Dr. Paulos Mar Gregorios: Glimpses of a Genius

The Picture and God

പണ്ടൊരിക്കല്‍ ഒരു അധ്യാപികയും കുട്ടിയുമുണ്ടായിരുന്നു. ഒരു ദിവസം ക്ലാസ്സില്‍ പടം വരപ്പിച്ചു കൊണ്ടിരുന്നപ്പോള്‍ കുട്ടിയോട് അദ്ധ്യാപിക ചോദിച്ചു, എന്താണ് വരയ്ക്കുന്നത് എന്ന്. കുട്ടി വളരെ നിഷ്കലന്കതയോടെ പറയുകയാണ്‌ "ഞാന്‍ ദൈവത്തെ വരയ്ക്കുന്നു" എന്ന്! വളരെ അമ്പരപ്പോടെ അദ്ധ്യാപിക ചോദിച്ചു "ദൈവത്തെ കുട്ടി കണ്ടിട്ടുണ്ടോ? ദൈവത്തെ കണ്ടവരായി ആരും തന്നെ ഇല്ലല്ലോ, പിന്നെ എങ്ങെനെ ദൈവത്തിന്റെ ചിത്രം വരയ്ക്കും?" വളരെ ബുദ്ധിമതിയായ കുട്ടി മറുപടി ആയി പറഞ്ഞു "ദെ ഇപ്പോള്‍ കാണാം ദൈവത്തെ, ഞാന്‍ ഈ ചിത്രമൊന്നു പൂര്തിയാക്കിക്കോട്ടേ". 

ഈമൈലുകളിലൂടെ സഞ്ചരിക്കുന്ന ഒരു തമാശ കഥ മാത്രമാണ് മുകളില്‍ പറഞ്ഞത്. പക്ഷേന്കില്‍ അല്പം ചിന്തിക്കുമ്പോള്‍ അതിനും ചെറിയ അര്‍ഥവും, നമ്മുടെ ഒക്കെയും ജീവിതവുമായി ഭേധിക്കാവതല്ലാത ബന്ധവുമൊക്കെ ഉണ്ടെന്നു മനസിലാവും. മുകളിലത്തെ കഥയില്‍ ഒന്നാമതായി കാണുന്നത് അധ്യാപികയുടെ ചോദ്യമാനു്. "ദൈവത്തെ കുട്ടി കണ്ടിട്ടുണ്ടോ?" കാണാത്ത ദൈവത്തെ എങ്ങെനെ വരയ്ക്കും എന്നാണ് ചോദ്യത്തിന്റെ അര്‍ഥം. മുന്‍പിലുള്ള സഹോദരനെ കാണാന്‍ സാധിക്കത്തവന്‍ ദൈവത്തെ എങ്ങെനെ കാണും എന്ന് ക്രിസ്തു ചോദിച്ചിരുന്നു. ക്രിസ്തുവിന്റെ ചോദ്യം നൂറ്റാണ്ടുകള്‍ക്കു മുന്നേ സംഭവിച്ച സൃഷ്ടി കര്‍മത്തില്‍ ചെന്നവസാനിക്കുന്നു, അല്ലെങ്കില്‍ അതൊരു തുടക്കമായി തീരുന്നു. ആദിയില്‍ ദൈവം ആദമിനെയും ഹവ്വയെയും സൃഷ്ടിച്ചത് സ്വന്തം സ്വരൂപത്തിലാണ് എന്ന് വിശുദ്ധ വേദപുസ്തകം ഉദ്ഖോഷിക്കുന്നു.ദൈവത്തിന്റെ സ്വന്തം സ്വരൂപത്തില്‍ സൃഷ്ടിക്കപെട്ട മനുഷ്യന്റെ സന്തതി പരമ്പരകളാണ് ഇന്നും ഭൂമിയില്‍ നിലനില്‍ക്കുന്നത്. ഈ മനുഷ്യര്‍ തന്നെ ആണ് ദൈവത്തിന്റെ പേരിലും തമ്മില്‍ തമ്മില്‍ ഉള്ള അന്യായങ്ങല്‍ക്കായും തമ്മില്‍ തല്ലുകയും കൊല്ലുകയും വെറുക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നതും. ദൈവത്തിന്റെ സ്വരൂപങ്ങള്‍ തമ്മില്‍ ഉള്ള ബന്ധം മനസിലാക്കാതെ അവയിലെ സാതാന്യ ഭലങ്ങലെയും ജെടതിന്റെ ഭലങ്ങലെയും മാത്രം കയ്യിലെറ്റി മുന്നോട്ടു നീങ്ങുന്ന ഒരു സമൂഹത്തിന്റെ ഭാഗഭാക്കുകലാണ് നമ്മളൊക്കെയും. സ്വന്തം സഹോദരനിലും അയല്‍ക്കരനിലും ദൈവത്തെ കാണുവാന്‍ സാധിക്കുമോ, നമ്മള്‍ക്ക്? അടുത്ത് നില്‍ക്കുന്നവനില്‍ ദൈവത്തിന്റെ സ്വരൂപം കണ്ടു കൊണ്ടു ദൈവത്തിനു ഉചിതമായ രീതിയില്‍ പെരുമാറുവാന്‍ തക്കവണ്ണം സാധിക്കുന്നുണ്ടോ നമ്മള്‍ക്കൊക്കെയും? അതിനെക്കലുപരിയായി ഈ സ്വരൂപത്തിന്റെ നാശത്തിന്റെ വിത്തുകളെ ഒക്കെ കണ്ടെത്തി അവയെ വളമിട്ടു വളര്‍ത്തി നാശം കൊയ്യനായീട്ടന്നൊ നാം താല്പര്യപെടുന്നത്? അന്യനില്‍ ദൈവത്തെ കാണുവാനും അവനോടു ദൈവതോടുള്ളത് പോലെ ഉള്ള സ്നേഹം പ്രവര്‍ത്തിക്കുവാനും തക്കവണ്ണം സാധിക്കുന്നില്ലെന്കില്‍ ദൈവത്തിന്റെ പേര് പറഞ്ഞു പ്രവര്‍ത്തിച്ചിട്ടു കാര്യമില്ല. കാണാത്ത ദൈവം ലോകത്തില്‍ വെളിപെടുന്നത് കാണുവാന്‍ തക്കവണ്ണം ഉള്ക്കനുകളെ പ്രകാശിപ്പിക്കുവാന്‍ വിശുദ്ധ ആത്മാവിനോട് യാചിക്കെണ്ടിയിരിക്കുന്നു.  

രണ്ടാമതായി മുകളില്‍ പറഞ്ഞ കഥയില്‍ നിന്നു ഓര്‍ത്തിരിക്കാന്‍ ഒരു വാചകം കൂടി ഉണ്ട്. അധ്യപികയോടുള്ള മറുപടിയായി കുട്ടി പറഞ്ഞു, ഞാന്‍ ചിത്രം പൂര്‍ത്തിയാക്കുമ്പോള്‍ നിങ്ങള്‍ ദൈവത്തെ കാണുമെന്നു. ചിത്രത്തെ മനുഷന്റെ ജീവിതമായി കണക്കാക്കിയാല്‍ ഈ ജീവിത യാത്ര ദൈവത്തിന്റെ സ്വരൂപത്തില്‍ സൃഷ്ടിക്കപെട്ട മനുഷ്യന്‍ ദൈവത്തോട് അടുക്കുവാനുള്ള മാര്‍ഗമായി മനസിലാക്കുവാന്‍ സാധിക്കും. പിതാക്കന്മാര്‍ 'theosis' എണ്ണ പദം കൊണ്ടു ഉദ്ദേശിക്കുന്നതും ദൈവത്തോട് അടുക്കുന്ന ഈ പ്രക്രിയയെ തന്നെ ആണ്. ജീവിതത്തിന്റെ ആരംഭം മുതല്‍ തന്നെ ദൈവതിന്കലെക്കുള്ള യാത്രയയിരിക്കണം ഒരു ക്രിസ്തു വിശ്വാസിയുടെ കര്‍ത്തവ്യം. സത്യസഭ വിശുദ്ധ മാമോധിസയിലൂടെ ഒരു വ്യെക്തിയെ ദൈവരാജ്യത്തിനു സജ്ജീക്രിതമാക്കുമ്പോള്‍ ആ പാതയിലൂടെ, വളരെ ഭംഗിയുള്ള ഒരു ചിത്രം വരയ്ക്കുന്ന ഒരു കലാകാരന്റെ സൂക്ഷ്മതയില്ലോടെ സന്ച്ചരിക്കുവാനും, സൃഷ്ടിക്കുകയും പരിപാലിക്കുകയും ദിനം തോറും കത്ത്തുകൊല്ലുകയും ചെയ്യുന്ന ദൈവത്തിന്റെ സ്വരൂപത്തിനൂട് സാദ്രിശ്യമാകുവാന്‍ തക്കവണ്ണവും ഉള്ള കടമ ഓരോ വിശ്വസിക്കും ഉണ്ടയിരികണം. അപ്പോളാണ് വിശുദ്ധ പൗലോസ്‌ ശ്ലീഹായുടെ വചനങ്ങള്‍ പോലെ "ഞാന്‍ നല്ല പൊരുതി, ഓട്ടം തികച്ചു, വിശ്വാസം കാത്തു, ഇനി നീതിയുടെ കിരീടം എനിക്കായി സൂക്ഷിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു" ഉച്ചത്തില്‍ ദൈവനാമ മഹത്വത്തിനായി ഉള്ഖോഷിക്കുവാന്‍ തക്കവണ്ണം നമുക്കും സാധിക്കുന്നത്. അത് തന്നെയാണ് ഓരോ ദൈവസ്വരൂപതിന്റെയും ലെക്ഷ്യവും. ഈ ലെക്ഷ്യത്തെ മുന്‍നിര്‍ത്തി ദൈവ സ്വഭാവം ഉലവാകുവാന്‍ പ്രാര്‍ത്ഥനയില്‍ ജാഗരിച്ചു മുന്നോട്ടു പോകുമ്പോള്‍ അടുത്തുള്ള അവിസ്വസിക്ക് പോലും സത്യ ദൈവത്തെ സ്തുതിക്കുവാനും സ്തോത്രം ചെയ്യുവാനും തോന്നിപോകും. അപ്പോളാണ് ദൈവരാജ്യം നിങ്ങളുടെ ഇടയില്‍ തന്നെ എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞു ക്രിസ്തുവിന്റെ വചനങ്ങള്‍ നിറവാകുന്നതും.  

അന്യോന്യം നോക്കുമ്പോള്‍ ദൈവത്തിന്റെ ചിത്രങ്ങള്‍ ഓരോരുത്തരുടെയും മുഖങ്ങളില്‍ ദൈവത്തിന്റെ പ്രതിരൂഒപം കാണുവാന്‍ സാധികുകയും, നമ്മിലുള്ള ദൈവത്തിന്റെ പ്രതിരൂപത്തിന്റെ പൂര്‍ണതയ്ക്കായി സ്വയം പ്രവര്‍ത്തിക്കുകയും ചെയ്താല്‍ ഈ ഭൂമി ദൈവരഗ്യമായി തീരും.

Scripture, Canon of Truth, Succession and Tradition

 

St. Thomas Harvest Festival 2008

Harvest Festival 2008

An Email Sent to my close friends on Indianization of the Malankara Church

I am nuts!!!
Let me start with this comment so that if whatever I am saying is meaningless, you all will forgive and redirect me, and you all are the couple elder ones who have the responsibility to guide me in the right path! Below is a discussion theme, which is very hard to imagine, or even to practice but very interesting to think about! Atleast for me. My ideas are about the "Indianization" of the Indian Churches.

Eventhough this topic was of great interest to me for a while, I never expressed it that much! Today, while talking to Mins, this strange idea came to me... and I told Mins about it! For me, it is not strange, and it is not weird!
Discussion is about the Indian Church. First of all, we should think if 'The Church' which is the Body of Christ has any particular region or a particular style? The Church is Universal. It cannot be fenced in to one society/region, and one cannot claim that the whole Church should follow the culture of that particular society! By culture, I mean the lifestyle, language, dressing styles and all.

The cultures adapted Christ and Christianity, and they got renewed by the power of God. It will transfigure itself to a new creation, but is that transfiguration in outer experience? When a man is born again spiritually, he will keep all his outer attributes as it is, and will continue to be the Son of God, following Him in the spiritual direction. The dead will receive will receive their bodies back as it is said in Ezekiel 37(if I understood it correctly). therefore, is Christian Church/es claiming a Change in its materialistic appearance or spiritual appearance? Will the Church, the Body of Christ who is the Lord of all creation have the form of one society? Can it be comprehended by the dresses, appearances, and cultures of one part of people and their styles? I dont think so.

The Christian Church is accepting and adapting, and through Christ blood, the adapted portions will be cleansed and reformed. Can we say no to this? If this is the case, why should we give the most importance to the outer appearance of the Church more than to her inner appearance? the inner appearance is its doctrines, and understanding of God and Christ. The outer appearances are the factors that are collected, added from time to time from different societies, and the middle east prevails in the styles! The early Churches have adapted most of its styles from the Middle eastern Culture, and I include the culture of the Jews too in it. For example, the structure of the early parishes! Many early parishes had a semi sphere like structure on its top which is typical to todays mosques, and it is just a cultural fact and not a religious fact. We cannot consider the semi spherical structure of churches and mosques as Christian or Muslim. Its a common part of the Middle Eastern culture. Same is the case with dress and a lot of other appearance factors too.

Consider this as a guideline in analyzing the Indian Church. Majority of Indians being Hindus should not make us consider the Indian culture as a Hindu culture. Hinduism is part of that culture, similar is Christianity too. In the present generation, it seems like we appreciate the Western and other cultures much more than our own rich tradition and cultures! The pastors imitating the Western dressing style on 100degree hot days and all are examples. The Apostolic Christian Churches is also in the same situation imitating the Middle east! Eventhough the history of Christianity claims a tradition of 1950 years, we look like aliens to the society! Why are the Churches still built in the Portugese and Western styles when we have our own tradition Indian/Kerala styles, or atleast the Middle eastern styles? What are we still ignorant to aprreciate that? Why do we still consider the Classical karnatic Music as Hindu and avoid songs like that, and go behind the English translations? I felt pity on a choir which sang ONLY songs that are in ENGLISH tunes translated to malayalam on a funeral service I attended recently. Similar is the case with the Christmas Carol songs too. Why are we still ignorant to accept the goodness and richness of our own society? Is all good in West? Because West is rich does not mean they have to be imitated. We should be able to find the richness in our own societies and lives and should be able to appreciate that and adapt invent the dwelling of Christ in it.

Basically, I call for a change in the present society. Shall our bishops wear rose and red or kaavi? Why do we still need to rely on Syrian and English tunes when we have the rich resources in front of us? Are we able to understand our real identity, or are we only interested in imitations? If that is the case, how loyal are we to our own mother land and our own fore fathers and our traditions? Life is a constant journey through questions!

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A reply from Mathew C. Oommen, Hydrebad

I read your article...I also had a thought like this before...What I feel is that

Do you think the syrian style of worship?

The Hindu style of Minnu ketu?

The Muslim way of Prostration? -- (I dont agree to this)

The kerela style of perrunals ?

Indian style of Padayatra?

The jewish style of feasts and fasts?

The western style of Christmas Carols?

Are these all  not ours..Ours is a mixed culture !!..Its a beutiful fabric made of different threads!!..

You know we are the dravidians or the true Indian Natives..Then we got influenced by the aryan way of life ..even malayalam is a mix of Tamil (Dravidian)and Sanskrit(Aryan).

Then with the coming of St thomas we Accepted christ or rather say God included us to be among his selected people!!...

Then with the syrian fathers we got our syrian liturgy and later our archetecture was influenced by portugese style .....

But we had the values of India..Joint families respect for elders ...

So what i feel is we are what we are..We are a race influenced by many factors!!..

Can u just indianize ur self?..no? Can u call urself a jew? Can u call urself a syrian...

No...hehe...

 

So lets be what we are a wonderful fabric woven out of many different fibers!!..

 

And about songs in english tune?..

Last christmas a church had songs in the tune of mantras like Om Nama Shivaayaa but words changed!!...Do u want that...That wasnt encouraged though..Even i wouldnt like to hear that on a christmas eve!!... -- (I just want Christians to appreciate the Indian Music too rather than considering all Indian music as Hindu!, and no copies!!! we have the talent to create new ones.)

 

In the end Is it even Important....We are all the children of the same father..All from the same parents Adam and eve!!...when u think this way..So much of time spent on culture and style will all seem to be not imp!!

**

EFIC Convention 2008 Speech

Intercession of Saints - My View!

 The topic ‘Intercession of Saints’ has received much importance in all Christian sects on different basis. Apostolic Churches proclaim its need whereas the newly emerged Protestant Churches reject it, and consider it as a misinterpretation of the Bible. Being in the midst of these different theories, all of them being emerged from the Bible, an average believer in an Apostolic Tradition might question its need. The protestant theories have great influence in questioning the belief in intercession. This influence is often watered by the extreme actions of some Apostolic Churches and believers, on occasions of intercession prayers, when they go beyond Biblical basis.  Let us briefly analyze the reasons which trigger the thought that intercessions of saints are wrong. 

1. Misunderstanding about the real idea: Many are concerned that the intercession of saints might take us away from the importance we have to give to Christ and to God. We are not praying to the saints, but asking them to pray with us in our prayers together. 

 2. We often wonder for its need, and arise many questions like, do we need their prayers?

 3. We doubt, can they hear and pray? This do not seem logical to our limited intellects.

  These are the primary reasons which I can think of which actually leads to the Bible verses which are explained as in rejection to intercession. Before analyzing these reasons, I guess we need to go a little further in to understanding Church, the Body of Christ. 

Oneness in Christ

St. Paul has described the Church as the Body of Christ and the Bride of Christ in his epistles. Church being the group of people, who has their names written in the Book of Life, and not in the register of their respective denominations. In this Church, each person with his/her name written in the Book of Life, they all have an active part in the Body of Christ in keeping it alive. God, due to His abundant love, requires the whole creation to be saved, but unfortunately, the devil has influence over many millions which distract them from the path of God. God invited all, many came, but only a few were ready. These few are what really comprise the Body of Christ. 

What does this really means, to be the Body of Christ? "Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf." (1 Cor 10: 17). By part-taking in the Holy Eucharist, in which the Bread and Wine, the efforts of humans, are transformed in to the Body and Blood of Christ, providing us with eternal life, for all who participates with righteousness. Christ prayed, "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." (John 17: 20-23). The purpose of creation of humans was to share the love God had in the trinity. God proved the same while giving His son to the world to die for our sins. And, due to the same reason, WE (not I) are called to be ONE in Christ, as the triune God is one. “And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” (Eph 2: 22). The body of Christ said above is ONE is Christ, and we are called to praise Him together, with unity. In this ONENESS, we retain our differences too as individuals. In this same oneness, we can fulfill the commandment, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Mat 5: 48). We are called to be saints (Rom 1: 7).

The grace of salvation is given to the humans to become one with God. Salvation is a grace fromGod(Rom 4), and we on the passage of time, renew it by our works (James 2: 14 - 26),

thereby growing in Christ, step by step, climbing the Ladder of Divine Ascent, to attain the Oneness mentioned above. Therefore, we have to understand that salvation is not a One minute process, but it is a journey. In Christ, we see the light, and then we travel towards the light. This journey starts at the time when we are baptized, when we are unified in the death and resurrection of Christ (Col 2: 12, Romans 6). Death and evil forces has no power over us once we are unified with Christ. Thus we are saved, and is given the responsibility to continue in His grace, and to grow to reach perfection. Protestants often ask "Are you saved?" and many get confused. My answer is, "I am saved and is in the process of salvation, salvation being a process which should happen in every minute part of our life." Humanities concern should be in extending its efforts on meaningfully using the future to make the past worthy in such a way that each minute part of it counts on its journey towards unifying with the divine.

Let us summarize the above paragraphs.

1. The Church is the Body of Christ.
2. The Church is in Oneness with Christ.
3. The Church is called to be saints and to be perfect as the Father.
4. Salvation is a grace from God, and an ongoing process which enables us to attain unity with the divine. In this context, let us analyze the topic.

Who are the saints?

Whom does the church call as saints? Saints are those who reflected the life and love of Christ in their own lives, in loving God and in loving the Creation. We are called to do the same by being witnesses of Christ in this world. We should radiate the love which we receive from God through prayer, to the world. We glorify God through following the words of Christ. We consider those people who have radiated the love of Christ in their worldly lives as righteous. We identify them with these verses in Mathew chapter 5:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

The apostles, the martyrs, all are witnesses of Christ, through whom we were able to hear the word of God. St. Paul said, "Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." (Heb 12: 1). These witnesses have experienced God before we did, and they have traveled their journey through the "narrow gate" because "small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it." (Mat 7: 13, 14). These witnesses are not among THEM but among US. “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Eph 3: 17 – 19). We are part of the same group. As we love our brothers and sisters in Christ, we do have to identify the departed faithful as the same Body of Christ and has to love them and respect them too. Once this attitude is created, saints are no longer a group of people who distracts our focus from God, but a group that guides us and leads us in our way towards God. 

Concerns

 Now, we can analyze the concerns in intercession of saints:

 1. Christ and the saints.

A primary concern of many on intercession is that it might or will deteriorate the importance of Christ.  This should be considered only as a misunderstanding. The prayers of the saints are in the same way as ours and are focused on Christ. It is not the saints who give us the blessings, but Christ. And, are we excluding Christ while asking the saints to pray for us? This, of course, is the first point brought up against intercession of saints. How does intercession of saints really work?

 St. Paul says, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 2: 5). The cross of Christ has served as a bridge over the river of sin taking us to God in holiness. And, only through this cross, we will reach our Father in heaven. The prayers in His name will be answered by the Father. “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” (John 14: 13). “I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” (John 16: 23). “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Col 3: 17). Christ is the nucleus of Christianity.

 While asking the saints to pray for us, we are not bringing the saints to the position of a mediator. We do not pray to the saints. And we do not ask the saints to give us blessings, but we ask them to pray for us with us. Rather, we are only asking for oneness in prayer, a collective effort together, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Church, from the early centuries, is very clear about the position of Christ and the Saints. We cry to our Lord saying, "Have mercy on me". On the other hand, we ask the saints, "Pray for us". The whole body of Christ is depended on each other, and therefore we seek prayers of others. We ask our physically living brethren to pray for us too. The word 'physically' living is incorrect, but I used it only for the sake of easier understanding. We seek the prayers of the spiritually alive, all those who are alive in Christ. "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6: 54). Through this collective prayer, the Body of Christ serves its purpose of glorifying the Lord. Each part being responsible and dependent on each other, prays together, in the name of the Lord for His mercy. The saints pray for us as one among us in Christ. There is no truth in arguing that through intercession of saints we break the Word of God which says Christ is the only mediator.

2. Saints and us, together in Christ

St. Paul says, “Pray continually” (1 Thes 5: 17). Prayer is conversation with God. God wants us to be focused on conversation with Him, through continual prayer, to make us filled with His overflowing love, so that it may brighten those in search of the love and those who have lost from the love. Prayer is the only hope we have, and it is through prayer that we receive all the graces from God. Even though our prayers have different intentions at different times, the major theme is to create the bond between us and God and to grow in that bond strengthening it, growing in purity. Therefore, the Eastern Christian traditions teach the Jesus Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me the sinner”, which has to be recited continuously. On this prayer, we call upon God for His mercy on us, the sinners, so that we will be worthy to share in His likeness (2 Peter 1: 4, 5). As a confirmation, our Lord says, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11: 24). Prayer is the most essential part of a Christian.

We are one in Christ, and therefore, we are responsible to pray for each other. St. Paul always prayed for the Church. “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone” (1 Tim 2: 1). “I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.” (2 Tim 1: 3). “I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers” (Phil 1: 4). In the miracle of Cana, we observe Mother Mary interceding to Christ (John 2). “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other ...” (James 5: 16). In Genesis 18:26-33, we see Abraham interceding for Sodom. When prayed according to the will of God, we have the assurance from God that they will be heard. “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” (1 John 5: 13 – 15).

 The saints are those who ‘walked with God’ (Gen 5: 24). They were ‘friends’ of God (James 2: 23). They struggled in their lives to be one with Christ. In the book ‘Mountain of Silence’, we read: “’When human beings completely obliterate their own egotism and reach the state of Theosis, or union with God,… then whatever they wish is what God wishes and it is given. There is little separation between the individual ego and God, between the will of the perfected, Christified individual and the will of God’… “Christified” human being continues to maintain a personal identity within the state of unity with God.” (p. 10)

In Mathew 8: 5 – 13, we read about Jesus healing the centurion’s servant. The centurion prayed with faith for his servant and he was healed. The effective and powerful prayers of the righteous of the church can bring miracles. “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5: 16). Therefore, even though we, the believers, can pray and can have a personal relationship with God, there is nothing wrong in asking the intercession of others. This same principle is effective in the intercession of saints too. Due to their holiness, and the oneness they have attained with Christ, we consider them as righteous and believe that their prayers will be very effective. We ask the saints to join us in our prayers so that our prayers will become much effective too. 

3. Can they hear and pray?

            The Bible clearly testifies and proves that souls of the faithful await the second coming of Christ praising Him. “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6: 54). "We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” (2 Cor 5: 8). “I desire to depart and be with Christ” (Phil 1: 23). Souls while waiting for the final judgment of Christ are not in a state of sleep. Let us analyze proofs for this from the Bible.   

            In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, we see the state of soul after death. “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’” (Luke 16: 22 – 24). For all who claims that this was just a parable, remember that then you will be questioning the validity of each and every parable. In another instance, we see Moses and Elijah, Moses who died (Deut 34: 5), and Elijah who went up to heaven in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2: 11), converse with Christ (Mathew 17). Christ after His crucifixion went to preach gospel to the ‘spirits in prison’. “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.” (1 Peter 3: 18 – 20).

The dead who don’t praise God (Ps 115: 17) are those who have not received Christ in their lives. Christ Himself is the life (John 14: 6), and all who accepts Him are not dead. All who have accepted Christ, and is following Him are not dead anymore. Many Church fathers and believers had many mystical experiences of the active presence of souls with them in prayers. These, Of course, are often incomprehensible for our intellects, but Christ said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20: 29).  

Conclusion    

The Holy Church has believed in the Intercession of Saints for centuries. The true faith of the apostles was questioned only after the emergence of individualistic, literary and intellectualistic explanations of the Bible. The book ‘Mountain of Silence’ said, ‘But the way to know God… is neither through philosophy nor through experimental science but through systematic methods of spiritual practice that could open us up to the grace of the Holy Spirit.’ (P. 12). The Church fathers for many centuries has taught the truth with the authority of the Church, the Body of Christ, which they received from the apostles, and was continued through generations. The Holy Bible is part of this Holy Tradition in which the Holy Spirit has abundantly blessed and guided the church for centuries.

A question may arise that why should we consider the tradition? It is not some tradition that we follow, but the Holy Tradition, which was and is guided by the Holy Spirit, and therefore it is validatory. St. John concludes his gospel saying, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” (John 21: 25). “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.” (2 Thes 2: 15). True Church follows the tradition of the apostles which was transferred from them through the centuries with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, from generations to generations. The Church has followed the truth and is following the truth. “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.” (2 Thes 3: 6). “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” (Heb 13: 7). Praise be to the God who redeemed us by His begotten Son, and has guided us through His Holy Spirit, even when we are unworthy, and due to His unfailing love, so that we may be part takers in His divinity, and thereby glorify Him forever and ever. 

References

The Holy Bible (New International Version)
Mountain of Silence by Kyriacos C. Markides

The Way, The Truth and the Life

Christ said “I am the way and the truth and the life.” (John 14:6)

 For a believer, Christ is three things. The Way, the Truth and the Life.

 Lets meditate on these three points Christ as made.

 First of all, He is the WAY. The way to reach the Father is forever established through the son. If the Son did not incarnate, we all must have been unable to reach the Father. Christ through his sacrifice in the cross has destroyed the cover of sin which was obstructing the true light of God to the creation. He created a new path which has destroyed the wall of sin between God and man. Through His redemptive act, we received the grace that all who believes in Him will be blessed with eternal life. One who believes in Him will not die. One who selects Him as the way will reach the Father, and that is the only way to reach the Father.

 Second point is, He is the TRUTH. Jesus is the truth because He is the unique revelation of the Father, who is the goal of our journey through life. In John 1:14, we read, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Truth includes His faithfulness to His promises and covenants, and the abiding reality of His gifts. His truth and faithfulness towards father has saved us. “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32). Jesus is the truth and He set us free from the bondage of sin.

 Third point is, He is the LIFE. Christ is the life which provides us life. He has given those who believe in Him an eternal life. One who believes in Him will not die. “Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” (John 11:25). He is the bread of life. Only through Him will one be able to live for ever. Those who accept His gospel will receive the grace to be with Him in the heaven glorifying Him. Those who reject Him will die. Our Lord loved this world so much that He gave us His one and only begotten son to the world to be sacrificed so that we may get redeemed by His sacrifice, and we may receive the grace of eternal life. 

"My Lord My God"

“I shall worship him with folded hands and with tears. I shall worship him, placing at his feet the treasure of my heart.” This is a famous verse by Rabindranath Tagore… The depth and power of these words are amazing…

  Folded hands and tears – Seems like a very familiar picture, right? Where did we see this image before? Is it the picture of our Lord Jesus we have in our mind??? Yes, Of course…Jesus, when He was about to be crucified went to the top of a hill and prayed with tears to the Almighty Lord. In St. Luke , we read, “ Then he withdrew from them about a stones throw, knelt down, and prayed, Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet not my will but yours be done.” Again in St. Mathew, we read “Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Eli Eli lamma Shabakthani?’, that is, ‘My Lord, My Lord, why have you forsaken me?”. Both these occasions shows us the prayer of Jesus Christ. He prayed with tears to the almighty Lord. How painful was that time when Jesus prayed to the father with tears asking “Why have you forsaken me?” He was not a sinner but still He received the most painful punishment because He carried our sins. The prayers we see here are great examples for us to follow in a Christian life. Pray with tears, cry to the Lord. Was the prayers answered??? We saw that three days later when Jesus resurrected from the dead winning over all the forces of evil. The Father has raised Him from the dead and He is the new hope for all those who believes and testifies that. In Romans we read, “If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (10:9). The prayers and tears of our Lord were for us.

           Again in the next verse we read that “I shall worship Him placing in his feet the treasure of my heart.” Our Lord Himself placed His life in front of the Father Almighty to complete His wish. And it was the best example we have ever seen in the history of mankind about the commitment one should have towards God. Jesus, even though was God Himself suffered to fulfill the wish of the Father. The commitment Jesus had to the Father has to be seen in lives of each and every person claiming as a Christian. Giving the life for Him will be the best offering we can ever make for all the countless blessings we are receiving from Him. The disciples and many believers have placed themselves at His feet and He has leaded them through all the struggles they had to face for the glory of God.

The treasure of my heart is nothing more than the greatest gift I have ever received, and that’s the life I have and the opportunity I got to live in this world. We are created to serve Lord, and Jesus Himself has showed us the way to serve, that is to submit our lives, the greatest treasure, to our Lord. He will transform that to the finest jewel the world has ever seen. The example of St. Paul proves the transformation. And the transformation starts when you are ready to accept Christ from your heart. You past must have been horrible, you must have been the worst sinner, the most terrible person, but once you submit yourself to the Lord, He will show the light. You will never be in darkness, and you will never have to worry. In St. Mathew we read, “For those who want to save their lives will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it” (16:25). This is the promise Jesus has given us. As St. Paul said “Njan nalla por poruthi, ottam thikachu, vishwasam kathu…”, we all as Christians should be able to ay that, and that is what our Lord expect from us. Praise be to the One who is guiding us always. Let us pray with tears submitting ourselves to His feet, to lead us and guide us in the true path, let Him be the light of out path. He loves us; His blessings may be with us all, all the time. 

Mother Mary

“Woman, what does that have to do with us?” John 2: 4

 I was blessed by the Lord to attend a Bible study session by Rev. Fr. Mathai Edayanal, and I like to share the thoughts he said at the session. Our tradition is great and our understanding about Bible is amazing…

 The topic was Mother Mary, and her position in the church and controversies.

It is well known that many protestant denominations try to deteriorate the position Mother Mary has been given by the apostolic churches, and to question her virginity, and the position Jesus has given her.

 One of the main arguments we hear against Mother Mary is that Jesus called her women.

 In the Bible we see two occasions when Jesus calls her women. First was at Cana when Jesus says, “^“Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied” (John 2: 4). Second was at the cross, “When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," (John 19:26).

 In the first occasion, in the common Malayalam translation, it reads as this…

“Sthreeyae… enikkum ninakkum THAMMIL enthu”

This verse is often used to misinterpret the relation between Jesus and Mary. One point they make is the saying, “enikkum ninakkum THAMMIL enthu?” meaning “what does your concern have to do with me”. The true translation is as follows.

 The original text says, “Quid Mihi Et Tibi”. ‘Quid Mihi’ means ‘what to me’ and ‘Et Tibi’ means ‘what to you’ which can be translated to Malayalam as ‘enikkenthu’ and ‘ninakkenthu’, when combined, should be read as ‘enikkum ninakkum enthu’. It is not ‘enikkum ninakum THAMMIL enthu’. The meaning is what that has to do with me and you.

 This does not say that Mary’s concern has to do nothing with Jesus.

 The second argument against Mother is that Jesus called her ‘woman’.

This should not be taken just literally as most do.

Cana was the first sign done by our Lord and is perhaps the start of his ministry. In Genesis 3: 15, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head”. In Galatians 4: 4 we read, ^“But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law”.

 The offspring of women will crush the head of the serpent, and that offspring was Christ. Christ before his first miracle testified the same calling Mother, ‘woman’. Again, at the end of his life, at the cross, he calls her ‘woman’. Twice in the Bible we see Jesus calling Mary, women, once at the first sign, and then at the end of his life. He stated twice that the He is the offspring of the WOMAN who crushed the head of the serpent through His death.

 Can this degrade the position Mother has?

 Another point the protestant churches put forward is that Mary after the birth of Jesus lived as the wife (in all means) of Joseph and she gave birth to children. They say that the Jesus’ brothers spoken in the Bible are born to Mary. It is an assumption and the Bible does not say that Mary gave birth to other children. Two points are provided to say that Mary gave birth to other children.

 One is the statement in the Bible about the brothers of Christ. Does it really have to be the biological brothers of Christ? Jesus and Mary were in the time when Jewish men had more than one wife, and the children born for the same father are called brothers. Tradition says that Joseph was an old man when he married Mary, and therefore he must have other wives and children.

 Can this be proved from the Bible??? No.

 Can we prove that Mary gave birth to other children? No.

 And if Mary had other children, why did Jesus say, “Women, behold you son”… and to the disciple, “Behold your mother” (John 19: 26, 27). Jesus said this to the disciple he loved the most, John.

 Another verse from the Bible to say Mary gave birth to other children is from Mathew 1: 25. “But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son”. Can this be read as Joseph had union after the birth of Christ???

 For example, Gandhi did not eat meat until his death. Does that mean Gandhi ate meat after his death???

 When we think deeply, in Mary, the most Holy has resided. We consider the ‘thronossu’ as Holy; we consider ‘kaasa’ and ‘peelasa’ as holy. Will we ever think about misusing them? They are the places where the Blood and the Body of Christ are kept… It is there where the bread and wine changes to the body and blood of Christ. We consider that as Holy and will never even think about misusing it. If so, think about Mary in whom the most Holy lived for 9 months and was born.

Joseph was called righteous in the Bible. Can we imagine Joseph not understanding the glory of the women who carried the Lord of all creations? Mary was not the physical wife of Joseph.

 Some argue that Mary lost her virginity by the birth of Christ which does not make any sense because it is not birth which makes the women loose her virginity but the union with a man.

 We sing “Mulmarameriyatherithee than naduvil ninnathupool

               Chinmayanammariyaamil vasichu shareeram poondu

   Athinaal bhangavumakanya vrithamudraykkundayilla…”

Moses saw fire on the shrubs but I didn’t burn, similarly the most glorious lived in the womb of Mary and that didn’t affect her virginity.

 Some say Mary is not the Mother of God, but Mother of Jesus. We don’t speak about distinction between the human nature and the divine nature of the Lord. Jesus is both God and man. Therefore, Mary gave birth to God and therefore can be called as the Mother of God. Elizabeth called Mary, mother of Lord… In Luke, 1: 43, “But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”.

 The intercession of Mother is of great value for us. In the Bible we read, “Sakala thalamurakalum enne bhaagyavathi ennu vazthum”. We are in the generation and the church which calls the Mother of God blessed. Praise is to the Lord who has shown us the light to understand true meanings of the word of god. 

Mind and Heart

I was just thinking about the states of mind we have and the ways in which it often works… I might be wrong, but is asking for the opinions of all of you from your experiences and feeling about the same…

Often, when we think, mind is a very complex structure. The power to think and the power to make decisions are awesome. The more awesome is the ability to make the right decisions on the right time…

While referring to the thoughts are about our mind, we often hear people saying mind and heart. Don’t take these meaning verbally. Often we consider or refer to as our thoughts coming from the heart and some times we refer to as our thoughts coming from our mind. In Malayalam, we hear ‘manasu’ and ‘hridayam’. The same way we refer to as good hearted, kind hearted, hard hearted and all for different people.

Is this mind and heart the same? Or is these two different things? Are we using two different words for the same thing? It seems very confusing for me. I guess there will be some psychology majors in this community who can give me more clarification in this matter. My thoughts after thinking for a while developed in to the following. It might be right, or it might be very stupid. Either way, post replies honestly.

I like to consider the mind and heart as two parts of our ability to think. Often when we need to take a decision, we will be feeling a conflict with in us before deciding what to do. Even when we decide to sin, or when we have a drive towards committing a sin, we think twice, and our thoughts goes in to two different sections arguing against each other. It is like a balance and the side gaining more weight will win. So, if we are able to justify the sin we are going to commit, that side wins. But if we are able to grasp more points on the side of our thought that resists are speaks against sin, we will stay away from it. In a similar way, any important decision we take goes through a conflict with in us. Selecting a new job offer for example.

Let us think about the spiritual importance of this. We are called to be holy as St. Paul states. We are supposed to be growing in Christ everyday, like climbing a ladder, step by step to reach the Holy God. Or we are called to grow in holiness and each step that increases the holiness is like another step closer to the Almighty God. On this journey, we will be feeling two forces. One is the force from the world, and another from God. Therefore, we often get in to a conflict in selecting the right path.

Here, I am referring to mind as the worldly part, and the part that actually controls the body, but often does not recognizes the right and the wrong. Heart is that part that can guide us in the right path, or the part that is closer to God. It is the moral part of our ability to think. The brighter our moral part is, the more away we will be from sins. The darker the moral part is, we will be more prone to sin. Satan can influence the world part of our thoughts and blow like a wind in to our thoughts, thereby blowing or lessening the light we have in the moral part of our thoughts. God’s word helps us in glowing brighter and brighter, resisting the wind from the world, thereby making its activities in vain.

From where does true happiness or true sadness originate? I think it originates from the moral part of our thoughts which I called as the heart. We rejoice in Christ, and when the light of Christ over flow from our heart towards the mind, we will see the differences in the body in the form of happiness. When our heart recognizes our sins, and when it recognizes its need for repentance, gradually that sadness over flow from the heart filling the mind with sadness thereby making us cry.

The scripture says do not look tired when you fast. Fasting and praying are the time we spent with God, and it should actually give us happiness. That happiness when overflows from the heart towards the mind which controls our body, the mind trains the body to be as active as possible in such a way that no one will notice the fact that one is fasting. If one did not realize the happiness of being with God through fasting and praying, the body will seem tired.

 True happiness and true sadness comes from the heart, or the moral part of our thoughts. Controlling both in such a way that it will not affect our daily activities is a great success.  Happiness should not lead to an increase in activities; sadness should not lead to a decrease either... In other words, we have to learn to be still...

Thoughts

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Know your heart and its journeys so that it can be controlled. Human mind is like a light source traveling to reach the ultimate light, our Lord God. As light travels in a straight path, the human mind also travels in a straight path. Evil forces try to obstruct this light to the Lord. They cause obstructions to the path to stop the light as if we use shades to control light. If obstruction is not possible, they try to deviate the light from the true source, as a lens can deviate and alter the path of a light source. Those who fail to understand the obstructions and the deviations move away from the Lord and fail to love Him and glorify Him. Those who realize these will destroy them by the power of prayer. Our Lord will guard us from all evils.

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Grief and sorrows are like clouds in the sky. The white clouds beatify the sky when the light passes through it. But the dark clouds prevent light from passing through it and make the world dark. The grief and sorrows we have should be like the white clouds and it should beautify our lives as we see in the life of Job. But when we get overwhelmed by grief and sorrows, the mind is surrounded by dark clouds which will seriously affect our thoughts and will make us easily prone to evil powers. Thus it will destroy the power of thought and our insight thereby leading the mind to wrong paths. Let the word of God, like a wind, blew the dark clouds away from us.

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"Present is only an imagination. Past is real and future is a hope. The one with out change is God. He has "no time" or time has no effect on Him. Humanities concern should be in extending its efforts on meaningfully using the future to make the past worthy in such a way that each minute part of it counts on its journey towards unifying with eternity."

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Life is a pilgrimage through time... The daily events, good, bad, terrific, lovely, all are shrines with presence of the Almighty God. Each is a newer step towards God. Man should be able to identify it and accept it with faith. The journey continues...

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"Understanding the concerns of others is a blessing. Changing our own lives to accomodate those concerns is an essential Christian value."

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Uncertainty is the enemy of freedom. Freedom is the driving power for a human.

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Father and Son

I recently went through an article on manoramaonline and thought that it will be good to share it with my friends. It’s a real good story especially for those who are struggling. Read this and say what you think, say if it helped you to gain peace at least a little bit.

The story goes like this. Once there was a father and a Son. They went to a lake once for swimming. The son was just starting to learn swimming. He jumped in to nice and cool water in the lake and was enjoying himself in the water. The father sat at the side of the lake watching his son. They had a very good time, the son especially enjoyed the day very well, the climate was amazing and the breeze and the water and the birds… Everything was fine and the environment was calm and quiet. The son was tired after the swimming and was trying to come back. Dangers are never expected and there was one behind this child also. A crocodile was the villain at this scene. The father saw a crocodile behind his son, trying to catch him, when he was trying to come back. What a horrible moment will be that??? A father seeing a horrible danger his son has to face. He cried in great voice, saying “Swim fast my dear…”, and the son heard that and thought that something happened to his father and tried to reach him faster. The son almost reached the hands of the father, when crocodile got his legs also, it was terrifying. How can a father watch his son being caught by a terrible animal? The father was able to catch one of the hands and he began pulling him to his side. The crocodile was pulling to the other side. The father cried with all his power, all his strength to have some one to help him to save his one and only dear son. He cried loud, louder than we have heard any man crying.

            God’s grace, Help came, a troop of soldiers passing by heard this, and came and helped them. They killed the animal and saved the child. Later, the news media was interviewing the son and the dad about the miraculous escape they had. He was showing the injuries he had from the animal. They asked him if they were painful and he said No, and then he showed them his hands and said that the injuries on his hands are more painful than the one on the legs. The hands were swelled and there was blood clotted all over. They realized that it happened when the father tried to save him, he was using all his strength to save his child. Doctors said that it will take a much more time for the wounds on his hands to be healed than the wounds on his legs. Everyone asked the child, if he was angry with his dad, and his answer was “No, because IT’S THE SYMBOL OF MY DAD’S LOVE TO ME…” What else can be shown to prove the love this father had to his son???

            We all have a heavenly father who is watching over us all the time. His hands are always with us, saving us from everything. He loves you more than everyone else.

            Understand the fact that whenever we have to face suffering, our Lord is with us. The suffering we have to face now is actually the sign of God’s love. The wounds you have are from His loving hands which grabbed you from dangers. He will never let you suffer by yourself, He is always with you, you will not see Him, but you can feel Him. The air you breathe has His presence and that’s why you are still alive. He is in your heart and that’s why it’s still pumping blood. He is in your mind and that’s why you still can think right.

            Psalmist says “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

            He is with you friends, don’t be sad. The struggles you are having now are His blessings. Remember, if we think about pain and worries and suffering, He did them all for us. He was cruelly crucified and He had to because of our sins. When you feel that your life is miserable, have the Hope that your Lord is with you, He will never let you suffer yourself, when you are struggling, He will carry you in His hands, but you will not realize that always. Have faith that He will take care of you, as we read “kakkakal vitaykkunnilla koyyunnumilla, enkilum daivam avaye nadathunnu”. So think about the graces we are receiving!!! Praise the Lord, Praise Him for all the great blessings He gave us, and Hope in Him, He is always with you my friends, always, He will never leave you struggle yourself, He is with you… Let’s have Hope and Belief… My Lord is Great, Praise Him!!!

God as Trinity

Christians understand God as the Holy Trinity, which means our God is one and at the same time is three. Let us analyze the same on biblical basis. All the below quotations are from the book “The Orthodox Way” by Bishop Kallistos Ware. The Bible verses are found from “Confessing the One Faith” (by WCC*) and “Njangal Viswasikunnu” (by H. G. Dr. Geevarghese Mar Osthathious). Bible quotes from the New International Version and New King James Version.

 *WCC – World Council of Churches

 In the beginning of the creed, we say, “I believe in One God…” (satya eeka Daivam)

The One true God is the Father, the Son and the Spirit. “Our God is not just a unit, but a union, not just unity, but community.”

John 17: 21: “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

**Three Persons in One Essence**

** Presence of Trinity in creation **

Psalms 33: 6: By the word of the LORD were the heavens made,
       their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

John 1: 3: Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

Gen 1: 2: Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

** Presence of Trinity in the Incarnation and Life of Christ **

 Luke 1: 35: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

 Mathew 3: 16, 17: “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."”

During the baptism of Christ, we see all three personalities of God together. Christ as the incarnate human, Holy Spirit as a dove and Father as the voice.

Christ, our GOD

We believe that

“1. Jesus Christ is fully and completely God.

2. Jesus Christ is fully and completely man.

3. Jesus Christ is not two persons but one.”

 

1. Jesus Christ is fully and completely God.

 ** The unity within Father and Christ **

John 10: 30: “I and the Father are one.”

John 1: 18: No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only-begotten son, who is at the Father's side, has made him known..

John 17: 22: And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one.

John 14: 9-11: He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

 ** The true way, the ONE way, the ONE God **

John 14: 6: Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Only GOD can be the way, truth and life. All the old testament prophets, priests and kings and the new testament apostles and martyrs and fathers, never claimed to be the way, truth and life themselves. All of them pointed God as the way, truth and life, and here Jesus Christ while saying “I am the…” testifies that He Himself is God.

The same is true when Christ said: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies” (John 11: 25).

He is the light, and we humans can only radiate the light. Christ is the light from God which we the believers radiate throughout the world.

 ** Confession of Thomas **

John 20: 28: And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

1 Corinthians 8: 6: yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

Thomas testifies the unity of God the Father and Lord Jesus Christ while confessing “My Lord and My God!”

 ** The Eternal Word **

John 1: 1 – 5: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John continues his account of incarnation in a theological point of view as compared to the other gospels.

 ** The Word Becomes Flesh **

 John 1: 14-18: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’”  And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.  For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

Hebrews 1:2: but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

It was the word which was with God in the creation of everything created. And this same WORD was God, John testifies, and the same WORD became flesh, as the divine plan of the Father for the salvation of humans.

 ** More proofs from the Bible **

Colossians 1: 15-17: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

Colossians 1: 19: For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell.

Colossians 2: 9: For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;

Philippians 2: 5-7: Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

This means Jesus has equality with God, but for the love of humans, He emptied Himself.

Philippians 2: 9-11: Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Isaiah 9: 6: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

To be continued...