Shunoyo Lent Day 5

 Θεοτοκος ἐν Λειτουργιᾳ   

(Meditating Holy Theotokos through the Divine Liturgy)

English Translation

Mary carried Christ on her knees and gave pure milk to Him, who nourishes all things. She wrapped Him in swaddling bands and laid Him in a manger, who united His Godhead with our humanity. 

Hymn

Mashihaye mariyam muttinmelenthi

Sthanyam vimalam sakalajagath poshakaneki

Daivathodu narane yojipichone

Vachu keerathuni chutti paazhpulkoottil 

(Kolo, Sheema Thursday Evening Prayer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ 

"Sthanyam vimalam sakalajagath poshakaneki"

(Gave pure milk to Him, who nourishes all things)

St. Augustine says about Virgin Mary - "Him whom the heavens cannot contain, the womb of one woman bore. She ruled our Ruler; she carried Him in whom we are; she gave milk to our Bread." A similar Hymn we sing is - "He who makes rain pour from clouds and sprinkles earth with showers; Was nursed with the drops of milk from the breast of the Virgin. And wonder filled His mother when she bore and carried Him" (Kolo, Sheema Thursday Morning Prayer). How awe-inspiring and wondrous is this expression! The one who nourishes all things is lying on the knees of Mary. The one who is from the beginning of eternity, willed to have a beginning, being nursed like an infant. The mother's milk is the most essential feed for an infant. When the Divine sucked from the breast of Mary, He was nourished with the purest milk of the most pious and humble person on earth. We all partake in the altar of mysteries of our Lord! We have the privilege of receiving the Holy Body of Christ! But, how do we nourish the mysteries received? Do we nourish it with pure minds and soul, to grow more in Divine likeness or do we neglect this privilege off vain pursuit? It is interesting to note a contrast at this point. Remember, when Mary chose to nourish the wondrous infant giving Him purest milk, there was another person looking strenuously to execute this wondrous infant. It was the ruling King Herod! In his pursuit of power, kingship, he issued a decree to kill all the infants of 2 years and below. Every good or evil we receive or assume is in a seed form, in an infant state. It is our spiritual discernment to nourish the good with pure mind and soul and at the same time slaughter all the evil in its infant state. For the psalmist also says, "Happy shall they be who take your little ones (infants) and dash them against the rock!" (Psalm 137:9). Which means, our sins, when they are in very infant state, should be dashed against the rock or be executed. Whereas, the goodness we receive should be nourished all the times. May the intercession of most holy Theotokos help us to find God's favour that we may nourish and grow the Holy Mysteries we receive. May God bless us. 

Prayers and Regards - Dn. Jipson Thomas

Shunoyo Lent Day 4

 Hymn

Swargapuratheenn eerenaam doothan-preshithanay

Nasrayapuriyil daaveedin-suthavaazhvezhuvol

Than savidhathil-shanthi pradamaam sandesham

Chonnanevam-naadhan ninnil prathama suthan

Ninniludicheedum-mashiha 

avalil udhichoru devesha-krupa chaiyyenam.

(Kolo, Sheema Thursday Evening Prayer)

     English Translation

A watcher (angel) was sent from the palace of heaven, to the daughter of David in Nazareth of Galilee. He brought a message of peace and announced- The Lord is with you, the First-born from the Father. O Christ God, who manifested from her, have mercy on us.

 

 

 

 

 

Θεοτοκος ἐν Λειτουργιᾳ

(Meditating Holy Theotokos through the Divine Liturgy)

 

"Naadhan than prathama Suthan...Avalil udhichoru Deveshan"

(The First born of the Father...the God who manifested from her)

 

The Syriac word used in the hymn for "manifestation" is "danho" which is synonymic to the phrases 'take birth', 'come forth' etc. One of the similar feasts which we celebrate is "Danaha Perunaal". It means "udayam", "Theophany" - manifestation of God. The three persons of the Godhead were manifested in River Jordan. One of the events in which Jesus' Divinity manifested to the world was His Baptism. The invisible Father Himself (as a voice from Heaven) said- "This is my Son" (Matt 3:17). It is this First-born, the only begotten Son of God, who came forth/manifested/took birth in flesh from Mary. The first ever manifestation of the Divine perfectly unified with human form (morphe) was through Mary. Though this remains an unparalleled, incomparable account in the human history, it has got a great spiritual message to be imbibed in our ongoing life. Mary's entire life until the conception of the Logos was a divine preparatory life (what we call as Thuyobo in Syriac). All of her preparatory life culminated in the promise of Divine manifestation! She prepared and devoted her life to conceive the First-born God! Today, how do we prepare our life? What do we manifest from our life? It is quite interesting to note- The angel said to her, "the Lord is with you". And it is because of Mary we have today Emmanuel, "the Lord with us". The Lord has abundantly blessed each one of you so far in your life ("The Lord is with you"). But are we able to channelize, pass on these blessings to others ("The Lord with us")? Let us make our life a Thuyobo to receive the First-born God and manifest Him to this world through us. May God bless us. 

Prayers and Regards - Dn. Jipson Thomas

Shunoyo Lent Day 3

Θεοτοκος ἐν Λειτουργιᾳ

(Meditating Holy Theotokos through the Divine Liturgy)

 

Hymn 

Paarin maarge jeevan choriyum Shoshappaye

Prarthanaye nee Daiva samakshath-arpichalum

(Bovuso of Mar Jacob, Sheema Tuesday Ratri Namaskaram)  

English Translation 

May that veil, which shed life on the pathway of earth, intercede and offer prayers before God.

 

 

"Jeevan choriyum Shoshappaye!"

(The veil which shed life)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Syriac Liturgy, Mary is quite often metaphorized as veil, with different contexts. Here, Mar Jacob calls her the veil which shed life on the pathway of earth. We know, a veil is used to hide and/or reveal something. So what was hidden and revealed through Mary? The only begotten Son of God, the Logos about which the prophets spoke was hidden or was a transcending reality for the human creation. But the moment He took flesh from Mary he became a tangible, communicable Messiah of the entire human race. So, through Mary was revealed the Divine dispenser of 'life' or more precisely the 'eternal life' to the world. Every human born is a sojourner and this world is the pathway. Through our life on earth we are sojourning or setting a pilgrimage to the state transcending time and space. And to spiritually envisage this pilgrim, we are prototyped by God-incarnate, who led and laid his life for us. It is this 'Life' which Mary revealed to the world! So what's the message we shall assimilate from Mary the veil who revealed life on the pathway of earth? Every individual exhibits in some way what is intrinsic to his/her being. That is, we all have within us a core being, our hearts wherein all thoughts and emotions take birth. If only we are integrated with our mind, body and soul, we would be able to reveal or shed forth a spiritual life. So on this pilgrimage of life, what are we exhibiting or revealing through us? Is it a Gospel legacy, or a self-deceiving, disintegrated life? It is only when our core becomes a heaven, we could shed forth treasures envisaging 'Life', the Christ! "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt 6:21). St. Paul also reminds us, 

"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us....We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body." (2 Cor 4:3-7,10,11)

As Mary created a heart of heaven and revealed the Treasury of Life to the world, let us seek her intercession that God may transform our hearts to unveil the treasures of eternal life to this world. May God bless us.

Prayers and Regards - Dn. Jipson Thomas

Shunoyo Lent Day 2

 

Θεοτοκος ἐν Λειτουργιᾳ

(Meditating Holy Theotokos through the Divine Liturgy)

 

 

 

Hymn

 

Kanye munfalamayole

Rakshekk uravidam aayole

Ekaathmajanod arthikka

Njangalil aardratha thoneedan

(Kolo, Sheema Namaskaram, Saturday Evening)

English translation

O virgin, who was the source from whom life (salvation) was transmitted, beseech and implore your Son, that He have mercy on us.

 

“Rakshekk uravidam aayole”

(The one who became the source of salvation)

In Orthodoxy, St. Mary is given the most significant, first place in the Divine council of saints. In precised ecclesiological understanding, the term 'saints' refers to the persons who led a pious life witnessing the Truth, the Word Incarnate, the Messiah- Jesus Christ. That is why in the Holy Eucharist, when we offer Thubden prayers, we remember only the saints who witnessed and showed us through their life and teachings about the Messiah. It does not mean those before the birth of Messiah are not saints. They are occasionally remembered through kukliyon incensory prayers. So, in this Divine council, St. Mary is attributed as the queen of saints! Why do our Church venerate St. Mary as the queen of saints? Our today's hymn is an answer very much applicable to this. The Syriac Fathers sing and exclaim- "she is the source of salvation!" Though, the syriac word used here is "haaye", which means 'life', this word rarely, when used as plural with a verb, means salvation. Either usage is right. Well, Mary becomes source because it is through her, the potential of the salvation of fallen human kind was fulfilled. Because, the Divine needed the human faculties to make the salvation possible. In the Divine plan of salvation, the Incarnation, Crucifixion and Resurrection were prime events (bodily) to defeat the sin or the death! And for that, God assumed the human faculties from St. Mary to save the entire human race. In other words, for God to act in the saving history of humankind, He willed to assume the human faculties first. So the salvific act begun with choosing the most humble human! Let us take an example for better understanding. The act of writing a new content is a good example. You first need to comprehend the thoughts in mind. It is the thoughts which finally at some point becomes an action of writing and finally a write-up. There are certain human faculties involved in this act. The first thing is comprehension in mind, which follows certain arm mechanism and skills to produce into something. Likewise, St. Mary is the source through which God assumed the human faculties to bring salvation to the humankind. This choice of God should never be belittled. Because, all the accounts about St. Mary, mentioned in the Holy Bible teaches us to bless her memory the most! It is not mere a human act of venerating, but a veneration truly inspired by the Holy Spirit! Remember, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed seeing Mary- "Why has this happened to me, that the mother of my LORD comes to me?" That is, the title "Mother of the LORD" or Theotokos, is Holy Spirit inspired! That's why the Church gives her first position among the saints and exclaims in awe that the Mother of the LORD is the source of salvation! Even the public service of the Holy Qurbana begins with Priest saying- "Ninne prasavicha Mariyamum, Ninne Mamodeesa nalkiya Yohannanum, njangalkk vendi Ninnod apekshikkum..." May the intercession of St. Mary be a strong refuge for the salvation of God's own creation! May God bless us.

Prayers and Regards - Dn. Jipson Thomas

Shunoyo Lent Day 1

 

Θεοτοκος ἐν Λειτουργιᾳ

 

(Meditating Holy Theotokos through the Divine Liturgy)

English translation - 

Prophet Moses saw a fire, which rested on a bush and it was not burned by the flames. Like that bush the virgin was not burned by the flame of the Son of God who dwelt in her.

(Kolo, Sheema Namaskaram, Saturday Evening)

Hymn-

Mullumarathe dahippikkath-athileriyum thee 

shailathil kandaan- darshakanaam mosha

Puthraagniyil eriyatholam- kanyakayakum 

Mariyamin- drushtantham thaan ee drushyam

 

"Puthraagniyil eriyatholam"

(One who was not burnt by the flame of the Son of God)

The account of burning bush in Exodus 3:2 prefigured Mary the God-bearer. As like the bush which was on fire, didn't get burn, Mary who bore God, was not burnt by the Divine flames. Two basic characteristics of fire are "to consume" and "to purify". There wasn't any evil in Mary to be consumed by the Divine flame! As we observe the Shunoyo Lent of St. Mary, let us imbibe her life of purity. So as to regain and enhance our distorted spiritual image, we need to bear the flames of Son of God in our life. It is only through constantly being in this flame, our wickedness get consumed and our purity retains. Thus, in a sense, St. Mary is the figurative symbolism of human before fall. Because, in Eden, the human created were partaking in the glory (Shekinah) of Lord! But as soon as they sinned, they lost the Shekinah. Later, God in His mercy, incarnated and offered His Body and Blood. In the Divine Eucharist, before dispensing the Holy Mysteries, the priest says thus- "nammude daivamaaya mashihayude shareera rakthangal aagunna paapapariharapradamaya theekatta...sathya vishwasikalk nalkapedunnu." So, to experience the intrinsic pureness as the "image bearers" of the Lord, we need to receive/bear the fire of consummation. This consummation initiates with the sacrament of Confession and fulfils through receiving the Holy Mysteries. May the intercession of most holy St. Mary help us to receive the flame of Son of God in our life and we may not be burnt or destroyed, rather be purified! May God bless us.

 

Prayers and Regards : Dn. Jipson Thomas

Seventh Sunday of Great Lent (Palm Sunday)

Hosanna!!! A king on a donkey’s back

Fr. Dr. Joshi Varghese, Bhilai

(Diocesan Education Officer & PRO, Calcutta Diocese)

Evening: St. Mt 21: 1 – 17, Morning: St. Lk 19 : 28 – 44 , Before Holy Qurbana: Gen 49: 8- 15, 1 Sam  2:18 -26, 16 : 1, Daniel 1: 16 – 20,  Micah 4:1 -5, I Kings 3: 4 – 14,  Zephaniah 3: 11 -20, Jeremiah30: 18-22  Holy Qurbana: I John 5 : 1 -12, Romans8 : 18 -25 OR Eph 6 : 1-24

St. John 12: 12-19, St. Luke19: 28-40, St. Mark 11: 1-11, St. Matthew 21:1-11

All the four Evangelists describe the ‘triumphal entry’ of Jesus into Jerusalem. The event is commemorated as Palm Sunday around the globe.

a. Unquestioning submission

“If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it’ (Lk 19:31).

Biblical scholars continue to debate on whether Jesus had given prior instructions to the owners of the colt used during the triumphal entry to Jerusalem and of the room prepared for the last Supper  or it was divinely predestined. The instruction to fetch the colt was short and simple; 'tell him that the Lord needs it'. The more surprising factor is that the owner allowed the disciples to take the colt without further questioning. It was a vivid example of complete submission of God's will without any hesitation. 

There would be occasions similar to this in our life; when someone dear to us is lost or something precious is taken away we remain perplexed. Sometimes we go to denial mode and say 'No, this can't happen to me'. Otherwise we might show our resentment against God with the statement 'Why me?' When we are specially chosen for blessings we take it for granted and even forget to be grateful to God. But when some calamity or untoward incidents occur, we get angry at God or try to argue with God. We are to be reminded that when life poses unanswered questions, the probable answer would be ‘the Lord needs it'. An unquestioning submission to the will of God shall help us to accept our life with a smile even when it surprises us with its challenges and success.

b. The Christ’s Colt

The choices of Christ were always unique. An ordinary girl of Nazareth, a countryside , was chosen as His would be mother; manger as his birthplace; lower class people – mainly fisher folk- as His disciples; the social outcasts- tax collectors and harlots- as His friends, a donkey to ride; ‘hired out’ upper room for the Last Supper; and a borrowed tomb for ‘the sleep’. There’s a pattern in His choices; He always looked out for the last, the least and the lost. He used the lowly as His mighty instruments. It should be a motivation to those who feel lost out or dejected that they still can be instruments of God. Our lack of wealth, health, intellect or status doesn’t matter for God; what matters is whether we are ready to wholeheartedly obey God. A horse is definitely considered superior to a donkey. But it was the lowly donkey that got the privilege to carry the Creator on its back.  

           The call of discipleship is a call to be a fool/ donkey for Christ. St. Paul says “We are fools for the sake of Christ (1 Cor 4:10). It was the ‘foolishness’ of the Apostles and Fathers that helped the Gospel to spread around the globe. They rejoiced for “they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour for the name” (Acts 5:41). The role of the Holy Fools of Russian Orthodox Church in revitalizing the Church, from time to time is noteworthy. God can take our humble, yet dedicated offerings, be it our nothingness or our littleness and turn it into abundance as the five loaves were multiplied to feed the thousands. As depicted by G. K. Chesterton in the poem ‘The Donkey’, we might be considered as the “tattered outlaw of the earth” and forced to ‘starve and scourge’ but there can be ‘one far fierce hour and sweet’. At the same time I should always remember that the “shout about my ears, and palms before my feet” are for Him and not for me. St. Paul wrote letters which were ‘weighty and strong’, yet it was considered that his ‘bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible’ (2 Cor 10:10). The role of the colt in the triumphal entry of Jesus shall encourage us to submit ourselves, with all our weakness and strength, as humble instruments of God.

c. Leader on horse Vs. Leader on Colt

 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zech 9:9).

The choice of donkey to travel upon for the ‘triumphal entry’ of Jesus was conspicuous due to its irony as Kings were always depicted riding the best horse available. Horse symbolises the authority and might of a king. During the time of Jesus, the Jewish expectation of Messiah was coloured with the political overtones of a strong authoritative figure who would liberate the people from the clutches of the Roman Empire. This Jewish expectation could have been best fulfilled by a Messiah riding a muscular horse than a colt.

Jesus had earlier warned the disciples about the authoritarian leadership of ‘the rulers of the Gentiles” who ‘lord it over them’. He had rightly pointed out that ‘their great ones were tyrants over them’, but the leadership of the Son of Man would be different as He ‘came not to be served but to serve (Mt 20:25-28). One of the main temptations of a Christian leader is to wield authority. Church history is replete with obnoxious examples of power wielding church leaders in spite of Jesus' exhortation for a Shepherd leadership (Jn 10:11). The Clergy (as well as the lay leaders of the Church) need to remind themselves that they are called to be shepherds and not masters. Pope Francis has rightly said that a priest “is not a boss to be feared by his flock, but a shepherd who walks alongside them and calls them by name. For the flock he is a shepherd, not an inspector, and he devotes himself to the mission not fifty or sixty percent, but with all he has…. Harshness is foreign to him, because he is a shepherd after the meek heart of God. Not only does he keep his doors open, but he also goes to seek out those who no longer wish to enter them.”

Conclusion

           Palm Sunday opens the door to Holy week, where we are called to focus on the passion of Christ. Let us fix our gaze on the cross and wholeheartedly submit ourselves to His will. Let this also be a time to introspect our relationships and authorities so that we may avoid even the tinge of authoritarianism from us.

NO PAIN,NO PALM; NO THORNS,NO THRONE;NO GALL,NO GLORY;NO CROSS,NO CROWN.

Sixth Sunday of Great Lent (Blind)

The journey of a blind to new vision   

         

Fr. Dr. Joshi Varghese, Bhilai

(Diocesan Education Officer & PRO, Calcutta Diocese)

Evening: St. Mark 10 : 46 – 52, Morning: St. Matthew 9 : 27-31, Before Holy Qurbana: Deut 25: 13- 16 & 26:1 – 13, Job 42: 1-10 Malachi 3:7-12 Holy Qurbana: I Pet 4: 12-19 II Cor 9 : 6-15 OR Eph 5 : 1-14

 

St. John 9: 1-41

One whole chapter of St. John is dedicated to the healing of a man who was blind from his birth. Though the other three gospel writers have mentioned about healing of the blind- healing of Bartimaeus ( Mk 10:46ff) / two blind men near Jericho ( Mt 20:29 ff , Lk 18:35 ff) – St. John had elaborated this unique event.

a. Be part of the solution not the problem

“His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (Jn9:2).

​As the disciples travelled along with Jesus, they came across a blind man. They were travelling with their Master and like any other good student trying to impress their teacher; they tried to gain some ‘practical knowledge’. They came across a subject of study – a theological issue of sickness. It appears that they wanted to ponder over the theological aspects of suffering and sickness. They were very eager to know the cause of sickness. In their eagerness to unravel the age old mystery of suffering they forgot about the man and his real suffering. Once a building was on fire and as the people ran to put out the fire, there was one person who was trying to figure out what might have caused the fire. Instead of helping others to extinguish the fire, he was pondering how it might have started. 

When we come across people in need or problematic situations how do we respond? Do we only just comment without trying to resolve it? Do our words/ deeds aggravate the situation? Or could we do our bit to resolve the problem. If we are not able to resolve it can we at least point towards Him who could handle the situation?  

 

b. Beyond human comprehension

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (Jn 9:4).

Human mind, from age immemorial, has been grappling with the questions, ‘Why good people suffer?’ and ‘What causes sickness?. Illness was mainly viewed as wrath of God; punishment for the sins committed by the person or someone related to the person.  It was believed that ‘the children would be punished for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation’ (Exodus 20:5, 34:7 & Numbers 14:18). The forty years of wilderness journey is also attributed to the sin of the ancestors (Num 14: 33). This belief is seen in the prophets also ( Jer32:18).  By the time of Prophet Ezekiel this belief was put on the backburner and the prophet directed that it is wrong to claim that “the parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”? (Ezk 18:2). He emphatically stated that “it is only the person who sins that shall die” (Ezk 18:4).  

Jesus is opening a new dimension to the entire discourse. Though some diseases can be traced to sin (eg. Healing of the crippled -Lk 13: 10-17; paralytic - Mk 2: 1-12), it would be a folly to view all sick as sinners. We would not be able to comprehend or explain everything that happens in our lives. We need to trust Him and His ways. As St. Paul exclaims in Romans 11:33-34, “O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” We need to remind ourselves that we are mere instruments in His mighty hands and we need to blindly trust His thoughts, which may not be our thoughts, and His ways, which may not be our ways’ (Is 55:8).

c. Attaining Spiritual Vison

​Two miracles took place in the passage: the man got his sight and he attained spiritual vision. The initial opinion of the blind man, just after he received eyesight, was ‘Jesus is yet another person who performed miracle’. “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes”(9:11). As he discussed the healing incident with the Pharisees, he realised that Jesus may not be an ordinary man but a prophet; “He is a prophet.” (9:11). Later as the Pharisees tried to prod him more, he understood that Jesus is bigger than a prophet, he is from God ” (9:33). The 2ndconfrontation with Jesus made him realise that Jesus ‘is Lord and he worshiped him’(9:38).

​There are many who view Jesus as a good human being or as a good teacher. They are happy to follow some of the teachings of Jesus, especially related to social living. Some others place him on the pedestal of a ‘prophet’; a social leader/ reformer like Mahatma Gandhi or prophetMohammed. There are also a few who are willing to treat him as a demigod or even as one among many gods like Budhha. When we interact with people who have these blurred visions about Jesus (Jesus as only a teacher or social leader or a minor god) it is our duty to humble and gently help them to have a complete vision about Christ. The conversations with the Pharisees, who were reluctant to believe and accept Jesus, helped the blind to grow in his realisation about Christ and ultimately he could gain a proper spiritual vision. Our dialogues with people of other faith would help them and ourselves to have a clear vision about God.

Conclusion

​Jesus has a mission. He is obliged to fulfill. That mission is to be the "Light of the world ". This is the mission we the disciples share with him. Our circumstances are an opportunity to shine brightly for the lord and share God's overcoming truth with those around us. Let us be that light to those around us.

Keep shining. The world needs your Light.