CHRISTIAN NEWS MAGAZINE FOR KERALA MALAYALEE CHRISTIANS FROM INDIA AROUND THE WORLD
APRIL 2003 ARCHIVE
VOL:2ISSUE:P4
DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE


HUMANITY, NEED OF THE TIME

By MOST. REV. DR. PHILIPOSE MAR CHRYSOSTOM

All those who refuse and reject the blessings of God are the grant sons of the prodigal son. Do we find any men in our society with humanity? The Church, which is the body of Christ, should reveal the nature of God. The Ministers of the Church should not defile God, but should reveal God through their life.



MOST. REV.
DR. PHILIPOSE
MAR CHRYSOSTOM

[The inauguration speech delivered by Most. Rev. Philipose Mar Crysostum Marthoma Valia Metropolitan on Feb 9, 2003 during the 108 th Maramon Convention - Original in Malayalam]

For the last few weeks, I was sick and was under treatment in the hospital. During that time, not only the members of the Marthoma Church, but many thousands of people prayed for me and it helped me for the curing of my sickness. Doctors had told me that the prayers of the people had given me such an early curing of my sickness. I am highly obliged to you all for your prayers for me. Also I thank Athanasios Thirumeni and the Gospel Team, which he represents, for the announcement speech about my Episcopal Golden Jubilee Celebrations.

'And he arose, and came to his father' St.Luke 15:20

Who told this to whom? This was a question in forth standard when I was studying in Sunday school. The scriptures describes that the Prodigal Son did this act when he was among the swine (Pigs). The word 'Prodigal Son' is a misnomer. The associated verses refer to three different lost items.

1. Lost sheep
2. Lost Silver Coin
3. Lost Son.

Do these are really lost or redeemed? Yes, they are the ones, which are redeemed. So now a days, the redeemed ones are known as ‘Prodigal’!!! All the above three, we see returned or brought back to their owners.

The prodigal son was born in an aristocratic family. As per the views of a common man, God had given him all the blessings. But he had forgotten his father and God who blessed him with all the providences. He was not ready to accept or approve his benevolence; rather he had chosen to reject God and his father. All those who refuse and reject the blessings of God are the grant sons of this prodigal son. In my opinion many of us belong to this group. Each one thinks that I am capable of my own, and refuse to accept the gifts given by God. Eventually he becomes similar to swine or swine itself.

Do we find any men in our society with humanity? While the TV personnel interviewed me, they asked me, what I would like to achieve through this 108th Maramon convention. Even though I was feeling to tell them that what I intend is not going to happen; I told them my desire that at least some people regain their lost humanity with the relation with God.

In our State of Kerala and in the whole world, there should be people with humanity. This is what I honestly desire to achieve through this Gospel feast. Now a days, man had turned out to be 'beastly'. While we read the daily News Papers, really we feel to cry. The Church, which is the body of Christ, should reveal the nature of God. The Ministers of the Church, like me, do they defile God or reveal God through their life? Our State which is known as 'Country of God’, as seen by others, what opinion they will form about God?

As the prodigal son told, 'I will go to my father', we should achieve a come back to God. Our totally shattered community, family, country, the leaders and the people as a part of those who attend this convention should come back to the Father God.

As a result of this, we should get relieved from our beastly state. We have to rise up from the current scenario. Secondly, for all those who attend this convention, let this be an influencing force. Let all the people as Family, Church and Country stage a return back and rejoice at, as the family of the prodigal son rejoiced on his return. In their circumstances of each one of us, let that be a great experience of joy, peace and hope. Let the 108 th Maramon convention become the means of that great occasion of rejoicing.

With great hope and giving glory to God, goodness to the society, peace to the country, with prayers and all greetings and with the permission of all of you, I officially announce to open the 108th Maramon Convention.

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COVER MESSAGE


TRUE FASTING
(Isaiah 58:3-12, Matthew 6:5-18, 15:10-20)

By DR. K. C. NAINAN - ATLANTA, GEORGIA

Fasting is a good and beneficial discipline as far as it does not diminish, eclipse or substitute the full salvation given to us through the suffering and death of our Savior. It can be helpful to enhance the experience of the power of salvation. As per Isaiah, true fasting is 'Remove the chains of oppression and the yoke of injustice, and let the oppressed go free.'

Traditional churches all over the Christendom are now practicing fasting and special prayers through the period of lent in order to remember the suffering, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. During the apostolic period of the first century, celebrations of lent as we do today is not recorded in the New Testament. Of course, apostles, church leaders, and members of the early congregations did fast and pray, not for a particular period of celebration, but as a part of Christian discipline and life (ACTS 6.4,14.23). Later on fasting was added along with several rituals, traditions and pious practices by religious and monastic leaders which, of course, are contrary to Apostle Paul’s warning and teaching as given in letters to Colossians 2.16-23, Galatians 4.10, and 1 Timothy 4.3.

Fasting is a good and beneficial discipline as far as it does not diminish, eclipse or substitute the full salvation given to us through the suffering and death of our Savior. It can be helpful to enhance the experience of the power of salvation. No rituals, practices or man-made rules and regulation should substitute the gospel of Good News of Salvation given to us through grace and faith. Nobody needs to fast for the Lord’s gift of Salvation given to us through the sacrificial death of Son of God. All our sins are completely and eternally forgiven through the one and only sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary. No religious practices, no rituals of any kind is needed to receive and experience God’s great plan of redemption for every man; repent and receive it as a complete gift of Salvation without any sting attached. “Freedom is what we have, Christ has set us free! Stand, then as free people, and do not allow yourselves to become slaves again” Galatians 5.1.

True fasting and prayer are clearly and emphatically detailed in Isaiah 58.1-12. Verse 6 says “the kind of fasting I want is this: Remove the chains of oppression and the yoke of injustice, and let the oppressed go free. Share your food with the hungry, and open your homes to the homeless. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your own relatives”. During the public ministry, the Lord himself addressed the question of fasting as reported in Mark 2.18-22, Luke 5.33-39, Matthew 6.5-18, Matthew 9.14-17, and Matthew 5.10-20. Our Lord fasted for forty days and used to spend several nights in solitary prayers. He discouraged the public display of fasting and prayer. He never considered it as a requirement to receive and experience salvation from Him.

From a health point of view, fasting, prayer and meditation are reported to be beneficial and important to experience healing for body and soul. During this period of lent, let us give it the due place as it deserves. Let the lent be a period of meditation and thanksgiving to our Lord for the most blessed and eternal Salvation given to all of us!

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ARTICLE 1


FORGIVENESS - PART 1

By FR. K. K. JOHN PHILADELPHIA

Forgiveness is an immutable quality of God. God is the ultimate basis of all existence, hence ‘the Absolute Being.’ Forgiveness is the act of releasing one from payment of penalty, punishment, accountability and restoring to the original position. God is the only source from whom one can get relief from the payment of penalty and accountability that is forgiveness.

Forgiveness is an immutable quality of God. God is the ultimate basis of all existence, hence ‘the Absolute Being.’ Even atheists and agnostics believe that there is some ultimate ground for existence but they do not call it God. Bible says so, and we have no better record to rely on, that God is the creator and sustainer of all animate and inanimate beings. “God created heavens and earth,”Gen 1:1. ‘One God created us all,’ Mal 2:10. “By Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, all things were created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things and by Him all things consist,” Col. 1:16. Nothing was created without Him. The word ‘absolute’ is a derivative of Latin compound word ab means ‘from’ and solvere means ‘to loosen.’ Therefore, ‘absolutus’ means, ‘to free from restraint or limitations.’ Consequently, God is free from all encumbrances, limitations, relations and conditions. Forgiveness is the act of releasing one from payment of penalty, punishment, accountability and restoring to the original position. God is the only source from whom one can get relief from the payment of penalty and accountability that is forgiveness. Thus forgiveness is the attribute of the absolute God. God is unlimited and unrelated to all created beings and the cause of all mutations. Accordingly, God’s forgiveness is His immutable quality.

There is a question of cause and effect in the matter of forgiveness. The cause is the sinful nature of human being. God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, which was so beautifully and plentifully prepared that they had no want. God gave them sufficient freedom; freedom to move around, freedom to work in the garden, freedom to subdue all animate and inanimate things, freedom to take care of the garden, freedom to nourish, freedom to be fruitful and freedom of choice. God set a simple condition rather, warned them not to eat the fruit of the ‘tree of knowledge,’ Gen. 2:17. There were plenty of fruit bearing trees and so there was no necessity to eat from the tree of knowledge. The condition was affordable. God cautioned them of the after effects of the violation. Such condition was to make them know that they were not sovereign and that they were under the sovereign God. Creation of man “in His own image and likeness”(Gen. 1:26) must be comprehended in the sense that God made them, unlike other creations, with His breath that is the soul in them. The possession of soul in the form of spirit transcends him from all living beings. God imputed His own attributes in him namely; faculty of imagination, understanding, possession of free will, reasoning, judgment of right and wrong, freedom to choose, freedom to act and qualities like; mercy, love, kindness, goodness, compassion, forgiveness, sense of justice, righteousness, faithfulness, holiness, truthfulness, etc. In other words, God’s breath and virtues fashioned him to be the crown of all creations. God wrapped him up with matchless glory. Yet he could not live up to the minimum condition that God laid before him. God gave him a helpmate. They became restive, curious and slave of their own ambitions and fell easy prey to the evil designs of Satan, who is a liar from the beginning. Man is seldom content with what he has. They aspired for more freedom. They misused their freedom of choice. It was too late to realize that it brought more harm than good.

Present generation is no exception. Rejection of traditional moral values has lead to numerous social evils to epidemic proportions. Teen pregnancies, abortions, broken marriages, escalating crime rates and spread of dreadful aid’s virus, etc., are just a few to mention. They sinned by disobeying God’s command and fell from the grace, lost paradise with its pleasures, subjected to sufferings, evils, and death. God given attributes were diminished that caused vast difference in the original and lost status. Thus cause is the sin and effect is the fall. The fall had its ramifications. Relationship between God and man was strained. Man drifted away from God by committing escalated sinful activities. The more he sinned the more he grew insecure, discontented and disoriented. On the one hand, he became conscious of his loss of the original position and relentlessly attempted to regain the lost paradise by appeasing God through worship/sacrifice and on the other hand, hatred, wickedness, brutality, violence, anarchy, etc., were rampant. The righteous God cannot compromise with sin. So He punished Adam and Eve according to His hallowed justice. The purpose of punishment was restitution, not eternal damnation. For, the righteous God cannot condemn His creation forever. He decided to condone the human frailty. This act of condoning is what we call, ‘forgiveness of God.’

God instilled His attributes in man. But there are differences as would appear below. Human beings have the innate virtue of ‘forgiveness,’ like all other Godly virtues, being in the image and likeness of God, not as an inherent self evolved quality, but as a gift of God. God is the source from whom man receives all virtues. God is self-existent, but man is dependent on God. God is uncreated, man is created. God is eternal, man except soul is temporal. God is absolute, man is abstract. God is infinite, man is finite. God is supreme perfection; man is imperfect in all things. God is benefactor, man is beneficiary. God is sovereign, man is subject God’s sovereignty. Man receives, not by merits, but by the grace of God. So the qualities that human beings possess, although of God, are imperfect, abstract, limited and finite in nature. Image will resemble the original but not the original but a reflection. When we look in the mirror we see our image that is not real but reflection. Reality is the one who looks in the mirror. Similar difference ought to be conceived when we say man is created in the image and likeness of God.

Curiosity compels me to inquire why then the first couple was punished! Merely because they disobeyed? No, even before she plucked the fruit, she sinned. The first sin was that she drifted from the right path that inclined towards evil. Serpent spoke to Eve when Adam was present. Eve overstepped her privilege. She had no business to respond to a stranger while her husband was beside her. Adam had dominion over all the living things that moved on earth that included Satan too, Gen. 1:29. He failed to exercise his powers. He became a mute witness to the vicissitude of his wife. Passion to establish relationships outside of marriage and failure to recognize basic duties of the family were always serious impediments to build up good family values. Both spouses should apprehend that bringing a third party in their mind with or without the consent of the other partner would be against the divine plan of marriage. It would be against all the set norms of decency and would end up in break ups. Marriage is not a fashion show but a serious commitment. Distrust and infidelity are reasons at best for many marriage break-ups.

Next aspect of sin is that they acted independent of God. They misused their freedom. They forgot where and to whom they belonged. Assuming false ownership and freedom are good reasons to slip into sin. They ignored the warning of God and took the words of Satan instead. St. John, the apostle, summarized various sins one can commit into three categories and then those three categories of sins into one, namely ‘love of the world,’ 1 John 2:16. She committed these threefold sins, namely; (1) she looked at the fruit and saw that it was good for food, that is lust of the flesh; (2) she felt it was pleasant to look, that is lust of the eyes; (3) she saw that it was desirable to make one wise that is pride of the life, Gen. 3:6. It was a gradual degradation, first she saw, second she thought and third she decided. So the cause for the act is more important than the act itself. The result was quite contrary to what they aspired for, utter shame, fear and sense of loss.

What compelled them to act independent of God? Satan assured that,

1. they shall not die,
2. their eyes shall be opened,
3. they shall be as God, and
4. They will know good and evil, Gen. 3:4-5.

They relied on the alluring Satan who was a stranger and wanted to be equal to God. Craving for equality with God is a perilous problem right from the inception of history and worse in these days. Nowadays people think they have excelled even God. Result of a recent survey proves this fact. To a question to fourth graders whether God knew how computer functions, over eighty percent answered that God had no idea about computer. How then the question of its functions? Richard Seed, physicist, recently declared plans to open human cloning clinics across the country. He told J Palca, National Public Radio correspondent, “God made man in his own image. God intended for man to become one with God. Cloning is the first serious step in becoming one with God.” (Bucks County Courier Times, dated 1.18.1997.) This ill-conceived and malicious interpretation indicates a never-ending pursuit to equalize to God. It is height of arrogance and assuredly, a wrong proposition.

Yet, that was not the reason for their punishment! They realized that they lost the grace of God with which they were wrapped so that they never felt shame despite being naked, Gen. 2:25. Cover-up of sin was the first thing they did when they felt shame being naked. They clothed themselves with fig leaves, Gen. 3:7. They failed to seek the face of God. Yet they had a chance. God came down walking in the garden, seeking them. They heard the sound of God’s walking in the garden. Instead of coming forward and opening up the whole episode, they hid among the trees, verse 8. God called Adam, “Where are you?” This was yet another opportunity to be heard. The reply was concise, without the required details. God invited him to go into details by asking him “who told you that you are naked? Knowing the evading tendency of Adam God hit the nail right on the head. “Did you eat of the tree which I commanded you not to?”-Verse 11. God gave series of chances for them to seek His mercy but they failed. Instead of falling into the merciful hands of Almighty God, Adam justified himself by saying that he ate the fruit because of the woman who was given to him by God. The statement implied that neither he nor the woman, but God who gave the woman was at fault. She said the serpent that beguiled her was at fault. Both Adam and Eve said what truly happened. God also knew it, as is obvious from what God said to serpent, “you have done this, you are cursed,” verse 14. Is telling the truth a sin? Yes, it becomes sin if the purpose is to disown ones lapse or impute the fault on others to evade the reality of facing consequences, rather, justifying oneself by blaming others. God knew who did what, then why He questioned them? God questioned them for, He was sovereign. God wanted them to bring home their mistake to offer restitution. His Loving kindness and tender mercies, out-weighed sins of His creation, that compelled Him to give them opportunities to admit their offense. They not only held on to their transgressions but also tried to allege on others.

To be continued in next issue....

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ARTICLE 2


THE LORDS PRAYER

By E.S.JOHN AUSTRALIA

The seven-sentence prayer, 'The Lords Prayer', is focussing on an agenda of the redemption of the humanity lasting over its entire ages. It starts by proclaiming the truth that God is seated on His Throne in Heaven but is everywhere as He is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient.

Mysteries shroud the whole universe and its creations. It is felt and experienced at times under the white heat of imagination but is difficult to translate in words. Being enraptured by the many-sidedness and vividness of things, the seers could express them only in figurative and superlative language. The Bible is only a treasure house of celestial and terrestrial secrets. Jesus usually used parables as the vehicle of manifesting such mysteries (Mt.13: 34-35). Mainly to the crowd He spoke in parables, where as in very simple sentences He imparted, as in the Lord’s Prayer, the disciples with unfathomable truths of all aeons and higher planes yet to unfold. In the quest for the shoreless ocean of realities, man finds only a fragment of elusive and contradicting facts. Hence the power of judgement is not given to man (Mt.7: 1).

Jesus’ first 2 disciples, St. Andrew and St.John were the followers of John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Lamb of God. (Jn.1: 35-42). Jesus was a man of continual prayers as John the Baptist was. (Lk.11: 1). The Lord said,” pray then like this (Mt.6: 9), not to pray the Lord’s Prayer only as some people perceive. This seven-sentence prayer seems to be focusing on an agenda of the redemption of the humanity lasting over a period of 7000 years as detailed in my books, The Abomination of Desolation series. As God took a rest after working for 6 days, the faithful followers also takes a solemn rest (Heb.3-4) after a period of carrying the yoke of righteous sufferings for 6000 years. The next 1000 years for the saved believers is a solemn rest in Paradise. One day for God is as 1000 years. (2.Pet.3: 8-10). Summing up, The Lord’s prayer is an epitome of the history of the creation of the vividness of the gigantic universe, with its cosmic and terrestrial beings, and the fall of a section of angels and man, eventuating in the sacrifice of the Lamb for the propitiation for our sins and the subsequent restoration of us in the Eternal Kingdom.

OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN:
It proclaims the truth that God is seated on His Throne in Heaven but is everywhere as He is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool.... All these my hand has made, and so all these things are mine (Is.66: 1-2). This is an affirmative statement; no one anywhere is there to disclaim His authority. God’s Throne undoubtedly is up in Heaven, yet the entire cosmic oceans cannot contain Him (1.kin.8: 27). In this context ‘heaven’ means the whole seen and invisible universes. It is therefore the more appropriate to say ‘akashathilulla’ (heavens) than ‘sorgathilulla Pithavae’ (Heaven) in Malayalam.

HALLOWED BE THY NAME:
God’s overall eternal authority was challenged by a few legions of angels. They were defeated and exiled into the Abysmal gloom. They are known from henceforth as fallen angels. The details of Lucifer’s (the architect of the rebellion) bygone splendor and glory and his fall due to pride are all caricatured in Is.14: 12-21 and Eze.28: 11-19. Those who aided with him in uprising against God were dumped in to the perpetual darkness. Those fallen legions once used to worship God while inhabiting on our earth. Thus the profaned earth remained in its ruin, probably for a timeless time. The earth was without form and void (Gen.1: 2). As happened in Sodom, it might have been a chemical war (sulphureous fire), devastating the whole earth for a limitless period of time. We pray to hallow it by replenishing the earth with angelic creatures. God hallowed it by creating Adam and Eve. Eventually the dominion of darkness in the Garden of Eden gulped the first parents. In the process of re-hallowing it He promised to rescue us by bruising the head of our big brother.

THY KINGDOM COME:
The coming of God’s Kingdom lasted only for a while in the Garden of Eden. In the continuing process of cleansing this earth and its inhabitants the Lord sent His prophets continually, but was culminated in sending His only Son who only could lay the foundation stone of a new kingdom in a far off place (Jn.14: 2-3). He sowed the seed for a kingdom by being in the midst of us. Sprinkling His blood from a height soaked these seeds. His kingdom was again germinated in the soil of this earth, but its full fruition is accomplished only when New Jerusalem comes down out of Heaven from God (Rev.21: 2).

THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN:
The will of God is to have harmony and love by which every body is girded and electrified together in Heaven and earth. The language of Heaven is love in its inexplicable term. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love...(Jn.15: 9-17; 1.Cor.13). The sterling, pure and perfect love can only link the Father and His children through Jesus. This chaste and creative love is the ‘ will’ of God. If the passion of love doesn’t kindle into the flames of Heavenly fruits, He may gather and throw us into the eternal flames of the Pit.

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD:
The will (word) of God is Jesus Himself. By His birth and sacrifice the will of God is accomplished. We have reached the New Testament period already by now. There are very many kinds and types of food other than bread. Most of the people who use Malayalam as the medium of prayer pray for daily food (aharam), not daily bread. This bread certainly pertains to the Body and Blood of Christ because it is unchristian to ask different menu of food every day (mt.6: 30-33). In the grieving history of the restoration of mankind by eating the forbidden fruit, there is no more room to “labour for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures for eternal life”(Jn.6: 27) has an eternal place where we can pluck the life-giving fruit from The Tree of Life (Rev.22). The fruit from the Tree of Life is the Body of Jesus. I am the living bread, which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread, which I shall give for the life of the world, is my flesh. (Jn.6: 51-58). This bread is made daily, implying that the H.Bread (H.Qurbana) once prepared is eaten on the same day. As it won’t be used for the next day, the daily bread is surely referred to the H. Mysteries. Manna also was rained on each day other than on the day of Sabbath (Ex.16: 12-27). Despite we eat the bread; it is His flesh in the celestial sense. It is the Spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail (Jn.6: 63; 2.Cor 3:17). This is the bread that comes down from heaven that a man may eat of it and not die (Jn.6: 50). So he who eats me will live because of me (Jn.6: 57)

Manna, the symbolic form of the flesh of Jesus, was the food of the Celestials (Ps.78: 24). There is no evidence that the angels had manna (a perfect food) eaten together with any meat. Why then the self-contained food given to the Israelites in the desert was supplemented by meat in the eveningEx.16: 12-27). The imagery of Meat and bread inter connected in the O.T.period is coming to fruition in reverse order by participating the bread which transforms as the living Body (flesh) of Christ in the New T.period. The H.Body is given to one who is sanctified by faith and inner cleansing. The angelic love or the will of the Father is a precondition for the recipient of the H.Body. Neverthless, there are denominations of the church which defy the recital of the Lord’s Prayer and the Nicene Creed.

THE NICENE CREED:
By the pouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost the disciples imbibed the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer. The present Nicene Creed is the expanded form of the Creed written by the Apostles. In style, manner and matter it is the replica of the Lord’s Prayer. There is no room here for a comparative study between them. Failing to find out the reference to “ the daily bread” elements in the N.Creed, I thought of writing that it is a missing link in the Creed. To my amazement the answer provided later is as follows. I am the bread of life (Jn.6: 48). I am the living bread...I shall give for the life of the world (6:51). You have no life in you (6:53).... he who eats my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life (6.: 54,57)...he who eats this bread will live for ever (6:58) Study these passages in comparison with the statement in the Creed: “And in the one living H. Spirit, the life-giving Lord of all.” Christ’s life-giving Body is given through the life-giving Spirit who broods and indwells in the H.Qurbana and the church. He indwells within us from the time of the H.baptism and the perpetual process of renewal is being accomplished by the provision of the H.Body.

FORGIVE US OUR DEPTS AND SINS, AS WE ALSO HAVE FORGIVEN OUR DEBTORS:
The pre-condition of receiving the H.Body is cleansing us by forgiving others and keeping away from all filth and sins. Forgive our sins as we also have forgiven others and make a pledge that we won’t continue with our sinful life is a continuing process. All these operations take place simultaneously. For more details refer to my article of last month,” Prayer, the key of Heaven.”

LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION: BUT DELIVER FROM THE EVIL ONE:
We make a plea to protect us continually to cherish the Christian gospel life without any intrusion of the diabolic powers. Already we have been liberated by the blood of the Messiah; don’t allow us any more to be hauled into the snare of the demons. Failure to overcome the temptations of the devil drag us into a sinful life of seven vices, which force us at last to embrace the evil one, the Anti-Christ, especially at the arse-end of time. The destruction of the Antichrist paves the way for the Elects of the Spirit for their onward journey to the final destination of New Jerusalem after a brief stopover in Paradise. “For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever “will be the praise of song from there after.Rev.4: 11; 5:13) The 7 horns and 7 eyes of the Lamb of God (Rev.5: 6) closed this aeon thus after 7000 years of betrayals of butchery and bloodshed. Space is the limit; I cannot write more.

THE HOLY EUCHARIST : BUT DELIVER FROM THE EVIL ONE:
The H.Qurbana is the best available form of worship in which we adore and glorify God and worship Him for the creation of man as the paragon of animals, befitting him to work in unison with His created ocean of the world of hidden realities. We also remember His sacrificing life- starting with his birth, vexations of life poised by the spiritual hierarchy, crucifixion, resurrection, Ascension, the second coming for the separation of goats and the sheep- culminated in the triumphant glory of destroying the dragon that make naked our first parents. The history of the creation and the redemption through the shedding of blood is epitomized in the bloodless sacrifice of the H.Liturgy. In spite of His presence and omnipotent power is felt everywhere the Altar is the only place where Jesus meets us in other than some exceptional circumstances. Behind the second curtain (representing the New T.period) of the tent there was a mercy seat, overshadowed by the cherubim Ex.40: 20; Heb.9: 1-5).

This second period is the time where the mercy is flowing incessantly from the Throne of God. The Lord is seated on the mercy seat while the authorized clergy is celebrating the H.Mysteries. The H.Eucharist (history of the creation and sacrificial redemption), if not celebrated with a unity of mind and heart of the celebrant and the participating members and among and themselves, may not be effectively rewarded.” Terrible is God in his sanctuary, the God of Israel; he gives power and strength to his people”(Ps.68: 35; 20:2). It is not a remembrance only, but a whole-hearted participation of His sufferings, death and resurrection by having His H.Body eaten as the food of the soul. As a matter of fact, the celebration of the H.Mystery is the reenactment of the history of the whole creation; beginning with man’s big brother, fall of man and his restoration again in the Heavenly Abode. But these all have become mere theories at the ripeness of time.

There are more than 2200 denominations of the church and numberless cults ravaging the Body of Christ now. As stewardship and pastorship has become an industry in all these severed branches fostering fanatical, denominational fundamentalism,’ the so-called faithful believers’, in association with the shepherd struggling for survival by hook or by crook, has converted the place of worship as a centre stage for feeding their megalomania, business bartering and cheap popularity. A minute minority anxiously “ looks for the resurrection of the dead and the new life in the world to come” (N.Creed). The Lord’s prayer and Nicene Creed go hand in hand in our every day prayers and worship in proclaiming the sovereignty to “the King of kings, Lord of lords, who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever seen or can see”(1.Tim.6: 15-16). Blessed is the man who communes in the Lord’s ‘daily Bread’ daily and follow the thorny track of the cross daily.

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ARTICLE 3

SAVE A BREAKUP
By Ms. AJU JACOB NEW JERSY

Marriage is an institution where two people enter to spend the rest of their lives together to share their experiences, get some one to care for them in simple words a - "Life Partner". Marriage is sacred. It's an holy act necessitating selfless sacrifice. Ego is the main evil, which leads this holy union to a miserable breakup.

In today’s world there are lots of marriage breakups reasons being many. I am writing this for all my readers who may be experiencing such sort of situations in life. Read thru my write up and see if this has helped you through. Hope this may be a sort of advice and may bring about peace to you and your spouse and also save your marriage.

Dear friend, Marriage is an insitution where two people enter to spend the rest of their lives together to share their experiences, get some one to care for them in simple words a - “Life Partner”. Man is a social being and needs some one.

Lack of Understanding is the main cause of breakups. Marriage is sacred. It’s an holy act. Only the couples can decide on how long and how far they wish their relationship can hold on. Both the bride and the groom would have been born and brought up in families with various sort of cultures. When cultures differ, It’s difficult since both have to sacrifice something of there’s to accept the other’s. So what I mean is sacrifice is essential in a married life. The next factor is the ego factor. Ego should never rule your marriage. Please put down each other’s ego and see the difference. Education should also play a part in each other’s life. Sometimes too much education also is a problem. Money should not influence your marriage. Never be greedy. Always be sufficient with what you have. Marriage should be thought as an act which God himself performed to unite two unknown people together. A jasmine in your garden never smells more sweeter than the jasmine in your neighbour’s garden. If you think the other way, it’s wrong. Your wife has her own beauty, charm, etc.. Your neighbour’s wife may seem appealing more than your own, but only when you examine closely can you find the defects. So this should never be your cause of not liking your wife.

Try to understand each other more. Until you understand each other it’s difficult. Never misunderstand your wife without reason. If you find something wrong or a quilty factor. Ask her and try to rectify it. If its’s possible and mendable. Don’t keep an act for tomorrow. If possible solve it then and there.

To hold on to a marriage is not at all easy. The two people insituted in this sacred act should work heart and soul to avoid any sort of problems that may happen inorder to avoid a break up.

To break up a marriage is very easy. But the mending is not that easy. A simple example I would like to bring to your thought. If you drop a piece of china on the floor. What will happen? It will break; certainly it will never be in one piece again. Although you might say, we could join it up with glue. But still won’t the crack remain there. The crack exists forever. Our marriage relationships are also like that. Try your level best not to bring in a crack, obviously fixing is difficult.

Prayer should play a important part in your life. Americans too turned to God after 9-11. Always think there is a person high above who can do wonders who has control of all of us. With prayer indirectly comes love. Simple things you can do - Pray together, Eat together and Stay together. The wise saying of a proverb “A family who prays together, stays together” is really true.

Never come to hasty decisions and conclusions based on someone else. If there is a difference of opinion. Figure out the differences and try to bring a solution to your problem. Every problem has a solution. Although the answers may vary person to person. Most of our marriages are arranged marriages. Don’t think that there is no love for arranged marriages. It depends on your understanding, sharing and caring for your partner. At least we have a family to stand behind, in times of trouble. What about love marriage? People who married someone against their families’ wishes. They have no one to help. Whatever marriage yours might be. Lack of love and no understanding and the unwillingness in a relationship can bring about a breakup.

If you end up in such a problem. You loose your frequent state of mind. No interest and mood to do anything in life. Feel totally desolate and depressed. There are people who take extremes steps of suicide too. Yeah! This is really unnecessary and should never be your motto.

Ask yourselves these questions - Do I know my partner well, his habits, his taste, his choices, preferences, etc.. Why did he ask me like that? Have I wronged him? Ample number of questions. Talk to each other, then and there and bring out a solution. Try not to upset each other. Sacrifice is very essential for a happy married life. Try to sacrifice something for your partner. Ask God to be the head of your family. Pray for your marriage to stay. As social beings we cannot at times when situations becomes worse. Talk to a friend/counsellor who could mediate in sorting your difference of opinions. Some Men think WIFE - Wonderful Instruments For Enjoyment, hope this is not your moto. Put her in place of your own sister or mother. Would you ever hurt your mother or sister? Never take the extreme step of harassing, using your hand on your wife too. Think what if my brother-in-law would have done this to my sister?

There is a wise saying of “Married men above forty are very naughty”. Wives be careful of your husband’s during his forties - It’s that time in life when they think their WIFE’s are Worries Invited For Ever. Because by then they have children and sort of loose interest in her. Dear wife, if you are still in love, your husband would never feel like that. It depends on you - during this difficult time periods of your husband’s.

Men please don’t come to hasty conclusions about your wife based on someone else. I mean some old affair of your wife’s. We are all human beings. Each one would have had love affairs, infatuations in their college days. Only if it’s continued after marriage, it’s a problem. Otherwise it should never be the cause of a problem. Never believe anyone else. If you happen to see it with your eye then accept it. Still ask the partner directly. “What is lacking in our relationship?”. And if the points of both are beyond meeting points it’s better to separate. A relationship without meaning need not be continued.

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FEATURE


MARAMON CONVENTION 2003 : SPEECH SERIES-1
FEBRUARY 9, 2003 MORNING SESSION
CONCEPT OF POWER AND VALUE OF HUMANITY
SPEAKER: REV. DR. SAMUEL KAMALESHAN
(TRANSLATED BY REV. A. T. ZACHARIAH)


Man who lost his humanity by his sin is getting deviated from his goal of life. When we come out for service of mankind with humanity, we may have to loose many things, which we may think very dear to us. But there is something, which nobody can take away from us and will never be lost.

MARAMON CONVENTION 2003

I express my respect to Marthoma Valia Thirumeni, other Thirumenis and Reverends. I am thankful to God that Rev. Zachariah stands with me, he may not want to translate this speech, but I will not have any mouth or ears with out him. Just before I got up, Valia Thirumeni told me that I should sing. If Valia Thirumeni tells that, I do not have any other say after that. I will sing a song in my mother language Tamil, which I started speaking before I learned English. If I was living in Keralam, I would have sung in Malayalam. Unfortunately I cannot do the same.

The song, which I am going to sing, is a prophetic vision and imagination that is deep in the heart of the songwriter. He is singing about the Church. He says Church is a family. It is the family of Jesus. We all belong to one another. With the prophetic vision of singer he says Jesus is his own. In this family of Jesus there is no distinction of educated, illiterate, rich or poor. Inside this family, the power and freedom of sin is broken. Inside this family, the bondage and curse of the sin is also broken. It is that curse of the sin, which cause to loose the humanity as Valia Thirumeni talked about.

Who can redeem us from this conflict? The blood of Jesus Christ, Son of God not only redeems us from the bondage of the sin but also relieve us from all the consequences of the sin. Wherever this family is, there is no sickness as everybody heals each other. Wherever this family is, there is no want for anything because whatever they have, they share each other. This is the prophetic imagination of the writer of the song. Church exists for this. In the last stanza of the song he says ‘There is Joy…, There is peace…, There is singing…, There is liberation... because Jesus lives within this family.’

When I was a student of University of Madras, there was a man whose memory always comes to my mind. He was a young man who gave up his family, friends, richness, position and all his luxuries in his life for the service of a group of people who were marginalized. Nobody promised him any name or fame. But he went. He and four other worked along with him were killed on the very first day they started working among these group of people. This tragic incident had a very big influence in my mind during the time I was configuring my life. A statement made by that boy is still an inspiration in my mind. He said, it is foolish to keep ridiculous things of our life to safeguard what you will never loose.

Some university graduate from Orissa went to a group of downtrodden people to do ministry. One evening, when they were coming home riding a motorcycle, there was some people waiting for him to attack. When they turned over a hill, they invaders were hiding behind. The invaders did not like the service done by this man among a group of marginalized people. They attacked the man with swords and cut his forehead and eyes. I met the gentleman in the hospital on the very same day. I stood near his bed. His face was disfigured with wounds. Doctors advised his wife to move him to a bigger hospital with more facilities. After a thorough investigation, Doctors declared that his one eye can not be saved, but he will live a good life. He had totally lost sight of his one eye. Both husband and wife talked to me. They consoled that only one eye is lost but the other eye is saved and also his life is saved. He said with a determination that he will give his life for the service of those people. This young man is not a fool who decided to loose his life for a very important cause, which he never loose.

There were many people who strongly believed that it is desirable to sacrifice even the life fore achieving things, which they never loose. History may mention that they lost everything. They were pushed out. Today several thousands of people are assembled. What is the goal of us? With 108 years of this assemblage what is our goal? Let us look into scripture for the answer. We assembled here based on words in the Bible. We should get experienced with Word of God exactly as our forefathers did. We may have to loose many things, which we may think dear to us. But there is something, which nobody can take away from us. All the people irrespective of their age should know this truth.

Today we choose the scripture reference Gospel according to St.Mark. St.Mark had written this Gospel with the skill of a journalist. Mark was reporting the truth. Mark is talking about the disciples. If I ask you to raise hands who are disciples of God, I believe most of you will raise your hands. In the first 8 chapters Mark makes the arguments who Jesus is. As he was a good reporter he does not address the theory, but straight enter into the real story. In all his stories he is projecting the question who Jesus is ? Somebody is moving around. Who he is? In the Chapter 9-10 Mark describes the quality of the disciples in comparison with that of Jesus. In Chapter 11-16 Mark describes the events in a week, because it was such an important week. In this first session we will be discussing only first two parts of this Gospel according to St.Mark.

There are mainly 2 things involved in these Chapters.

1. How the disciples came to faith.
2. What were the visible differences in their life.

In these early Chapters of the Gospel Mark emphasize ‘Who is Jesus?’ He did not have any wealth. He did not promote himself. Yet nobody could reject him. Who is this? The answers were diverse. His friends and relatives heard of its; they went out to lay hold on him for they said he is beside himself. He must go home. If he speaks publicly, he will take the name of the family and bring defame to it. This was what the family people thought.

In Mark 3:22 the Jewish leaders told that he is in league with the devils. He got the power of devil to bind the devils. However they themselves disagreed for ‘Why the devil control the power of devil.’

People of Nazareth thought he is an ordinary man. This is what it described in Mark 6:1-6. If Jesus was living in Ernakulam, going to the Church in Ernakulam and if he was seen with an unusual attraction, people of that Church will say; he is an ordinary man like others. People will say; he was going to school with my son, he was playing Cricket with my son: an ordinary boy.

In Mark 6:16, Herod the ruler of Judea told; He is John the Baptist, whom I beheaded. He is risen from the dead. Why? The guilt of killing John was still with him. He had beheaded John to cover up his own sin. Now the righteous word of the righteous man is coming against him.

The devils around also had an opinion about him. (Mark 1:23-26; 3:11-15) The devils said; ‘You are the son of God’. They did not say that he belongs to them. The devils recognized him and witnessed him as the Son of God. But Jesus tells them to shut their mouth. Why? He was getting an easy publicity, then why he stopped them. If my faith in Jesus depends on the testimony of a devil then it will not last long. It can never change the order of the world, which controls the marginalized people. It cannot release me from the inhumanity, which prevails in me. In the witness of the devil I cannot work for the Kingdom of God.

Jesus asks the disciples; ‘Whom do you say I am?’ It is no matter what others or the devil say about me, but it matters your opinion about me. It is this confrontation which caused a revival on this sand bed of Pumpa River. You are the son of God. You are my Lord. Unto you I live with all my profit and loss. I understand what is that in me, which nobody can take away from me. In the middle of the 8th Chapter Jesus asks the disciples ‘ Whom you say I am.’ Simon answered, ‘You are the son of living God.’ Then Jesus said ‘ Simon, you are blessed because mere human intelligence can not reveal this to you.’ You are beyond any description, which I can give you. You are a revolutionary but more than a revolutionary. You are a prophet but more than a prophet. You are a teacher but more than a teacher. Immediately it turned off what he has proved.

In Mark 8:31-33 Jesus tells ‘Let us go to Jerusalem.’ There the son of man will be delivered into the hands of men. There he will be forsaken, crucified, killed and shall rise the third day. Then Simon took him out and rebuked him; why? Because, with the heart he loved Jesus. So you cannot go to the cross. My hero cannot suffer that way. He is the one who should conquer everybody. Jesus uses the strongest word to rebuke Simon. ‘Satan, You go behind me.’ Why Jesus is calling a man, Satan. When God decided to redeem the mankind by the way of cross, Satan came to stop it with same arguments.

Jesus tells to the disciples that if they cannot deny themselves and take cross, they can not become his disciple. This was the beginning of the great event. In the country and in the Church we belong to, what type of disciple we are? Look at the symptoms for the failure in the life of the disciples.

While looking through the 9th Chapter Verse 30, Jesus speaks of the necessity of sufferings. In Verse 33 we see they were thinking who is the greatest among them. My brothers and sisters, we get only one opportunity in our life for each one of us. If we don’t visualize the thing, which God desire us to see, then we will live and die in the darkness. If we are looking to find who is the greatest then the desire of God will not be fulfilled in us. In the circumstances where we are, the thoughts of becoming great, is wasting our time and opportunities, which will be lost forever.

Let us look the second thing the disciples did; Verse 38-41. John said ‘Master we saw one casting out devils in your name; we followed him and forbade him.’ Jesus told them not to do that. You are my property but I am not your property. God is bigger than Church. In our India, the differences among the different Churches are irrelevant. The task is huge to find who is bigger than whom. So many things are there which divided us. Jesus tells us that we should grow beyond these differences.

Look to the third thing happened to the disciples. In the 10th Chapter Jesus talks the third time about the resurrection. Verse 32-24. Then there came the sons of Zebedee. They wanted to get some position. To sit one on the left and the other on the right. Give me the ministry of internal affairs and the external affairs to my brother. We will run your government and you can take a vacation.

These are thing which subtle in our mind. Who is greatest? If you do not belong to us you do not have any right with Jesus. Even while doing evangelism we are looking for position. If we love Jesus with our heart, we have to prove it by laying down our life. Jesus considers those as his own. The values in the mind of Jesus and the values in the mind of disciples were all the way far.

In Chapter 10 Verse 45 Jesus said, the son of man did not come to be ministered; but to minister and to give his life as a ransom for many. How would this change take place? Where will I begin? It is my ardent prayer that Holy Spirit should speak to us. St.Paul talks about the bodily temptations, which hinder us from doing the work of the Kingdom of God. Without the power of Holy Spirit, the integrity of our personality will never be displayed? But the beginning of all this is the single-minded loyalty with Jesus.

Let me conclude by a telling the story of an old artist. There was a rich man. He was a widower. He had a big fancy for arts. He was very interested to collect marvelous painting of great masters. He bought many magnificent paintings in the world. His house was full of them. All the art lovers in world knew about his collections. They all knew that his collections are very valuable. He had only one son. There was a law in the country in which they lived that all the youngsters should go for war if a war break out in the country. So when a war arose, his son also had to go to the battlefield to serve his country. He went for battle with bravery. In warfront he tried to save a soldier who had fallen wounded. In that process he was shot dead.

This sad news was informed to his father. His wife was dead. Now his only son also dead. After some days, a young soldier came to his house and knocked the door. There was a small packet with the young soldier. The soldier told the old man that his son saved him from the death. The soldier gave the packet to the father. It was a picture of his son painted by the soldier. That painting did not have much artistic value. But he kept the painting in the place where he keeps most precious painting, as he considered it as the biggest exposure of his love to his son.

After some years the father died. The lawyers of the Estate arranged an auction of all his collection as written in his will. Many people came from different countries to buy the most precious paintings in the world. They were very eager to see the costliest painting, which will be put for bid first. The first picture put on auction was the painting of his son. But nobody quoted for it as it did not have any artistic value. One man from behind offered a small amount and auction finalized. All were eagerly waiting to bid for all other precious collections. But the auctioneer declared, auction is over. In the will it is written, he who gets this picture get everything.

In the first Epistle of St.John it says ‘He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.’ How our Value changes? How I can peruse the worldly life I had for the transformation of human value? Inside the Church or outside the Church, if we do not change the concept of power we cannot transform ourselves. Let the challenge of this 108th Maramon convention be the change of our value. Look to the cross and understand the power. We have to identify that the power what we desire is very distinct from the real concept of power. Let the word of God speak with us. If our concept of power does not change, we are in darkness. And our life will be futile. He is not a fool to keep what he cannot keep in order to save what he will never loose.

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CHILDREN'S PAGE


Bible Word to by heart:

You fool, that which you sow is not quickened,
except it die.

 (1 Corinthian 15:36)

BIBLE STORY - OLD TESTAMENT
ESTHER-4

When Mordecai heard about the decree of the King, he put on the Sackcloth and sat in the ashes and cried bitterly in the city. He entered the Palace Gate with his sackcloth, which was not permitted in the Palace. In all the country where ever the kings decree was declared there were lamentations among the Jews. They started weeping and fasting sitting in the sackcloth and ashes.

Esthers maidens informed her about Mordecai, her uncle sitting at the Palace Gate in sackcloth. She sent garments to Mordecai through her eunuchs. But Mordecai refused to accept it. Esther called her attendant Hathack and requested enquire the matter. He went to Mordecai and heard all the news about the decree of the King and bribe given by Haman to the King for the destruction of the Jews. He also gave a copy of the verdict issued in Susa to destroy the Jews community. Mordecai sent her the message that she should not sit silent at this time. If she remains inactive, deliverance and relief will arise for the Jews from another place and she and her father’s house will perish.

It was the rule of the Palace that any man or woman who comes to the King to the inner court who is not summoned will be killed unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may not be killed.

Esther send a reply to Merdecai that all the Jews in Susa to assemble together and fast for three days. She and her maidens will fast for three days in the same way and after that she will go to the King at a big risk for her community. So Mordecai went away and did as Esther commanded.

TO BE CONTINUED 

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