The Holy Bible, the first Book is the record of the revelation of God to man, through Prophets and Jesus Christ. The documentary looks at the journey the Holy Bible has traveled from its origin when there was non paper or printing press to the current day when it has been translated to numerous languages. The Bible or part of the Bible has been translated to more than 2400 languages. The Holy Bible contains the old testament and the new testament.
View the documentary at
http://icon.org.in/php/playVideo.php?id=HolyBible
Posted as additional viewing material for Class 9, Unit 1 & 2
Thanks,
Rajesh Vargheese
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
"YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH." (Mt. 5:13)
"YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH." (Mt. 5:13)
"The salt of the earth" figuratively means in the plural, 'the finest citizenry',
and in the singular, 'one among them'. In the course of His Sermon on the
Mount, Jesus addresses the listeners individually and collectively as the
salt of the earth. He reminds them that salt renders itself good for nothing
when it loses its taste. The reminder serves to warn against their losing
sight of their mission in life and leading bland, unsavory, meaningless lives.
During the Lord's earthly ministry, pure salt was a very scarce commodity,
and therefore, quite dear and often a suitable medium of exchange in terms
of its stability in value. Hence, the use of the figure of speech is in context
to challenge the listeners to evaluate what they really 'are', and what they
'can be' in God's kingdom on earth by being like pure salt without blemish.
The Lord's message is as much relevant to us individually as Christian
believers, and collectively as a parish/diocese/ church in the 21st century as
it was to the listeners then. In modern usage, we often refer to a diligent
and dedicated worker as being 'worth his/her salt'. That means, the worker
concerned MERITS IN FULL, what he/she earns as salary, by virtue of
personal commitment, perseverance and resultant improved productivity.
The word 'salary' itself is derived from the word 'salt'. In fact, salary means
'salt-money' .
We read in Job 6:6, "Can that which is tasteless be eaten without salt."
The same is a fact of life even today. Salt is extremely useful in our
day-to-day lives when used in its appropriate quantity. Salt is immensely
valuable for what it does. Salt SEASONS; PRESERVES; PURIFIES;
IRRITATES CUTS AND BRUISES; PERMEATES AND PENETRATES. Life
without salt is inconceivable. So must be Christianity and its adherents to
the present-day social life.
Millions around the globe remain literally drained of their spiritual dignity,
emotional security, mental peace and physical well-being. They desperately
look for props to cling to while living through the abject misery of their broken
lives. Just as salt seasons and causes flavor to come alive, Christian
believers and their churches of various denominations must strive to redeem
them by imparting flavor and zest to their otherwise wretched lives. They
have to be provided with at least a semblance of hope worth living for.
Like salt, Christianity has to be consistently an efficacious 'preservative' in
the face of rapidly vanishing values of life such as respect for the sanctity of
life; chivalry; chastity in thought, speech and action; courage of conviction;
personal integrity and so on. A society solidly founded on sound moral
tenets and values will become a forlorn dream unless Christianity does its
part in protecting and PRESERVING moral values on a war footing.
In 2 Kings 2:20-22 is the narrative of how Elisha made a polluted spring of
water wholesome by dropping salt in it from a new bowl with a prayerful
pronouncement of blessing over the water. Salt has antiseptic properties to
heal. In olden days new-born babes were given a saline bath to ward off or
avoid infections. Christianity has to play the role of 'purifying salt' by being a
relentless uncompromising voice of sanity and moral rectitude against the
rampant corrupting influences that threaten modern civilization. Social ills
will then be certainly healed, heralding the dawn of a better morrow.
Mark 9:49 reads: "For every one will be salted with fire." It implies that a
burning sensation is common to both salt and fire. As far as cuts and
bruises are concerned, salt is an irritant. Christians and their churches of
various denominations must also act as 'irritants' in a sick society. The
decaying modern culture badly needs and calls for the salt of Christianity and
the Lord's empowering gospel to break away from the stinking status quo,
and start afresh in newness of spirit.
Just as salt permeates and penetrates water, churches of various
denominations are to deploy their human resources to reach out to, and
penetrate all the different social strata, with the life-giving gospel of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, instead of keeping it hidden under a bushel. A
sweeping spiritual revival will then ensue giving hope and healing to billions.
Christians are required NOT to be conformed to this world. They are to be
strikingly different from non-Christians in their thought and behavioral patterns.
Apostle Paul, therefore, exhorts us: "Let your speech always be gracious,
seasoned with salt." (Col. 4:6) We owe it to ourselves and to our Lord to
conduct ourselves in such an exemplary manner as to be able to draw non-
Christians to the Lord of Glory.
I conclude this message by posing to myself the question: "Am I, my parish,
my diocese, my church pure salt or salt that has lost its savor?"
Prayerfully,
Nakkolackal V. L. Eapen,
St. Gregorios Church, Austin, TX.
"The salt of the earth" figuratively means in the plural, 'the finest citizenry',
and in the singular, 'one among them'. In the course of His Sermon on the
Mount, Jesus addresses the listeners individually and collectively as the
salt of the earth. He reminds them that salt renders itself good for nothing
when it loses its taste. The reminder serves to warn against their losing
sight of their mission in life and leading bland, unsavory, meaningless lives.
During the Lord's earthly ministry, pure salt was a very scarce commodity,
and therefore, quite dear and often a suitable medium of exchange in terms
of its stability in value. Hence, the use of the figure of speech is in context
to challenge the listeners to evaluate what they really 'are', and what they
'can be' in God's kingdom on earth by being like pure salt without blemish.
The Lord's message is as much relevant to us individually as Christian
believers, and collectively as a parish/diocese/ church in the 21st century as
it was to the listeners then. In modern usage, we often refer to a diligent
and dedicated worker as being 'worth his/her salt'. That means, the worker
concerned MERITS IN FULL, what he/she earns as salary, by virtue of
personal commitment, perseverance and resultant improved productivity.
The word 'salary' itself is derived from the word 'salt'. In fact, salary means
'salt-money' .
We read in Job 6:6, "Can that which is tasteless be eaten without salt."
The same is a fact of life even today. Salt is extremely useful in our
day-to-day lives when used in its appropriate quantity. Salt is immensely
valuable for what it does. Salt SEASONS; PRESERVES; PURIFIES;
IRRITATES CUTS AND BRUISES; PERMEATES AND PENETRATES. Life
without salt is inconceivable. So must be Christianity and its adherents to
the present-day social life.
Millions around the globe remain literally drained of their spiritual dignity,
emotional security, mental peace and physical well-being. They desperately
look for props to cling to while living through the abject misery of their broken
lives. Just as salt seasons and causes flavor to come alive, Christian
believers and their churches of various denominations must strive to redeem
them by imparting flavor and zest to their otherwise wretched lives. They
have to be provided with at least a semblance of hope worth living for.
Like salt, Christianity has to be consistently an efficacious 'preservative' in
the face of rapidly vanishing values of life such as respect for the sanctity of
life; chivalry; chastity in thought, speech and action; courage of conviction;
personal integrity and so on. A society solidly founded on sound moral
tenets and values will become a forlorn dream unless Christianity does its
part in protecting and PRESERVING moral values on a war footing.
In 2 Kings 2:20-22 is the narrative of how Elisha made a polluted spring of
water wholesome by dropping salt in it from a new bowl with a prayerful
pronouncement of blessing over the water. Salt has antiseptic properties to
heal. In olden days new-born babes were given a saline bath to ward off or
avoid infections. Christianity has to play the role of 'purifying salt' by being a
relentless uncompromising voice of sanity and moral rectitude against the
rampant corrupting influences that threaten modern civilization. Social ills
will then be certainly healed, heralding the dawn of a better morrow.
Mark 9:49 reads: "For every one will be salted with fire." It implies that a
burning sensation is common to both salt and fire. As far as cuts and
bruises are concerned, salt is an irritant. Christians and their churches of
various denominations must also act as 'irritants' in a sick society. The
decaying modern culture badly needs and calls for the salt of Christianity and
the Lord's empowering gospel to break away from the stinking status quo,
and start afresh in newness of spirit.
Just as salt permeates and penetrates water, churches of various
denominations are to deploy their human resources to reach out to, and
penetrate all the different social strata, with the life-giving gospel of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, instead of keeping it hidden under a bushel. A
sweeping spiritual revival will then ensue giving hope and healing to billions.
Christians are required NOT to be conformed to this world. They are to be
strikingly different from non-Christians in their thought and behavioral patterns.
Apostle Paul, therefore, exhorts us: "Let your speech always be gracious,
seasoned with salt." (Col. 4:6) We owe it to ourselves and to our Lord to
conduct ourselves in such an exemplary manner as to be able to draw non-
Christians to the Lord of Glory.
I conclude this message by posing to myself the question: "Am I, my parish,
my diocese, my church pure salt or salt that has lost its savor?"
Prayerfully,
Nakkolackal V. L. Eapen,
St. Gregorios Church, Austin, TX.
IT IS FINISHED. (Jn.19:30)
"IT IS FINISHED." (Jn.19:30)
The Lord's above pronouncement from the cross at Calvary represents
the DIVINE perspective. Its emphasis is, therefore, NOT on the
Sacrificial Lamb, but on the final outcome of the sacrifice - i.e. the
fulfillment of the Heavenly Father's sovereign will. If paraphrased to
represent the HUMAN perspective, it would read: "I have finished it."
The Lord's emphatic declaration, "It is finished," leaves no room for
skepticism. However, to appreciate what has been finished, and at
what stupendous cost it has been finished, we need spiritual discern-
ment besides a sound understanding of the relevant Scriptural texts.
God's New Covenant with Israel, spelt out in Jer. 31:31-34 and alluded
to in Ezek. 36:24-28, has the following four (04) provisions: (i) Re-
generation: God's law will be ingrained in their minds and written on
their hearts; (ii) Israel's Restoration: Yahweh will be their God and
Israelites will be His people; (iii) The Holy Spirit's Direct Ministry:
They will ALL be individually instructed by the Spirit of God; and (iv)
The Assurance of Full Justification: Their sins will be forgiven and
remembered no more. The shed blood of the Lamb of God on Calvary's
cross guarantees to Israel its New Covenant while assuring forgiveness
of sins to believers comprising the Church, which forms God's New
Israel. In Rom. 11:25-26, St. Paul anticipates a day when all Israel
would accept Jesus as the Messiah and His death on the cross as the
atonement for their sins. "A hardening has come upon part of Israel,
until the full number of the Gentiles come in, and so all Israel will be
saved."
The cross is as much a symbol of 'divine justice' as it is of 'divine love'.
Divine justice dictates that the wages of sin is death. The reference
here is NOT to 'physical' death, but to 'spiritual' death. Spiritual death
means 'separation from God'. That is, the indwelling spirit, which is the
"inward being" (Ps. 51) or the "inner man"/woman (Eph. 3:16), becomes
separated from God as the inescapable consequence of sin. This is
attested in Isaiah 59:2. "But your iniquities have made a separation
between you and your God." When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden
fruit, they instantly died spiritually. Consequently, they lost their
fellowship with God and their God-centeredness, and became self-
centered, and scrambled for fig leaves to cover their nakedness. What
has been finished at Calvary is the BRIDGING OF MAN'S SEPARATION
FROM GOD in accordance with the rigorous, but just and fair require-
ments of divine justice. The Sinless Christ became our sin on the cross,
and died in our place, not only physically, but also spiritually, to appease
God's wrath against us. The Lord's SUBSTITUTIONARY SPIRITUAL
DEATH on our behalf implies His momentary separation from God the
Father, necessitating the heart-rending cry, "My God, My God, why hast
Thou forsaken Me." (Mt. 27:46) The strange salutation is profoundly
significant in that it is NOT, 'My Father, My Father', as it should
otherwise be. Suffice it to say that God punished Christ as though He
had committed our sins. On the other hand, when we believe in Christ,
God accepts us as though we were as righteous as Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21)
In Biblical terminology, it is called "reckoned"/imputed righteousness.
(Rom. 4:6)
The Lord Himself affirms in Lk. 22:37, "For what is written about Me has
its fulfillment. " The Lord's clarity of vision as to His epoch-making mission
at Calvary is apparent in Lk.12:50. "I have a baptism to be baptized with;
and how I am constrained until it is accomplished! " It was indeed a
baptism of fire; an acid test of His obedience and faithfulness. Accord-
ingly, the Lord "offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and
tears, to Him, Who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard
for His godly fear." (Heb. 5:7) The Lord also thoughtfully prepared His
disciples for the impending tragedy.
The mission at Calvary has four (04) primary purposes: (i) Bearing our
iniquities; (ii) Carrying our sicknesses; (iii) Washing away our sinful-
ness and purchasing with His precious blood the forgiveness of our sins;
and (iv) Dying physically to rise from the dead, and thus to destroy for
ever the power of death.
Isaiah, who lived 700 years before Christ, perceived in his spirit, the
spiritual, mental, emotional and physical agony of the dying Christ on
the rugged cross, and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he wrote:
"He (the Father) shall see the fruit of the travail of His (the Son's) soul
and be satisfied; by His knowledge shall the Righteous One, My
Servant, make many to be accounted righteous; and He shall bear their
iniquities." (Is. 53:11) "He shall bear their iniquities," means that He
shall suffer substitutionary spiritual death.
Again, Isaiah saw in his spirit Lord Jesus Christ at the whipping post
being ruthlessly lashed by the Roman soldiers, and Isaiah cried out:
"Upon Him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with His
stripes we are healed." (Is. 53:5) The stripes, left on the Lord's back by
the soldiers' strokes with the whip, are a provision for our divine healing.
In other words, the Lord took upon Himself our ailments and diseases
to be nailed to the cross, and gave us in return health and healing with
His stripes. It is NOT coincidental, but prophetic, that David writes in
Psalm 103: "Who forgives all your iniquity," (because of the spilled
blood at Calvary), and "Who heals all your diseases," (with the stripes
on the Lord's back).
The Lord's mission having been triumphantly 'finished', it is up to us, the
believers, to claim and receive Calvary's everlasting victory over Satan,
sin, sickness and death, as our own inheritance during this Holy Lenten
Season.
Prayerfully,
Nakkolackal V. L. Eapen,
St. Gregorios Church, Austin, TX.
The Lord's above pronouncement from the cross at Calvary represents
the DIVINE perspective. Its emphasis is, therefore, NOT on the
Sacrificial Lamb, but on the final outcome of the sacrifice - i.e. the
fulfillment of the Heavenly Father's sovereign will. If paraphrased to
represent the HUMAN perspective, it would read: "I have finished it."
The Lord's emphatic declaration, "It is finished," leaves no room for
skepticism. However, to appreciate what has been finished, and at
what stupendous cost it has been finished, we need spiritual discern-
ment besides a sound understanding of the relevant Scriptural texts.
God's New Covenant with Israel, spelt out in Jer. 31:31-34 and alluded
to in Ezek. 36:24-28, has the following four (04) provisions: (i) Re-
generation: God's law will be ingrained in their minds and written on
their hearts; (ii) Israel's Restoration: Yahweh will be their God and
Israelites will be His people; (iii) The Holy Spirit's Direct Ministry:
They will ALL be individually instructed by the Spirit of God; and (iv)
The Assurance of Full Justification: Their sins will be forgiven and
remembered no more. The shed blood of the Lamb of God on Calvary's
cross guarantees to Israel its New Covenant while assuring forgiveness
of sins to believers comprising the Church, which forms God's New
Israel. In Rom. 11:25-26, St. Paul anticipates a day when all Israel
would accept Jesus as the Messiah and His death on the cross as the
atonement for their sins. "A hardening has come upon part of Israel,
until the full number of the Gentiles come in, and so all Israel will be
saved."
The cross is as much a symbol of 'divine justice' as it is of 'divine love'.
Divine justice dictates that the wages of sin is death. The reference
here is NOT to 'physical' death, but to 'spiritual' death. Spiritual death
means 'separation from God'. That is, the indwelling spirit, which is the
"inward being" (Ps. 51) or the "inner man"/woman (Eph. 3:16), becomes
separated from God as the inescapable consequence of sin. This is
attested in Isaiah 59:2. "But your iniquities have made a separation
between you and your God." When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden
fruit, they instantly died spiritually. Consequently, they lost their
fellowship with God and their God-centeredness, and became self-
centered, and scrambled for fig leaves to cover their nakedness. What
has been finished at Calvary is the BRIDGING OF MAN'S SEPARATION
FROM GOD in accordance with the rigorous, but just and fair require-
ments of divine justice. The Sinless Christ became our sin on the cross,
and died in our place, not only physically, but also spiritually, to appease
God's wrath against us. The Lord's SUBSTITUTIONARY SPIRITUAL
DEATH on our behalf implies His momentary separation from God the
Father, necessitating the heart-rending cry, "My God, My God, why hast
Thou forsaken Me." (Mt. 27:46) The strange salutation is profoundly
significant in that it is NOT, 'My Father, My Father', as it should
otherwise be. Suffice it to say that God punished Christ as though He
had committed our sins. On the other hand, when we believe in Christ,
God accepts us as though we were as righteous as Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21)
In Biblical terminology, it is called "reckoned"/imputed righteousness.
(Rom. 4:6)
The Lord Himself affirms in Lk. 22:37, "For what is written about Me has
its fulfillment. " The Lord's clarity of vision as to His epoch-making mission
at Calvary is apparent in Lk.12:50. "I have a baptism to be baptized with;
and how I am constrained until it is accomplished! " It was indeed a
baptism of fire; an acid test of His obedience and faithfulness. Accord-
ingly, the Lord "offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and
tears, to Him, Who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard
for His godly fear." (Heb. 5:7) The Lord also thoughtfully prepared His
disciples for the impending tragedy.
The mission at Calvary has four (04) primary purposes: (i) Bearing our
iniquities; (ii) Carrying our sicknesses; (iii) Washing away our sinful-
ness and purchasing with His precious blood the forgiveness of our sins;
and (iv) Dying physically to rise from the dead, and thus to destroy for
ever the power of death.
Isaiah, who lived 700 years before Christ, perceived in his spirit, the
spiritual, mental, emotional and physical agony of the dying Christ on
the rugged cross, and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he wrote:
"He (the Father) shall see the fruit of the travail of His (the Son's) soul
and be satisfied; by His knowledge shall the Righteous One, My
Servant, make many to be accounted righteous; and He shall bear their
iniquities." (Is. 53:11) "He shall bear their iniquities," means that He
shall suffer substitutionary spiritual death.
Again, Isaiah saw in his spirit Lord Jesus Christ at the whipping post
being ruthlessly lashed by the Roman soldiers, and Isaiah cried out:
"Upon Him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with His
stripes we are healed." (Is. 53:5) The stripes, left on the Lord's back by
the soldiers' strokes with the whip, are a provision for our divine healing.
In other words, the Lord took upon Himself our ailments and diseases
to be nailed to the cross, and gave us in return health and healing with
His stripes. It is NOT coincidental, but prophetic, that David writes in
Psalm 103: "Who forgives all your iniquity," (because of the spilled
blood at Calvary), and "Who heals all your diseases," (with the stripes
on the Lord's back).
The Lord's mission having been triumphantly 'finished', it is up to us, the
believers, to claim and receive Calvary's everlasting victory over Satan,
sin, sickness and death, as our own inheritance during this Holy Lenten
Season.
Prayerfully,
Nakkolackal V. L. Eapen,
St. Gregorios Church, Austin, TX.
THE MAKINGS OF A SPIRITUALLY VIBRANT PARISH
Professing Christ is a far cry from possessing Christ. Living a selfless life in
absolute obedience to Christ's commandments is the only way to possess Christ
and be His disciple(s). What distinguishes a spiritually vibrant parish is the
parishioners' habitually 'loving one another' in the same way as Christ has
unconditionally loved them. (Jn. 15:12) Loving one another is enjoined as
imperative in Christian discipleship. (Jn. 13:35) Apostle Paul calls it a debt
that we "owe" (Rom. 13:8) to one another regardless of pelf, position or power.
Apostles Peter and John commend it as a way of life to be diligently pursued and
passionately preserved for mutual edification. (1 Pet. 1:22; 1 Jn. 3:11&23;
4:7,11&12 and 2 Jn. 1:5) Furthermore, Apostle John exhorts us: "Little
children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth." (1 Jn. 3:18)
Parishioners' loving one another must manifest itself in the way they
instinctively think, speak and act. The following are a few among the many
channels of expression of their mutual love and adoration.
1. Greeting one another: (Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12 & 1 Pet. 5:14)
In the first three cited references above, Apostle Paul emphasizes the need for
greeting one another "with a holy kiss" while in the fourth and last, Apostle
Peter reiterates it using a similar expression, "with the kiss of love". The
kiss envisaged by the Apostles is by way of informal routine unlike the formal
'kiss of peace' we cherish having during the Holy Qurbana. In a spiritually
vibrant parish, members tend to greet one another, with a warm and cordial
embrace and with spontaneous cheer and courtesy, especially when they come
together for light refreshments after the Holy Qurbana. The temptation to
remain secluded in prisons of one's own making cannot then arise at all.
Inspired as they are with love for one another, 'other people' and 'common
events' do not generally feature in their sublime conversation. Instead, they
tend to discuss shared moral goals and values; precepts and principles; norms
and standards. Even the tone and tenor of their conversation will be mutually
elevating and empowering as is summed up in Eph. 5:19.
2. Rejoicing in the Lord and in one another: (Phil. 4:4)
A parish community, that steadfastly upholds love in all its internal dealings
with one another, tends to blossom out as a 'joyful' community, rejoicing in the
Lord always and consequently in one another.
3. Living in harmony with one another: (Rom. 12:16 & 1 Cor. 1:10)
A joyful parish community evolves into a 'peaceful' community in due course,
ironing out differences and forging consensus amicably. The parish community is
then at peace with itself, with other parishes and with God.
4. Bearing with one another in a spirit of forgiveness: (Eph. 4:2 & Col. 3:13)
When interactive love, joy and peace permeate among the parishioners, they tend
to be graciously 'patient' with one another's shortcomings, and refrain from
"passing judgment on one another." (Rom. 14:13)
5. Accepting one another and serving one another: (Rom. 15:7; Gal.5:13 & Eph.
4:32)
The offshoot of 'patience' outlined in (4) above is 'kindness' in accepting one
another as one really is, and being servants of one another in "humility". (1 Pet. 5:5)
6. Encouraging one another out of goodness: (1 Thess. 5:11; Heb. 3:13 & 10:25)
By 'goodness' is NOT meant 'inherent' goodness, but goodness attained by the
parishioners through the practice of virtues in successive stages starting from
'pervasive love'. At this stage, they are able to overcome their envy, and begin
encouraging one another to scale greater heights of success in their respective
professional and/or personal pursuits.
7. Teaching and admonishing one another in faithfulness: (Rom. 15:14 & Col.
3:16)
All parishioners cannot be at the same level of spiritual growth and awareness
at any given time. Those lagging behind need to be helped out by the
enlightened and discerning in 'faithfulness' which is yet another fruit of the
Spirit.
8. Submitting and being hospitable to one another in gentleness: (Eph. 5:21 &
1 Pet. 4:9)
'Gentleness' ranks eighth in the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit. (Gal. 5:22)
Gradually, when parishioners climb up to the eighth rung of the spiritual ladder
through self-surrender, the Holy Spirit enables them to submit to one another
gently without self-importance or pride. They also tend to practice being
hospitable to one another.
9. Exercising self-control in thought, speech and action: (Gal. 5:22)
At this final stage, parishioners are strengthened by the Enabler to gain
control over themselves and be temperate. The steady ascent, step after step
from 'permeating love', eventually culminates in self-mastery and control,
indispensable to overcoming the world and its temptations, and living abundantly
thereafter.
Gal. 5:22 reads: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. " Only when ALL the
parishioners bear the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit in their daily lives, does a
parish become spiritually vibrant in its true sense. Becoming and being a
spiritually vibrant parish, has therefore to be a protracted ongoing process.
Providential grace is the one key to achieving final victory.
Prayerfully,
Nakkolackal V. L. Eapen
absolute obedience to Christ's commandments is the only way to possess Christ
and be His disciple(s). What distinguishes a spiritually vibrant parish is the
parishioners' habitually 'loving one another' in the same way as Christ has
unconditionally loved them. (Jn. 15:12) Loving one another is enjoined as
imperative in Christian discipleship. (Jn. 13:35) Apostle Paul calls it a debt
that we "owe" (Rom. 13:8) to one another regardless of pelf, position or power.
Apostles Peter and John commend it as a way of life to be diligently pursued and
passionately preserved for mutual edification. (1 Pet. 1:22; 1 Jn. 3:11&23;
4:7,11&12 and 2 Jn. 1:5) Furthermore, Apostle John exhorts us: "Little
children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth." (1 Jn. 3:18)
Parishioners' loving one another must manifest itself in the way they
instinctively think, speak and act. The following are a few among the many
channels of expression of their mutual love and adoration.
1. Greeting one another: (Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12 & 1 Pet. 5:14)
In the first three cited references above, Apostle Paul emphasizes the need for
greeting one another "with a holy kiss" while in the fourth and last, Apostle
Peter reiterates it using a similar expression, "with the kiss of love". The
kiss envisaged by the Apostles is by way of informal routine unlike the formal
'kiss of peace' we cherish having during the Holy Qurbana. In a spiritually
vibrant parish, members tend to greet one another, with a warm and cordial
embrace and with spontaneous cheer and courtesy, especially when they come
together for light refreshments after the Holy Qurbana. The temptation to
remain secluded in prisons of one's own making cannot then arise at all.
Inspired as they are with love for one another, 'other people' and 'common
events' do not generally feature in their sublime conversation. Instead, they
tend to discuss shared moral goals and values; precepts and principles; norms
and standards. Even the tone and tenor of their conversation will be mutually
elevating and empowering as is summed up in Eph. 5:19.
2. Rejoicing in the Lord and in one another: (Phil. 4:4)
A parish community, that steadfastly upholds love in all its internal dealings
with one another, tends to blossom out as a 'joyful' community, rejoicing in the
Lord always and consequently in one another.
3. Living in harmony with one another: (Rom. 12:16 & 1 Cor. 1:10)
A joyful parish community evolves into a 'peaceful' community in due course,
ironing out differences and forging consensus amicably. The parish community is
then at peace with itself, with other parishes and with God.
4. Bearing with one another in a spirit of forgiveness: (Eph. 4:2 & Col. 3:13)
When interactive love, joy and peace permeate among the parishioners, they tend
to be graciously 'patient' with one another's shortcomings, and refrain from
"passing judgment on one another." (Rom. 14:13)
5. Accepting one another and serving one another: (Rom. 15:7; Gal.5:13 & Eph.
4:32)
The offshoot of 'patience' outlined in (4) above is 'kindness' in accepting one
another as one really is, and being servants of one another in "humility". (1 Pet. 5:5)
6. Encouraging one another out of goodness: (1 Thess. 5:11; Heb. 3:13 & 10:25)
By 'goodness' is NOT meant 'inherent' goodness, but goodness attained by the
parishioners through the practice of virtues in successive stages starting from
'pervasive love'. At this stage, they are able to overcome their envy, and begin
encouraging one another to scale greater heights of success in their respective
professional and/or personal pursuits.
7. Teaching and admonishing one another in faithfulness: (Rom. 15:14 & Col.
3:16)
All parishioners cannot be at the same level of spiritual growth and awareness
at any given time. Those lagging behind need to be helped out by the
enlightened and discerning in 'faithfulness' which is yet another fruit of the
Spirit.
8. Submitting and being hospitable to one another in gentleness: (Eph. 5:21 &
1 Pet. 4:9)
'Gentleness' ranks eighth in the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit. (Gal. 5:22)
Gradually, when parishioners climb up to the eighth rung of the spiritual ladder
through self-surrender, the Holy Spirit enables them to submit to one another
gently without self-importance or pride. They also tend to practice being
hospitable to one another.
9. Exercising self-control in thought, speech and action: (Gal. 5:22)
At this final stage, parishioners are strengthened by the Enabler to gain
control over themselves and be temperate. The steady ascent, step after step
from 'permeating love', eventually culminates in self-mastery and control,
indispensable to overcoming the world and its temptations, and living abundantly
thereafter.
Gal. 5:22 reads: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. " Only when ALL the
parishioners bear the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit in their daily lives, does a
parish become spiritually vibrant in its true sense. Becoming and being a
spiritually vibrant parish, has therefore to be a protracted ongoing process.
Providential grace is the one key to achieving final victory.
Prayerfully,
Nakkolackal V. L. Eapen
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Seven Bishops Consecrated by H.H. Baselios Marthoma Didymus I
His Holiness Baselius Marthoma Didymus I consecrated seven new bishops
today (February 19., 2009) at St. George Orthodox Church, Puthupally,
the Oriental Georgian pilgrim centre of The East. HH was assisted by
H.B Paulose Mar Milithios, Catholicate designate and all the other
bishops. The new bishops are H.G. Yuhanon Mar Polycarpos, H.G. Mathews
Mar Theodosius, H.G. Joseph Mar Dionysius, H.G. Abraham Mar
Epiphanios, H.G. Mathews Mar Themothios, H.G. Alexios Mar Eusebios and
H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros.
today (February 19., 2009) at St. George Orthodox Church, Puthupally,
the Oriental Georgian pilgrim centre of The East. HH was assisted by
H.B Paulose Mar Milithios, Catholicate designate and all the other
bishops. The new bishops are H.G. Yuhanon Mar Polycarpos, H.G. Mathews
Mar Theodosius, H.G. Joseph Mar Dionysius, H.G. Abraham Mar
Epiphanios, H.G. Mathews Mar Themothios, H.G. Alexios Mar Eusebios and
H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros.
http://www.icon.org.in/php/BishopConsecration2009.php
Post your wishes at
http://www.icon.org.in/php/postYourBestWishes.php?for=ConsecratedBishops2009
May the Lord shower his blessings on all the new bishops and may their
service bring a positive impact for the church and the society.
Thanks,
ICON Moderators
--
Thanks,
Rajesh
Sunday, February 1, 2009
H.G. Pathrose Mar Osthathios: Through the words of H.G Geevargheese Mar Osthathios
H.G. Pathrose Mar Osthathios: Through the words of H.G Geevargheese
Mar Osthathios
Mar Osthathios
In the biography of H.G Geevargheese Mar Osthathios, 'Ethu
Karthavagunu' (This is the Lord) there is nice article by H.G
Geevargheese Mar Osthathios on H.G. Pathrose Mar Osthathios. (which
appeared in the February edition of the Church Weekly in the year
1968.)
H.G. Pathrose Mar Osthathios had passed away on February 2nd, 1968. In
this article, H.G Geevargheese Mar Osthathios tries to put together a
last farewell speech that H.G. Pathrose Mar Osthathios would have made
to the church if he was alive. While it talks more, let me take two
excerpts from this article that is always applicable.
"A request: This is a request I have made to the well off churches of
Malankara Sabha many times. Let me remind you once again before you
lay me to rest. Even when many of our well off churches have many sets
of bells, decorated umbrellas, patten, chalice, candle stands, how
unfortunate is it that some of the churches in Malabar and high ranges
dont have any church equipments....."
"Dear friends, I will pray for you. Please do not build me a big tomb,
instead use that money to build small houses for our new christian
brothers who we always call 'our happiness and our crown'......"
Today, we are glad that our leaders have taken the steps to make H.G.
Pathrose Mar Osthathios thirumeni's dreams a reality. The aggressive
plan laid out as part of the Catholicate day collections aims to
provide housing for all the financially poor members of the Servants
of the Cross by 2012.
May HG's soul rest in peace.
Reference:
1. Ethu Karthavagunu by Thomas Neelarmadom. (Page 784-788).
2. Catholicate day plan:
http://malankaraorthodoxchurch.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=267&Itemid=442
Thanks,
Rajesh Vargheese
Austin, TX
Friday, January 2, 2009
H.H. Moran Mar Baselios Geevarghese II: A Tribute
H.H. Moran Mar Baselios Geevarghese II: A Tribute
January 3rd marks the memorial of H.H. Moran Mar Baselios Geevarghese II, The Third Catholicos of the East. (6 June 1874 - 3 Jan 1964) Through prayer and fasting he received strength from God to lead his people for long years, courageously, inspiring his people to work for their church and for the glory of God. Following the peace pact of 1958, he had the good fortune to guide the destiny of the unified Malankara Church. The deep spirituality and wisdom of this Catholicos earned him the title 'Valiya Bava', or 'The Great Catholicos'. He entered the eternal realms on 3 January 1964 at Develokam Aramana and was laid to rest beside the Devalokam Aramana Chapel.
Please visit
http://icon.org.in/php/HHBaseliosGeevarghese-II.php
for viewing the tribute page.
January 3rd marks the memorial of H.H. Moran Mar Baselios Geevarghese II, The Third Catholicos of the East. (6 June 1874 - 3 Jan 1964) Through prayer and fasting he received strength from God to lead his people for long years, courageously, inspiring his people to work for their church and for the glory of God. Following the peace pact of 1958, he had the good fortune to guide the destiny of the unified Malankara Church. The deep spirituality and wisdom of this Catholicos earned him the title 'Valiya Bava', or 'The Great Catholicos'. He entered the eternal realms on 3 January 1964 at Develokam Aramana and was laid to rest beside the Devalokam Aramana Chapel.
Please visit
http://icon.org.in/php/HHBaseliosGeevarghese-II.php
for viewing the tribute page.
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