LOL Family Pay tribute to Mr. Jacob Yesudasan Nedumancavu, former Editor of Light of Life, who passed away on June 25, 2008 at Detroit. |
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DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE THE LOST SON
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Rt. Rev. Geevarghese Mar Athanasios Diocesan Bishop of Ranni Diocese Marthoma Church
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For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Those who destroy themselves with foolish lusts, or deceive themselves with foolish hopes; they all are diseased persons, ardent enemy to their own cure. The son who is called prodigal had become loving son, no more he is prodigal. Those who are seen sanctified with this seal are the blessed.
COVER MESSAGE
LET US HONOR OUR MINISTERS
By Dr K.C.Nainan, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A
As followers and believers in Christ, we are called to love and respect all human beings irrespective of status, positions and wealth of all people. Word of God is the absolute truth and scale of measurement. Christians must resist evil in the secular society as well as in the church. When we honor our elders and ministers, we are honoring our Lord Himself.
BIBLE STUDY SERIES A PRIEST AMONG THE DEAD AND THE LIVING
By Fr. Dr. Reji Mathew, STOTS Nagpur
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What differentiates a priest from a layman is his thirst for prayer. Social intervention of a priest should have its starting point in a prayerful life. What guides a priest is always the Word of God. It inspires him, empowers him and gives shape to his personality as a priest. A priest is not simply representing his own folk. Rather his responsibilities should cover the whole universe. Priest should always stand for justice and peace, as they are the executors of God's plan on earth.
ARTICLE "THE PLACE WHERE YOU STAND IS HOLY"
By Dr. Zac Varghese London
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When Joshua and his people followed God’s instructions the walls of Jericho fell down mysteriously without any direct human attack on the fortified walls of the city. To the depressed He is the God of hope, to the afflicted He is God of comfort, to the lonely and friendless He is the friend in need, and in all situations of life He is the Lord who meets our every need.Our first encounter is with Jesus and the rest will follow if we have the humility to submit ourselves and wait for His grace-filled instructions.
ARTICLE
SIN AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT
Sin is a rebellion and challenge against our Creator who handcrafted us in His image and likeness. The sacraments are the outward sign of an inward grace. Strict sacramental life is the backbone of the Christian ministry. Right faith and true repentance and righteousness are the shields and weapons of the faithful. The sins against the son of man will be forgiven, but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the only unforgiving sin which Bible teach us.
MEDITATION ARTICLE SERIES LIVING ON GOD'S DESIGN - SERIES 3
LARGER FREEDOM : DESCIPLINE AND FREEDOM
By Dr. George Zachariah, Washington
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True freedom has to do with the human spirit – it is the freedom to be who we really are. A man has freedom to the degree that the master whom he obeys grants it to him in return for his obedience. The most important freedom is not something with which we begin, but is something with which we end. Spiritual disciplines is the door to liberation from the shifting slavery to self-interest and fear. Freedom (another word for discipline) belong together.
ECO-MEDITATION : POEM NO FRUITS ON THE MANGO TREE
By Rev. Dr. M.J. Joseph Trivandrum
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The Lord answered:
You had no part in the creation of the universe
You are created on the last day.
You are only a steward in my garden.
POEM SPILT MILK
By Aju Tharian New Jersey
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There is no use of crying over spilt milk
It's a wise saying of the past.
I often feel it's a nice proverb.
No wonder that wise man made it up.
SYNOPSIS-SERIES
SYNOPSIS FOR
MEDITATION-JUNE
By V. Rev. Thomas P. Mundukuzhy Cor Episcopa
Second Sunday After Pentecost : Matthew 10:5-16
Third Sunday After Pentecost : John 6:35-46
Fourth Sunday After Pentecost : Luke 10:1-16
Fifth Sunday After Pentecost : Luke 9:10-17
Sixth Sunday After Pentecost : Matthew 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-10
MALAYALAM SECTION:
ARTICLE [MALAYALAM] REFUGE UNDER THE CROSS
By Rev. Fr. Abraham Tharakan
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Elijah went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers." God revealed to Elijah that he was bold and strong by the power and might of Lord and as a man considering himself he was no better than his fathers or brethren. As he lay and slept under a juniper tree, angels touched him, wake him and made him again bold and strengthy.
ARTICLE [MALAYALAM] MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU - CHAPTER 5 APPEASING WORDS
By Fr. Dr. K.M. George And Mrs. Mariam Philiph George
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Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul. The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In {spite of} this I shall be confident.
ARTICLE [MALAYALAM] THE DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES
By H.G. Geevarghese Mar Osthathios
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And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. It is hard for rich who rely on it to enter into the kingdom of heaven. And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.
POEM [MALAYALAM] GOD LAUGH
The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, "Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!" He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.
POETRY [MALAYALAM] PSALMS 63, 82 AND 84
O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You. God takes His stand in His own congregation; He judges in the midst of the rulers. How lovely are Your dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
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THE CHRISTIAN MIND SERIES [CMS] AND THE TRACI-FOCUS |
The Christian Mind Series (CMS) was founded in India, more than a decade ago, by Rev. Valson Thampu, with a two-fold purpose:
To highlight the contemporary relevance and power of the biblical faith.
To promote the discipline of thinking biblically on all aspects of life.
Recently, the CMS took a leap forward in its outreach by entering into a partnership with the FOCUS Movement, a movement devoted mainly to serving the spiritual needs of Indian Christians in Diaspora founded by Dr. Zac Varghese and Mr. Mathew Kallumpram.
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Jerusalem (ENI). A US group representing six faith communities who spent 13 days visiting Israel and the Palestinian Territories seeking to create interfaith dialogue say they learned much from working with one another in such a way for the first time. The 14 students and five clergy from the Faith Council at Duke University in Durham in the state of South Carolina, included Bahais, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews and Muslims. They were in the Holy Land from 5 to 18 May. [565 words, ENI-08-0422]
Courtesy to ENI
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London (ENI). Some British religious leaders have criticised a new law that will allow scientists to conduct research on diseases such as Altzheimers and Parkinsons by using hybrid embryos that combine human and animal DNA, after the UK parliament rejected a ban on such a procedure. An amendment proposing a ban was substantially defeated on 20 May by members of parliament during two days of debate on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. Lawmakers also rejected a proposal to cut the upper time limit for abortions from 24 to 22 weeks, and for doctors to consider the need for a "father and mother" before allowing IVF treatment to lesbian couples. [592 words, ENI-08-0402]
Courtesy to ENI
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Shillong, India (ENI). The National Council of Churches in India has joined the battle to turn green by calling for Christians to mobilise in the world's second most populous nation, and to join in the fight against global warming. "We urge all member churches to initiate on war footing green parish programmes, plastic-free church campuses, biological farming," exhorted the closing message from the once every four years assembly of the churches in India during its 1-5 May gathering at Shillong in northeastern India. [360 words, ENI-08-0378]
Courtesy to ENI
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Nairobi (ENI). The roots of an impending global food crisis that has led to soaring prices for basic foodstuffs are to be found as much in political as in economic factors, says a Kenyan academic who belongs to a global church environmental network. "The rise in price is not only because of decline in supply," said Professor Jesse Mugambi, who teaches religious studies and philosophy at the University of Nairobi. "It is artificially imposed by rises in fuel costs and other constraints more political than economic." [400 words, ENI-08-0375]
Courtesy to ENI
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Shillong, India (ENI). Indian church leaders attending a once-every-four-years meeting of the National Council of Churches in India in Shillong have spoken out against what they describe as the growing commercialisation of the Christian faith. "Churches too are caught in the trap of seeing people primarily as individual customers, and the Christian faith becomes a product to be marketed," lamented Bishop Dinesh Kumar Sahu, general secretary of the National Council of Churches in India, a grouping of Orthodox and Protestant churches. [460 words, ENI-08-0353]
Courtesy to ENI
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YOUR HELP REQUIRED FOR THEM
DIVINE CHILDREN'S HOME - TRIVANDRUM |
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Divine Children's Home is a warm caring for the destitute and neglected children of Thiruvanathapuram city and around. Mother's of many of these children are serving long time imprisonment in the Central Jail of Thiruvanathapuram. This Home is intended to nurture, protect and care the destitute children who are left in the streets and also children from poor and broken families. Started as a caring work for an abandoned child of a lady condemned to imprisonment, by the compassionate hands of a mother by name Alice, now the institution had expanded in its scope. Divine Children's Home is now a sanctuary for twenty-four destitute children who are either orphans or whose parents are mentally or physically incompetent to work after their children.
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