Our unsurmountable issues!:
When Jesus endured pain, insult and agony while being nailed to the
cross, there were several issues He was dealing with. The issues our
Lord dealt with are taught to us by the church as - salvation for all
mankind, redemption of all creation from the clutches of Satan,
payment of ransom for saving all mankind from hellfire, punishment
for the sins committed by all those who were born till then, and for
those yet to be born.
In a solemn moment of human helplessness, He cried out on the
cross "Father, Why did you forsake me?" Yet, the Master who taught us to
forgive 'seventy times seven' times, in His climax of suffering, bleeding
profusely, the weight of His body hanging on His hands nailed mercilessly to
the cross, the weight tearing into His flesh, He
prayed for His tormentors "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they
do."
Our Lord teaches us a lesson in forgiveness at the height of his
agony - a lesson we seldom remember.
Consider the major issues we have in our church now -
Methran Kakshi believes in an autonomous,autocephalous church and
does not wish to be under the yoke of the Antiochian Patriarch. The
issue is very relevant and very correct. Now, given that, why cannot
we be true Christians and forgive the other side? What will happen if
we unilaterally give up the fight and live in peace with the other
faction who wants to stay under the administrative control of the
Patriarch?(I remember MKK Achen suggested this on this forum about 2
years ago) Will we be misunderstood by posterity? No! We have made
our point (in a big way, many times, and endorsed by the Supreme
court of the land) by dragging this fight for about a hundred years.
No one in history will ever doubt that. An argument here is that we
cannot give up now since the people in churches of the Bava Kakshi,
where people from our side are in minority, will suffer. Well - we
all are suffering anyways. If the only way to solve this problem is
to give in to the other side - so be it! What do we gain by making
the lawyers richer?
Is this issue greater than the issues Jesus faced on the cross? Will any
sacrifices we do be greater than His sacrifice? I dont think so, yet, we have
not solved it in a hundred years!
Now consider another issue we live with -
There are churches in the American diocese where Barnabas Thirumeni
is not allowed. There are churches in the American diocese
which "swear allegiance" to Makarios Thirumeni. The two Thirumenis at
the top understand the problem but are unable to break the deadlock,
even though they are doing their best. The other Thirumenis and
Achens who come to visit the land perhaps are comfortable with the
impasse, since turning a blind eye to this pathetic situation here
works out better for them. The problems are due to some old
differences of opinion, hurt feelings. Both the sides have their
valid points. (That is the problem with issues in the church -
everyone seems correct and everyone is good!, there is no one clear
cut hero and a clear villain, as in the movies! - so where does the
problem lie?! - an innocent mind can be swayed in this circus for a
lifetime without knowing the root of the problem!).
Again - is this issue greater than the issues our Lord faced during
his passion on the cross? No! - yet we have not solved it in over a
decade!
Other than these, there are issues in individual parishes, all valid
and significant when taken by themselves. Yet, when taken in the
context of the sacrifice of our Lord and His love on the cross - where
do these stand? We declare publicly that we have forgiven, but we
harbour hatred and illwill in our minds. All these issues pale and
melt away as insignificant in front of the cross in Calvary - yet we
do not budge to resolve them. We hide behind our argument" Let the
other person come to me; I will not go to him". If ever we do take a step
to reconcile, we make a big show of it and ensure that the other person
is humiliated! - so our battles go on.
Ha! our unsurmountable issues!
Regards,
Mathew Samuel
Austin, TX
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/7090
When Jesus endured pain, insult and agony while being nailed to the
cross, there were several issues He was dealing with. The issues our
Lord dealt with are taught to us by the church as - salvation for all
mankind, redemption of all creation from the clutches of Satan,
payment of ransom for saving all mankind from hellfire, punishment
for the sins committed by all those who were born till then, and for
those yet to be born.
In a solemn moment of human helplessness, He cried out on the
cross "Father, Why did you forsake me?" Yet, the Master who taught us to
forgive 'seventy times seven' times, in His climax of suffering, bleeding
profusely, the weight of His body hanging on His hands nailed mercilessly to
the cross, the weight tearing into His flesh, He
prayed for His tormentors "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they
do."
Our Lord teaches us a lesson in forgiveness at the height of his
agony - a lesson we seldom remember.
Consider the major issues we have in our church now -
Methran Kakshi believes in an autonomous,autocephalous church and
does not wish to be under the yoke of the Antiochian Patriarch. The
issue is very relevant and very correct. Now, given that, why cannot
we be true Christians and forgive the other side? What will happen if
we unilaterally give up the fight and live in peace with the other
faction who wants to stay under the administrative control of the
Patriarch?(I remember MKK Achen suggested this on this forum about 2
years ago) Will we be misunderstood by posterity? No! We have made
our point (in a big way, many times, and endorsed by the Supreme
court of the land) by dragging this fight for about a hundred years.
No one in history will ever doubt that. An argument here is that we
cannot give up now since the people in churches of the Bava Kakshi,
where people from our side are in minority, will suffer. Well - we
all are suffering anyways. If the only way to solve this problem is
to give in to the other side - so be it! What do we gain by making
the lawyers richer?
Is this issue greater than the issues Jesus faced on the cross? Will any
sacrifices we do be greater than His sacrifice? I dont think so, yet, we have
not solved it in a hundred years!
Now consider another issue we live with -
There are churches in the American diocese where Barnabas Thirumeni
is not allowed. There are churches in the American diocese
which "swear allegiance" to Makarios Thirumeni. The two Thirumenis at
the top understand the problem but are unable to break the deadlock,
even though they are doing their best. The other Thirumenis and
Achens who come to visit the land perhaps are comfortable with the
impasse, since turning a blind eye to this pathetic situation here
works out better for them. The problems are due to some old
differences of opinion, hurt feelings. Both the sides have their
valid points. (That is the problem with issues in the church -
everyone seems correct and everyone is good!, there is no one clear
cut hero and a clear villain, as in the movies! - so where does the
problem lie?! - an innocent mind can be swayed in this circus for a
lifetime without knowing the root of the problem!).
Again - is this issue greater than the issues our Lord faced during
his passion on the cross? No! - yet we have not solved it in over a
decade!
Other than these, there are issues in individual parishes, all valid
and significant when taken by themselves. Yet, when taken in the
context of the sacrifice of our Lord and His love on the cross - where
do these stand? We declare publicly that we have forgiven, but we
harbour hatred and illwill in our minds. All these issues pale and
melt away as insignificant in front of the cross in Calvary - yet we
do not budge to resolve them. We hide behind our argument" Let the
other person come to me; I will not go to him". If ever we do take a step
to reconcile, we make a big show of it and ensure that the other person
is humiliated! - so our battles go on.
Ha! our unsurmountable issues!
Regards,
Mathew Samuel
Austin, TX
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/7090
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