CHRISTIAN NEWS MAGAZINE FOR KERALA MALAYALEE CHRISTIANS FROM INDIA AROUND THE WORLD
AUGUST 2005 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
VOL:4 ISSUE:08


ECUMENICAL UNITY IN GOD'S LOVE

By THOMAS MAR THEMOTHEOS METROPOLITAN
[Diocesan Metropolitan of Malabar Diocese & Catholicose Designate, Malankara Orthodox Church]



H.G. THOMAS
MAR
THEMOTHEOS METROPOLITAN

'That they all may be one; as thou, Father, are in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.' [St. John 17:21]

Our alacrity to attend non-denominational and ecumenical meetings and our efforts for same without much skepticism is a positive symbol of our unity in diversity and our perception for oneness and it is a very major ecumenical input and orientation. The high priestly prayer and intercession of our Lord Jesus to His father reveals His actual regard to the whole mankind to be in unity, exactly as Father and Son are one, one in nature and essence, equal in power and glory and one in mutual endearments. All Christians who profess the same faith in Jesus Christ have great capabilities and responsibilities to be accomplished unitedly.

Our privilege as Christian, to enjoy the sweetness and to receieve the divine riches of true worship of God should be shared to all whom we come in contact, as it is the culmination of true Christian witness and accomplishment of His mission. In the midst of his troubles, David penned this psalm as: 'One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple' [Psalms 27:4]. David had well experienced the beauty, sweetness and transcendent amiableness of worshipping the Lord in true mind and true spirit. This is the real Christian way of life.

The term Ecuminism designates the whole area of the inhabited globe. It speaks about the unity of the Churches, of the Christians, of the world, of the creation and of the universe. The Psalmist talks of it: "The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world and those who live in it". It encompasses the whole creation of God, its stewardship and its integrity. If the Word of God happened to deviate from the profound reflection on what it should have meant to us, it is the responsibility of each believer of Christ to put his or her efforts to well realign and reorient it.

If we are not able to enjoy the beauty and ecological balance of the universe then we will not be in a position to enjoy the sweetness of the worship in its fullness. Conversely, the beauty and ecological balance is maintained by the real worship of the creator. Jesus declared that Godly love emerged out from heaven is the fundamental law of the Kingdom of God. It was a commandment from the beginning as old as the law of nature and at the same time it is an everlasting commandmend. 'A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another' [John 13:34]. The rule and reason of love, 'as I loved you' made it perfectly new and as such it became a new commandment. One who loves another in the Christian sense of the word cannot help but be motivated to show that love in deeds.

The Characteristics of a healthy and growing Church or a divine Congregation is that it should initiate for the emergence of Godly love to the world. Godly love is the glue that holds the entire God's family together. It is a very painful thing to note that the Church, which is one united body of Jesus Christ, is now seen at different levels without much inter-relations. The followers of the religion which teach that 'God is Love' is fallen in deep differences. This is the biggest bruise happened to one, catholic and apostolic body of Christ. The true witness of the Gospel can be made possible only if this painful bruise on the body of Christ were dried up. Otherwise, it turns out to be a great negativity to God.

Our country is a big base for multi-religions and multi-denominations. Active involvement and affinity to our mother denomination is highly appreciated but it should be with proper view of religious tolerance and love of God. Intense denominational interests without tolerance cause to arise an alarming situation. Christians should become the living models of Godly love.

One of the central themes in ecumenism is its involvement in justice, peace and life concerns. Living as a Christian is not a life only for self, but it is for the full surrounding society. Christians must live in the world, which is full of bad things and good things. The characters in the parable of Good Samaritan are cryptogram of different nature of people around us. The priest and Levite who saw him and passed by, signify a group of people who consider that what ever they got is solely belonging to them and it is meant for their self-usage. There are many people around us who really need our help. The attitude that 'I should get everything from everybody' is equivalent to the robber who attacks the poor and snatch away what ever the neighbor have. The Samaritan did not hesitate in using up his full wealth and possessions as the aid of the wounded man. The parable actually shows the nature and meaning of Christian love which, in all ethical standpoints, discovers that whatever we got is to share with our neighbor.

[Extract from inaugural address delivered at Eccumenical Meeting, Maramon Convention 2005 : Original in Malayalam]
Translated by Editor Dr. Rajan Mathew Philadelphia, USA
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