John 1: 43 - 51

The Gospel portion for the Second Sunday after Denaha in the Indian Orthodox Tradition is St. John 1: 43 - 51. The portion speaks on Christ calling his first disciples, and His conversation with them. Christ found Philip and told Him "Follow Me". 

The first point to be thought about in this particular Bible portion is ofcourse the command Follow Me. Throughout the Bible, from the beginning of the Creation, this is a commandment given to the humans. Many were asked to follow God and follow His commands. Some followed, some denied. Christ even after He came down to the earth to save the humans kept saying follow me. The message of Christ still is the same. This is the same message we are hearing through the Word of God which is to "Follow Me". 

While saying follow me, what does it really mean? God created humans in His own image, or as an Icon, and gave us the choice to make our decisions. Meaning, we are not robots, but those who have the power to make choices, and to decide how our lives should be formulated. Eve decided to eat the forbidden fruit, and that lead to the fall of all humans. We too make many decisions in our life time, good and bad, sometimes even without realising what we are doing. This is when Christ says Follow Me. It is the intention of God to have the whole creation saved because He is full of Love towards it. Therefore, He has given His begotten Son to be crucified so that the humans will be able to be relieved from the bondage of sin. To be relieved from the power of Satan and to be with God, the solution is Christ's words, "Follow Me". 

We are called to be Sons of God. Therefore, it is our duty to accept the call and follow Him in truth and in spirit. The follower of Christ will act like Christ, and will function in the Spirit of God. The follower will be a true Image of God, and Icon of Christ and a dwelling place of Holy Spirit. He will show the World, the kindness and love of God and he will make the creation glorify the Lord by his own presence. He will be in the path of acquiring holiness every second and every minute. He will be in the process of theosis or in the path of unification with God. He will be leading a life of prayer, and he will be an example for the multitude. He will suffer for Christ and will enjoy in those sufferings. He will love the creation as Christ did and will be able to see the image of God in all. He will also be a kind servant working for the Kingdom of God. These are a couple of things that will be found in a follower's life once he decides to accept the Word. 

Philip after recieving Christ said to Nathaneal that "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael could not believe that what Philip was talking is true and asked him, "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" It was the perception of them that no good will be coming from Nazareth. This denotes the human feeling and classification of the world. The humans differentiate between certain people, groups etc., and makes assumptions about it. For example, considering all african american people or the spanish people as wrong doers. Bad apples are every where, but that does not mean that there is no good in that group. 

Christ understood his thought and said to him that He saw him under the fig tree even before Philip called you, and as Nathanael heard this, he replied with much faith, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." This is the true transformation seen when the creation saw the creator. When the True Teacher was seen, Nathanael immediately transformed and proclaimed Christ as Son of God and King of Israel. This transformation is not a single event in the Holy Bible. There are other occasions when believers cried and proclaimed Christ as Son of God realising the truth. 

This is the transformation every human should undergo when he or she encounter with Christ. There are occasions when Christ's presence is seen in our lives. Are we able to see it and accept Him as the Lord? Are we able to proclaim with much strength that He is the Son of God? Are we able to tranform and follow Him? These are questions in front of us, and these are thoughts to reevaluate ourselves. Life in this world is short, and it has a specific purpose. It is to glorify the creator. Praise be to Him! 

Where will it End?

The Jews, one of he very typical and historically important group, known by the name People of God, has often went through much hard times. They have been under the jurisdiction and power of several empires and emperors, was very much misused, and even killed terribly by the haters. All this is history and is very well known to many people. For those who dont know about it, google search can bring many many results and numerous articles on the issues and problems they had to face since the World was created, as we and they believe, by the Almighty Lord. They have been divinely guided the Lord, and they have the tradition of moving away from the path said by the Lord too. The Old Testament accounts on how easily they went in to idol worship while Moses was up in the mountain conversing with God is the best example.

In 1948, Israel was formed, and since then many issues and problems has been going on the the area, which is historically, politically, and ofcourse divinely very important. In 2009, we are witnessing a very crucial situation. In a century with global recession and economic recession, millions of dollars are being spent to burn! Many and killed, and a lot of dollars are spent on this cause. Will we be able to judge between who is right and who is wrong? I am not an expert and is not willing to come in to falseful conclusions. Thinking biblically, how can this war be justified? Two groups that have basically the same God is greeting each others with missles and bombs. 

Is God a reason, or is it human ego and human selfishness? Are we going blind? Why cant God's presence in others not able to be witnessed by the Palestenian Muslims, Israeli Jews and American Christians? I have seen many articles from Christian Protestants supporting the stand of the US with the Jews, and I have no point to say about it, but is the God we are preaching partial, and is He going to stay with the Jews instead of the righteous? Isnt it believers who are the sons of God, and not bodily descendents? What is the difference between a Jew and a Muslim for a Christian? Neither one of them believes or acknowledges Christ, neither as a Saviour, nor as God. Then, can the righteous God stay with the Jews instead of Muslims, or viceversa? What should be the Christian stand point towards it? Christians, for 2000 years are awaiting the coming of Christ, and many are eagerly waiting to see His glorious face in the heavens. When He comes, who will get saved? Is He coming for the Jews, the Muslims, the Christians or the true believers and the righteous? Are we judging the judgement of Lord by classifying and explaining what will happen? 

Where is My Lord? When will He be here? Shall I stand with the Jews, the Muslims or the Love Christ has showed? Shall I follow the path of the Lord, which is peace, or shall I join the fighters and the detroyers of peace? My sense drives me in to stand with Christ, and not with Jews or the Muslims. I dont know who is righteous. I dont know who will be saved. But I know that My Lord is coming back and that I should be ready for it. Am I ready? I don't know because I am still a horrible sinner. It is Christ who saves and it is Him who will decide on who all shall join Him. For me, all Humans, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, eventhough following different ideologies, have the image of God in themselves, and therefore, has the same right be with God. I am noone to judge, but a mere servant and a believer. It is Him who calls, I am only a servant, ready to agree with what He will say. 

Praise be to the Lord.