projects.

Addressing foreign currency challenges, Mwaba suggested African countries conduct trade in local currencies within their regions and use the US Dollar for international trade outside their region.

“Countries in the same regions of Africa should conduct trade in their local currencies and use the US Dollar for international trade out of their region,” she said.

Afreximbank recognises the role of technology in shaping economies and societies, with Diop emphasizing the need for African countries to adapt technology to meet their specific needs.

“I think in Africa when we acquire technology, we need to ensure that it is adapted to our needs and understands our specific needs,” Diop said.

Here is how to make the best maamoul

Jewish people eat these short bread cookies stuffed with date paste or chopped walnuts or pistachios and dusted with powdered sugar at Purim, while Christians enjoy them at Easter and Muslims serve them at Iftar, the after sunset meal that breaks the Ramadan fast.

One of the interesting things about them is that they are made in special wooden moulds, which seal the rose scented pastry around the filling.

The dough is made with wheat flour or semolina (or a combination of the two), then pressed into special molds, traditionally carved in wood. And the fillings are fragrant with rosewater or orange blossom. In the weeks leading up to Easter, many of the Beirut sweet shops work flat out working overtime to produce enough pastries.

Palestinian-Jordanian food blogger Sawsan Abu Farah, better known as “Chef in Disguise,” makes several versions of maamoul, some with both semolina and wheat flour in the crust, others with wheat flour alone.

Sometimes she adds mastic, a sun-dried resin from trees, and mahlab, a spice made from the inner kernels of cherry pits, to her dough.

“Maamoul is usually made a few days before Eid, then stored to be served to the guests who come during the holiday and served with Arabic coffee and chocolate,” says Sawsan, who now lives in the United Arab Emirates. “Plates full of it are also exchanged as gifts between neighbors and relatives.

‘Just as Easter follows Lent, Eid-al-Fitr is celebrated after Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. Eid lasts three days, and according to Sawsan, “Any house you go into during Eid has maamoul. It doesn’t matter if it is homemade or store bought, it just has to be present.

Of course, the ladies of the house get extra points if it is homemade, and there is the yearly competition of who makes the best maamoul in the family.

Recipes are exchanged, cookies are critiqued, it is all part of the Eid fun and festivities. Sawsan reminisces fondly, about making maamoul with friends and family when she was growing up. She remembers the “heavenly” smells of spices and roasted nuts and the fun of those gatherings.

“On the day of making maamoul, everyone is divided into teams,” she says.

“Some divide the dough into balls, others stuff them, a third team is in charge of pressing them into the molds, and if it is summer, the unlucky team is in charge of baking. They spend hours in front of the hot oven. However, since everyone is in such a good mood and spirits, chatting, telling stories, and sneaking a taste of the delicacy, hot out of the oven, no one minds.

‘Maamoul, as it’s called in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel and Palestine, is called kombe in southern Turkey, and as kahk in Egypt. Kahk seems to be the indisputable ancestor of maamoul, as it’s depicted in temple paintings and carvings dating back to the Pharaonic era.”

“Even now, we pile kahk the same way, like a pyramid,” says Ahmed Hameed, a tour guide and Egyptologist in Cairo. Like maamoul in other countries, kahk in Egypt is traditional for both Easter and Eid. But in addition to nut fillings, Egyptians also have versions stuffed with agameya (a honey-walnut concoction) and loukoum (Turkish delight). How these cookies came to be associated with Easter and Eid is less certain.”

“Some say the cookies are meant to remind you that though fasting is hard, within it is a sweet reward, exactly like maamoul’s outer shell is bland but the core is sweet,” says Sawsan.

Every baker has his or her secret for making the best maamoul. For Sawsan, “the secret to a great maamoul is a good recipe with a delicate balance between the ingredients to produce a cookie that melts in your mouth yet holds its shape without crumbling. It goes without saying that using high quality dates or nuts is a must because they are really the star of the show in maamoul.”

Makes 35 to 40

Ingredients

4 cups Supreme wheat flour

1 cup unsalted raisins

1 cup unsalted diced butter

3 tablespoons rose water

5 tablespoons milk

Icing sugar for dusting

FOR THE FILLING

1 ½ cup dried dates, stoned (pitted) and chopped

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

2/3 cup, blanched almonds, chopped

1/3 cup pistachio nuts, chopped

½ cup water

2/3 cups granulated sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method

Preheat the oven to 160dC/325dF/Gas mark 3. First make the filling. Place the dates, walnuts, almonds, pistachio nuts, water, sugar and cinnamon in a small pan and cook over a low heat, until the dates are soft and the water has been fully absorbed and set aside. 2. Place the flour in bowl and add the butter, working it into the flour with your fingertips. Add the rose water and milk and knead the dough until soft. 3. Take walnut size pieces of dough. Roll each one into a ball and hollow with your thumb. Pinch the sides. 4. Place a spoonful of date mixture in the hollow and then press the dough back over the filling to enclose it, press the edges to together to seal. 5. Arrange the pastries on large baking sheet.

Press to flatten them slightly. Make little dents with a fork on the top of the pastries. 6. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes and at all cost, be sure not to allow them to change color or else they will become hard. Cool slightly, and sprinkle with sifted icing sugar.

Sustainability from within: Self-reflection

The more I observe my own inner life, the clearer it becomes that the root of the unsustainability we see in the world is not only in external systems but also in the inner state of human beings. At the core lies a feeling of self-inadequacy and a subtle sense of emptiness that often remain hidden in the background of consciousness. This inner void is what drives most individuals, myself included, into activities that are not really necessary for life. These activities, repeated across humanity, collectively make our lives a burden rather than a resource to both society and nature.

When I am in this state of disconnection from myself – what I call Stage 1 of the inner journey, I am mostly unaware of it. Yet in this state I feel incomplete, restless, and dissatisfied. To fill the emptiness, I seek pleasure from external sources. Sometimes I compare myself with others to feel superior. At other times I replay pleasurable past experiences or imagine future victories, arguments won, respect earned, and recognition received. These fantasies give brief relief but usually end in subtle disturbances.

I now realise that these mental activities strengthen desires, which then turn into actions that are often unnecessary and unsustainable. My attachment to desires naturally produces aversions toward their opposites, and together these make my relationships selective, exploitative, and disharmonious. In this way, my behaviour – and the behaviour of most people who remain in Stage 1 – contributes to the very patterns of unsustainability that plague the world today.

Yet there is a path forward: a four-stage journey from separateness to oneness.

The insight reveals that desires themselves are the root of suffering and unsustainability. As desires dissolve, so too do attachments and aversions. What remains is a deep sense of connectedness, with myself, with others, and with nature. In this state, action is motivated not by emptiness but by a sense of oneness. Such actions are whole-centred, compassionate, and inherently sustainable.

Towards sustainability within

From these reflections, I see that the deepest cause of unsustainability is not external consumption alone but the inner disconnection that fuels it. The feeling of self-inadequacy and emptiness pushes individuals toward desires, attachments, and aversions, fragmenting their inner life and leading to actions that burden society and nature.

But the same human mind also holds the seed of transformation. When disconnection is observed without judgment, disturbances dissolve into insight. Desires and aversions weaken. In their absence, the sense of oneness shines forth. Actions motivated by oneness are simple, whole-centred, and sustainable.

Thus, true sustainability is not only an external project but an inner awakening. By journeying from disconnection to connection, from separateness to oneness, we open the possibility of a sustainable world that arises from within.

Sri Lanka rake in cool Rs. 300 m from ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup

It was another case of rain and bad weather affecting the final match of the Colombo leg in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup between Sri Lanka and Pakistan which ended in a no-result at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium with only 4.2 overs being bowled.

It was frustrating and disappointing for the Lankan players who were looking forward to finishing their World Cup campaign which had all gone wonky with interference from the weather, with a win that would have given them a no. 5 or no. 6 position finish.

Having won their previous match played in India, against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka were keen to extend that run against Pakistan and finish on a high. But the weather had the final say.

The one point, Sri Lanka got from yesterday’s game they moved to fifth position in the standings displacing New Zealand who have 4 points with a game in hand against England on Sunday. If New Zealand wins they will finish fifth with 6 points and Sri Lanka sixth. If New Zealand lose to England, Sri Lanka will end up fifth.

However, whereas the prize money distribution is concerned both fifth and sixth placed teams will receive the same amount from the ICC – $ 700,000 each.

The weather gods have been rather unkind to the majority of Women’s Cricket World Cup matches played at Colombo’s R Premadasa Cricket Stadium that saw five of the 11 scheduled matches ending in a no-result, and two finishing with a result decided by the DLS rain rule. Only four matches were played without any interruption.

The results, however disappointing they may be, did not deter Sri Lanka from raking in a cool $ 984,314 (approx. Rs. 298,935,571) from the ICC for finishing fifth (or sixth) in the final league standings.

They will receive $ 250,000 (Rs. 75,924,850) as participation fee, $ 34,314 (Rs. 10,421,141) for their only win in the tournament against Bangladesh, and $ 700,000 (Rs. 212,589,581) for finishing fifth or sixth.

Considering the fact that Sri Lanka failed to qualify for a place at the last Women’s Cricket World Cup held in New Zealand in 2022, it was a commendable performance from Chamari Athapaththu’s team

Horror film ‘The Strangers Chapter 2’ now in 7 Lankan cinemas

Horror film ‘The Strangers Chapter 2’ is now being shown in seven cinemas in Sri Lanka.

They are Kandy City Centre, Liberty by Scope Kollupitiya, SCOPE Cinema – Colombo City Centre,

SCOPE Cinema – Havelock City Mall, PVR Cinema, Ram Cinema and Regal Cinemas.

The Strangers – Chapter 2 is the fourth film in The Strangers film series, and the second instalment of a new trilogy following The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024). The film was directed by Renny Harlin, and stars Madelaine Petsch, with Gabriel Basso, Froy Gutierrez, Ema Horvath, and Ella Bruccoleri.

After learning that one of their victims, Maya, is still alive, three masked maniacs return to finish the job. With nowhere to run and no one to trust, Maya soon finds herself in a brutal fight for survival against psychopaths who are more than willing to kill anyone who stands in their way.

Geoffrey Bawa Trust and Royal Thai Embassy present Thai Architecture Program

The Geoffrey Bawa Trust, in collaboration with the Royal Thai Embassy in Colombo, has announced a new joint Thai Architecture Program.

Between October 2025 and March 2026, the Program will bring renowned Thai architects to Colombo to share knowledge and exchange ideas on architectural practices in tropical climates. This initiative aims to strengthen cultural exchange between Sri Lanka and Thailand, celebrating the rich architectural and artistic heritage of both nations.

The Program includes presentations, workshops, and community engagement events to explore how contemporary architecture can offer solutions for healthy and sustainable living in dense urban environments and with increasingly unpredictable climate conditions.

The series opened yesterday at the Thai cultural centre, Siam Nivasa, at 6:30 p.m. with renowned Bangkok-based architect Rachaporn Choochuey. Choochuey’s presentation will explore how architecture can remain light, adaptable, and resilient in the face of heat, humidity, and rapid urban change. Bangkok-based architectural firm all(zone) Co-founder Choochuey will share a design practice rooted in the permissive conditions of her uniquely informal and improvisational city.

‘The Trust is thrilled to have this opportunity for collaboration between Thai and Sri Lankan architects, bringing some of the foremost contemporary architectural voices to our local audiences,’ says Geoffrey Bawa Trust Chief Curator Shayari de Silva. ‘It is especially remarkable that the project is supported by the Royal Thai Embassy, and we deeply appreciate their recognition of the crucial importance of championing contemporary cultural practices and regional exchange.’

Established in 1982 by the late architect, the Geoffrey Bawa Trust works to further the fields of architecture, the fine arts, and ecological and environmental studies in Sri Lanka. Geoffrey Bawa’s architectural work fused historical legacy with modernist principles and an acute awareness of the surrounding landscape. Since the architect’s passing in 2003, the Trust has sustained year-round public programs comprising lectures, tours, scholarships, residencies and exhibitions which engage broader discourse on the built environment and the arts in both Sri Lanka and overseas.

Geoffrey Bawa’s architectural style and approach were driven by a sense of place. From his earliest commissions, the architect’s practice was shaped by sourcing domestically available materials, working with local artisans, and a familiarity with the site on which he was working. This approach is still highly relevant in contemporary architecture, as humans grapple with how to build liveable spaces that are adaptable and comfortable in changing climates.

‘The Royal Thai Embassy in Colombo supports the undertaking of this program to foster architectural knowledge exchange between Sri Lanka and Thailand,’ says Ambassador of Thailand to Sri Lanka Paitoon Mahapannaporn. ‘The prominent Thai architects will be visiting Colombo through this Program, and we look forward to rich discussions on cultural heritage, contemporary architecture, and building for sustainability and a liveable future.’

Following Rachaporn Choochuey’s presentation in October, the Thai Architecture Program will host Kulapat Yantrasast in November. Raised in Thailand, Yantrasast is now based in Los Angeles, where he co-founded WHY Architecture in 2003. The architect is internationally renowned for his work in museum and gallery design, with clients such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Grand Rapids Art Museum, the first museum in the United States to receive LEED Gold certification for sustainable design.

BOC Chairman Kavinda de Zoysa appointed to Lanka Hospitals Board

Bank of Ceylon (BOC) Chairman Kavinda de Zoysa has been appointed to the Board of Lanka Hospitals Corporation PLC as an Independent Non-Executive Director.

De Zoysa has been serving as Chairman and Non-Executive Director of the Bank of Ceylon since November 2024.

He also chairs Property Development Ltd., BOC UK Ltd. (SMF9), and BOC IT Solutions Ltd. Under his leadership, BOC operates through more than 2,300 service points, including over 650 branches, and maintains an international presence in the UK, India, Maldives, and Seychelles.

A career banker with over three decades of experience, including more than 25 years in management, de Zoysa previously held senior roles at Citibank N.A., where he served as Director and Country Business Head for Sri Lanka.

During his nearly two-decade tenure at Citi, he was part of the country management and governance committees, leading strategic planning, corporate finance, capital markets, M and A advisory, and digitalisation initiatives. He has also worked with National Development Bank, Nations Trust Bank, and Seylan Bank.

His expertise spans corporate and investment banking, digitisation, risk management, strategic planning, development finance, and capital markets. He has also chaired the MASANA Regional Engagement Group of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA) and served as a senior membership assessor and vice chair of the CIMA Global Membership Panel since 2011.

De Zoysa is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) UK, the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) UK, the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka, and the Institute of Certified Management Accountants of Sri Lanka.

He holds an MBA with a Merit Pass and Gold Medal from the University of Colombo and completed executive education in Leading with Data and Analytics at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Education reforms and challenges ahead

The Ministry of Education has issued the guidelines regarding the new curriculum reforms set to take effect for Grade 1 to Grade 6 starting from next year. The reforms are primarily aimed at creating citizens who can face the challenges of the 21st century and beyond, contribute to sustainable national development, and foster peace in the country.

The reforms for Grade 1-5 will see the introduction of an activity-based structure under nine main common learning areas. These include Mother Tongue, English Language, Mathematics, Religion and Value Education, Initial Science and Environment-related Activities, and Integrated Aesthetic Education.

The Junior Secondary Sector curriculum (Grades 6-9) will be module and credit based with students having to study 14 compulsory subjects with three subjects, namely Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Technology for Life, and Entrepreneurship and Financial Literacy introduced at Grade 6.

There are Government plans to close over 1,000 schools which have less than 50 students as they are no longer sustainable. There are schools with only one teacher for all students and hence it is logical to amalgamate them with bigger schools so that the student gets a better education and also for the teachers to do a better job.

These are laudable goals, and one must support the authorities who will have the challenging task of implementing these reforms but there is also the hard reality of the many shortcomings our State education system lacks and are not geared to handle such reforms.

For one thing there is a huge disparity in the facilities available for national schools when compared with provincial and rural schools. Some schools lack the most basic facilities including sanitary facilities as well as equipment for schools.

Then there are the trade unions in the sector who are already fuming against the decision to extend school hours from next year. The Teachers and Principals Trade Union Alliance this week strongly opposed the Government’s decision to extend school hours by 30 minutes under the proposed education reforms set to take effect in 2026.

Union representatives warned that if the authorities fail to revise the decision before 7 November, they will launch a one-day strike at the start of the upcoming school term and argued that the decision was made without proper consultation with educators and that the extended hours would place an additional burden on both teachers and students.

The unions urged the Education Ministry to reconsider the move and engage in discussions with stakeholders, warning that continued disregard for teachers’ concerns could lead to wider trade union action in the education sector.

The problems so far with the Government reforms for the sector has been the lack of engagement with all the stakeholders including principals and teachers.

Already there have been concerns raised regarding Government plans to amend the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill dealing with corporal punishment with educators saying they may be unable to enforce discipline in schools with the threat of legal action looming due to this amendment.

President Anura Kumara Disanayake hinted recently that the Bill may be shelved due to opposition.

The education reforms will face many hurdles in the coming months. There seems to be a mighty rush on the part of the education authorities to push ahead with reforms without getting the basic necessities in place.

Technology is evolving at a rapid rate, and any new reforms will be outdated in a few years. What is important is to help children to become well-rounded adults who will become good citizens. Without the basics, all the reforms and technology will not help the future generations.

Walking Between Mercy and Karma’s Law

In the spiritual journey of life, every human being walks between two eternal pillars – Mercy and Severity. One stands for divine forgiveness, the other for divine justice. Together, they shape our destiny and reveal the mystery of how God’s grace and the law of cause and effect (what many call Karma) work in harmony.

The Pillar of Mercy represents God’s compassion, His willingness to forgive our wrongdoings and offer us another chance. The Pillar of Severity, on the other hand, symbolises the law of moral consequence: ‘For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap’ (Galatians 6:7). Between these two pillars, man’s soul learns balance – mercy softening justice, and justice keeping mercy from indulgence.

To live rightly, one must understand both. Forgiveness without accountability weakens the soul, while judgment without compassion hardens the heart. The journey to the crown, eternal life and divine perfection, demands that we walk uprightly between these sacred truths.

The Pillar of Mercy: God’s Endless Forgiveness

The pillar of mercy stands as a reminder of God’s unfathomable love. The psalmist declared, ‘The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy’ (Psalm 103:8). Mercy means more than pardon; it is the healing grace that restores the fallen, uplifts the contrite, and gives hope to the lost.

When we err, the voice of severity declares, ‘You must reap what you sow.’ But mercy intercedes, whispering, ‘Repent, and you shall be forgiven.’ Through Christ, mercy triumphed over judgment, offering humanity redemption. ‘For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved’ (John 3:17).

Yet mercy is not a free license to sin. True mercy transforms. The one who has been forgiven must in turn forgive others. Jesus taught, ‘Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy’ (Matthew 5:7). Each act of forgiveness we extend builds within us the likeness of God.

To live under the pillar of mercy is to walk in love, to let go of resentment, and to forgive even those who seem undeserving. This does not erase accountability but ensures that love, not vengeance, governs our response. Mercy cleanses the heart and frees the soul from bitterness (the very chains that keep us from ascending to the divine crown).

The Pillar of Severity: The Law of Karma

Opposite the pillar of mercy stands the pillar of severity; the eternal law of consequence. Scripture declares plainly, ‘Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap’ (Galatians 6:7).

This is the divine law that ensures justice in the universe. Every thought, word, and deed produces fruit, good or bad, according to its nature. When we sow kindness, we harvest peace; when we sow hatred, we reap unrest.

Many call this Karma; the Bible calls it divine justice. The prophet Hosea warned, ‘For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind’ (Hosea 8:7). Life, therefore, is a field, and every human being is both farmer and reaper.

Severity is not cruelty. It is correction. Just as a loving parent disciplines a child for his good, God allows us to face the results of our actions so that we may learn righteousness. ‘For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth’ (Hebrews 12:6).

The pillar of severity teaches personal responsibility. It reminds us that grace does not cancel accountability. Even when forgiven, we may still face the natural results of our deeds, not as punishment, but as instruction. Through these lessons, the soul matures and learns the wisdom of right living.

The Balance: Mercy Tempers Justice

Life’s spiritual path demands balance between these two pillars. If we lean too much toward severity, we become judgmental and unyielding. If we lean only toward mercy, we become careless and permissive. The righteous man stands in the middle – humble before God’s mercy, yet mindful of divine law.

The Prophet Micah captured this perfect balance when he wrote: ‘He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?’ (Micah 6:8).

Doing justly reflects the pillar of severity: – that is the commitment to fairness and truth. Loving mercy reflects the pillar of compassion – the readiness to forgive. And walking humbly reflects the awareness that we depend entirely on divine grace.

The wise soul therefore acts with kindness but also integrity; forgives others but learns from experience; prays for mercy but sows good seeds. Such a person understands that spiritual growth comes not from escaping justice, but from allowing mercy to guide one’s response to it.

The Physical and Spiritual Journey

Physically, man must live with discipline – honest in work, pure in speech, fair in dealings. The body, being the instrument of action, must serve righteousness. ‘Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not’ (Galatians 6:9). Every act of goodness adds a stone to the bridge that leads to divine reward.

Spiritually, man must cultivate forgiveness, compassion, and humility. The inner attitude determines the outer outcome. Anger, envy, and pride sow seeds of discord, while faith, patience, and love sow peace. As Jesus taught, ‘Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God’ (Matthew 5:8).

Thus, the journey of life is both physical and spiritual: the visible and invisible paths converging toward the same goal – the crown of righteousness.

The Crown: Reward of the Balanced Soul

To ‘merit the crown’ is to achieve inner victory. Thus mastery over self, harmony with divine law, and oneness with God. The Apostle Paul declared, ‘Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day’ (2 Timothy 4:8).

This crown is not given to those who only seek mercy without accountability, nor to those who demand justice without love. It is reserved for those who, walking between mercy and severity, have allowed both to purify their souls.

The man who forgives when wronged yet takes responsibility for his actions, who shows compassion yet upholds truth, who prays for mercy yet labours in righteousness. Such a man walks the royal path.

In him, mercy and severity are not enemies but allies. Mercy cleanses the heart; severity strengthens the will. Together, they make him fit for the eternal reward – the crown of life promised to those who overcome.

Conclusion: Living Between the Two Pillars

In the end, the pillars of mercy and severity are not opposing forces but divine instruments shaping the soul’s ascent. Mercy invites us to forgive and be forgiven; severity reminds us that our deeds have consequence.

To walk rightly between them is to live as Christ lived: firm in righteousness, gentle in compassion, and faithful unto the end. For only then shall we hear the words that echo through eternity: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. enter thou into the joy of thy Lord’ (Matthew 25:21).

Let every man, therefore, sow good seed in the field of life, water it with mercy, and harvest it in righteousness. For as sure as we reap what we sow, so too will those who walk in love and truth wear the everlasting crown of divine justice and grace.

Djokovic pulls out of Paris Masters

Novak Djokovic pulling out of the upcoming Paris Masters without giving an explicit reason provides more uncertainty about his plans for the rest of the season.

The 38-year-old Serb was hampered by injury in his most recent ATP tournament, the Shanghai Masters, where he lost to qualifier Valentin Vacherot in the semi-finals.

Djokovic also had to retire from his match against Taylor Fritz at the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia last week.

On Tuesday, the 24-time major champion announced he had decided to withdraw from the Paris Masters, the final ATP 1000 event of the season which starts next week.

‘Dear Paris, unfortunately I’ll not compete at this year’s Paris Masters,’ Djokovic wrote on social media. ‘I have amazing memories and great success over the years, especially being able to conquer the title seven times.’

Djokovic’s statement did not offer any reason why exactly he is not playing, but he hinted in Saudi that he would skip Paris in order to potentially elongate his season.

Appearing at an ATP 250 event in Athens – a tournament owned by his family and relocated from Belgrade – is Djokovic’s main focus.

It looks unlikely he will miss an event with such an emotional pull unless his physical problems are too great.