Asset Building Questions

Asset building questions

Our effort in North America by building assets – A warning question to ask?

Antiochene, OCA churches, here in North America having no connection with their Native churches. For example, OCA has turned back on the bulk of Russian church. Every Orthodox denomination has failed in North America in this, as they forgot the community or area that supported them in the first place because after 150 years, they got so used to American culture as it is comforting. Is there a real reason for the Indian church to follow suit here? Are our buildings more important than the life of individual as Orthodox Christian with struggles and suffering?

In the same light,

Catholicate foremost important effort in India - Building assets?

While we totally have to clarify our stand to anyone and to all that the Catholicate which we have been entrusted is not under or subordinate to any other Patriarchate or Catholicate be it Alexandrian Coptic, Armenian or any other like the Syrian Church which have come to help when we had problems, Let us ask if our Asset building is our foremost calling?. Or Is it to turn ourselves and help each other to live out Orthodox Christian faith? Do we have a reason to seek peace and try to help the suffering Syrian Church and welcoming those who are open to come back to Church and lead to ask in Prayer - Lord Have Mercy?

July 5, 2013

Saints Cosma, Damain,their mother and brothers - January 22

The Malankara (Indian) Orthodox Church has by God's providence in these times been blessed to see if it will follow the path by the Saints. On January 22, 2013 we commemorate with our Sister Syrian Church St. Cosma & St. Damian (+306)

St. Cosmas (Kozman), Damian, their brothers, Anthimus, Londius, and Abrabius and their mother Theodata. They were from one of the Arab countries. Their mother feared God and was compassionate and merciful towards strangers and the needy. She became a widow, while her children were young. She raised them and taught them the fear of God. Cosmas and Damian studied medicine, and they treated the sick freely. As for their brothers, they went to the desert and became monks. When Diocletian renegaded the faith and ordered the worship of idols, he was told that Cosmas and Damian were preaching in the Name of the Lord Christ in every city and urging others not to worship the idols. He commanded them brought and delivered to the governor of the city, who tortured them with different kinds of tortures. Then he asked them the whereabouts of their brothers. Upon finding out, he brought the brothers and their mother. He ordered them to raise incense for the idols, but they refused. Then he ordered the five to be squeezed through the wheel.

When they experienced no harm, he took them out and cast them in red-hot fire for three days and three nights then cast them in a hot steaming room. Finally, he placed them on red-hot iron beds. Through all this, the Lord strengthened and healed them. When the governor became weary of torturing them, he sent them to the Emperor who also tortured them. Their mother constantly encouraged them and comforted them. The Emperor rebuked her, and she cursed him in his presence and also cursed his idols. He ordered her head cut off, and she received the crown of martyrdom. Her body remained on the ground, no one dared to bury it, because of their fear of the Emperor. St. Cosmas screamed at those present saying, "Men of the city, is there not one merciful person among you who will cover the body of this poor old widow and bury her?" Straightway, Victor, Ebn-Romanus, came forward and took the body, shrouded it, then buried it. When the Emperor heard what Victor had done, he ordered him to be exiled to Egypt where he received the crown of martyrdom. The next day, the Emperor ordered the beheading of Sts.Cosmas, Damian, and their brothers. They received the crown of life in the Kingdom of Heaven. After the time of persecution was over, many churches were built for them, where God manifested many signs and wonders.

May their intercession be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.

 

http://st-takla.org/Full-Free-Coptic-Books/Coptic-Synaxarium-or-Synaxarion_English/03-Hatoor/Coptic-Calendar_22-Hator.html

Nineveh Lent Scripture Reading

The three day lent is a lent of attrition and repentance commemorating the repentance of the people Nineveh at the preaching of Prophet Jonah.
This lent starts three weeks before the start of the Great Lent.

Monday of Three days Lent
Evening: St. Matthew 12: 31-41,
Morning: Numbers5: 5-10, Jonah 1:1- 17,Isaiah19: 17-22,
Acts13:6 - 12, Colossians1: 3-13, St. Matthew 7: 1-12

Tuesday of Three days Lent
Evening: St. Luke 4:24-32
Morning: Exodus22:28 - 30, Micah 1:1-16,Jonah 2:1-10,Nahum 1:1-14,Isaiah57: 13-19
Acts 8: 9-25,Romans1: 18- 32, St. Matthew 24: 36-46

Wednesday of Three days Lent
Evening:  St. Luke 11: 5-13, 29-32
Morning: Exodus23: 1 -9, Zephaniah1: 11-2: 4, Jonah3: 1 - 10,Isaiah41: 17-26
St. James1: 13-27, Romans15: 24-43,St. Luke11:27-36
Holy Qurbana
II Peter 2: 1-18,I Thessalonians 5: 12-24,St. Matthew 12: 38-50

Thursday / The end of Three days Lent

Before Holy Qurbana: Genesis18: 23-33, Joshua7: 6- 20, Jonah4: 1 - 11
Holy Qurbana: St. James4: 7-17,Ephesians5: 3-21, St. Luke12: 54-13: 9

Complete Lectionary availabe on
http://malankaraorthodoxchurch.in

MOSC- Oriental Orthodox Witness in North America

This posting is offshoot  with slight modification from a discussion on why the Malankara Orthodox Church and the Catholicate is not represented adequately and accurately as a member of  Standing Council of Orienta Orthodox churches (SCOOCH) in North America.
http://www.scooch.org/about/

Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC)  was considered as equal to as any others and its honor as one of the five OO churches in 1965 Council of Oriental Orthodox Church heads in Addis Ababa. Since then  the Church have the honor of welcoming the 6th Eritrean Church.

 Still there is a very unfortunate situation due to definite misrepresentation in North America  and other parts of the world  through various media that Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church is merely a schematic faction of Syrian Orthodox Church in India.   While we cannot change the past , my posting in this blog is to reflect my own thoughts  the need to work together in North America on seeing the wrong and move positively in the future. Please consider first beginning with these questions:

1.  Has our Oriental Orthodox Churches missed anything by not having the close contact and interaction over the last 15 Centuries.
2.Is there a possible damage to an individual baptized Indian Orthodox Youth growing up in North America and the witness of the Church now and the future in North America (Common witness of OO community – Ethiopian, Eritrean, Syrian, Armenian, Indian and Coptic) when MOSC is broadcasted as an isolated schematic group and as if not in communion with the broader Oriental Orthodox Christian Church?
3. If the answer to first and second “Yes " , then  Should not  we as individuals and as parishes and dioceses and Church try to find practical means to educate ourselves and overcome the damage done?
Some thoughts from past

 I had answered yes to these from 2003 and had voiced my thoughts stating the need to begin from grass root levels in our own parishes and empowering such interface by the Ecclesia
 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/5903
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/IndianOrthodox/conversations/messages/6869
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/IndianOrthodox/conversations/messages/7208
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/25277

Some good feed back

"Liberate Orthodoxy from a divisive / biased approach to history and other cultural, linguistic influences...which will give much room to discover the true potential of an Orthodox witness"
Fr. Thomas Ninan

"..Problamatic when view of history is allowed to overwhelm the present relations of actual Orthodox Christians. It is a blessing if it is possible to allow history to be placed to one side, though not ignored, and relations develop between people as they are in the present. Then it becomes possible to reconsider history in the light of the relations which have developed in the present. Otherwise the force of historical narrative prevents any such relations being created,"
Fr. Peter Farrington

Some thoughts for future

Let us learn to Pray in our respective Oriental Orthodox tradition that we have learned turning our thoughts and action to God.
Let us not  be the party to discourage each other from Communion and Orthodox Christian Life
Let us try to have our youth and children appreciate the wonders of Oriental Orthodox Christian faith inherited to us from our fathers.
Let us agree to let our differences on we each are not willing to compromise aside for now and identify what we have common.
Let us realize that the Church is facing persecution from within and outside with one of our Patriarchs in House arrest , Another having the potential to move out of his present station , Another  who would be selected shortly to  encourage a whole community amidst this  Hardship , We have an obligation to love and live as one Body in Christ
Let us encourage each other  and have the Deep Desire to  see the unity real not just in words, declaration but in our hearts.
Let us open up and identify some ways trusting in God with prayers and bring to fruitful action

Lord Have Mercy
October 14, 2012





 

Intercession of St. George- Some History and Hope

 Intercession of St. George

From  the History of Martyrs in Malayalam ( Translation to Malayalam in 1906 from Syriac by HH Moran Mar Baselius Geevarghese II  and thereafter translation to English in 1994 by  Mr. Jose Kurien Puliyeril)

When the Saint was taken into custody he asked permission to the authorities to have a prayer. He prayed like this

 " My Lord God, please listen to my prayers. so many are waiting to take my dead body. My body and bones will not be enough for the whole world. Oh Lord,grant me this prayer.If anyone is in need,in strain, in danger,fear or have fearful dreams and seeks my intercession, please grant him deliverance. On the judgment day deliver the ones of their burdens if they remember my name. If one remembers my name, grant him the rain and sun as and when required in his fields and gardens. If one remembers my sufferings on the particular days, please protect their houses from all evils,let them not have deaf,dumb and blind children.let them not be troubled by satan,don't consider their sins,and be kind to all human beings of flesh and blood and have mercy upon them all"

God was pleased with the Saint's prayer and there was answer from God soon. The voice of God echoed:

" George, you come here in peace. You are a brave soldier and a good servant and i am pleased in you and your deeds so far. Now you enter the paradise and have peace. I shall always consider your intercessions. If anyone prays remembering your name,I shall forgive his sins and will be kind to him. I am always good to the penitents"

Wen God's voice ended St. George made the sign of the Cross and  offered himself before death without fear or hesitation with full hope and faith in his Lord and God.
Due to the wonders of the intercession of St. George so may have come to believe in one true God.

These facts were recorded by Punnicristose, a follower of St. George. " All these have happened for the firmness of our faith and for the spreading of the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let there be praise and glory upon our true God now and forever- Amen"

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Lord , May the prayers of St. George help us sinners

May 4, 2012

Lenten Sunday of Canaanite Woman

Lenten Sunday of the Canaanite Woman

Scripture readings prescribed the for this Sunday by the Church

Acts 4: 1-12, Romans 7:14-25, St. Matthew 15: 21- 31

The reading from the book of Acts speak boldly the witness of the Church of healing through Jesus Christ, the corner stone who is proclaimed as “ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved”

The reading from the letter to Romans by St. Paul confesses his humanity and shortcomings and hope that remains in the Church for mankind created in God’s image. The Church, as for St. Paul, has for all eternity someone to call upon amidst of Sin which is what we do and not what we are “O wretched man that that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God- through Jesus Christ our Lord! “

The Gospel from the book of St. Mathew of the faith of the Canaanite woman has a special meaning for me as being one of the first readings that I exercised to consciously listen in Church many years back as a student in Bangalore, India.

The Canaanite woman realizes the need to not feel humiliated ,but Knowing, even before the writings of epistles came to us, that the One before her , to whom she must plead for mercy in repentance is not a mere man but He who is God . The reading continues with our Lord healing multitudes. We find no sign of repentance matching the Canaanite woman, but yet glorifying God of Israel upon healing.

May our God heal us and the Church in all we do to give Right Glory to Him. May we also cry out seeking His help always even if we fall

From Philakolia - On True Repentance
It is always possible to make a new start by means of repentance. ‘You fell,’ it is written, ‘now arise’ (Proverbs 24:16.) And if you fall again, then rise again, without despairing at all of your salvation, no matter what happens. So long as you do not surrender yourself willingly to the enemy, your patient endurance, combined with self-reproach will suffice for your salvation. ‘For at one time we ourselves went astray in folly and disobedience,’ says St. Paul. ‘…Yet He saved us, not because of any good things we had done, but in His mercy’ (Titus 3:5.) So do not despair in any way, ignoring God’s help, for He can do whatever He wishes. On the contrary, place your hope in Him and He will do one of these things: either through trials or temptations, or in some other way which He alone knows, He will bring about your restoration; or He will accept your patient endurance and humility in the place of works; or because of your hope He will act lovingly towards you in some other way of which you are not aware, and so will save your shackled soul. Only do not abandon your Physician, for otherwise you will suffer senselessly the twofold death because you do not know the hidden ways of God.”
http://theburningbush.wordpress.com/2009/11/03/st-peter-of-damascus-on-true-repentance/

First Satuday of Holy Lent - St. Ephraim -5

We celebrate the first Saturday of the Lent Memory of St Theodore and St Ephraim. This is the fifth and concluding part of this short article on St. Ephraim by my friend Jacob Varghese of Sharjah

Mar Aprem - 'Harp of the Holy Spirit' - 1st Sat of Great Lent

In spite of the gifts, which God so lavishly bestowed upon him, St. Ephraim remained deeply humble. He even feigned madness so as to avoid being consecrated bishop and the glory that attends that position. Doubtless, his humility was guarded by the remembrance of the sins of his youth and by his contrite spirit, which followed upon this remembrance. But while tears of repentance constantly flowed from his eyes, Ephraim's face was bright and shone with joy. As St. Gregory writes: "Where Ephraim speaks of contrition, he lifts our thought to the Divine goodness and pours cut thanksgiving and praise to the Most High."

On January 28, 373, after a brief illness, St. Ephraim reposed from his labors and was received into the heavenly habitations. He died as a "solitary" in a cell on a Rock Hill. After a life of good works, preaching, religious writings and ascetical exercises, he died when he was 67 in 373. His death occurred in the same year as that of St. Athanasius, another glorious Doctor of the Church. St. Gregory of Nyssa wrote his life history. Our Church remembers St. Ephraim on the first Saturday of the Great Lent, along with St. Theodorus. A major part of the hymns used in our liturgy is authored by Mar Aprem, who is considered as a fortune and treasure of our Church.