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WISH ALL LOL READERS A HAPPY EASTER |
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DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
THIRD MILLENNIUM AND THE UNITY OF MANKIND
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H.G. Geevarghese Mar Osthathios
Senior Metropolitan And President Of Charity Trust
Malankara Orthodox Church
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Urbanization is widening the gap between cities and the villages, between the rich and the poor. God is not faith and Hope, but God is Love. Love is the essence of God. Last commission of Lord Jesus Christ was to make disciples of all the nations and not to baptize a few people. The main question today is whether members of all religions or ideologies will love their enemies also and help them and share their suffering. Orthodoxy is not totally isolated conservatism, but the Truth of all religions accommodated in the fellowship of selfless love and respect to Human Right of others also.
COVER MESSAGE
SACRIFICES TO BE DONE BY BELIEVERS
By Dr K.C.Nainan, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A
All believers are called holy priests to offer spiritual and acceptable sacrifices to God through our Savior Jesus Christ. Our Lord was the High Priest chosen before the world was created and also the sacrificial Lamb of God to carry all the sins of the mankind. All the sacrifices done through Jewish religion and other religions were simple shadows of Christ’s eternal final one and the only sacrifice truly acceptable to God. Let us all do our priestly duties to praise and glorify the true living God.
BIBLE STUDY SERIES
WHAT DO YOU PREFER? CHICKEN FOR GOOD FRIDAY? OR EGG FOR EASTER?
| By Fr. Dr. Reji Mathew, STOTS Nagpur
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The description of the Passion, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ is a major topic in most of the NT literature. Good Friday is the greatest day for Christians as the blood of our Lord has saved us from our sins. Easter is a big event in the Orthodox countries as it is the day Christ is truly risen. For all those who are trained in an Oriental background will prefer Easter to Good Friday as a day for celebration. Though Christ suffered and died for our sins, now He is not a dead One; He is a risen Christ and death cannot bind Him further any more.
ARTICLE
SEEK AND YOU SHALL FIND - PART 2
| By Rev. Dr. Valsan Thampu
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Primarily it is God who seeks. God is the reason why we seek at all. The quintessential need and mission of love is to overcome alienation. This is the essence of spiritual mission. God seeks us to restore us to authentic humanity. When we seek and respond to God who seeks us, we feel empowered and challenged to seek each other in love. The Good News is that God seeks. That is the foundation of our hope. God seeks us because He is complete. It is only the Complete that knows the poverty of the parts and can atone for their misery.
ARTICLE
CHARITY AND SOCIAL ACTION - EASTER 2009
| By Prof. Dr. Zac Varghese, London
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It takes a courageous and insightful group of people to discern the difference between real need and the people who use charity as a crutch to get through an unfortunate life. Charity without establishing justice is unrealistic. During the Lent period we should reflect on two events: first, we should look inside ourselves and see the transfigured and risen-Christ; secondly, we should look out and see the Earth with all its problems and potential possibilities through the grace of risen-Christ. We need a very special sensitivity to see the needs of all creation and taking the basic steps to alleviate those needs.
ARTICLE
ONE BODY
Though woman was separated from Adam, their wedlock oneness and reproducing baby sons and daughters in the same image and likeness continue to work the sameness that existed before the creation of Eve. Man's inner body is a spark of the Spirit of God. Jesus emptied His Heavenly equality and lived in the mortal frame for carrying the yoke of sufferings for our sins. This is what man and woman are expected to do.
ARTICLE
WHY GOOD PEOPLE SUFFER?
| By Aju Tharian New jersey
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Our life in this world is full of challenges. We got to face life as it comes. Paths are never straight there are always crooked paths in life’s journey. For some people the hardships are greater. Even if a nursing mother forgets her child, still the Lord will never forget you or leave you alone. Nothing under the sun happens without the knowledge of God. God gives us suffering to test our faith. Never take it as a curse. Things happen for good. Everyone has some problems or the other in life to face. Problems vary from person to person.
ARTICLE
LIVING ON GOD'S DESIGN : YOU ARE CHOSEN GENERATION
| By Dr. George T. Zachariah Washington
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God chose the children of Israel for a special purpose. Christ chose twelve disciples to follow him. Through the Holy Spirit people are chosen to enter a special relationship, a unique fellowship in which individuality remains but the ruling disposition of the heart is radically altered.Church is more than an organization or an institution. It is a special community very dear to the eternal purpose of God in this world. God’s new covenant offer forgiveness and ample evidence of his personal love to those willing to be his people. The basis of the covenant which God would form also included a new principle.
SYNOPSIS-SERIES
SYNOPSIS FOR
MEDITATION-APRIL
By V. Rev. Thomas P. Mundukuzhy Cor EpiscopaLent V: The Bent Woman : St. Luke 13:10-17
Lent VI: The Blind Man : St. John 9:1-41
40th Friday of Lent: St. Luke 4:1-13; Matthew 4:1-11
Lazarus Saturday: St. John 11:1-46
Palm Sunday: Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; St. Luke 19:28-34; St. John 12-19
Passover : St. Luke 22:14-30; St. John 6:41-63
Good Friday: St. Matthew 26-27; St. Mark 14-15; St. Luke 22-23; St. John 18-19
Good/Great Saturday: St. Matthew 27:57-66; St. Mark 15:42-16:1; St. Luke 23:50-56; St. John 19:31-42
Resurrection Sunday: St. Matthew 28:1-20; St. Mark 16:1FF; St. Luke 24:1FF; St. John 20:1FF
First Sunday After Easter: St. John 20:19-31
Second Sunday After Easter: St. John 21:1-14
MALAYALAM SECTION:
ARTICLE [MALAYALAM]
GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND LOVE OF THE GOD AND COMMUNION OF THE HOLY GOST
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By Rev. Fr. Dr. T. J. Joshua
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St. Paul concludes his Epistles to Corinthians with a valediction and a benediction. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. It is usual and proper to dismiss worshipping assemblies in all denominations of Christianity. This plainly proves the doctrine of the gospel, and is an acknowledgment that Father, Son, and Spirit, are three distinct persons, yet but one God; and herein the same, that they are the fountain of all blessings to men. This benediction reiterates the faith in Trinity. The believers live in a continual regard to the three persons in the Trinity, into whose name we were baptized, and in whose name we are blessed. We can desire no more to make us happy than the grace of Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost.
ARTICLE [MALAYALAM]
CRISIS, FOR THE PROSPERITY OF GOSPEL
[Repeat Publishing]
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By H.G. Yoohanon Mar Chrysostomos Metropolitan
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Hardships and sufferings in our life should not cause for desperation, and God man should not get stumbled on that; instead it should happen for the prosperity and enlargement of Gospel. The persecutors cannot imprison the word of God. St. Paul considered his life was Christ, and his death was gain. It is the undoubted character of every good Christian that to him to live is Christ. The glory of Christ ought to be the end of our life, the grace of Christ the principle of our life, and the word of Christ the rule of it.
ARTICLE [MALAYALAM]
GOD OF CONSOLATION
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By Rev. Fr. Dr. T. J. Joshua
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Lord Jesus is touched with a feeling of our infirmities, a sympathizing physician, tender and skilful; he knows how to deal with tempted sorrowful souls, because he has been Himself sick of the same disease, not of sin, but of temptation and trouble of soul. Our Lord is a God of consolation. Lord comforts those who are in deep distress. Apostle had received consolation from the Father of Jesus Christ. Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces.
ARTICLE [MALAYALAM]
WHAT GOD HATH JOINED TOGETHER
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By Rev. Abraham Zachariah
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St. Paul exhorts us for mutual love and compassion in family life. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. On the other hand, husbands must love their wives, and not be bitter against them. Apostle counts family as an organic relationship. House is made of hands, but the home is made of hearts. Though human hands it is blessed by the invisible hands of God administer the marriage. A complete Christian family life essentialy needs the presence of God.
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FELICITATION:
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We are proud to announce that the third P. Thomas Award for History will be presented to noted historian Prof. George Menachery. The date and venue of presentation will be announced later. The Award Committee consisted of Dr. C. K. Thomas (Chairman), Prof. Dr. P. V. Krishnan Nair (Expert Member), and Prof. V. P. Jones (Official Member).The previous Awards had gone to Prof. A. Sreedhara Menon (2006), and Dr. M. G. S. Narayanan (2007).
The annual P. Thomas Award consisting of a citation, a crystal shield, and an amount of Rs. 11,111 has been instituted by the P. Thomas Foundation, Thrissur in honour of the well known Indo- Anglian writer and historian P. Thomas.
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Dear Believers,
The second edition of The English Translation of ANNAMMAYUM PASTERUM ( "THE MIRROR OF APOSTOLIC FAITH ') is ready for sale. It was written in a form of parody that explicitly vindicate the orthodox faith that is slowly waning away from the face of the earth. It was written by Rev.Fr.K.Ghevarughese, Anchal, of blessed memory and was soon translated into English by E.S.John. Though there have been many requests to reprint the book due to its potential demand, I regret to say that it was not done so far due to many reasons. It deals with all the basic issues that are cardinal jewels of Orthodoxy that is being repudiated by other churches because of the disputed controversies. This book is a must for every Orthodox family that aspires in inculcating the virgin orthodox faith into the heart flower of the budding generations.
The price per copy is Rs. 100. The book is published by Mar Basalius Educational and Charitable Society, Prakkanam.Those who order more than ten copies will get discount.The sale proceeds of this book will be spent for charitable works. The copies of the books may be kept in some book shops later.
For Copies please contact : The Secretary, Mar Basalius Educational and Charitable Society, Prakkanam P. O Pathanamthitta 689643 or mbecsprk@gmail.com or frjamesemfr@gmail.com
On behalf of MBECS,
E.S.John, Australia
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SAINT THOMAS CHRISTIAN ENCYCLOPAEDIA (STCEI) VOL 3 - READY TO PUBLISH
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The third volume of Saint Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India (STCEI) which is scheduled to be published shortly. New Volume
will be an enhanced version giving authoritative datas, information and research inferences on various subjects including Christianity in India, Hinduism, Christianity and Sankaracharya, Shaiva Siddhantha and Islam. The Author of the publication is Prof. George Menachery, the editor of the encyclopaedia who is also editor Light of Life On -Line Ecumenical Magazine.
STCEI is considered an authoritative workfor reference on India in general and Christianity in particular, says the author Prof. Menachery.
It contains articles contributed by renowned archaeologists, anthropologists, historians, educational experts, lexicographers and biographers. The first volume of the encyclopaedia was published in April 1973 in connection with the 1900th death anniversary of Saint Thomas, the Apostle of India.
The first volume was about the origin, growth and development of Christianity in India.
The second volume was brought out in 1982. The Thomapedia, an enlarged millennium edition of the early volume, was also published in 2000. STCEI had been described by noted reviewers as monumental work containing significant information on India, Mr. Menachery says.
Thousands of its copies have been sold the world over and leading libraries have subscribed to it.
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Tiangia (ENI). Christians in India's troubled Kandhamal district of
eastern Orissa say they remain firm in their faith despite being
battered by waves of violence in 2008 that displaced 50 000 of them
and left 75 dead. "The fear is there, but we trust in God," said the
Rev. Subendra Pradhan, one of three people ordained as full-time
pastors at an evangelistic convention organized at the end of February
in remote Sunamaha by the Church of North India. Another 12 candidates
were ordained as honorary pastors. The violence in Orissa broke out
following the killing of Hindu leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati in
August 2008. [661 words, ENI-09-0234]
Courtesy to ENI
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New Delhi (ENI). Christian leaders in India, the world's biggest democracy, are preparing voter guidelines as the country gears up for national elections in which 714 million citizens can participate. "We call upon the Christian community to play its full part in the election process," Christian groups appealed in a joint statement made in New Delhi after an ecumenical conference in the Indian capital on 2 March. "We must come out and cast our votes to strengthen democracy and secularism in the country." [435 words, ENI-09-0188]
Courtesy to ENI
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