Strange Ways to Market Christ

I was going through the yellow pages in my phone directory and hit
upon a section called "Churches". My curiosity drove me to count the
number of pages listed under "Churches" section.
I counted 15 pages !! and there were still more.

All flavours of Churches you have here -
Lutherans, Baptist, Methodist, Catholics, Assemblies, Church of
Jesus, Jehowah's Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists etc etc.

Looks like "Churches" is quite a popular section - so much that
I found subsections like "Churches - Hindu" for Hare Krishna Centres,
and "Churches - Muslim" for Islamic Centres!!

I further found some interesting keywords in the ads of the Churches -

"Dynamic Worship"
"Awesome Ministries"
"Free Lunch"
"Delicious Meal"
"Free Parking"

I was happy in a way, that my Church has not yet embarked on such
gimmicks (or has she??) to woo the faithful and sell Christ, yet I
kept asking myself - "Even without all this, are we really any
better? Are we actualy able to utilise the treasure of faith and
tradition that we are custodians of? "

Mathew
Austin,TX

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/3137

My recollection of Dr. Abdul Kalam

Dear all,

With all the talk of Bharat Ratna Dr. Abdul Kalam as candidate for
the next President of India, I dug up this document I had made for my company
a couple of years ago. I wish to share with you all part of it here -
my humble recollection of a personality that keeps making India
richer.

In 2000, I had the opportunity to attend a conference in Bangalore -
WAPCON2000.

Golden Moment at WAPCON2000:
===========================

Ms. Sarah Lillis from Logica, Ireland was giving her presentation
on "WAP - overview and challenges" when the Father of the Indian
Missile Movement, Dr.Abdul Kalam walked into the auditorium and sat
on one of the seats at the corner. A series of background activities
and excitement culminated in the speaker being interrupted .The chair
person of the session began to apologize for the interruption when
Dr.Kalam walked on to the stage. THE MAN REQUIRED NO
INTRODUCTION - The entire auditorium erupted to a tremendous
applause. Dr.Kalam briefly spoke to the audience explaining that he
had a flight to catch and that this meeting was unscheduled as he had
come to Bangalore for another meeting. He apologized for the
interference and congratulated the audience for turning up in such
large numbers. The man in a simple full shirt and pants could pass as any
ordinary Indian on the street. The greatness of this man is indeed his
simplicity.

Later Ms.Sarah won the hearts of the audience with her words"I was
honoured to be interrupted by such a great personality" which won her
another round of applause. Truly, her words echoed the feelings of one
and all in the auditorium.

================================================================

Regards,
Mathew,
Austin,TX

Note:
(WAP - Wireless Application Protocol)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/3067

Terminolgy - EXPIRED, NO MORE

Dear all,

The following is based on a sermon I heard on the occasion of the
passing away of my beloved grand mother.

When we examine a driving license we find the words - 'EXPIRES ON
XX/XX/XXXX'. This means - the document we knew as our driving
license becomes "useless", "dead", "waste" after the said date.

How meaningful is it to use the same term when we speak of death of
our near and dear ones? Yet, is not the following PHRASE quite common
to us?

"XYZ EXPIRED - START IMMEDIATELY".

Do we convey the same meaning as the driving license when we send a
telegram with the above words?

How can a Christian "EXPIRE" or be "NO MORE"?
How appropriately our elders have coined the phrase "Passed away" for
us.

Our vocabulary may need tuning as per Orthodox thinking.

"I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats
of this bread, he will live for ever". John 6:51

Regards,
Mathew, Austin, TX.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/2982

How Subtly God works

Dear all,
Some thoughts -

Some days you are loaded with all tensions and worries. The whole
world just looks like ending for you the next day. You are sure you
will never make it. The deadlines seem to be too much for you to keep.

In such a situation you pray from the depth of your heart. You cry
out to the Lord to have mercy and seek refuge in His bosom. Prayers
and tears come naturally at this time.

Then after a while the tensions just seem to pass away. The tempest
seems to have missed you. Many challenges that seemed unsurmountable
are calmly overcome. All seems well and life seems smooth once again.

Sadly, now you are busy toasting your success and celebrating your
life that you fail to notice the Hand that guided your way during the
storm - that storm that you did not experience, because of a shield
that was covering you. You do not pause to look back at the
benefactor who plucked away your fears and filled you with calm
confidence - that very confidence that the world looks with
admiration in you now; you have no time to spend a tear in
gratitude - because you are tuned only to hear the calls of your
life - that is now beckoning you to enjoy!

And strangely - the One who made all this happen for you seems to be
comfortable being in the background - He does not need your
acknowledgement or show of gratitude. He silently does his job for
you and leaves you for the rewards. He does not need our flattery nor
does He care for our vote of thanks - How subtly God works - and you
call it - Luck? Fortune?

You remember this benefactor the next time you face the same
unsurmountable problem in another form at another point in life, and
so life moves on....

Regards,
Mathew, Austin, TX
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/2937

I am Barabbas

There was a bandit convicted for murder, theft, rape and many wicked
deeds. He was to be crucified that day. He had no emotions, he had
prepared himself. For a long time, he had expected this. Yet, as the
reality of the cross dawned on him, he trembled. He too had fear of
death.

Then something unexpected happened - The guard came early that
morning and set him free!!"How the Jews must love you. They appealed
to the governor to set you free, and the governor has granted their
wish," said the guard,"You are a free man".

The murderer could not believe his ears! How could he be free? What
about the many cases against him? - all proven beyond any doubt. And
the Jews like him? - no way! He had robbed and killed the Jews all
his life. For that matter, he was sure no one loved him.

This murderer was Barabbas. Bewildered by his freedom, and driven by
his curiousity, he went to the Calvary, where he was to be nailed to
the cross. There he found three men nailed to their crosses. The two
men on either side, he knew, they were his accomplices. Shuddering at
their fate, his eyes rested on the person in the middle, whom he had
never seen before. He was in great pain, blood flowing from his hands
and legs nailed to the cross; yet Barabbas saw a strange serenity in
the passion of this man.

Barabbas had lived with criminals all his life, he was sure at the
first sight that this man was definitely not one of them. His
curiosity drew him closer to the cross, though he was afraid to come
too close because of the guards; but he was close enough to hear the
words from the cross in the middle -"Father, forgive them, for they
know not what they do". 'Surely this man is different', Barabbas told
himself. He later heard the Centurion say the same thing -"He surely
was the Son of God."

In the next few days, Barabbas heard the entire story. He also
realised that this man named Jesus was the reason why he was not on
the cross that day. Once again the sight of Jesus struggling for life
on the Cross, yet praying for his tormentors came to Barabbas's mind
and he cried bitterly.

He realised one truth - 'Jesus loves me inspite of me being a
wretched sinner.'He was one of the three thousand persons baptised on
Pentecost.

I am no different from Barabbas, and I too realise that the man on
the Cross in the middle is the reason why I am not on it.

Daiva sneham varnicheedan Vakkukal pora,
Nanni cholli theerkuvaan ee jeevitham pora.

Mathew
Queens,
NY

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/2821

That One Death

Why do we Christians make such a big deal about one person killed as
a common criminal, condemned by His own people. Has nothing like
this ever ocurred in History? Has no one ever been crucified?

We live in a world of pain and grief. In our own pain, we often tend
to belittle the passion of our Lord.

Some thoughts to share with friends of IOIF in this Passion Week
of our Lord:

Sure, many others have been killed in similar horrific fashion. There
may have been many crucified before and after Christ. What makes this
death so important to us?

Only the realization that this death was of a person who was and is
Lord of all things, who by His abundant Mercy created the Universe,
including man; who emptied Himself to Redeem mankind, which is but a
minute handiwork of His mighty Hands, can help us to understand the
magnitude of the significance of that one death and passion.

When man spat on His Creator, man was doomed. Do not be surprised if
swords of the mighty angels like Gabriel and Michael had been drawn
at that very moment, to strike down the very existence of man, only
waiting fervently for one command from the suffering Master.
But Man was probably saved from that terror because the Master had no
anger. He had only sympathy. Calvary is an eternal witness to that
unimaginable love for His unworthy and undeserving creation.

The Sun and the Moon had seen many deaths till then and since then,
but only during that one death, when they saw their Master lying
naked on the cross, did they ever dim their brightness in shame at the
work of man.

Many had died since, but only that once did God Almighty die.

Many had been killed before this one murder, but only once did man
ever kill God.

God had seen man kill ever since Cain had killed, but only during
that one death did He watch helplessly as His only Beloved Son was
being ruthlessly nailed to the cross and killed. Yes, God became
helpless at that moment so that man's cause may be helped.

That one death, defeated death. It ended the terror of death from the
face of the earth. We also share that great hope that we will not
die, for "He is Risen!".

"O death, where is thy sting?
O Hades, where is thy victory?"
- Paschal Sermon by St. John Chrysostom (Archbishop of Constantinople)

That one death made it clear to Satan that He is doomed. Death was
His greatest weapon. But Christ's death blunted that weapon of
Satan's. Satan has been trying ever since to try and re-establish the
fear of death in people. But the Church, the Body of Christ thwarts
His efforts on the earth, and the Orthodox Faith proclaims that
defeat of Satan in each of our Liturgical Worship as we praise in
communion with the people who have "passed away".

May the Passion Week bring us closer to our Master.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/2517

A Party Called Prayer Meeting

Dear all,

Narrating a story, I am sure many of today's Orthodox Christians can
identify with...

A Person went to a prayer meeting in a house where someone had died. There he
expected to see people consoling the grieving family; instead he saw them
cracking jokes, having fun, needling each other. The elders were engrossed in
seemingly serious discussions about church politics. The youngsters were
having a reunion party. After a long time, someone initiated some songs, there
was the reciting of the written prayers at the speed of light by the Achen and
all, incense was placed and benediction was given - all in a span of sweet
twenty minutes! Then the social get together continued. The discussions ranged
from a car bought by someone, a house on sale and the newest fashion in town.
All were called to dinner, all had their fill, thanked the family and left after
an enjoyable evening.

I heard that the family started preparation for this prayer meeting early in the
morning, since they heard about the death late the previous night; and they had
to work tidying up till late that night. The next day there were complaints that
some people were not invited for the party...oops ..the prayer meeting! In the
good old days people used to stop by themselves after hearing that someone in a
family had passed away.

Friends, with the picture painted in the above story, which for many of us is a
sad reality, if we try to find the reasons for the problems in our church today
and for people moving elsewhere in search of God -  we might get some answers.