CHRISTIAN NEWS MAGAZINE FOR KERALA MALAYALEE CHRISTIANS FROM INDIA AROUND THE WORLD
AUGUST 2003 DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
VOL:2 ISSUE:08


WHERE IS THY BROTHER ?

By JOSHUA MAR IGNATIUS
Diocesan Aux. Bishop Of Trivandrum Arch Diocese
Malankara Catholic Church

Due to the proliferations of social evils, man get subjugated to a culture which loves the obscurity and darkness than the life. Religion is the relationships between the man and God. We should constitute families and society which uphold the love of God and values of the Kingdom of God.



H.G. JOSHUA MAR
IGNATIUS

The social evils like corruption, nepotism, intolerance, religious fundamentalism, politicization of religion, flamboyance, religious hatred, friction, exclusion, oppression etc. upsurge in our society day by day. These evils proliferate separatism, division, egocentrism and selfishness in the society and in mind of the people. Consequently, man get subjugated to a culture which loves the obscurity and darkness than the life.

Religion is the relationships between the man and God. Human being, the very constituent part of God, is being relegated as a commodity to be played with. Each one is suspiciously looking others for fear that they play up. The question which God asked to Cain is very pertinent to our society; 'Where is your brother ?'.

In this state of affairs, it is apropos a deliberation about the alcoholic addictions. Alcoholic addiction heave the man back to the beast. An addict is inexorably diseased, both biologically and psychologically, may be even for a life time unless it is remedied by developing the insight that alcohol is devil's brew. The addicted patients filled with inferiority and despondency is traveling towards the valley of the shadow of death.

The heart and mind of an alcoholic addict is dormant and impassive. It devoid the man from spirituality, as this evil within is the work of a dark spirit. Breakage of relations, family rupture, severance from the family and social aggression are some of the malicious eventuality of this disease.

Majority of the alcohol distribution centers are in the hands of the Government and many of the alcohol merchants are Christians. This fact reveals the substantial involvement of Christians in alcoholism and its merchandising.

The Church and Society have a big responsibility to confront this social and ecclesiastical menace. How we can worship as a congregation, disregarding the harrowing parents, spouse and children of the alcohol addicts ? Government and the Church, both have responsibility to be concerned about the tears in their eyes. We should grow up to be contributing members of society, dissenting the evils unitedly. Church by Church we should pledge, not to be in unison with the devastating forces which make the man back to beast, and to concord with proceedings taken to defeat this evil.

It is a great need of the time that all Churches should be united to retaliate with the evils, especially with alcoholism. Church is one of the main entity which can impede this evil against the family and society. For that, we should make decisions as Church, family and individual. Liquor wealth does not embellish the Church. It does not crave for riches of injustice. Church should look for the money of poor and ordinary. Churches should be able to take stance for it.

It is the responsibility of each Christian to upkeep our human body created in His own image, with out devoid of the Godly presence and love. Church should be capable to exhort this, through the fellowship and worship. As Church and family it is inevitable to take this challenge. We should resolve and act so that, me, my house, my parish, my society will be devoid of alcoholism. Then we will be able to constitute families and society which uphold the love of God and values of the Kingdom of God.

[Maramon 2003: Original in Malayalam Translated for LOL by Dr. Rajan Mathew]


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