A Christian's salute to the womenfolk

It is a woman who cuddled,nursed and handled God Incarnate for the first time, and for many times, before anyone in the world really knew Him, and much before He was given to our priests and bishops of today to handle.

It was the women who had the courage to stand By His Cross when everyone else deserted Him.

It was the women who took pains to go to His tomb with myrr and spices to anoint His Holy body when all others were gripped with fear and terror.

It was a woman who announced the Resurrected Lord to the world, before anyone saw Him risen.

It was a woman who taught us the value in praying persistently even in hopelessness, reminding us that even dogs get to eat what falls from the Master's table.

And even today, it is a woman we turn to, after the Lord's prayer, to help take our prayers to His Majestic presence. She is the most precious queen among all the precious saints.

We do not give enough credit to the women folk who were right in the middle of the movement that shook the world and transformed it like never before. They were right in the thick of things during the birth and growth of the Christian revolution. Thanks for that.

Happy Woman's day!

(2013)

Some thoughts about the "Theotokos" and the Catholicate of the East

We celebrate March 17th as the Catholicate Day this year. We are proud of the Catholicate because it reminds us of our freedom as an Indian Church, our tradition as the ancient Church of St.Thomas without undue interference from Syrian or Western Churches.

The Catholicate and our celebrations around it, sometimes remind me of the term "Theotokos" which has become popular in the Church. It refers to the Mother of God (God bearer). However it became a known term only when excessive heresies surrounding the very nature of Christ began to threaten our understanding about Christ. The term became a tool to teach the divinity of Christ, that the one born from Mary was truly God. Thus the term "Theotokos" tells us more about Christ than about Mary. We must remember this aspect of the history of the term when we try to understand the "Theotokos". In the Church. it is always about Christ.

Similarly, in the Indian Church, the term Catholicate became popular only when the God given freedom of the Church of St.Thomas was threatened. We gathered around the Catholicose of the East, we rallied behind the Catholicate, only when the external interference in the affairs of the ancient Church of India came to a head. When our freedom was threatened, when the realization dawned that we could not bear fruits as the Church of Christ in India if we continued in the old fashion, that was when the Catholicate became a uniting force for us. If this was not so, we who had not bothered about the Catholicate for 20 centuries of our history as Christians in India, would have continued in the same way. Only when there was threat to the freedom, inorder to grow fully as the Church of India, inorder to be able to provide the right witness of Christ in India, did we begin celebrating the Catholicate Day. The Catholicate has thus become a tool to teach and grow the right faith and tradition in the land. This aspect should not to forgotten either - hope we, both the factions of Orthodox Christians in India - are able to see the value of the independent Catholicate for the flourishing of the mission of the Church in India, because in the Church, the focus should always be on Chirst.

Becoming the Apostle in the Apostolic Church.

The Apostolic Church is the Church that is "sent out", the missionary Church. So by extension, the faithful of the Apostolic Church are called to be Apostles themselves.

But how does one become an Apostle? We need to have the direct and personal experience of the Lord. "that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you" says the Apostle John. Even St. Paul who came later, says about his gospel , he "did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it" but directly received it from the Lord Himself. What we have not experienced, we cannot communicate to others truthfully. Being a Christian in the true sense of the word is not at all easy -- "to take up the Cross and follow Him" kind of Way -- is tough indeed. It is one thing to try and be a Christian, its totally another to tell someone else, or guide someone else into this Way -- even if that someone is your own child. So even instilling the Truth of Christian life in your child is a tough task -- because you are asking that child to be ready to suffer for Christ. When we really think about it, how many would want their children to suffer -- even if for Christ? So unless we have the total conviction in this Way -- it is not really possible to bring up even our children as Christians. How then will we tell others? How then will we be "sent out" into the world? That is why first and foremost the first hand experience of Christ, a personal experience of Christ is crucial for the Apostle. If we have not experienced this yet, wait for it, it may not be yet time for you.

When we are making haste to reach out to others, let this be our prayer always -- "O Holy Spirit, Come" and do not leave the Church till He has come! And when He has Come, as the Lord said He "will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you." Then He will send us out - with the might, courage and power and food for the journey that He alone can provide. He will go ahead of you. Then truly the Church will become "Apostolic".

Ref: Divyabodhanam, Anthony De Mello.

(Feb 2013)

Reading of the Evangelion (Gospel) in India in the 4th Century

Reading of the Evangelion (Gospel) in India in the 4th Century
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Those of the Syrian Orthodox tradition know of the way we read the Holy Gospel (Evangelion). There is quite a bit of preparation that goes along with it. The Evangelion Mesha (Table) is brought to the center of the Madbaha(Holy of Holies), candles are lit, bells are rung, Marbasa (representing angels) are brought out and in a procession the celebrant brings out the Evengelion to the Evangelion Table. There is an announcement by the deacon to "stand well and listen to living words of God" and there is smoke rising from the censor as the Evangelion is being read.

And the faithful stand well. However looks like in the 4th Century there were some 'corrections' that were needed as seen below:

In 354 AD a certain Theophilus traveled to India. He saw some "wrong practices" in the Indian Churches which he then tried to correct. One such practice - "They would, for instance, listen to the gospel readings while seated"
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These point to the times and practices of Indian Christians long before the West realized there were Christians in India.

Ref: S. Lieu, K. Parry, et al. Medieval Christian and Manichaean Remains from Quanzhou (Zayton).
[as shown by fifth century Church historian Philostorgius.]

Apostolic Church

When we think of "Apostolic" to describe the Church, we immediately think about how we are connected back to the Apostles, and think of a particular "lineage" going back to an Apostle, and then cling on to some idea of "throne" seating that Apostle on it, and then holding that up as some kind of trophy to show the world that we are "Apostolic". Thus we have the great divide based on "thrones".

I learnt in Divyabodhanam(laity training program) two new things about being an Apostolic Church
1) As the Apostles were "sent out", an Apostolic Church is "sent out" into the world. An Apostolic Church is a missionary Church. [The word 'missionary' is derived from the Latin translation of 'apostolic'] When and where the Church ceases to be a missionary Church, it ceases to be Apostolic.

2) It is not necessary to be founded by an original "Apostle" (original 12 disciples of Christ) for a Church to be called an Apostolic Church. There are many ancient Churches in the world founded by disciples of the apostles and their successors which are also Apostolic Churches. What is important to note is that all Churches that remain in the unbroken tradition of the authentic faith in Christ and apostolic authority are apostolic Churches.

Ref: The Light to the Nations Fr. K.M. George Book 5 POCE Divyabodhanam.

(What this also means, I think, is -- even if we have a "lineage" to show linking to an original Apostle, if we have deviated from the original faith, we can no longer be considered Apostolic)

(Feb 2013)

Seeing that look in Christ's eyes

"..the cock crowed, And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.. And he went out and wept bitterly.." ~ From St.Luke:22

What a look that must have been from Christ: so sharp it hurt, so loving it melted Peter's heart into tears, so painful it made Peter weep "bitterly" - do you not know me Peter? Wish you had chosen not to do this! Your denial makes me feel very lonely in this world! - I love you nevertheless and am giving my life for you!

Its not because we don't know enough theology that we don't have faith - We often fall short in faith because we are unable to stop and see that look in Christ's eyes, as Peter did - and weep bitterly.

"Our Father" in Heaven?

When we survey the world religions, especially those which believe in God, we see the idea of God - as a Supreme Being, a benovolent provider, an Almighty Protector, an awesome judge - as universal. When we observe the names used to refer to this God - Param-eshwar (Supreme God), Al-ah (The God), Y(a)hw(e)h (~Creator?)-they illustrate this idea about God.

Even though this is implicit in all the above usages, only in the Christian do we see God referred to (so predominantly) as the "Father". God is the "Abba", "Appa" - our own, very own Father, to whom we have such a close access. There is a sense of nearness. There is a sense of belonging.

This means there is an added responsibility on Christians - we call upon this "Father" in heaven several times a day, we say He is "our" Father - but do we really live a life worthy of being that Father's son or daughter? Often, I fall terribly short.