Scripture Readings - 9th Sunday after Feast of Holy Pentecost

July 26:  Ninth Sunday after Holy Pentecost

Evening :St. Matthew 13: 24-35 ,Morning: St. Matthew 13: 36-43 , Before Holy Qurbana Psalms 22 : 1 - 21 , Deuteronomy 4: 1-6, Proverbs 13: 1-7 , Isaiah 24: 1-5 Holy Qurbana Acts 28: 11-22 , I Corinthians 6: 1-11,St. Luke 14: 7-11

Psalm 22:1-21  My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?    Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? .  My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest. Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises. In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. To you they cried out and were saved; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. “He trusts in the Lord,” they say, “let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him,    since he delights in him.” Yet you brought me out of the womb;  you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast. From birth I was cast on you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God. Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. Roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouths wide against me. I am poured out like water,  and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me. My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;   you lay me in the dust of death. Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet. All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment. But you, Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me. Deliver me from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen

Deuteronomy 4: 1-6 “Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and [a]possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers is giving you. You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. Your eyes have seen what the Lord did at Baal Peor; for the Lord your God has destroyed from among you all the men who followed Baal of Peor. But you who held fast to the Lord your God are alive today, every one of you. “Surely, I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. Therefore, be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’

Acts 28:11-22 After three months we sailed in an Alexandrian ship whose figurehead was the [a]Twin Brothers, which had wintered at the island. And landing at Syracuse, we stayed three days. From there we circled round and reached Rhegium. And after one day the south wind blew; and the next day we came to Puteoli, where we found brethren, and were invited to stay with them seven days. And so, we went toward Rome. And from there, when the brethren heard about us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Three Inns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him. And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: “Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, who, when they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death. But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation. For this reason, therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.” Then they said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you. But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere.”

I Corinthians 6: 1-11 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? If then you have [a]judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?  But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers! Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

 Luke 14:7-11  So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. For whoever exalts himself will be [a]humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Liturgical Reorientation - Worship

Dr. V.C. Samuel Achan and Liturgical Literature - Reformation Fr. Dr. Jacob Kurien

[Former Principal Orthodox Theological College Kottayam]

The greatness of the liturgy of the Orthodox Churches needs no further explanation. The term "Orthodox" itself implies 'proper worship', 'true worship'. The Malankara Orthodox Church is almost entirely indebted to the system of worship of the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch, but upholds the greatness of the worship life. Reverend Dr. V.C. Samuel who respects the essence of these worships, some fundamental questions were being asked. Unfortunately, even the church leadership did not even pretend to listen to the said questions until now. He was able to continue asking the said questions until his departure without ever becoming disheartened by the said response, which left him dissatisfied and disturbed.  This is evidenced by his early written and unprinted authoritative treatise on liturgy and liturgical system, coming out in the light. The observations and criticisms in this book need to be taken seriously by the church someday. If it happens early, so much the better.  One thing is clear as far as avoiding responsibility by mentioning the name of the court case; it is that we are not interested in experiencing the spirit of worship in spirit and in truth, except to boast.

An important contribution of a true church lover, Fr. Dr. V. C. Samuel - Observations on Worship.

V.C. Samuel Achan was a multifaceted genius; Classical languages like Syriac, Greek and Hebrew - A scholar of languages and many others, a Christologist, Theologian, historian, ecumenical leader, writer, speaker, teacher, and pastor, he is equally notable in many diverse fields. But it is in his observations on worship that he is most notable as a philanthropist. Why did he attach so much importance to this matter? The answer is very simple. One's first task as a church member or church lover is to worship, to worship meaningfully. Therefore, the defects and contradictions in the existing system of worship made Samuel Achen uneasy and dissatisfied.

Why did this discomfort not affect many in church leadership? This question becomes relevant here. If one asks why no attempt has been made to carry out the liturgical reform dreamed of by Samuel Achen, even though the Liturgical Committee, one of the synodal committees, has existed for years, many answers are possible. Let me mention three of them in particular.

1. The fact is that the primary mission of church membership is not worship, but something else, according to the mindset of those in church leadership.
2 Or, to say that worship is the primary task, tantric, mechanistic, and magical satisfaction is found in accustoming the existing system to the understanding that it came down from heaven as it is.
3. For those who think they have a little Syriac and little liturgical knowledge (except relatively well, they themselves do not seem to know anything like V.C. Samuel Achan). Existing methods can be used to highlight their special abilities. Therefore, a critical appraisal cannot be prepared. Not only that, they only want the existing to continue.
[From 'Aradhana Vijnanaiyam' published in 2004]

Shared by E.J Varghese 

Fr. V.C Samuel Ecumenical Forum 

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Some thoughts from the article, picking some lines

1. " First task as a Church member or Church lover is to worship and to worship meaningfully." 

In contemporary time , we need to first focus and evaluate as individuals and Church if this principle holds relevance and there is a conviction and commitment  to attempt and worship meaningfully 

2. Defects and contradictions in the existing system of worship - Uneasiness and Dissatisfaction.

The need to reform and change for better typically starts formation through an individual's biased thoughts from their own unique individual experience ,as well in relationship with others. 

If this is understood, then we each need to ask when come together in liturgical worship where our significance and focus should be - 'To identify the defects and contradictions in the existing system of worship ' or towards" How can we  participate fully in the existing system we have inherited ,to understand and look at making positive and meaningful impact with in the constrains "

To be continued July 26, 2026