Varghese Mathai
OCP Articles
22/3/13

St. Mathew Ch 4.1-11

There are times in our struggle with the adversities of mortality when we become weary, weakened, and susceptible to the temptations that seem to be placed in our pathways. A lesson for us lies in the account of the life of the Savior.

The temptations of Christ are recorded by the three Evangelist, St. Matthew, St. Mark, and Luke. Christ and the Holy Spirit were the only two sources from which the narrative could originate, and these two Divine Persons is one in every respect as the triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

When we read about the temptations of Christ, many questions may come in our mind.

The differences on this incidents by the Evangelist’s presentations

1.  Was Jesus tempted during the forty days, or after completion of forty days of fasting?

2. Whether these three temptations were the only one, or there were more?

According to St. Matthew’s account, we understand that after Jesus had fasted for forty days, the devil came to him. St. Luke also points out that these three specific temptations occurred after the forty days of fasting (St. Luke. 4:2-3). The Lord may have endured many temptations during the forty days, but the three temptations were the culminating, most intense testing, of Jesus’ wilderness solitude. St. Luke records, When the devil finished tempting Jesus in every way, he left him for a while (4:13). Obviously, this does not mean that Satan tempted Jesus only with these specific one. He left him for a while means his attempt were not stopped. This is evident from the following incident, when Jesus told the disciples that He was going to Jerusalem to suffer and die by the hands of the chief priests, Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him “God forbid it, Lord” he said “That must never happen” Jesus turned around and said to Peter “Get away from me, Satan, You are an obstacle in my way, because these thoughts of your don’t come from God but from man. Important thing to notice is that. Peter took him aside then why Jesus turned around”, to talk to Peter? It was not required when a person is standing aside. That means Satan was after Him, but found that by this Satan entered in the mind of Peter. That is why he commanded ‘Go away Satan”. It is a commandment to Satan to get rid off from St. Peter.

3.  What is the proper sequence of the temptations? Matthew gives one and Luke another is it contradictory?

Neither Matthew nor Luke claim to represent the chronological sequence. Luke may have recorded the scene from the standpoint of geography, relating the two in the wilderness first, and then the one on the temple’s pinnacle. Matthew records that after the temptation on the high mountain, Jesus said, “Get thee hence, Satan.” Matthew’s order, therefore, may be the chronological sequence, but there is no contradiction between the two inspired writers. In our daily life also we can notice that when two media gives news the matter may be one but the presentation are not one and same.

Theological explanations on the temptations.

1.  How could it be said that the Holy Spirit led Jesus into temptation?

The Holy Spirit did not lead Jesus into temptation but He led him into the wilderness. God Himself is the origin of knowledge and wisdom, and Creator of all things knew Satan’s nature and he would utilize this moment of Jesus’ physical weakness and exhaustion to tempt him. Satan would consider this “an opportune time,” and he would look for other “seasons” as well. The devil did the tempting. God sent his Son into a world of trials and temptation, and for the incarnate Son, the difficulties are a part of being in the flesh but being a Full man and Full God he overcomes it. This does not mean that the Holy Spirit tempted Jesus to do evil, for God never tempts any one (St.James.1:13). The devil was the direct agent through which the temptation came. God sent his only one Son Christ into the world to die. His redemptive mission involved a sacrificial death, and the redemptive Calvary was paved with suffering, testing, and temptation, through which Jesus was perfected, to serve as high priest for humanity (Heb. 2:10).

2.   If Jesus is God, and God not being tempted, how could Jesus have been tempted?

Here are some hidden truths and facts which cannot be seen by a common man’s eye and thoughts. Certain phenomenon which needs insight by God’s blessing for its revelation but manifested by Faith in God. First, the Bible teaches the deity of Christ (Jn. 1:1; Col. 2:9). Second, it also teaches that he was tempted (Matt. 4:1; Heb. 4:15). Similarly, God can not die; but Jesus died. How was this possible? The incarnation of Christ — a miracle by which God, the Son, took on the nature of humanity — made many things possible that were not possible. By coming in the flesh, Jesus was not only capable of dying, but he was also subject to the other characteristics of being a man — hunger, weariness, etc. Likewise, being in the flesh made it possible for the God-man to be tempted, as the Scriptures testify.

3.  Whether Jesus had actually sinned?

Our High priest is one who can not feel sympathy for our weakness. On the contrary, we have a High Priest who was tempted in every way that we are, but did not sin. When John the Baptist first saw Jesus and recognized Him as Messiah, he spoke of his Sin-bearer who to experience God’s wrath as the Lamb of God. The next day, John see Jesus coming to him and said, there is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He wore all the sins of the world and gave ransom His own life in the Cross. By the sin of one man everyone got the inborn sin and by the death of Christ every one god redemption from the bondage of sin. Satan tempted His till the cross, but the SON OF THE WOMEN BROKEN THE HEAD OF THE SERPANT AT LAST.

Lessons to learn from the temptations, that Jesus has over come after the forty days lent.

1.  Satan always tempts Godly men and the righteous people.

Satan replied would Job worship you if he got nothing out of it.  The Lord said to Satan “everything he has is in your power, but you must not hurt Job himself. Hence forth Satan tried to keep on tempting Job. Job.1.9-12. Now, concerning the temptation of Jesus we can seen that  directly after He was declared to be the Son of God, and the Savior of the world, he was tempted; great privileges, and special tokens of Divine favour, will not secure any from being tempted.

2.  Others are tempted, when drawn aside of their own lust, and enticed

But a person is tempted when he is drawn away from God and trapped by his own evil desire. Then his evil desire conceives and gives birth to sin, and sin, it is full grown gave birth to death. James.1.14-15. Adam and Eve hide themselves away from God when they sinned for the desire of the flush as they have been trapped by Satan.The desire to eat the forbidden fruit leads to their spiritual death.

3.  Spiritual pride, Power leads to temptations.

On second temptation Satan tempted Christ to presume upon his Father’s power and protection, in a point of safety. Blessed are those who are poor. Here Lords warns against us about the spiritual poverty as well of proud of spirit. The parable of the sinner and the Pharisee clearly warns about our spiritual pride. Nor are any extremes more dangerous than despair and presumption, especially in the affairs of our souls. Let us not, in any place, be off our watch. The holy city is the place, where he does, with the greatest advantage, tempt men to pride and presumption. It is possible for a man to have his head full of Scripture notions, and his mouth full of Scripture expressions, while his heart is full of bitter enmity to God and to all goodness.

4.  For Pomp and Glory of the World we are tempted for Idolatry.

Satan tempted Christ to idolatry with the offer of the Kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. The glory of the world is the most charming temptation to the unthinking and unwary; by that men are most easily imposed upon. Christ was tempted to worship Satan. In my daily life O my mind you think and meditate, for righteousness, and justice am I given prior importance. Or for my material needs and possessions I ignore the ethics and moral values as well the Gods commandments. Am I giving more importance to the wealth of the world than my Lord and my God? If so, definitely I had fallen in Satan’s trap of worshiping Satan despite my Lord and my Savior, who had redeemed by His Holy Blood and Flesh in the Calvary on the cross.

Source:
Independent

Varghese Mathai
OCP Articles
17/3/13

(St. Luke Ch.13.10-17)

As we have crossed the Mid-Day of the Great Lent, the church had chosen a very thoughtful miracle for devotional thoughts and to straighten themselves through repentance and confession for their relief from sickness in respect of Body mind and soul. The miracle is one out of the six unique miracles recorded in his book by the evangelist St. Luke.
In this hectic pace of the modern world we are miniscule items among the millions who feed the selfish ‘my world’ to flourish. In the churches, communities, offices and everywhere else, it becomes a mechanical approach. But Jesus sees, calls, touches and heals us in compassion with real love for his children.
We can see here different approaches by the Almighty God our Lord Jesus Christ and How should be our approaches towards Him?

1.The compassionate and genuine way of Jesus

It took 18 years for a crippled woman who was a regular churchgoer to be accepted, loved and healed from her infirmities. The first day when Jesus had seen her, He called and healed her thus freeing her from shame and sickness. He is our creator and He knows very well our weakness and also know when and how to heal us. No more details are given in the scripture about this lady, but we can assume that she used to come to the Synagogue regularly and with a firm faith that A day she will be getting freedom from this bondage and shame.

2. His reaction towards hypocritical Church leaders

The religious leaders could not and did not do anything for her. The temple priests were upset that Jesus had healed her on Sabbath day, to which Jesus out rightly called them “You hypocrites”. He did so because they would untie their animals and care for them on Sabbath Day, but refused to rejoice when a human being was freed from satanic bond and healed. They could not see beyond the law to Jesus’ compassion in healing the crippled woman. Actually healing is the work of God and it can be through the intercession of the Holy Chosen Authorized consecrated people, but their evil deeds have forbidden them to heal this lady in the name of the Almighty God for the last 18 years.

3. How important the faith is and the premise for obtaining healing
The healing power of Jesus Christ is shown on the basis of a living faith, not confessed directly to Jesus Christ by the crippled woman. But found out by Jesus Christ, certainly who knew that this woman came regularly to the synagogue. Jesus Christ, has taken the initiative of healing. He knows the suffering of every person and settles, at the same time, the place, time and way of comforting suffering and healing the human’s disease. In this case, the initiative to heal the woman also shows the freedom of God, as well as the sympathy for the one who suffers, for the sick one.

4. Handicap or physical illness are the will of God and to suffer it patiently

In most of the healing miracles of Jesus we can notify that the ailing individuals had directly pleaded or confessed to Jesus or somebody had interceded or pleaded on their behalf. But this lady who was suffering for the last 18 years had any grievance or grief for her crippled body but was eager to come regularly to the synagogue to give her strength to suffer what the Lord had given her. Whereas, think about ourselves? Sometime at the time of distress ad trouble we even used to exclaim that to me only is given all these troubles.

5. No limitation on time or days for Good Deed and a continuous process.

The fact that the Savior reproves the leader of the synagogue, who said that healings should not be done during a Sabbath day, He shows that good must be done any time, on a feast day too, We must do good to our fellow beings both on a week day and on a feast day because merciful love for our fellow beings must be shown at all times as we are created in the image of the Merciful God and we must be merciful too.

6. A crippled body bounded by Satan but Straight Soul which he could not bound

We can see that Jesus Christ had straightened the sick body only because the soul of the crippled woman was straight. How much trouble she might have faced throughout these 18 years to come to her Lords house? Satan was troubling and forbidding her always so that she may not approach the Holy place. This is why the Savior relates that “bounded by Satan for the last 18 years of her body only”. A straight soul to a cripple body straightened and was healed (Her body only required healing). Jesus had not mentioned herein that her soul was bound by Satan, but Satan was not allowing her physically to approach her Savior.

7.A Straight body with a crippled soul bound by Satan

Here the Gospel warns about our straight body, but with a crippled soul. This must be healed and improved. This miracle calls us during this Advent period, to improve our soul through the Sacrament of Holy Confession, for receiving forgiveness of the sins and to untie the Satan’s bondage. We are also called to do good and merciful deeds, to help the sick, helpless, and crippled. So, the Gospel of the healing of the crippled woman is a Gospel of mercy, of doing Good. The crippled woman is a teacher of strong faith, of humble prayer and of long patience.

8. Showing gratitude for the blessing received.

The Gospel says: and she began praising God. So, we also learn from her the need to be grateful; when we receive the blessing from God. We should not rejoice and forget about the benefactor, but thank God, the benefactor and giver of life and salvation.

Let us show our gratitude towards Almighty God by Worshipping Him and it is through this gratitude that we show the confirmation of the good received, that we spiritually grow, that we spiritually edify ourselves through the fact that the gifts received from God. Let us be also be merciful as He is and express this by helping the needy from the savings we have made thorough abstaining from luxury food. Let us remember that our lent will be incomplete if it is not accompanied with prayer repentance and charity deeds and for a successful Holy Advent.

Source:
Independent

Varghese Mathai
OCP Articles
17/3/13

The Orthodox Church on Sixth Sunday of the Great Lenten, observe as the Sunday of the Blind Man to commemorate the miracle of Christ healing the man who was blind since birth. This miracle is recorded only in the Gospel of Saint John 9:1-41.

Few meditations on this enlightening miracle -

1.Jesus healed the blind man though the blind man did not plead for it, but a miracle which manifest Jesus mission in the world.

The complete healing of the blind man is a marvelous example of synergy, the cooperation of man with God’s will. It happened on one feast day (Sabbath) in Jerusalem: after Jesus had finished His sermon and was leaving the Temple. He saw on the street a man blind from birth. This man had been born thus from his mother’s womb, that is, he had been born without eyes. He was not aware that Jesus was passing by him and had not heard that, He is on the way back from the Temple. Here Jesus had made it clear about His mission in this world “as long as it is day, we must keep on doing the work of Him who sent me, night is coming when no one can work. Further to notify is that our Lord has in His hand a scroll, which directs us to His statements, “I am the light of the world,” (John 9:5), and “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He, has sent me, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at free those who are oppressed,” (Luke 4:18). These are clear statements of the Gospel of salvation that comes through Christ.

2.The concepts about Sickness by the disciples as well as of the Jews were corrected by Jesus.

The Jews thought that every misfortune befalling a man was punishment of God for his sins. If the misfortune befell a child, then they considered that to be the punishment for sins of his/her parents. When the disciples saw this, they asked their Teacher, “Teacher whose sin caused him to be born blind? Was it is his own or his parents sin? (John 9.2) There was another reason for the disciples to ask this question, because when the Lord had healed the paralytic at the Sheep’s Pool, He had told him, “Listen you are well now; so stop sinning or something worse may happen to you” (John 5:14); so they wondered, if sickness was caused by sin, what sin could have been the cause of this blind man being born without eyes. Our Lord corrected them by giving this answer “His blindness has nothing to do with his sin or his parent’s sins. He is blind so that God’s power might be seen at work in him”. (John 9.3).

3.To receive God’s Blessings, Faith on God and Obedience to His commandments are the pre-requisites.

When Christ spat on the ground, and made a paste out of the clay and anointed the blind man’s “eyes”, we can understand that Jesus desires to pass certain message. And making clay with His spittle, the Lord anointed him therewith. He sent the man to Siloam, that he might go and wash therein. And having washed as he was told, he came away seeing, and he beheld the Divine Light. Having, like an abundance of wealth, the form and members which comprise this, our mortal flesh, the man who was blind from birth could neither imagine nor think what the form or nature of this world could be; for he also was endowed with a genuine lack of eyes. In order to heal the man blind from birth, Jesus could have simply given the word: And the blind man would have begun to see. Therefore, if He now anointed the eyes of the blind man, He did it not because a healing power was contained neither in the clay nor in the pond of Siloam; but so that by touching his eyes, He would awaken in him faith and show the onlookers that the blind man received the words of the Savior with Faith and Obeyed the commandments.

4.Many of Christ’s healings recounted in the Scriptures consists of two healings.

The blind man who was not having any eyes from his mother’s womb: And had seen no man and the nature at all; who did not know Christ, Jesus first healed his physical eyes, and upon meeting him again, healed the eyes of his soul. He who was formerly blind both in his physical eyes and those of his soul now could clearly see out of both. The Miracle of the Blind Man is replete with references to spiritual blindness, and supplication to be delivered from it. “You were born and brought up in sins, and you are trying to teach us?” (John 9.34) And they cast him out. The common phenomenon of judging the individuals as well as his parents are implied in their words. Jesus Christ heard that they had cast him out; and having found him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of man? The healed man answered, “And Who is He, Sir that I can believe in Him?”Jesus said to him, “You have already seen Him, and it is the one who is talking to you.”Then, the healed one with great joy said, “Lord, I believe;” and he knelt down before Jesus” John 9.35-38. Here we can see two aspects which lead the healed man’s spiritual insight. We can see the two aspects which leads the healed man to receive the insight. First the interrogation by the Pharisees and apart from the rejection by his parents, made him strong to confess Christ even though he was in distress. Secondly when Jesus opened his inner heart and gave him the real conviction, he worshipped Jesus. Similar two sided healing of Jesus can be seen in the Samaritans Lady at well (John 4.1-30), the healing of the paralyzed man brought by the four men (Luke 5.17-25), Healing of the paralytic at the Sheep’s Pool, (John 5:6-15). These three incidents showed the striking way that God gradually illumines a soul. These events were recorded for our benefit, and together with many other events and meditations , helps us to see the diverse manner in which Christ heals and illumines a soul, and also serves as an instruction to us, who are also being gradually illumined, more or less according to our reaction to God’s grace.

5.A generation who are suspicious and could not accept the Truth.

The neighbours and those who before had seen that he was blind were amazed and said, “Is this not the blind man who sat and begged?”Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “He only resembles him.”He himself said, “I am he who was blind.”Then, they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”The healed man answered, “A man named Jesus made clay, anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ I went and washed and I received sight.”Then, they said to him, “Where is He?” The healed man answered, “I know not.”They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. The Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. And the healed man said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”The healed man said, “He is a Prophet.”The Pharisees did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight. They called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” The envious Jews did not want to believe in this miracle, even though it was obvious that it had happened. They interrogated the man in a threatening way. This man had never seen Christ, and knew very little about Him.

6.The unjustifiable leader’s domination in the Synagogue!

His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. But how he now sees, we do not know, nor we do know who opened his eyes. Ask him, he is of age; he will speak for himself.”His parents said this because they feared the Pharisees, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus of Nazareth to be Christ the Messiah, the Saviour of the world, he was to be put out of the synagogue, that is, to be considered an apostate from their faith and law. Therefore his parents, out of fear of the Pharisees, said, “He is of age, ask him.” What a pathetic attitude and action of the non-affectionate parents who did not care of their own flesh and rejected him for society sake. How beautiful it would have been, if they have rejoiced with their child and would have received the blessings from Messiah. Despite they gave due importance to the prominent leaders of the synagogue and were afraid to confess the Truth. Today also there are no exemptions in the Church, who dominates the positions by their influences and popularity; but the righteous are expelled or subject to threats if leader’s vested interests are questioned!

7.Insults, rejections, oppressions etc., are the symptoms and ingredients for strength to confess the Lord.

As the absurdity of the Jew’s questions and their true motives became apparent, the healed blind man understand a little about Christ. It is clear that he still did not understand things completely, but he nevertheless showed remarkable courage, and rebuked the foolish Jews with an ironic question, in response to another foolish inquiry by them: “I have already told you he answered and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? May be you too, would like to be his disciples?” (John 9:27). This courageous rebuke incensed the council, and they cursed him and roared like lions: “You are that fellow’s disciple; but we are Moses disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses, as for that fellow, however, we do not even know where from he come” (John 9:28-29). He who was blind stood alone, and undefended. His parents had deserted him, and he understood that he was in danger of being put out of the synagogue. Many men would back down in such an instance, and try to appease the leaders, because of fear. He still did not understand completely from “when” Jesus was, but his breast was filled with conviction and courage, as he sealed his fate among those who love the world more than God, and said: “What a strange thing that is! You do not know where he comes from, but he cured my eyes. We know that God did not listen to sinner, he does listen to people who respect him and do what he wants them to do. Since the beginning of the world nobody has ever heard of any one giving sight to a person born blind. Unless this man came from God he would not be able to do a thing” John9.30-33. Here very important thing to notice is that everybody hears the scripture. Especially the Pharisees who claims be the masters on the scripture and studied them in the Synagogues and made long discourses on it have not received the insight of Lords mission, but the person (Blind man) who was illiterate, but listen it by sitting outside the Temple, got better conviction as the Holy spirit works in him at the time of his distress and made him strong. The above courageous confession of the healed man was a reminder from a lay man about the long awaited Messiah prophesied. But the evil had stopped them to hear it and for the spiritual insight.

8.This miracle is warning of the Final Judgments.

Apart from the scroll mentioned above the scroll may also represent the role of Christ as Judge as depicted in Matthew and Revelation, and also later in the same passage on the healing of the blind man, “Jesus said, “I came to this world to judge, so that the blind should see and those who see should become blind. Some Pharisees who were there with him heard him say this and asked him “surely you don’t mean that we are blind too? Jesus answered if you were blind then you would not be guilty, but since you claim that you can see, this means that you are still guilty. John 9.39-41.

At this time of Great Lenten let me ask to me, O my soul are the white colored tomb and claims that I know and is holy to worthy of to be accepted by the Lord or are you blind without recognizing His Calls of repentance and accepting Him.

Source:
Independent

Varghese Mathai
OCP Articles
11/2/13

Is God always an angry God?  Does He wish that mankind to be subjected to His wrath or He is Merciful, Graceful and Forgive His children?

 Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgression. It is by grace you have been saved. Eph.2.3-5. In order to understand the meaning of Mercy we ha2ve to relate it with Grace. Mercy is not getting what we deserve for our evil deeds (withheld punishment). Grace is getting the blessings or forgiveness what we do not deserve due to our evil deeds. Mercy can also mean pity or compassion. Turn to God and pray to him now that he is near. Let the wicked leave the wicked leave their way of life and change their way of thinking. Let them turn to the Lord, our God he is merciful and quick to forgive.Iss.55.6-7. Happy are those whose sins are forgiven, whose wrongs are pardoned Ps.32.1. Then I confessed my sins to you, I do not conceal my wrongdoings. I decided to confess them to you and you forgave all my sins. Though he is quick tempered, He is graceful, merciful and compassionate. He knows very well that we are mortal and knows our weakness very well. He do not wish destruction of His creation the human who have been made like God.

Characteristics of Godly wrath-

1.Godly wrath is vastly different from the wrath of man.(James1.20)
2.The wrath of God is always in accordance with the standards set down in scripture for man’s conduct and the warning God has given for disobedience Duet 29.26-28, 30.15-20, 2Sam12.9-10, 2Kings 22.10-13, 24.2, 2Chron19.8-10,34.18-28, 36.15-16, Jerm22.11-12, 44.2-6
3.The wrath of God is in accordance with the deeds of men. God’s wrath is always in direct proportion to man’s sins Pslm28.4, Is59.18, Jerm17.10, 21.14, 25.14, Ezk20.44, 25.14, 36.19
4.God’s wrath is slow and controlled, not sudden and explosive Ex.34.6, Num14.18
5.Gods’ wrath comes after warning of Judgement like Noah days Gen6-9, Sodom and Gomorrah Gen19.
6.God’s wrath is always provoked by man’s sin. Deut. 4.25, 9.18, Jerm25.6-7, 32.32.
7.God’s wrath is not exercised in sin but in righteousness Rom2.5, James 1.19-20.

What are the curses pronounced in Old Testament for disobedience? (Duet 27.1-26)

i)God’s curse on any one who makes an idol of stone, wood, or metal and secretly worship it, the Lord hates idolatry.
ii)God’s curse on anyone who dishonour his father or mother.
iii)God’s curse on anyone who moves a neighbour’s boundary mark.
iv)God’s curse on anyone who leads a blind man on wrong direction.
v)God’s curse on anyone who deprive foreigners, orphans and widows of their rights.
vi)God’s curse on anyone who disgrace his father by having intercourse with any wives of his father.
vii)God’s curse on anyone who has sexual relations with an animal.
viii)God’s curse on anyone who had intercourse with his sister or half sister
ix)God’s curse on anyone who had intercourse with his mother-in-law.
x)God’s curse on anyone who secretly commits murder
xi)God’s curse on anyone who accept money to murder an innocent person
xii)God’s curse on anyone who does not obey all of God’s law and commandments.

Followings are few important events from the O.T in Bible, which caused Gods anger on His people and how he had forgiven them.

1. Disobedience of Adam, God got angry, but He had given them an opportunity to repent.

When we go through the Old Testament, the first incident of God’s anger is towards Adam and Eve. In the beginning God has given only one commandment to Adam and that was only to obey Him. He said to him ‘You may eat any kind of fruit in the garden except the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and what is bad. You must not eat the fruit of that tree, if you do so you will die the same day” Gen 2. 16-18. God has given all the freedom to first man with three conditions-

i)You can eat all the fruits of the garden.
ii)You must not eat the fruit of knowledge
iii)If you eat it you will die on the same day.

He was supposed to be obedient to God nothing else. But Satan trapped him and he had sinned. God Almighty God called him, where are you. He answered, I heard you in the Garden, I was afraid and hid from you because I was naked. Almighty given both of them an opportunity to repent and ask forgiveness to his creator the Almighty God. Adam blamed God and his companion Eve, Eve told the serpent cheated me. Gen.3.8-13. How, nice it would have been if, both of them have repented before God and God would have granted them forgiveness? But what was the reward. The sin of the father of mankind is given to his ancestors as Original sin.

Non Obedience of what the Lord had commanded us to do is also subjected to anger of God. This disobedience can be seen in King Saul also. Lord commanded to King Saul, through His Servant Samuel that “Go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have. Don’t leave anything; kill all the men, women, children and babies; the cattle sheep and donkeys” 1.Sam 15.3. But they did not obey it and preserved the good one which in their eyes are good and brought Agag alive. Samuel said “Which does the Lord prefer: Obedience or Offerings and sacrifices? It is better to obey Him than to sacrifice the best sheep to Him. Rebellion against Him is as bad as witchcraft and arrogance is as bad as idolatry? ” Because, you rejected Lord’s commandment, He has rejected you as King” 1Sam 15.22-23.

2.Cain get angry and zealous over his brother, God had given him warning for repentance but his wicked mind made him to do tricks with his brother and ultimately killed him.

Both Cain and Abel offered to God. But God was pleased with Abel only. Cain became furious and he scowled in anger. God has warned him “sin is crouching at your door. It wants to rule you, but you must overcome it Gen 4.7. Despite this warning what he did? Instead of repenting of his evil thoughts, as the devil dominates his mind, he played a tricky game with his brother, his own blood, the son of his own mother and father. Then Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let us go out in the fields. When they were out of the fields, Cain turned on his brother and killed.Gen.4.8.

Even after that brutal murder, the graceful God has given him an opportunity to repent for his evil deed and to disclose the cruelty committed before the merciful God for forgiveness. The Lord asked him, where is your brother> Hen answered I don’t know. Am I supposed to take care of my brother? God in his anger replied. Why you had done this terrible thing. Your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground like a voice calling for revenge. We have to remember and testify ourselves that am I eligible to stand in the Church and before God in the Holy Eucharist, if I do not reconcile with my fellow being. If I had pained him, definitely He keeps on asking to my conscious, How can you love me son, if you did not love your brother and in harmony with you fellow being, how I can accept your offerings? The answer may be I DONT KNOW YOU!

3.The heavenly beings get involved in adultery then God got angry and reduced their life span to 120 years, but because of only one person ‘Noah’ his descendents were saved.

The wickedness of mankind tremendously increased than before and adultery became a cause for the destruction of the world. When mankind has spread all over the world, and girls were being born, some of the heavenly beings saw that these girls are beautiful so they took the ones they liked. When the Lord saw how wicked everyone on earth was and how evil are their thoughts were all the time, he was sorry that he had ever made them and put them on the earth. He was so filled with regret that he said, I will wipe out these people I have created. But the Lord was pleased with Noah. I have found that you are the only one in all around the world who does what is right. Gen Ch. 6 and 7. Here we can see the merciful God not to destroy the mankind who are made in his own image not be subjected to destruction of wiped off from the earth because of a righteous man Noah.

According to theologians ark of Noah is the symbol of Christ who was expected, stating that, the vessel had its door on the east side- the direction from which Christ would appear at the second coming and that the bones of Adam were brought abroad, together with gold, frankincense and myrrh (the symbol of nativity of Christ). He also stated that the ark floated to and fro in the four directions on the waters, making the sign of the Cross. What a wonderful plan the Almighty God had for the salvations of the mankind who are righteous have the eternal life. Then how can we say that He is the one who is destructive God? Noah gets the word: build an ark in seven days. His sons cut the necessary trees in three days, and much furious sawing and hammering follows. But there’s no rest, as they need to round up all the animals. Noah boards the animals, then his sons, their wives, and his wife (who packed a ferocious picnic). He made all this in hurry without asking Almighty how is it possible? An important think to note is that, all his neighbours and friends have noted it. But they do not believe on what he might have told them so that their mind were so wicked and could not repent and would have been saved from the wrath of God. We have note here that Almighty God gave opportunity to others of that day that is why he ordered Noah to build the Ark by himself. As He is the shelter to all his creations God himself would have made other arrangement to save the life of Noah and his family. His intention was to use as an instruments, so that others may turn from their wickedness and turn to God so that they may not perish.

4.He also destroyed the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah- Abraham interceded repeatedly, but could be found single righteous from both cities to be saved.

Three angels visited Abraham God’s hand-picked founder of his chosen nation, Israel. They came disguised as men, travelers along the road. Two of them went down to Sodom and Gomorrah, to observe firsthand the wickedness in those cities.

The other visitor, who was the Lord stayed behind. He revealed to Abraham that he was going to destroy the cities because of the evil ways of their people. Abraham, a special friend of the Lord, began to intercede with God to spare the cities if there were righteous people in them. First Abraham asked if the Lord would spare the cities if fifty righteous people lived there. The Lord said yes. Boldly, Abraham kept bargaining down, until God agreed not to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if even ten righteous people lived there. Then the Lord departed. When, the two angels arrived at Sodom that evening, Abraham’s nephew Lot met them at the city gate. Lot and his family lived in Sodom. He took the two men to his home and fed them. Then all the men of the city surrounded Lot’s house and said, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.” (Genesis 19:5). By ancient custom, the visitors were under Lot’s protection. Lot was so infected by the wickedness of Sodom that he offered the homosexuals his two virgin daughters instead. Furious, the mob rushed up to break down the door. The angels struck the rioters blind! Leading Lot, his wife, and two daughters by the hand, the angels hurried them out of the city. The girls’ fiancés would not listen and stayed behind. Lot and his family fled to a tiny village called Zoar. The Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah, destroying the buildings, the people, and all the vegetation in the plain. Lot’s wife disobeyed the angels, looked back, and turned into a pillar of salt.

5.Worshiping the Gold Calf by the Israelites – the wrath of God is forgiven when Moses intercede to God.

As the wrong deeds of Human started growing reached in high degree, the need for Law and order arises. As the Israelites sins and wrong things increased, Almighty God had decided to give them a Law and order policy. In the beginning, there was only one commandments “Obey God”, now He had decided to impose the Ten Commandments on them. Idol worship prevailed among them when the children of God get mingled with men of the earth and their girls. Aaron took the earrings, melted them, poured the gold into a mould, and made a gold bull-calf. The people said ‘Israel this is our god, who led us out Egypt. Then Aaron made an altar in front of the God-calf. Early the next morning they brought some animals to burn as sacrifice and others to eat as fellowship-offerings. The people sat down for the feast, which turned into an orgy of drinking and sex.

The Lord said to Moses, Go back down at once, because your people whom you led out of Egypt have sinned and rejected me. They have already left the way that I commanded them to follow and they have worshiped the Gold-calf. I am angry with them, and I am going to destroy them. Then I will make you and your descendants into a great nation. Ex.32.1-10. Violation of the Lord’s first commandment of the Ten Commandments by His own people made him angry over them.
In this incident, we can see three types of people.

I)The unfaithful, non-grateful and wicked God’s own children, who totally ignored Almighty God, who had delivered them miraculously by His might ad Power from their slavery in Egypt.

II)A shepherd, who was supposed to lead his sheep in the right path ignored his responsibility. Aaron, though he knows that whatever he is doing to please the people were wrongs and non-pardonable before Almighty God. But, he acts according to the wish of the multitude! Is it not the same situation among most of the Shepherds of the generation of the day? What would be the answer to the Lord?

iii)A faithful shepherd who stands in between the Almighty God and his folk. As Almighty God calms down he intercedes, “Lord why should you be so angry with your people, whom you have brought from Egypt with great might and power”. “Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob”. “Remember the solemn promise you made to them to give their descendents as there are stars in the sky”. So, the Lord changed his mind and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened Ex. 32.11-14.

But, He had punished certain people. The Lord answered “it is those who have sinned against me whose name I will remove from my book”. So the Lord sent a disease on those rebellious people, because they had caused Aaron to make the Gold Calf. This is the warning for the present generation of the church who cause the Shepherds to decide wrongs because of their rebellion and prominence in the church.

How horrible and terrific is my mind the child of God it was and it is; and this would be the same question Lord have to me also. Sex and adultery even to sisters and own children? What would be His wrath for all my evil deeds? “Repent” “Repent” “Repent”. Turn to God who redeemed us from the bondage of sin, the bondage of Satan. Almighty God warns us. Are we hearing His warning to us?

Contd. Part II

Source:
Independent

Varghese Mathai
OCP Articles
30/1/2013

Bartholomew was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and is usually identified with Nathaniel, who is mentioned in the St. John 1. He was introduced to Christ by Philip, another of the twelve apostles as per (John 1:43-51), where the name Nathaniel first appears. The theologian considers the presence of Nathaniel of Cana, in Jesus’ miracle at the Marriage at Cana recorded in St. John chapter 2. He is also mentioned as “Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee” in John 21:2. The name Nathaniel is the one used for him in John’s Gospel. The relationship between Philip an Nathaniel is noted as per John 1:43-51. Bartholomew Greek name, transliterated “Bartholomaios” comes from the Aramic bar-Tolmay, meaning son of Tolmay or son of the furrows (perhaps a ploughman).

According to the Coptic Orthodox Church, his martyrdom is commemorated on the 1st day of the Coptic Calendar (1st day of the month of “Thout), which currently falls on September 11 corresponding to August 29 in the Gregorian calendar. His feast is June 11 in Eastern Christianity, and August 24 in both forms of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church.

New Testament references

In the East, where Bartholomew’s evangelical labours were expended, he was identified as Nathanael. According to Abdisho bar Berika (often known as Ebedjesu in the West), the 14th century Nestorian metropolitan of Soba and Elias, the bishop of Damascus, Nathanael is mentioned only in the Gospel according to John. In the Synoptic gospels, Philip and Bartholomew are always mentioned together, while Nathanael is never mentioned; in John’s gospel. On the other hand, Philip and Nathanael are similarly mentioned together.

Guiseppe Simore Assemani specifically remarks, “the Chaldeans confound Bartholomew with Nathaniel”. However, some Biblical scholars reject this identification.

As Bartholomew

Bartholomew is listed among the Twelve Apostles of Christ in the three Synoptic gospels, Mathew 10.1-4, Mark 3.13-19, and Luke 6.12-16. Bartholomew also appears as one of the witnesses of the Ascension of Jesus Acts 1:4, 12, 13; however each time he is named in the company of Philip. He is not mentioned in St. John.

As Nathanael

In the Gospel of John,1:45-51 Nathanael is introduced as a friend of Philip. He is described as initially being skeptical about the Messiah coming from Nazareth, saying: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”, but nonetheless, follows Philip’s invitation. Jesus immediately characterizes him as “Here is a man in whom there is no deception.” Some scholars hold that Jesus’ quote “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you”, is based on a Jewish figure of speech referring to studying the Torah. Nathanael recognizes Jesus as “the Son of God” and “the King of Israel”. He reappears at the end of John’s gospel 21.2 as one of the disciples to whom Jesus appeared at the Sea of Galilee after the resurrection.

Tradition

Eusebius of Caesarea’s Ecclesiastical History, states that after the Ascension, Bartholomew went on a missionary tour to India, where he left behind a copy of the Gospel of Matthew. Other traditions record him as serving as a missionary in Ethiopia, Mesopotamia, Parthia, and Lycaonia. Along with his fellow apostle Jude, Bartholomew is reputed to have brought Christianity to Armenia in the 1st century. Thus both saints are considered the patron saints of the Armenian Apostolic Church.He is said to have been martyred in Albonopolis in Armenia. According to one account, he was beheaded, but a more popular tradition holds that he was flayed alive and crucified, head downward. He is said to have converted Polymius, the king of Armenia, to Christianity. Asyages, Polymius’s brother, consequently ordered Bartholomew’s execution.The 13th century Saint Bartholomew Monastery was a prominent Armenian monastery constructed at the site of the martyrdom of Apostle Bartholomew in the Vaspurakan Province of Greater Armenia (now in southeastern Turkey)

Mission in India

Two ancient testimonies exist about the mission of Saint Bartholomew in India. These are of Eusebius of Caesarea (early 4th century) and of Saint Jerome (late 4th century). Both these refer to this tradition while speaking of the reported visit of Pantaneus to India in the 2nd century.

The studies of Fr A.C Perumalil SJ and Moraes hold that the Bombay region on the Konkan coast, a region which may have been known as the ancient city Kalyan, was the field of Saint Bartholomew’s missionary activities.

Bartholomew’s relics

The 6th-century writer in Constantinople, Theodorus Lector, averred that in about 507 Emporor Anastasius gave the body of Bartholomew to the city of Dura-Europos, which he had recently re-founded. The existence of relics at Lipari, a small island off the coast of Sicily, in the part of Italy controlled from Constantinople, was explained by Gregory of Tours by his body having miraculously washed up there: a large piece of his skin and many bones that were kept in the Cathedral of St Bartholomew the Apostle, Lipari, were translated to Beneventum in 803, and to Rome in 983 by Holy Roman Emperor Otto II, conserved at the basilica of San Baartolomeo Bartolomeo allIsola. In time, the church there inherited an old pagan medical centre. This association with medicine in course of time caused Bartholomew’s name to become associated with medicine and hospitals. It is also believed that Some of Bartholomew’s skull was transferred to the Frankfurt Cathedral, while an arm is venerated in Canterbury Cathedral.

Source:
Independent

Varghese Mathai
Contributing Editor
24/1/13

The three day let originated in Syriac Orthodox Christian tradition and then spread to other oriental orthodox traditions including the Coptic and Armenian Churches. The Origin of this feast was to commemorate a miraculous cessation of plague which broke out in the region of Beth-Gammae. When stuck with disaster, the faithful of the place gathered in the church to pray and began to do great acts of penance and the plague ceased suddenly. Since it is observed three day it is known also as moonu nombu. It is a common practice in most of the church to have the Vasantha prarthana yanjam alos during this lent by carrying lighted candles and reciting the special prayer (mar aprems memera during the time of distress and plague)

Traditionally in Indian Orthodox Church, Holy Eucharist is celebrated only at the end of the fasting and not during the other days of the lent.

It is not worthless that the Indian Orthodox Church has canonized this blessed fast at this special time, while approaching to the Holy Forty Days Fast (i.e., the Great Lent). The words “forty days” have a special importance because we are approaching a death that Christ went through for the sake of all humanity. It is in other words Christ’s death in exchange for the destruction of humanity. All of humanity was under threat of destruction and annihilation in no lesser way in Christ’s day than when the world was annihilated by the forty days flood, which came on it because of the escalation of sin at that time. The impending crisis led the only begotten Holy Son to leave His glory, put on humanity, and suffer to save the world. He died Himself as ransom for destruction of human, rose from the dead, so that His death and resurrection would become an endless source of repentance and salvation. He became a sign for whoever desires to see it – not just so that men could have a sign from heaven: “We wish to see a sign from you” (Matt 12: 38), but so that they could inherit heaven itself.

It was Christ’s death and resurrection, and the Forty Days Fast the Lord undertook for the sake of all humanity, that was the payment for every shortcoming in piety or fasting. It is to be notified that, Baptism is only completed by total immersion in water three times, as in the story of Jonah’s descent into the depths of the sea. For this reason, we see that Christ’s anointing to serve came at the moment he rose out of the water, as did the encouragement to commence the forty days fast. If we skip ahead in time, or follow the Church ritual, we enter immediately into the week of suffering, then of death and resurrection.

The voice of the Lord came to Jonah saying: “Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah fled and descended into the depths of the sea (the whale’s belly) and remained there for three days. According to the Gospel’s, Christ descended into the abyss three days and three nights and in Jonah’s words: “Out of the belly of Sheol , I cried” (Jonah 2:2). This makes the book of Jonah both practical and visionary, every word and sentence firmly points to Christ. We can consider Jonah to be like John the Baptist in the New Testament, who cried out “Prepare the way of the Lord”.

Jonah is a living symbol of Christ. Christ’s baptism led Him into the holy forty days lent, then to the cross, and finally to resurrection. This is exactly the same as Jonah descending into the waters prior to going to Nineveh to preach repentance, where he proclaimed that the city would be destroyed in forty days. This contains a hidden sign that forty days were significant in God’s plans and was in fact the period of time set for destruction (the Flood). In the fast, the Lord Himself completed that forty days period for the sake of the whole of humanity.

As for the flight of Jonah, it is apparent that he found the message difficult to bear. But after he had descended into the waters and remained there for three days something happened to him. The whale vomited him on the shore and the Lord repeated the original instruction: “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you” (Jonah 3:2). But this time Jonah obeyed him. Spending three days in the depths, it seems, reformed his attitude towards Nineveh. Something mystical happened here; Jonah’s descent into the water – his baptism – was in fact a passing through death and resurrection on behalf of Nineveh. The real transformation which the humanity requires occurred. We are already transformed as God’s Children through the Holy baptism, but due to the worldly affairs we get stained, and require cleansing, the repentance and remission of sins which has to be obtained through these Holy Lents so as to participate in his death and resurrection once again. Through this lent we have to experience the mystical act of God in us similar to that of Jonah had from the belly of the big fish to the shore of hope as far in the belly of the big whale of sins.

How wonderful are these powerful signs and how magnificent is the Church that, with the right touch, can designate a fast or a special feast! These definitions are inspirational and visionary to us to listen and understand, and not like the Scribes and Pharisees, who asked the Lord to show them a sign whilst ignoring the signs that had already been given.

The Church brings these scriptures into full view during these days so that we can absorb them for ourselves: first from Jonah, and secondly from Nineveh, because Jonah and Nineveh have two messages for our lives.
1. Jonah speaks to us of the Christ who came from afar, and

2. Nineveh severely reproaches us: “The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it … An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah” (Matt 12:41, 39).

Jonah could not bear to preach destruction. In the gospel of St Luke there is an interesting but very mystical allusion, that reveals a relationship between the warning of Nineveh’s people about the great danger they are going to face and the death that Jonah had faced for their sake: “For as Jonah became a sign to the men of Nineveh, so will the Son of man be to this generation” (Lk 11:30).

An important fact to be notified herein is that people of Nineveh knew that Jonah had passed through the suffering of death in the belly of the whale for three days, and then risen for the sake of their salvation. The Gospel of St Luke here means that as Jonah, in his person and not only through his mission, was a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of man also, in Himself, is a sign to this generation, through His death and resurrection.

For us it is very difficult to say much about Jonah’s experience during those three days and nights, but are sure of the impact of Christ’s three days and nights in the abyss, and His resurrection:
“He led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men” (Eph 4:8).

Jonah went and preached to the people of Nineveh to spare them from God’s anger, through the suffering of his death and his preaching! It seems that he told them what had happened to him.

Another very interesting and important thing to notify here is that, what happened in Nineveh. As soon as the king knew what had happened to Jonah, and heard his preaching, he rose from his throne, took off his royal clothes, laid aside his pomp, beauty and vain pride, and put on sackcloth. All the people put on sackcloth, which is a robe made of goats’ hair, very rough on the skin.
He ordered that food should be withheld from everyone, old and young, even the infant at the mother’s breast, and even all the animals. How terrible! It is as if the whole of creation is included in Nineveh’s three days of repentance.

A city with one eighth of a million inhabitants, all of whom repented, and the Lord forgave them because of the determined collective repentance and the astute leadership of that just and conscientious king, who was able, through his wisdom, to avert the sentence of death from his people. What a wonderful example of the concern and wisdom of the shepherd! Are we lacking now a day’s such good shepherds. Whether it should be a matter of concern for the church to lead its sheep to its left and to its right so that they may not become the lost sheep and not at all able to find them.
So, it is not because of a sign in heaven or earth that humankind will repent and have its sins forgiven, but through humility, fasting, prayer and a meekness of heart before the Omnipotent God!

As far as we realize our sins, though they are numerous, we have to repent our sins, have to turn to God, so that He will forgive our sins as St Peter says in Act.3-18.

Beware of ourselves that, if the times of refreshment are hindered then the fault is ours. Nineveh was striding swiftly and surely towards the deep pit of destruction, but through taking a courageous and honest stand in response to the warning of judgment, it managed to obtain for itself a pardon from heaven.

Do we feel it as very difficult for this repentance and thus to receive the blessing of Almighty God?, remember that Nineveh’s king, people, women, children, and cattle knew the quick way to safety. What is hindering us, making us turn right and left, asking for the advice of old and young alike, while the door of salvation stands open before us. Nineveh sets us an example of how simple and sincere repentance is able to open up the doors of heaven and bring forth a total amnesty for the inhabitants of a whole city, without exception, a city which the Bible tells us did not know its right from its left.

As we approach the holy forty days we need a humble hearts like those of the king of Nineveh and his people. The mere mention of the fasting cattle bent over their troughs is a reproach because when I turn to my own soul I found within me the vicious haughty beasts of a lion among deer. How many instincts I have within my soul that need to be humiliated by hunger and sackcloth! O city of the Lord, how full my soul is with these things! How wonderful it is for my soul to sit like Nineveh in holy sackcloth and ashes! During these holy three days lent and the holy forty days it is good for you, my soul, to bind all your fierce, animal instincts, and not to think you are the daughter of the great city that knows its right from its left, because sin is not overcome except by him who has tasted that, which Nineveh have tasted.

The sign of Nineveh is not in any way inferior to the opening of the eyes of the blind, feeding the multitude with five loaves and two fish, the coin in found in the mouth of the fish or changing the water to wine.
The sign of Nineveh surpassed every sign except for Christ’s death and resurrection. The distinctive of the sign of Nineveh is that it was led to repentance through the call of a prophet. The voice that calls us now is greater than that of any prophet.

Jonah’s call was to death or repentance, but Christ offers us His death, a living power, charged with life, and able to resurrect us from sin and death!

Source:
Independent

Varghese Mathai
21/1/13

Is Jonah and Salvation of Nineveh a Historical event or a Parable?

Jonah (782 BC) was an actual figure in history. The of authenticity being an Historical man can be verified by II Kings 14.25 “He [Jeroboam II] was the one who re-conquered all the territory that had belonged to Israel from Hamath Pass in the north to the Dead Sea in the South. This was what the Lord the God of Israel, had promised to his servant the prophet Jonah son of Amittai from Gath Hepher.

Another very important evidence to consider Jonah as an historic man is the words of Jesus Christ himself in St. Mathew Ch.12:38-39. “Then some teachers of the law and some Pharisees spoke up ‘Teacher’ they said ‘we want to see you perform a miracle’”. How evil and godless are the people of this day? Jesus exclaimed. ‘You ask me for a miracle’? No! The only miracle you will be given is the miracle of the prophet Jonah. Jesus called him as a prophet and further confirmed that it is a miracle of God!

Jonah is highly important in Islam as a prophet who was faithful to God and delivered His message. In Islam Jonah is also called Dhul-Nun in Arabic means ‘The One of the Whale’. Chapter 10 of Qur’an is named Jonah although directly refers only in verse 98.According to their tradition Jonah comes from the tribe Benjemin.

According to Judaism the book of Jonah is one of the 12 Minor Prophets included in the Tanakh. According to their tradition Jonah was the boy brought back to life by Elijah the prophet and hence shares some his characteristics. But it is not considered I Christian Tradition.

Western analysts claim that the book of Jonah is fictitious. Those who are more open-minded say that Jonah represents the eldest son (in the parable of the lost son), because when Nineveh was saved Jonah was sad like the eldest son who would not enter the house. The profound truth could be that, Jonah refused to go to Nineveh because even though he proclaims its destruction, he was sure that God is patient and slow to anger and would inevitably forgive them in the end. Hence, he wished to avoid two pains. First to prophesy destruction, extremely difficult for a kind soul and secondly the Merciful God who would relent from His anger and Jonah would appear to be the one criticising a foreign people. According to Church Fathers, Jonah could not be the eldest son, who was sad at Nineveh’s redemption, but he is a type of Christ. He is the outstanding prophet of salvation, who is not less than other Old Testament prophets, but probably greater than them in gentleness and finesse, one comparable to Job, who also, like Jonah, was wronged.
But for an Atheist the most unbelievable miracle in the Bible is the event when Jonah was in the belly of a great fish for three days and nights. The one who accept Him and his dominion over His creation, they will believe Him even though above to human understanding or even unproven by any one. God, the creator, has power and with His command, the sea can make the waves rough and high or make it calm. The whales will obey its creator’s command, swallow a man or vomit him. By God’s mighty power the impossible is possible to keep a man alive in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights. Nothing is impossible for God for there is no proof, only Faith is required.

Now let us compare Jonah with us who are the generation of the day.

Jonah resembles in many aspects Moses. Moses doubts about God’s plan on him and his doubt was whether the people of Israel will accept him as a Messenger sent by the Lord of hosts. Ex.4.1. Then Moses answered the Lord.”But suppose the Israelites do not believe me and will not listen to what I say. What shall I do if they say that you did not appear to me” Here as a symbol a stick has been provided to him. The difference is Moses plight was for the deliverance of Gods own people the Israelites, where as for Jonah was for the people who doesn’t know God of hosts and who were the main enemies of his own people the Israelites. The difference in the case of Jonah, Lord Almighty God made Jonah himself, as a symbol for the people of Nineveh. His transformation occurs in the belly of the big fish is the symbol, which made the people of Nineveh, who were not knowing the Lord Almighty God, to believe the Almighty’s warning, sent to them through His messenger Jonah.

1. Jonah was called by God and said Arise and Go to Nineveh; He wished not to go. Are we not of disobedient like Jonah and desperate for our wish to be done and not of His?

Prophet Jonah was commanded by God to go to Nineveh, capital of Assyria, the historic enemy of Israel, to warn the sins of its people, the city is doomed to destruction. Jonah was unhappy with the assignment, because of the fear that he might be too successful, that people of Nineveh may repent and thus escape destruction. And so he takes passage on a ship travelling westward, bound for Tarshish on the coast of Spain, at the opposite end of the then known world. Are we not of the same character? Despite His wishes goes in the opposite direction and keeps on praying for the success of our own wish but recognize it very late? Are we not having the same attitude to see the end of those who we hate or count them as our opponents or enemies? When any perils or disaster comes in their lives are we not judging or are not reluctant to say that, it happened to them as a reward for their evil deeds?

2. Jonah recognises that it is not so easy to evade the Divine charge. Do we recognize it in our life?

Jonah, hearing God’s directive to announce the imminent destruction, fled to the harbour city of Jaffa and there boarded a ship going in the opposite direction. We can understand Jonah’s concern and reaction. The mission would be thankless and difficult; the chances were that he would at best be ignored or at worst ridiculed. Why me? What do I need this for?” And so he tried to flee from the presence of God, to escape from the responsibility of serving God as He wished. No one knows when, like Jonah, he may be singled out to do God’s work. A supernatural storm arises; the ship is sinking all the sailors of the boat start calling their gods, while Jonah try to hide himself from God and fell asleep in the bottom of the ship; the heathen mariners cast lots to see who is to blame for the danger that has come upon them? Now in the hand of the heathen people he was subjected accusation and the finger of accusation points at the mysterious stranger, Jonah. He requests that they cast him into the sea and, sadly, they do so. Here we can see a man of despair who wished to die and flee away from God, Further incidents made him to understand, how deep is the plan of Lord?

3. At the belly of the whale Jonah understood that even he wished to put an end of his life it is in the safe hand of God and Nothing can happen beyond the plant of Almighty God.

The storm abates and Jonah is swallowed by a great fish. There he turns in prayer to God, a prayer of repentance. Just imagine being in side of a whale for three days and nights we can understand his suffering. God was teaching him a lesson to learn that he is helpless and he cannot die or live without the mercy of God. Inside the whale, Jonah started praying, his repentance and confession about his disobedience to the Lord. The merciful God answered his prayer and asked the whale to vomit him onto the land. As God commanded, the whale vomited Jonah.

Here also Jonah did not understand or ignored the miraculous acts of Almighty as the Whale swallowed him unhurt. Similarly at the time of troubles we become upset and allow these problems to monopolize our thoughts and drain away our emotional energy until something happen which bring us to a situation to re think at the sudden tragic death of a dear one or a friend, an automobile accident which leaves someone permanently disabled, an incurable disease discovered in an acquaintance. Then suddenly our problem which had seemed so important begins to evaporate. We feel foolish and ashamed.

4. Jonah understood God’s universal concern His Mercy and compassion on all living things, despite his eagerness to witness the destruction of Nineveh.

Jonah’s failing was not only that he permitted himself to be entrapped in self pity, but also he could not identify with the plight of other human beings, and became angry with God for sparing their lives. Once again, God had to teach him of the concern for others. Lord asked Jonah to preach in Nineveh. Now Jonah knew that he had to obey God even though he had his reasoning’s before. The salvation is for the Jew, only the people of God not for the Gentiles. The City of Nineveh was a walking distance of three days. . He was supposed to walk three days towards the city of Nineveh, but after the first day, he cried out to the people that in forty days the city will be destroyed by God. He had no compassion or mercy in his speech to the people in the City of Nineveh. He just followed the order of the Lord even though he did not want to do so. The ordinary citizens of Nineveh heard Jonah’s preaching and they began to change from their wickedness and repent their sins. The word reached the king, and he proclaimed fasting for the whole nation. Everyone did the fasting and prayer without any food or beverages. It started from the king’s palace, the rich and poor, babies and even the animals. The cry from the city reached to the Lord and God had compassion on the city and changed His decision to destroy the city and decided to save it.

Jonah waited to see what would happen to the city. When he discovered that God had forgiven the people and did not destroy the city, Jonah was very angry at God and he wished to be dead than to witness the salvation of gentile nation. The closing verse has that marvellous, ironic ending: “You have had pity on the gourd, for which you have not laboured, neither made it grow; which came up in a night and perished in a night; should not I have on Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than six score thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left, also much cattle?”Like Jonah, we seem to have lost some of the basic human qualities of concern, compassion and love for men and women we do not personally know.

Source:
OCP Articles

Edited and Compiled by Ajesh T Philip
20/1/13

O sinner, be not discouraged, but have recourse to Mary in all you necessities. Call her to your assistance, for such is the divine Will that she should help in every kind of necessity – Saint Basil the Great
“If anyone does not believe that Holy Mary is the Mother of God, he is severed from the Godhead” – Gregory of Nazianzus,To Cledonius,101(A.D. 382)~

“Let, then, the life of Mary be as it were virginity itself, set forth in a likeness, from which, as from a mirror, the appearance of chastity and the form of virtue is reflected. From this you may take your pattern of life, showing, as an example, the clear rules of virtue: what you have to correct, to effect, and to hold fast. The first thing which kindles ardour in learning is the greatness of the teacher. What is greater than the Mother of God?” – Saint Ambrose

The Virgin Mary’s Feasts

The Orthodox Church has incessantly extolled Virgin Mary’s virtues and canonized her as a patron saint of the church, repeating her name in church prayers day and night. Our church has set commemorative days for the Virgin Mary to be celebrated all the year round.

It was a common practice in the church to celebrate commemorations of saints and martyrs after heavenly abodes following the termination of their spiritual struggle on earth. The Holy Virgin Mary and St. John, however, were exempted.

Apart from the celebration of the Feast of the Virgin Mary’s presentation in the temple, the Feast of the Virgin Mary for the blessing of the crops, the Feast of the Virgin Mary of the sowing and the Feast of the Virgin Mary for blessing of the vineyards is also celebrated.

Syrian Orthodox poets called the Potters attribute setting these feasts of the Virgin Mary to John, the Evangelist. Those poets’ quotes: “With dew and drizzle the land of Ephesus was prinkled when St. John brought the message that Virgin Mary commanding her Feasts to be celebrated three times a year. The Feast of the Virgin Mary of the sowing is in January (14-15). In May it is the Feast of the Virgin Mary for blessing the crops (14-15) and in August is her Feast of the blessing of the vineyards (14-15), which are the symbols of mysteries of life”.

These three Feasts are on the fifteenth day of the above mentioned months. Assumption of the Virgin Mary replaced the Feast of the Virgin Mary for blessing the Vineyards, which falls on August 15th. Due to the sacredness of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the church instructed that, the faithful should go on a fast in preparation for the celebration of this feast. It is called the Virgin Mary’s Fast. In the past this fast used to last for fourteen days starting on August the first, during which the faithful used to have one Meal a day. This meal was free of meat, eggs or dairy product. It consisted mainly of vegetables and beans usually taken in the evening. The faithful also refrained from consuming any drinks.

Legendary Story Behind this feast:

At the time of their flight to Egypt…. The force of Herodesh followed them…. They asked to people who were harvesting the wheat in field… about the Joseph, Mary & Jesus, they answered “while we were sowing seed, 3 of them passed this way on a donkey…” It is believed that on their way, Mary and her son Jesus blessed the sowed seeds and hence it matured and sprouted within no time….and Jesus was escaped from the Herodesh and hencewe celebrate this feast.

Prayers:

How greatly appealing the discourse about the Mother of God, the Holy Virgin Mary is! Our Holy Church fathers had had extensive scrutinizing studies of her biography; inspired ecclesiastical poets wrote beautiful poems in glorification of her; celebrated artists sculpted the most beautiful statues of her and skillful painters filled the world with her splendid portraits. The Virgin Mary is the Patron Saint of the most magnificent Cathedrals the faithful have erected for her worldwide.

Church fathers praised the Virgin in poetry and prose while celebrating her feasts and set rites included in huge volumes called (Fanaquith). The book of daily offices repeated weekly and called (Shehimo) includes hymns in poetry and prose sung daily in the morning and evening. The themes of these songs are the declaration of the Orthodox doctrinal concept of the Virgin Mary and the confession of faith in her.

Some excerpts are quoted from the book of daily offices and stated hereinafter: in relation to the feasts of the Virgin Mary and the aim of celebrating these feasts the prayer of the first office on Monday night reads: “Oh, Virgin Mary, Mother of God, may your name be a source of blessing. May you answer the prayers of those, close and others far away? May you heal the sick and beseech (your son) to give courage to the oppressed. May you expel the evil within those tormented? May the power of your intercessory prayers have mercy on us, hallelujah, and may your prayer support us”.

The prayer said on Monday evening reads: “May the commemoration of the blessed Virgin, the Mother of God, be eternal, because in her virginity she gave birth to Jesus, the king, the savior of the whole universe, hallelujah. May her prayer be with us”.

A hymn sung on Thursday evening reads

“Oh, blessed Virgin, who became the Mother of God in chastity and holiness and without the seed of a man, may you, on this commemoration day of yours, have mercy on us so that the dead will have rest and the living may have hope…Though you are so far away from us in the flesh, yet your prayers are always with us. So may you implore the hidden power (the Son), who descended from His throne and dwelled in you, to forgive us”. The prayer said on Friday evening includes a Litany by Mar Jacob of Serugh (+521) that reads:

“How beautiful and pleasant the commemorative day of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who became the Mother of the Son of God, is! May you, Oh God, through the intercessory prayer of hers, keep wrath away from all those who, in faith, seek refuge in her”.

In the prayer of the first office, said on Saturday night St. Jacob says: ” Let us venerate the day of the blessed (Mary), glorify it with extreme love, with faith, “watchfulness” and long vigil, and by going on giving alms and praying, for (the virgin) doubles the reward of those who venerate her”.
May you, Oh Holy Saint, distribute, on your day, your gifts among our gathering who are thirsty for your prayers and litanies.

May the Lord be the fence that protects all those who venerate you, and may the Lord keep all blows and wrath away from them…. The power that strengthens you is that which empowers us so that we become able to praise you. This power calls on us, through your prayers, to join the abodes of light May the Lord count all those, dead and alive, who venerate your commemorative days and seek you as a refuge, among the Choir of Angels. The congregation rises to you, Oh Lord, on the day of your mother, genuine praise sung to sweet melodies. May you draw the sign of the Cross on their highly elevated gates and keep them away from distress. Glory be to you, your father and to the Holy Spirit.

The Virgin Mary in the Holy Scripture

Our study of the life of the Holy Virgin and for our elaboration of her Holy life, we have had to depend on the books of divine inspiration and on the extensive exegesis and hermeneutics of the Holy Book that our church fathers have left for us. According to the teachings of church fathers, dozens of prophecies declared by the divine inspiration are stated in the Old Testament which has been fulfilled in the Virgin Mary. She is the woman referred in God’s promise of salvation by saying: “Her seed shall bruise thy head” (Gen. 3:15). Her seed is Jesus Christ who was conceived of the Holy Spirit and not of the seed of a man. She is the new Eve and her son Jesus is the new Adam. In the same way God took a rib from Adam and created Eve, the first woman, the incarnated God, the second Adam, was in the renewal of creation, born of the virgin, who is the second Eve. She is the Virgin, Prophet Isaiah (8th century BC) referred to in his famous prophecy: “Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name (Immanuel). (Is 7-14), ” which being interpreted is, (God with us) (Mat 1:23).

Source:
OCP Articles

E S John
29/6/2012

Part- 6

Role of Judas

We are no way different from Judas who obscured and defied the Lord’s commandments and warnings which focusing on his hypocritical and suicidal crimes. All the disciples said, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny
you”, mt.26: 35, including Judas while the head money of his Lord was kept safely in his purse. He was right that he wouldn’t deny but only betray his Master, unlike the other fellow disciples. Look at the audacity of the villain
or weakling who saluted Jesus, “Hail Master. And he kissed Him”, Mt.16: 49. He, therefore, desecrated the first institution of the Holy qurbana and the second institution of the commandment of love, Jn.13: 34-35. His loving kiss was for 30 silver coins. Apart from his genetic disorders which I don’t want to ponder over here, he was also faced with the ripples of the internal feuding scenario over the leadership and supremacy tussles among the senior and junior peers even at the Last supper. I have given in my books all such hallucinations and delusions that he was preyed into towards the end of his tumultuous journey, hence no room in repeating here. The internal rivalry and intrigues for power games in any institutions, clubs, religious venues or families will have many helpless victims of circumstance.

In order to quell these destructive forces, they were offered with 12 thrones at different stages even at the last hour, yet the power of the diabolical forces seized them for betraying and denying by breaking their solemn oaths within few hours. Had they been satisfied with the Lord’s offers of thrones, the only ultimate reality, there wouldn’t have been any denials or betrayals which ended up in untoward catastrophes. Those 8 apostles who obviously were not involved in any power wrangling also got the thrones without any rise and falls. St.Thomas and St.Philip wanted to know the way to the Father, and got the clue for it later on, Jn.14. Our fate also is the same. Our only aim is to get salvation. Does it need any `sthanam or manam’ in the church? “Nearer to church is far away from God” is a true old saying. The bribery money that he accepted 2 days before was craving in the prince of perdition’s mind while he accepted the Holy qurbana from the grieving Master. Are we different in any way from him? No. Jesus could
wash their feet only, not their minds, because of man’s free will.

Part 7

Judas did charity works at the expense of the chaste faith. That is by rebelling against the Lamb who forewarned them that the Word Incarnate came from Heaven to redeem mankind from the sloth of sin. But the traitor sold Him for money, and he in turn bartered his soul for eternal fire. Here again we face the same duplicate scenario now. The God’s everlasting love that flows from the throne of Grace and mercy is replaced by the Judas’ love of charity works, as amplified by the cost of the ointment that Mary spent for anointing the feet of the Lord, Jn.12. The modern generation is sick of parish /church’s unwanted extravaganzas of stereotyped celebrations and pomp, consequently giving some money for charity works of the church and claim superiority as salvation earners and the hinge pins of parish/ church affairs became the prominent zeal. We emulated the faith vandalism of Judas by replacing the sacrament of Holy Confession with ‘husoyo’ prayers, the same that the son of perdition did at the first institution of the sacrament of Holy qurbana. He didn’t cleanse his mind by answering the charges Jesus made then and before also, Jn.6, despite the Lord washed his feet. We stopped the flow of God’s grace upon us by abstaining from the sacrament of Confession before receiving the Holy Mysteries. The present once in a year confession, the eligibility right for parish voting, is like our National census which determines the population of the country or electoral role registration. One who goes for confession for few times a year is apparently gossiped as a sinner by the majority the saved ones. Even without confession, the seemingly born again believers take part in the Holy qurbana by ‘husoyo’ prayers every celebration, because the unwritten policy of the church is to abstain from receiving it is a sin. We copy and follow anything that happens in other imperial or the charismatic churches.

The gloomy but glorious earthly, outward era that dawned towards the end of the 1970s flourished exuberantly in material wealth and high-tech, angelic living conditions which began by sedating the sanctimonious faith that we have been resuscitating in all possible ways.

This is a reflection of the philosophy of Judas who didn’t believe in the mystical body of Christ, but doing charity works which Jesus started with His money that He received from the devoted small community, Lk.8: 1-4. Now the church authorities are playing with the money and the trust which the devotees have entrusted upon them, but trampled over the apostolic faith by importing heresy and pagan celebrations into the body of Christ for the sake of grabbing money from the faithful flock. Just as the Jews prodded over the commandments and the creed of Moses, and killed Jesus, we also grieved the Holy Ghost and sacrificed our sacred faith by substituting it for money and wealth. Real estate and Political spirituality are the product of such teachings of that God is love; hence a loving God can be pleased by giving help and money to the suffering flock. The Red Cross, World Vision and other charity organizations give their reports, showing that 90% of the money they collect are for Administrative costs, the balance that reaches in the underdeveloped countries is used for military hardware after a good share is taken by the distributors. Such Judas’ works are adorned with high glamour, at the same time dishonoring, denying and wailing the Creator who is all in all in our everyday life. Worship comes in the first part of the Mosaic commandments; the second part is the work for the downtrodden and the marginalized ones. All these imperatives are explained meticulously in the Creed that was given separately in the 5 books of Moses. St.Paul and all other apostles died for Jesus, the pioneer and protector of our faith …, Heb.12: 2; 11; 6, not for Judas who cared the charity portfolio by embezzling money. St. Paul gave importance to faith, Rom.3.27; Heb.11 and 12), so also the Lord said that if we have faith, not love (a byproduct of faith), mountain can be moved from its place. Before the onset of the high-tech era we tried to cultivate the right faith and used to live as a loving community because it was imperative to lead that life in such a way due to our daily necessities which were manned by human power, not by electrical appliances and countless insurance schemes.

Part 8

The impact of science and technology

Just as the WORD became MAN, Jn.1; 1-4, the created universe and its order came into its pattern in a scientific formula by God’s utterance. It must have started with a single cell organism of ameba and then developed as animals in the sea which came as amphibian and developed and reached up to the stage of chimpanzee age during its metamorphosis changes, Ps.146: 6; 148: 5-6. But God made man in His own image and likeness with His own hands, not by His words, making a MISSING LINK in between chimpanzee and man. In other words, God also works in a scientific formula that He used in the creation of everything under the earth as well as in Heaven, Ps.33: 6-9. Man is also a passing shadow on the face of the earth; thus he also vanishes after either praising by worship or abusing God by the free will that he is adorned with. Man is created as a servant of God, Is.49: 3, and he expected to worship
Him on accounts of His mercy and grace that He bestowed upon him, Is.40: 12-31 &1. Man is created to worship God and then earn a place in the musical band of the fallen Lucifer legion that once used to worship the Almighty in timelessness. But man becoming a dupe of the devil uses his intelligence and the power of the inner knowledge by which he claims credit and superiority on the mysteries that are shrouded within the created order of scientific and technological knowledge, particularly at this time when the most of the mysteries are unfolded, so that the boastful men are befooled and misled by the petty technological invention which helped in degenerating the quality of inner life. The eminent scientists and biologists accept and approve that God is the author of science and technology, but the pigmy scientists and charlatans defy the Creator and worship the Devil, with the aid of all bodily passions. Thus God finds a reason for the arrogant and proud man to be humiliated by rejecting him to the infernal darkness and collecting the obedient ones to His Eternal abode. Thus an era of rebellion, as in the days of Lucifer, by atheists, agnostics, Gnostics, humanists, rationalists, hypocrites and irreligious and moral hunchbacks and perverts of all types will pave the world to be buried in the sulpherous ashes of the bottomless pit. The following is the obvious sign and sigh of the last phase of human history.

The high-concrete separation walls between the neighbors that invited an era of isolation felt the necessity of giving out the excess money to the charity institutions by nuclear families which having only one or two children. The carnage of money by the super powers which wanted to bring everything under their control made unbridgeable fissures in our National and international relationships and communities. The long -suffering miseries that caused by a culture of gun and hate, the weapons of mass destruction and human bombs and terrorism of religious, ethnic,
tribal and national and international dimensions triggered for at least a minority of the world population that are uprooted from its habitats have become a perennial urge for the world communities and rulers to settled down
them in make shift accommodation lately. An unnatural and artificial life in our hybrid society that invite a higher standard of high-tech life needed money, electronic infrastructural transport and communication facilities for
giving minimum comforts of shelter and food, especially clean drinking water. Money, money, everywhere money, but is not accessible to have a peaceful life for about 90% of the world populations. Money and power games can’t buy peace. Slums under the shades of high rise flats and buildings are the naked realities of global society that mint money out of fossil energy and natural resources. God is ousted out to the polar areas where He is destined to fight and defeat the incoming and exiting diabolical forces of hell. Money, support and help are to be provided where man is treated as mere animals. Man loves the animal word more than he loves his own species because he identifies himself with the darker animals that are emerging from the abysmal word, Rev.13: 1, so much is the cruelty waged man against man. Hence charity help and works are of paramount importance in today’s torn apart globe.

Espionage, spying, watching the movements

By secret ways by National and international secret organizations by advanced technical know-how which we started during the world wars make man not to love his own brethren. It has become imperative in preying upon others to cast an eye on everybody, even our own kiths and kin and neighbours. Hacking of communications and torturing innocent people is the byproduct of a high-tech life scenario. The whistle blowing Association and neighborhood watch are such products that even pry into our private life for selfish petty reasons. Love between individuals has evaporated
and consequently a legal-minded society and social order and club life paradigm of buccaneer and Epicurean life thrive by whistle-blowing and secret communications. A time is dawned that nobody loves one another, but is linked
by a superficial relationship with the expressions or salutations by ‘please’ ‘sorry’ ‘don’t worry’ greetings. In order to meet these challenges religions, world bodies and governments are forced to throw away their religious values and ethical precepts because it is proved that only the international treachery and mafia system could thrive when man is struggling for basic necessities of everyday life and fundamental rights that are enshrined in our constitutions and religious and moral codes/teachings. Terrorism and fanaticism and racial and ethnic tensions aggravate and man is at loggerhead within himself because individualism has become the religion of the open society that craves for money and power. Counterfeit money is another evil that the rulers are faced with enormous
challenges.

As a result of such vicious outcomes, what we have to lament is the sedation of churches and spirituality by the
underground forces of mafia systems as of a major concern. Such an adverse social complexity made it inevitable for the religious hierarchy to inculcate the mass that God is love, and unless we love God, we are doomed to perish. But the irreligious and moral idiots embrace charity work as the weapons to replace the main religious agenda of worship, forgetting that the absolute faith in God is the ultimate strength that can only give an answer to our problems and getting salvation thereby. No congenial time or ability to practice religion when our physical and mental life is in turmoil with TV and all other electronic mass media which became the bible and worship, together with goes the amorous lifestyle of a pagan and atheistic community baffled by the scientific and high-tech cosmetic mesmerism. The licentious lifestyle of an abrasive society which craves for equality of sex, a false and power-generating bargain, has cut the nuclear families into pieces by the dynamite of divorce and equal opportunity acrobatics. One has to realize that during the high-tech era man doesn’t live by the earthly trinity of sex, lunatic drugs and nerve-breaking mad music alone; he needs the healthy food for his inner appetite, too.

Disparities that divide the community into many strands have given rise to many forms of irreligious outcomes of promiscuities and fads. The money-making culture of sub-cultural strands dominated the world stage by musical pop groups and bands and immoral lifestyle which all thrive by self-consuming pleasures with an omnivorous taste. These
young stars and celebrities minted money by using all the electronic vices, together with bloomed so many international sports and their clubs, drug and sex industries and sex-trafficking and pornography of a myriad types. To become a luminary of any sort has become the ultimate aim of each individual. Corruption of all types in seen and unseen realms flourished in epic proportion that forced the rulers to change the law to simmer to everybody’s de-facto relationship for quenching the lust of the flesh only. These groups thrived by money and technology that is imported from the nether world from where emerges the beast which is illustrated in the Book of Revelations, Rev.13. In this darkness where nobody can work, Jn.9, is a glaring sign of the Doomsday reality.

The high-tech era means making money and becoming like shining international stars of many types. The computer technology has turned the world upside down. Man to man relationship is substituted with machine to machine relationship that wiped out our heart to heart bond and affection. The 13 members of a youth group yielded 1
billion dollar by the Face Book dealing this week is only an example. Not only the young celebrities and luminaries make money but others who work in the IT field and off shore drilling and similar other industries and workplaces fetch a huge sum as their salary which in turn touches all the facets of our life at large. One who has no life experience receive this sort of huge money and spent it extravagantly for satisfying their body passions because religion lost its flavour at the feet of Mammon who rule the world with its fiscal might now, 1.Jn 5: 19. The money that grabbed by selling the body passions are the main chunk of the charity money which ate away the pure apostolic faith of depositing our soul into the hands of God by penitential religious life and prayers because the church and its institutions now represent for giving a voice for the ones who make insidious incendiarism, not for the ones who aspire for worshipping God in truth and spirit. “For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through these cravings that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs”, 1.Tim.6: 10. Thus the age of Judas has dawned again at the close of the age without any warnings or our knowledge, though a kind of a harmonious society survived before the onset of a petroleum age somewhere before the close of the 1970s. The intrinsic, elemental or unearthly love that we thirst for now has been gulped by the greed of money and cheap popularity, and the cosmic type of love has already become a thing of the past that will be explained in Part 9, so also corrupting the apostolic faith by the influence of money and high-tech paraphernalia is a sign of our spiritual degradation.

E.S.John, Australia

Prof E.S.John,
Australia
16/5/2012

Role of Judas

We are no way different from Judas who obscured and defied the Lord’s commandments and warnings which focusing on his hypocritical and suicidal crimes. All the disciples said, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you”, mt.26: 35, including Judas while the head money of his Lord was keptsafely in his purse. He was right that he wouldn’t deny but only betray his Master, unlike the other fellow disciples. Look at the au dacity of the villainor weakling who saluted Jesus, “Hail Master. And he kissed Him”, Mt.16: 49. He, therefore, desecrated the first institution of the Holy qurbana and the second institution of the commandment of love, Jn.13: 34-35. His loving kiss was for 30 silver coins.

Apart from his genetic disorders which I don’t want to ponder over here, he was also faced with the ripples of the internal feuding scenario over the leadership and supremacy tussles among the senior and junior peers even at the Last supper. I have given in my books all such hallucinations and delusions that he was preyed into towards the end of his tumultuous journey, hence no room in repeating here. The internal rivalry and intrigues for powergames in any institutions, clubs, religious venues or families will have many helpless victims of circumstance.

In order to quell these destructive forces, they were offered with 12 thrones at different stages even at the last hour, yet the power of the diabolical forces seized them for betraying and denying by breaking their solemn oaths within few hours. Had they been satisfied with the Lord’s offers of thrones, the only ultimate reality, there wouldn’t have been any denials or betrayals which ended up in untoward catastrophes. Those 8 apostles who obviously were not involved in any power wrangling also got the thrones without any rise and falls. St.Thomas and St.Philip wanted to know the way to the Father, and got the clue for it later on, Jn.14. Our fate also is the same. Our only aim is to get salvation.

Does it need any `sthanam or manam’ in the church? “Nearer to church is far away from God” is a true old saying. The bribery money that he accepted 2 days before was craving in the prince of perdition’s mind while he accepted the Divine Liturgy from the grieving Master. Are we different in any way from him? No. Jesus could wash their feet only, not their minds, because of man’s free will.

E.S.John, Australia