CHURCH OF SOUTH INDIA

Sermon Outlines 2016

Based on the Third cycle (Year C) of the revised
common lectionary of
CSI, CNI and MTC

Editor
Rev. K. James Cecil Victor

The views expressed in the book are those of the author and the publisher takes no responsibility for
any of the statements.
 January 1, 2016, Friday

New Year (Covenant Day)

God’s Call for Committed Partnership

OT Deut.10:12-22 Psalm Ps. 23

I Thes.4:1-8 Mark.10:35-45
Eve.Deut.6: 1-9 I Cor.3:5-9

Collect: Gracious and merciful God, we thank you for coming to us through your son Jesus
Christ and accepting us as people of the New Covenant. Grant us grace that we will remain in
your covenantal love throughout this year and be committed to do your will just as your Son
has obeyed and set a model for us. We beseech you to instil a clean and right spirit that obeys
you and serves you, through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit one God world without end. Amen.

Year: 2015 is over, with the memories of good and bad; success and unsuccess; terror strikes,
earthquakes, horrendous in Chennai floods and scams; refugee crisis in Germany COP21 –
climate change conference in France and so on…! Even Church, we gained; lost some! There
were times of celebrations and jubilations; there were times of silence. New Year 2016 gives
an opportunity for us:
i) to introspect – strengths, weakness, our career, relationship, opportunities, threats,
engagement; and to see where we stand!
ii) to rectify – our failures and weakness.
iii) To resolve – to reach new heights, to achieve new goals, to change / unchange, to
do or undo certain things in order to become what can be.

Today’s theme opens our eyes to a New Challenge in faith that calls for a committed
partnership with God.

1. God calls for a relationship through covenant: Covenant is coming together of one or
two or more parties to make a contract. In the Bible the word “bond” (“berit” in Hebrew
and “diatheke” in Greek) refers to a binding a relationship. Interestingly, God is the
initiator of the covenant! The purpose of God’s covenant with humans is to restore human
kind. God wants his creation to be whole; to own Him and to serve Him. Covenant refers
to a binding agreement. In the Bible we see that Abimelech and Isaac decided to settle
their land dispute (Gen.26:26-31), Joshua and Gibeonites made an covenant to live in
peace together (Josh.9:15). Also Solomon and Hiram made agreement to live together (I
Kgs. 5:12). David and Jonathan made a friendship band (I Sam.2036; 16-17). Vividly,
covenant was bilateral and always implied equal privileges, responsibilities and assigned
roles. But when it comes to covenant with God; God initiates the covenant and invites
people to keep the covenant! God always postulates certain stipulations for the covenant.
When God made a covenant with Abraham that he would bless his offspring; and
Abraham would possess the land (Gen.17); the stipulations God laid were that (1) he
should walk before God (remain in fellowship with God constantly) (2) “be blameless’ –
(to live uprightly) (3) ‘Circumcise the male child’ was an act of obedience (perpetual
reminder) to the covenant (II Cor.3:6). In Deut. 10:12 we read that “And now, O Israel,
 what does the Lord your God ask of you? Is it to (1) Fear the Lord your God (2) Walk in
all his ways (3) to love Him (4) to serve Him with all your heart and your soul. Here the
outward sign is replaced by the inward circumcision in the hearts (v.16). The outward
circumcision is to do social justice such as (1) To execute Justice to the fatherless and
widows (2) to love those who are aliens / sojourners. (v.18,19). They are vulnerable for
exploitation. God calls us for a committed partnership that we become his hands to touch,
his feet to walk, his eyes to see the agony, his ears to hear the cries of the victims, his
mouth to speak justice. In Isaiah 1:17 we read that we have to do good, to seek justice, to
correct oppression, bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.

2. God calls for moral / ethical living:

In I The. 4:1-8 we understand that we have to live a life pleasing to God. Verse 3 speaks of
abstaining from sexual immorality, controlling our body in holiness and honour and doing no
wrong to our brother. In v.7 we read that God has not called us for impurity but in holiness.
Holiness is the distinct quality of a child of God. As God is holy, we the image bearers of
God are expected to live a holy life. Holiness in personal, however, its effects are seen not
merely in the individuals but also on the people with whom he/she comes in contact with.
While holiness is a distinct life style as against the worldly, it actually challenges us to
partner with God to annihilate to darkness and evil forces which negate life. Holiness is the
exemplary ethical life that respects the other as they are.

3. God calls for kenesthetic service (Mark.10:35-45):

When we are in covenant relationship with God and live worthy of God’s calling, we are
expected to do a self-emptying service expecting nothing in return. If we are selfish, you
give what is left-over, but in kenesthetic love – we share what we have. In Mark 10:43-44 we
read “whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first
among you must be slave of all”. We also see that the “Son of man came not to be served but
to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many” v.45. Kenesthetic service is risky for it
requires the self-denial. In Risking life for Christ’s sake we have to 1. establish an inclusive
community 2. raise a prophetic voice against injustice and corruption 3. strive for
reconciliation and peace 4.protect God’s creation. May God help us to respond to God’s call
for a committed partnership to affirm God’s creation that declares his glory. May the New
Year usher-in God’s choicest blessings and his guidance to be an agent of peace,
reconciliation and change we want to see around us!

Rev. K. James Cecil Victor

CSI Medak Diocese
Director, DPC, CSI Synod
 January 10, 2016, Sunday

Be Holy

Deut.7:1-11, Psalm Ps.5

Eph. 5: 18- 20 John.17:13-17
Eve. Isa.6:1-6 I Pet.1:13-16

Collect: Gracious God, we thank you for choosing us to be a Holy people in order that we
may reflect your image and likeness. Help us to be conscious of your holy presence with us
so that we strive to pursue holiness in our words and deeds, through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen.

Holiness if the essence of God:

Holiness is the attribute of God. His name is holy, His laws, Commandments, His service and
everything he does is holy (Rom 7:12). His holiness is acknowledged in praises of the
Seraphim and the four living creatures in the heaven who never cease to sing, "Holy, Holy,
Holy is the Lord God of hosts.” (Isa. 6:2, 3). The Holy God says to His people, “Ye shall be
holy: for I the Lord your God am holy” (Lev19:2). The promise that God made to His people
in the beginning of Exodus “ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation” (
Ex 19:6 ), declared at the end of journey, that they are a people for his own possession and
He will set them high above all nations that he has made, in praise and in fame and in honour,
and that they shall be a people holy to the Lord their God, provided that they should keep all
his commandments (Deut. 26: 18, 19 ). In order to meet his approbation or enjoy his presence
the people of God were required to be holy, separated from all defilements of the world and
entirely consecrated to God.

The priests who were consecrated to stand between people and God to offer sacrifices to God,
adopted the holy instructions not to marry a harlot, divorced and widow not shave their heads
not gird themselves with anything that causes sweat, (Ezekiel 44:22) for the priest is holy to
his God and offer the offerings by fire to the Lord, the bread of their God (Lev 21:8). They
keep themselves Holy to teach God’s people the difference between the holy and the
common, and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean (Lev 10:10).
The strong reason why God told them not to be intoxicated is that they might always be able
to discern between the clean and the “unclean”, and ever pronounce righteous judgment. The
lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and men and women should seek instruction from
his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts (Mal 2:7).

Holiness is relational:

The relation between Christ and His church is explained figuratively as that of between a
bridegroom and bride. St. Paul says, “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,
that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,” (Eph
5:25-27).That the church is holy and partaker of his glory. In addition , V 18-20 talk about
holiness as waling in love for one another. In fact the whole chapter is dedicated to
encourage the believers to intimate Christ in relating with others. “ Walk as the children of
light” is the punch line of this chapter.
Holiness is being distinct:

John saw the holy city new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, (Rev 21)
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. The city is of gold and clear as glass, with
twelve foundations adorned with every kind of precious jewel, and which has names of the
twelve apostles of the Lamb. And it is the splendid and glorious residence of the redeemed,
the abode of the righteous. And this is heavenly Jerusalem of hope (Heb 12:22), and where
our real citizenship is (Philippians 3:20).

Conclusion:

Christ is sanctified, consecrated and devoted himself to death that there by to purchase eternal
salvation for us. The word, agiazw, to consecrate or sanctify, is used in the sense of devoting
to death. So Jesus, the sinless man devoted himself to die for the redemption of the world.
And he calls upon all who believe in him to imitate his holiness to be a possession and to be
with him in New Jerusalem. But as he who called us is holy, and we must be holy in all our
conduct; Strive for peace with all men, without which no one will see the Lord. The call of
God, “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy” is not only for Israelites, who are in the
covenant, but to every person who received baptism in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Therefore, a Christian needs to be holy in order to be God’s own
possession. Holiness demands a distinct life to live in the world, but live as those belongs to
Christ. This becomes evident in our words and our deeds (I Peter 1:13-16).
 January 17, 2016, Sunday

One Body and One Baptism

Amos 9: 5- 12 Psalm Ps.115

Eph. 4: 1-6 Matt.16:13-20
Eve. Gen.17:9-14 I Cor. 12:12-26

Collect: Sovereign God, who called the entire church to be the body of Christ, grant us
courage to affirm our faith in one Body and in one Baptism. As we are baptized into the body
of Christ, help us to realize your transformative power which enables us to build an
ecumenical community around us. May our baptism experience continue to affect us bringing
revival and renewal within us to be the vibrant channels of unity, justice, and peace through
Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God
now and ever. Amen.

Baptism is one of the important Sacrament of the church. The sacrament is the visible sign of
the invisible grace and it is one of the solemn Christian rites considered to have been
instituted by Jesus Christ to symbolize or confer grace. Through this sacrament the grace of
God is assured to the receiver. The term baptize (Greek baptizein) means to "plunge" or
"immerse" into the water symbolizes the burial into Christ's death and rises up by resurrection
with him as a new creature. Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life and it is the
gateway to life in the Spirit and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through
Baptism we are free from sin and reborn as children of God and become members of Christ
body. So let us try to understand the importance of receiving the grace of God through
Baptism and its implication to the church which is called as the body of Christ.

1. Grace of God (Baptism) is for the unity of the Church (Body of Christ)

Baptism shows the unity among the believers, especially in the context of Ephesian church,
the Baptism brings the Jews and the gentiles into one body through Christ. In Ephesians Ch. 4
apostle Paul calls the church to live worthy of her calling. The primary call of the church is
for the unity and he further asks the church to make "every effort to maintain the unity of the
Spirit” because the church reflects the oneness of God. In Ephesians Ch 1-3, the apostle has
elaborated upon the reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles that God has brought through
Christ. The repeated use of the word "one" in 2:14-16 (as in 4:4-8) highlights this aspect of
the message: the church is "one new humanity" created by Christ. The mystery of the faith
(cf. 3:9) is that, through the one body of Jesus, God has brought together two groups under
one plan of salvation. While both Jews and Gentiles once lived according to the flesh (2:3),
Jews were nevertheless "near" to God, while Gentiles were "far off" (2:17). Through Christ,
both groups are now joined together and draw nearer to God. The apostle uses two metaphors
to express the joining and the resulting closeness with God. Jews and Gentiles form one body
with Christ as its head (1:22-23), and one structure with Christ as its cornerstone (2:21-22).
After explaining this apostle again brings in the concept of “one” in Ch. 4 and asks them to
strive for the unity and oneness and also to be aware of cunning and deceitful teachings of
division inside the Church (4:14). In the life of the Ephesian church unity is seen but it is not
uniformity. The mystery of God who is revealed in Christ and results in the reconciliation of
Jews and Gentiles does not eliminate the distinctions between these different groups. Instead,
what is made known through the church is "the wisdom of God in its rich variety" (3:10). Part
of the call Ch. 4:1-16 is for tolerance, or "bearing with one another" (4:2). The appeal for the
church is to grow together as one body even though there are some differences among them.
The contemporary church has many dividing walls such as race, caste, class, gender and a
huge gap between the generations within the church and the traditional and doctrinal
differences between the churches. Only through the grace of God through the gift of Christ
one can grow to the stature of fullness of Christ from whom the whole body joined and held
together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly makes
the body grow (4:16) With this growth and maturity one can overcome this intra and inter
church differences and become one in Christ. Galatians 3:27-28 says “As many of you were
baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek,
there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus” which means
among the baptized there is no division or discrimination all are same and one in Christ. So
this again assures that the grace of God through Baptism brings unity in the Church.

2. Grace of God (Baptism) is for the witness of the Church (Body of Christ).

In the early days of the church baptism was a declaration that the person was definitely
identifying him/herself with that group of people who were called Christians and were
despised and hated. To be a Christian meant persecution, maybe death or it meant being
ostracized from family, shunned by friends. When a person submitted to baptism, he/she
declared to all the world that I Belong to this despised group, and immediately he/she was
persecuted, hated, and despised. In baptism, therefore, the believer entered into the fellowship
of the sufferings of Christ. As we read in Gal 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no
longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by
faith in the son of God who loved me and gives himself for me” so it is clear that baptism
gives us the courage to be the witnesses by the power of the one who is crucified for us.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his book The Cost of Discipleship says “Anybody living in the
strength of Christ’s baptism lives in the strength of Christ’s death.” Only through the
suffering we can be the witnesses of God and for this Grace of God that is the Baptism is
essential. Today for us to be the witnessing Church we should be ready to face the struggles
on the path of our ministry. Especially we should be ready to fight for justice and to stand
against the evil forces for this will be the true living of Christ’s faithful servants in the
society. And for this witnessing community (Church) the gates of hell shall not prevail
against and the keys of the kingdom will be given to the church which stood for the justice
and peace. (Matt 16: 18,19)

Conclusion

The present day Churches are widely divided into many denominations and some of this
divisions are mainly in the name of Baptism. Lack of understanding, wrong teaching,
misleading, selfish motives, ego clashes, to show strength- power-status, laziness in learning
are some of the important causes which leads the Church into chaos. But what actually this
sacrament of Baptism meant is to bring unity and witness. So let us try to understand the
important concepts of Baptism and why it was instituted by our God? And try to practice it in
a meaningful way. Amen.

Rev. M. Belshiya Ruth

Presbyter, Diocese of Madras.
 January 24, 2016, Sunday

United in Love
Ecumenical Sunday

Deut.4:1-10 Psalm 30
I Cor. 1:10-18 / Eph.3:1-7 John15:11-17
Eve. Isa. 52:1-9 Lk.24: 13-36

Collect: God of all, who has called us to be your people living together in unity. We pray that
you enable us to know the importance of diversity so that we affirm the dignity of all. Help us
to respect each other and value one another in order that there is no division among us based
on caste, colour, creed or gender, but we are all united in love, through Jesus Christ our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and ever. Amen.

Every year, the ‘Ecumenical Sunday’ is observed on the Sunday falling between January 18
and January 25, which is known as the ‘Unity Octave’ or ‘Week of Prayer’. While January 18
is celebrated as the ‘Feast of Confession of St. Peter’, January 25 is celebrated as the ‘Feast
of Conversion of St. Paul’, and special prayers for unity are jointly prepared by the
‘Pontifical Council for Christian Unity’ (Catholic Church) and the Commission on Faith and
Order of the World Council of Churches (umbrella body of Orthodox churches, Anglicans,
Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists and Reformed churches, as well as many United and
Independent churches). The theme proposed for the Unity Octave or Week of Prayer - 2016
by the ‘Pontifical Council for Christian Unity’ and the Commission on Faith and Order of the
World Council of Churches is ‘Called to proclaim the Mighty Acts of the Lord’.

In India, during this Sunday, which is also observed as the National Council of
Churches in India Sunday (NCCI Sunday), pulpits are exchanged, and special ecumenical
worship services are celebrated. The ‘Commission on Unity, Mission and Evangelism’ of the
National Council of Churches in India encourages the Indian Churches to come together for
prayer, fellowship and witness during the Week of Prayer. At the same time, the Communion
of Churches in India (including the CSI, CNI & Marthoma) observes the Ecumenical Sunday
falling in this week with much importance and includes it in the Common Lectionary. For
this year’s Ecumenical Sunday, the theme according to the Common Lectionary is ‘United in
Love’ which is very relevant in the present Indian context, where hatred and hegemony,
injustice and inequality, fascism and fanaticism, seem to be gaining anchor in all realms of
life.

The Church of South India, which is the biggest Protestant Church in India with more
that 4 Million members, and which is a member Church of the World Council of Churches,
National Council of Churches in India and the Communion of Churches in India, has a very
specific role to call churches and the nation to be united in love. In fact, ‘unity’ and ‘love’ are
two of the core messages of Jesus Christ. He taught us to ‘love each other’, ‘love our
enemies’ ‘love our neighbours’ and He also prayed for unity, ‘that they all may be one’. But,
what does it mean when we say we are called to ‘unite’ and called to ‘love’? How do we
understand unity and love? Are they merely two nouns or verbs, challenging us toward
actions of unity and love? Let us explore the depth of these concepts on the basis of the
Scripture Portions that have been read to us.
 1. THAT YOU MAY LIVE IN OBEDIENCE (Deut. 4: 1-10)
This passage deals with Moses’ call to the Israelites to keep God’s law so that they
would live and
i. Enter into the promised land of Canaan: In the broader sense, Moses tries to tell them
the importance of obedience to God, in order to live to see the Promised Land. In fact,
the disobedience of Israel to God and His chosen ones, had already caused many
causalities in the wilderness as what had happened in Baal Peor. (v. 3 He encourages
them to live in obedience, saying, “But you who held fast to the Lord your God are alive
today, every one of you.” (v. 4).

ii. Witness the greatness of God: Verses 5-10 explains another significance of living in
obedience to witness the greatness of God. Moses reminds that Israelites life in
obedience to the divine statutes and judgments would attract many others to them and
ultimately to their God. The people around would say, “For what great nation is there
that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call
upon Him?” (vv. 7-8). He further urges them to teach this to their posterity, in order that
they too may live fruitfully. (vv. 9-10).

The word, ‘Ecumenism’ comes from ‘Oikumene’ (Gk.) which refers to ‘house-hold’,
the basis of which is a spiritual union with the One who has called us. Ecumenism cannot
take place at the cost of the spiritual statutes and commandments taught in the Bible. For the
sake of ecumenism, God does not expect us to get united with ‘Baal’, rather for the sake of
mission, He expects us to relate with all, witnessing the true God. It is about a missiological
ecumenism that is referred here, where our life in relation with others would attract many to
the living God. This is our call as a pilgrim community, called to live and witness God,
through Christ, who came to give life in abundance. (Jn. 10:10)

2. THAT YOU MAY LOVE BY GIVING (Jn.15:11-17)

Jesus came to give abundant life, and He did that by loving us to the extent of sharing
and giving His own life for us. Through this He has given us a new name from being called
as ‘servants’ to be known as His own ‘friends’. Thus, He has lifted us to a status of knowing
His purpose, which He urges us to follow. He says, “My command is this: Love each other as
I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
(vv. 12-13). It calls us to live by loving Him and by loving others.

The nature of God is love, and it is in love that He has created us, redeemed us and
sustains us. In fact, there is no religion that does not speak about love. For eg., Quran speaks
about even ‘righteousness’, in terms of love; “Righteousness is not that you turn your faces
toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is ..in giving wealth, in spite of love for
it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing
slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah. (2:177). Hinduism too teaches about
‘Nishkamakarma’, meaning, ‘doing karma (including loving others), without any selfish
agendas.
The main cause for almost all the problems that our world, our communities, our
families and our churches face, is that we are unable to foster a culture of love. What seems
to be primary for us is to accomplish our own agendas than accomplishing the divine agenda,
for which we subscribe to a relation of alliance than inter-relatedness. In the process, we even
tend to promote hostility and hatred, becoming agents of breaking than building relations.
Ecumenism cannot happen without loving each other, even our neighbours and enemies, and
for this, let our paradigm be our Lord Jesus, who gave His life so that we may live.

3. THAT YOU MAY UNITE IN MIND (I Cor. 1:10-18)

In the Corinth Church, there were devotees of Paul, Appolos, Peter and Christ,
leading the Church to different factions. While the devotees of Paul might have been the
‘Gentile slaves’, the devotees of Appolos, the scholar, orator and teacher from the great
university city of Alexandria, might have been the intellects. Those who followed Peter
might have been the conservative Jewish Christians and the Jewish proselytes (so called
gentiles who were converted to Judaism) before converting themselves to Christianity. And
lastly, since the Corinth Church was a ‘charismatic church’, the devotees of Christ might
have been the believers who claimed above all these groups, who claimed the gift of
prophecy and other charismatic gifts. In fact, as we read through the Epistles to Corinthians
(1st & 2nd), we see that there were divisions that led to the discrimination and marginalization
of the ‘poor’, ‘widows’ and ‘gentiles’, affecting even the very worship in the Church.

Hearing about different factions claiming their allegiance and loyalty to him (Paul),
Appolos, Cephas (Peter) and Christ, Paul asks, “Is Christ divided?” (v. 13). He urges the
Church about the importance of uniting in mind and thought in order to sort out the
divisions. For this, he emphasizes the need for the Church to affirm the centrality of Christ, in
and through whom we are baptized. The verse 10, explains three tenets of this unity, and they
are:
i. Paul calls all of them ‘Brothers (and sisters)’
ii. Paul appeals in the name of Jesus Christ
iii. Paul urges for a PERFECT unity in mind and thought

This message urging us to an ecumenism within our churches is very relevant in a

context where our own churches are divided in the name of doctrines, traditions, legacy,
gender, casteism and racism. The constitution and even the Bible are used to justify the
domination of certain groups over the other. The centrality of the Church is often shifted from
Jesus to our own egos leading to hegemonic domination of some individuals and groups over
the other. When this happens, the world would say, ‘Christ is divided’, and we lose our
ecumenical vision.

CONCLUSION
Ecumenism is often understood as coming together of the churches alone and we
claim to be ecumenical, once our leaders are able to share the same platform. We often forget
that the call is for a wider ecumenism, which includes our unity to our creator and all His
creations, including the nature, which we often exploit. In ecumenism, there is no space for
exploitation, domination and discrimination. It urges for a unity with the divine, charity by
sharing (giving) and humility in accepting each other.

May the God Almighty help us to realize His call for us to live an ecumenical life,
within the Church and outside the Church, bringing glory to Him and promoting a culture of
life and love. Amen.

Revd. Viji Varghese Eapen

CSI Madhya Kerala Diocese
 January 24, 2016, Sunday

The Inter-dependence in Creation

Gen.2:1-15 Psalm Ps.104:24-35
Col.2:16-23 Matt. 13:1-9
Eve. Isa.11:6-9 Gal.: 6:1-6

Collect: Creator God, we praise you for the variety in your creation. Help us to discern the
importance of depending on each other and the creation for our existence. Deliver us from
our selfishness and greed and help us to be good stewards of your creation. Enlighten us to
be wise enough to interdepend upon each other for a meaningful life. Through Jesus Christ
our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and ever. Amen.

Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground. (Genesis 2:7)

1.Human beings created from the earth:

God created us from the earth. Adam from the adama. Humans from the hummus. When God
created human, he invited them to till and protect the ground. He created the greens which
grow from the ground to nourish ( protect) the human beings. When the human beings die,
they go back to the earth. So human come from the earth and go back to the earth. Human
will protect the earth and the earth will protect the human beings. A perfect cycle of
interdependence came into being from the time of creation.

Four rivers flow in the garden of Eden. They provide water to the human beings. The garden
is full of trees and they provide food for the human beings. God created the animals and birds
who will be the companions for the human. The human will have relationships with the trees
and animals. He will call them by the names. There was a harmonious relationship between
the human, animals and plants. They cannot survive without each other.

The flood story is a counter story to the creation story. Earth disappeared. Trees and animals
vanished. Human beings perished. Noah and his family along with the species of all living
beings became the survivors of the holocaust. They survived only because the earth
reappeared along with the flora and fauna. This was to warn the human beings that their
survival depended on the survival of the nature (creation).

The book of Genesis is a story of the natural catastrophes. It narrates two global calamities.
One was the universal flood .Noah helped the survival of humanity. Second was the severe
famine in Egypt. The land refused to bring forth the crops. Joseph helped the survival of
humanity.

2.Human beings as living beings (Nephesh hayyah):

And breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (ruah) and the man became a living being. He
was created as an aesthetic being to see “every tree which is pleasant to the eyes” and taste
the fruits which will be “good for food”(v.9). “God formed every animal of the field and
every bird of the air and brought them to the man to see what he would call them”. “And
whatever the man called every living creature, that was it’s name”(v.19). The man must know
how to relate with the ‘tree of knowledge of good and evil’ and ‘the tree of life (v.9). God
endowed him with feelings and so he was sent to ecstasy at the time of making the woman
from his own body (v.21). He was full of love when the woman was brought to him(v.23). In
every detail, the story explains that the man was created with very special qualities.

As the man found an intimate mate in the woman, so God found the human as intimate with
Himself. Adam and eve would e conversation partners for God. God teaches them what to eat
and what should not be eaten. The centre of the garden was overflowing life symbolised in
the ‘tree of life’. The flowing rivers was a great expression of life. The changing seasons and
the time showed great harmony. The alternating of day and night, ruled by their respective
luminaries, divided the space for man and the animals to work, man to work in the day time
and the animals to work in the night. Human beings are very special in the whole creation.
They will have dominion over the (stewardship to ) order of creation.

Human soul, or human life, is defined by the surrounding objects of creation. Human
relationship to God will depend on how they relate to the nature. When human beings cross
the boundaries to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, it will affect
their relationship with God. If man will eat the forbidden fruit, he may not be able to
continue to live in the garden. He may have to become afraid and ashamed. He may have to
wear dresses to cover his nakedness if he eats the fruits from the tree of the fruit of good and
evil. It is human destiny to live in relation with the created order.

3. In the day that the Lord God made the heaven and the earth:

In the first story, God made the man and woman together on the same day. So they are
inseparable. They will cling together even to the extent to forsake the father and the mother.
Man and woman are interdependent. In the second story, man and the nature were created
together on the same day. So, man and nature are inseparable. Heaven, earth and human
beings are intimately bound together.

However, we are rapidly destroying the nature. If we continue along the way we are going, it
may lead to the destruction of the earth and humanity. We know that the path we are on as
humanity is not sustainable. We are aware of climate change which is a real and a persistent
threat. We live in a world where war is preferred over peace. We live in a world where we
don’t serve and protect, till and keep humanity and the earth.

We have a choice to make. Are we going to continue to accept that this is the world we live
in? Or are we going to return to the garden and our sacred calling as gardeners?

Thankfully, there is a roadmap back to the garden. Jesus came to show us the way back to
Eden. The kingdom of God he kept talking about! That’s the garden God wants to lead us to.
Jesus shows us the way back to Eden and gives us the tools to serve and protect the garden.

From the beginning, God’s greatest desire for us is to be in relationship with God and with
all of the creation. It gives God great delight when we are back to the garden. We have been
invited and called to be co-creators with God, breathing life into creation and humanity.

Rev. Dr. John Samuel Ponnusamy

Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary, Madurai
 February 02, 2016, Tuesday

The Presentation of Christ

1 Samuel 1: 19-28 Psalm 118:19-29
Romans 11: 33-12:2 Luke 2: 22-40

Collect: Almighty and ever living God, we humbly pray that, as your incarnate son was this
day presented to you in the temple, so we may come before you with pure and clean hearts;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.

Christmas was a time of learning to be faithful to the signs of the time. It was a time to re-
look at the greatest sign God have to human kind in the form of his son, Emmanuel. Jesus
was born not in a castle but a cattle shed to associate himself with the marginalized and also
to be accessible to both the rich (Magi) and the poor (Shepherds). Phillips Brooks had written
“How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is given”. Yes, Jesus is the gift to the
humankind, particularly who are awaiting to be liberated and be recognized of their worth.
Though Mighty God, Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counsellor and Everlasting Father he
fulfilled the law for he came not to abolish the law but to give new meaning to the law.

Luke 2: 21-40 describe the events that followed the visit of the Magi and the Exuberant
Shepherds. At the end of eight days, the child was circumcised and was named Jesus. Verse
22 onwards we see the fulfilment of the law concerning the purification of the mother and
sanctification of the child through offering sacrifices. Jesus’s presentation in the temple was a
‘divine encounter’ for Simeon, the prophet who was waiting for the consolation of Israel. It
had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had seen the
Lord’s Christ. As he grew older, his faith also must have grown strong. Every day, he spent
time at the temple waiting and watching for the messiah. The irony is that he was unaware of
the messiah’s age or personality. Whether he should look for somebody from the higher crust
of the society or lower rung of the society! He did not have a sign to look for. Suddenly,
Simoen’s heart leaped within him and immediately he began to sing a song of praise, perhaps
‘the climatic song of Christmas’.

1. My eyes have seen your Salvation (v.30): Simoen’s eyes could see the saviour in
Baby Jesus and he could also see the salvation of God’s people who were sincerely
waiting for the liberation from the social, economic, political and religious
oppressions. People who were exploited and marginalized. God’s partiality with the
broken humanity was vivid to the eyes of Simeon when he beheld Jesus. Today, even
after more than 2000 years of Christ’s event, we still wait for a sign to believe in him
and in his saving power. It is important to re-affirm our faith in the midst of
persecutions and unrest in and around us. Christ, the saviour the world is uncontested
truth for the believers. But how do we make it appropriate for those Jesus is still a
God of the oppressed and downtrodden! After all, salvation is for all.
2. A light for revelation to the Gentiles (v.32a): Jesus, presented in the Temple was
identified as the light to the Gentiles. Affirming Jesus as the light to the Gentiles
needed courage and prophetic vision to Simeon. Gentiles were considered as outcasts
or outside the salvific plan of God. Hence affirming Jesus as the saviour of both Jews
and Gentiles was the manifestation of the messianic mission of Christ that involves
breaking the barriers of discrimination and establishing justice and peace.
 3. Glory to the people Israel (v. 32): All the fears and hopes of all generations are met
in Jesus Christ. The socio-economic and politico-religious “consolation” was all about
the kingdom of God where there is no more tears and no more greed. Since the
Saviour had come from the Jews, it is considered a thing to be proud of. But the
saviour and the salvation is universal. Inclusive community is the hallmark of God’s
kingdom.
While we recall the presentation of Christ in the temple, it is appropriate on our part to
emulate the values of Christ that became evident at the auspicious time of his revelation
as the saviour. We need to have the urge of Simeon to seek and find him. He surprises us
by being available in most unexpected corners of the world. While we find him, let us
also strive for the broadening of Christ’s community that lives in peace and solidarity
with each other. Let us learn to live by loving, giving and serving, not as lords but as
Christ who came not to be served but to serve.

Rev. K. James Cecil Victor

Director, DPC, CSI Synod
 February 07, 2016, Sunday
(7th Sunday before Easter)

Lent: A time of Redemption

Isaiah 58:18 1-14 Psalm 6
Rom.2:1-13 John.5:1-9
Eve. Psalm 130 Eph.1:3-14

Collect: Gracious God our redeemer, we thank you that you love the world and sent your
begotten son to redeem us through his death and resurrection. We thank you for your
continuous acts of redemption in the history. Grant us grace that we may live as those
redeemed by the blood of Christ and always love mercy and walk humbly with you, through
Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God world without
end. Amen.

Introduction:
Lent is not only a period of forty days of fasting before Easter, but also a period of
“spring” for spiritual renewal. Redemption is a concept derived from one of the most basic
features of human life in society, the urge to exchange something in one’s own possession for
something possessed by another. All kinds of objects have been exchanged, normally with
the conviction that what was received was equal to or even more valuable than what was
given. The terms redemption, redeem, redeemer occur frequently in the Old Testament. From
its basic meaning to buy back by paying a ‘ransom’: the term was extended to cover major
deliverances of any kind whether or not a payment is involved. This term is suitably coined in
the context of liberation of the Hebrew tribes from the bondage of their Egyptian oppressors
and further from Babylonian captivity. In the New Testament as Peter describes, that it was a
costly process involving the precious blood of Christ (I Peter 1: 18 – 19). Paul agrees with the
costly price, as freedom from bondage to sin, the law, demonic powers could now be
appropriated by faith (Romans 3: 24) and it would be enjoyed in part by the redeemed would
receive its fulfilment in the age to come (Rom 8: 23). Paul confirms this fact when he writes,
“you are not your own for you have been bought with a price, you were once the slaves to
Satan but you now belong to Christ and so you are truly free” (I Cor. 6: 19 – 20). The price
that Satan demanded for our release was the blood of Christ, a ransom for many. Jesus’s use
of the ransom illustrates two main points – the great power of sin and of Satan and the
terrible cost of salvation. The most eloquent celebration of Christian redemption is found in
Ephesians 1: 7, 14 & 4: 30. The author of Epistle to Hebrews also says that all earthly
deliverances are but types and models of the eternal redemption which Christ has obtained for
us (Hebrews 6: 4). With this background in view let us reflect on the theme of this day with
the appointed scripture portions.

Redemption from Religionism:

The Old Testament portion for this day Isaiah 58: 1 – 14 contains the classic voice of
prophecy as in Micah 6: 8 and James 1: 26 – 27. God does not desire sacrifice of material
things. He asks us to be just and merciful to our fellow human beings and to live in humble
obedience to God. Prophet Isaiah vehemently condemns the false religion as well as religious
fundamentalism. A heart that is pure toward God cannot be indifferent toward other human
beings in delivering others’ in Christ’s name; we ourselves are delivered (Isaiah 58: 9 – 12).
Jesus also proclaims the same message (Mathew 22: 36 – 40). Jesus also teaches the right
way of observing fasting (Mathew 6: 16 – 18). In the last two verses ( Isaiah 58: 13 – 14),
prophet Isaiah reminds the readers of the importance of the Sabbath not in legalistic terms but
in loving terms. If we claim to love the Lord we should also love the Sabbath day. To the
Jews Sabbath was part of God’s original plan for every one as well as an integral part of the
law.

The observation of Sabbath takes a new dimension after the resurrection and it moves
from the last to the first day of the week. Danger of neglecting the union with God’s people
which results in the failure to encourage each other (Hebrews 10: 25) must be avoided. We
are not expected to use the day of rest merely for our pleasure, rather we should use it for
God’s purpose in us including rest and worship. This makes the redemption we got in Jesus
Christ meaningful and pure. Let us challenge the society at large with the words of John
Wesley the founder or Methodism “There is no holiness but social holiness”.
Redemption from Legalism
According to John 2 : 1 – 11, the gospel portion of this day, the redemptive act
revealed through the transformation of Jewish legal system into the supply of good wine out
of water. Jewish legal system typified by the ceremonial jars was partial and imperfect. The
renewal of life and salvation to which all religious ceremonies point could not be achieved by
legal means. The real meaning of Jewish religious customs is fulfilled and made new only by
Jesus, who transforms the old ceremonial system into something which human could
experience. Jesus’s command to the servants to fill the jars with water was His first step
towards remedying the situation. What we do know is that the transformation was done by
Jesus and the servants proved their loyalty, trust and obedience. Here the focus is on Jesus,
the source of life and joy. As in India the most important guests were seated in such feasts in
Palestine too. Accordingly they drank the good wine, and later poorer wine was served to
insignificant guests. Jesus overturns the human tradition and supplies the latter wine for those
who are supposed to get inferior wine. Here we are reminded of God’s favour to less
privileged in society. The insignificant ones get the best wine. The joyful good wine of the
gospel has replaced the water of Jewish legalism. The Church as a redeemed community
tends to empower others particularly the weaker section in the Church and society to enjoy
the privileges equally or even more than what they enjoy every day. The so called legalism
should not hinder the Church in its on going mission. Only with the presence of Jesus we can
turn the world upside down. Jesus marvelled at the faith of centurion (Mathew 8: 8) who was
an oppressor, yet had a liberative faith.

Redemption from Moralism

The Epistle portion for this day Romans Chapter 2, verses 1 – 13, gives a picture of
God’s righteous judgement, not only to the Church at Rome but also to all. Jews had the habit
of judging other people; they especially judged non-Jews, the Gentiles. They were proud of
their history and the law given to them. But they were not loyal to God who chose them as
special people. They counted themselves righteous. But God’s judgement is impartial. He
judges according to truth, deeds and the light the person has. Hence, there arises no
discrimination between Jews and Gentiles. His judgement is inescapable and righteous. We
tend to judge others for the very sins we are committing ourselves. Paul warns that God’s
patience is not tolerance of sin but a period of truce that gives us chances to repent.
Morality is common to all and many moralizers are blind to their own wrong doing.
The truth is that all of us are involved in sin and no one is excluded. God judges those who
would judge others. Hence, we as human beings, the redeemed sinners are liable to look only
at our own sins and leave judgment to God who alone is righteous.
Conclusion
 Redemption wrought for us leads to the Liberation we have achieved in Christ our
liberator. The liberated one is called to liberate his people. The local Church is endowed with
leadership for its own context. Leadership is not a reward but a task entrusted. The leadership
in bringing redemption does not consist in exploiting this role and being served by others.
“The son of Man did not come to be served, he came to serve and to give him to ransom for
many” (Mark 10: 45). It is worth remembering the striking statement of the former Moderator
Victor Premsagar who said: “Servanthood should not be interpreted as an exercise in
domestication and hearing with Status quo but an active participation in the struggle”. Let our
observance of Lent redeem us from being ritualistic victims of religionism, legalism and
moralism.

Rev. Dr. G. Stephen Lionel

CSI Tirunelveli Diocese
 February 10, 2016, Wednesday
(Ash Wednesday)

Cross: A Call to Vicarious Suffering

1 Kings 17: 12 – 24 Psalm 102
Phil. 2:1-11 Mark 8:31-38

Collect: God of Mercy, you have called us to be disciples of your Son Jesus Christ, who
voluntarily chose the path of cross; Help us to envision the joy of eternal life in bearing our
cross everyday. Encourage us to actively participate in the redeeming work of your son so
that in our suffering many may receive the joy of salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God now and for ever more. Amen.
Introduction:

Though Cross of Christ is central to the theme of vicarious suffering, it is neither the first nor
the last example. In the biblical history there are many examples of vicarious suffering. It is
important to recollect some of them.

1. Examples of vicarious suffering from Biblical History:

Joseph: The first and foremost is the story of Joseph. From childhood he suffers at the
hands of his brothers, sold to Ishmaelites, rescued by the Midianites out of a pit, who in
turn sell him to the Egyptians. He lands himself in jail because of his honesty to himself
and to his God. It is there miracles happens that he comes out of the jail through his
interpretation of the dreams and his genious makes him to land in the palace as Prime
Minister. All his suffering thus far was a means to save his family and also the Egyptian
nation from famine. He stood faithful to the end. He is one of the finest characters in the
Bible.

Moses: Then, let us look at the story of Moses. He was born in utter poverty, raised up in
plenty in the kings palace but decides to be with his people in their suffering. God calls
him at the age of 80 years to lead the people of Hebrews out of Egypt, the house of
bondage. For the next 40 years it is a life of suffering leading the people in the desert. He
suffers more for the stubborness of the people rather than anything else. The climax of his
suffering comes when the Lord prohibits him from entering into the promised land.
Having led the people thus far 40 years and being on the verge of entering, he is stopped
from entering. What must have been his suffering! But he obeys the Lord God. He played
his role as a faithful servant of the Lord and earned the name as the faithful in all the
household of God.

Jeremiah: Another finest example. Jeremiah one of the foremost prophets along with
Isaiah can be also considered as an example of vicarious suffering. A contemporary of
Isaiah before the exile into Babylon seemed to have suffered a great deal at the hands of
the authorities religiously and politically. Isaiah who himself wrote about suffering servant
of the Lord, we do not know whether he was referring to himself or the Israel as a
collective community or of a future messiah who suffers forsake of others. The NT
interpretation of the suffering servant passages referring to Jesus has found a common
acceptance. However Jeremiah who is depicted as the prototype of Jesus, suffers a lot for
sake the of his people. He decides to stay with the suffering people in Jerusalem rather
than accept the invitation of the king of Babylon to go over there as a royal guest. What an
example of humility and vicarious suffering!

Jesus: Now, Jesus of Nazareth, an example par excellence in vicarious suffering. He even
describes his mission as one of suffering. The Son of Man has come not to be served but to
serve and give his life a ransom for many. St. Mark 10.45. He was thirsty, he was hungry,
he had no physical comforts whatsoever. He demands his followers also to do same. “He
who wants to follow me must take up his cross and follow me”.
 All the Apostles who were his disciples do the same and it is commonly accepted that all
of them died being persecuted.

St. Paul, a later apostle does suffer and die for sake of the gospel of Christ. All this is well
knwn to the church. But I want to point to some imporatnt examples from history who
suffer vicariously. Let us look at Bishop Polycarp.

2. Examples of vicarious suffering from Church History:

Polycarp AD 69 – 156) was a 2nd-century Christian bishop of Smyrna. In the Martyrdom,

Polycarp is recorded as saying on the day of his death, "Eighty and six years I have served
Him, and He has done me no wrong", which could indicate that he was then eighty-six years
old or that he may have lived eighty-six years after his conversion. Polycarp goes on to say
"How then can I blaspheme my King and Savior? You threaten me with a fire that burns for a
season, and after a little while is quenched; but you are ignorant of the fire of everlasting
punishment that is prepared for the wicked." Polycarp was burned at the stake and was
pierced with a spear for refusing to burn incense to the Roman Emperor. On his farewell, he
said "I bless you Father for judging me worthy of this hour, so that in the company of the
martyrs I may share the cup of Christ."

Joan of Arc: After some centuries we have the story of a girl called Joan of Arc in France.
Joan of Arc c. 1412 – 30 May 1431) nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" is considered a
heroine of France for her role during the Lancastrian phase of the Hundred Years' War, and
was canonized as a Roman Catholic saint. She gained prominence after the siege was lifted.
She was responsible for several additional swift victories led to Charles VII's coronation at
Reims. This long-awaited event boosted French morale and paved the way for the final
French victory.

John Huss: Around the same time we have the story of John Huss, a reformer who lived
much before the actual Reformation in the 16th century. Jan Huss (1369 – 6 July 1415), often
referred to in English as John Huss or John Huss, was a Czech priest, philosopher, early
Christian reformer and Master at Charles University in Prague. After John Wycliffe, the
theorist of ecclesiastical Reformation, Hus is considered the first Church reformer, as he lived
before Luther, Calvin and Zwingli. Huss was a key predecessor to the Protestant movement
of the sixteenth century, and his teachings had a strong influence on the states of Europe,
most immediately in the approval of a reformist Bohemian religious denomination, and, more
than a century later, on Martin Luther himself. He was burned at the stake for heresy against
the doctrines of the Catholic Church, including those on ecclesiology, the Eucharist, and other
theological topics. What an example for the sake of the freedom of expression.

William Tyndale: There is the story of the English scholar who was put to death for
translating the Bible into English, namely William Tyndale. Today we all enjoy reading the
Bible in English, but a great prize had to be paid by his life for doing the translation. Tyndale
was then strangled and burnt at the stake in the prison yard, Oct. 6, 1536. His last words
were, "Lord, open the king of England's eyes." This prayer was answered three years later, in
the publication of King Henry VIII's 1539 English “Great Bible”.

Archbishop Romero: Óscar Arnulfo Romeroy Galdámez (August 15, 1917 - March 24,
1980) was a prominent Roman Catholic priest in El Salvador during the 1960s and 1970s
becoming Archbishop of San Salvador in 1977. After witnessing numerous violations of
human rights, he began to speak out on behalf of the poor and the victims of repression. This
led to numerous conflicts, both with the government in El Salvador and within the Catholic
Church. After speaking out against U.S. military support for the government of El Salvador,
and calling for soldiers to disobey orders to fire on innocent civilians, Archbishop Romero
was shot dead while celebrating Mass at the small chapel of the cancer hospital where he
lived. The archbishop had foreseen the danger of assassination and had spoken of it often,
declaring his willingness to accept martyrdom if his blood might contribute to the solution of
the nation's problems. "As a Christian," he remarked on one such occasion, "I do not believe
in death without resurrection. If they kill me, I shall rise again in the Salvadoran people."

Graham Staines: (1941 – 22 January 1999) was an Australian Christian missionary who,
along with his two sons Philip (aged 10) and Timothy (aged 6), was burnt to death by a gang
while sleeping in his station wagon at Manoharpur village in Keonjhar district in Odisha,
India on 22 January 1999. He had been working in Odisha among the tribal poor and lepers
since 1965. Some Hindu groups alleged that Staines had forcibly converted or lured many
Hindus into Christianity; Staines' widow Gladys denied these allegations, and continued to
live in India caring for leprosy patients until she returned to Australia in 2004. In 2005 she
was awarded the fourth highest civilian honour in India, Padma Shree, in recognition for her
work with leprosy patients in Odisha.

3. Reflection: 'CROSS; A CALL TO VICARIOUS SUFFERING'

The cross continues to stand as a symbol of suffering and in reference to Christ as a symbol
of vicarious suffering. Many have suffered in history for many reasons but a few have
suffered for the sake of others, that is vicarious suffering. We have seen a few examples from
biblical history and also from church history. What does it mean for us? One of the early
church fathers/theologians has siad that the church is built on the blood of the martyrs. How
true it is? The church does not live by its money or administration or its wealth but church
lives by its faith to the extent of losing ones life forsake of it. Joseph, Moses, Jeremiah and
others in OT times, Jesus of Nazareth, his disciples/apostles, later St. Paul and others and in
church history saints like Bishop Polycarp, reformers like John Huss, bible translators like
William Tyndale and modern saints who stood for justice for the poor like Archbishop
Romero and Graham Staines stand as shining examples of inspiration.
Church is a comfortable zone for many. Church is a shelter for some. Church is a rescue
home for others. But church is also a place of suffering for a few for the sake of the faith. In
the journey of faith, we recite the various experiences of Jesus on earth. During the season of
Lent his time of suffering and death is recalled, some by sentiment, others by practice and
some others by routine doing. Can we experience first hand what it means to suffer for the
sake of others like that of the examples we have seen in this meditation? Do we ever suffer
for the sake of others? Do we ever think of suffering for Christ? Do you ever risk forsake of
Christ? Fasting for spiritual purification rather than calling for justice (Isaiah 58), judgement
and self criticism rather than seeking Gods righteous judgement (Romans 2) and healing of
body rather than blaming others (John 5) may have become our practices of Lent. But God
wants that we may take a share of his suffering. “For his sake I have suffered the loss of all
things, ... in order that I may gain Christ, ... that I may know him and the power of his
resurrection and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means
possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead”. Philippians 3.8-11. What an example
that St. Paul sets for us! And listen to what St. Peter says, “... rejoice in sofar as you share
Christs sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.” 1Peter
4.13. Amen.

The Rt. Rev. Dr. P. Surya Prakash

Retd. Bishop, CSI Karimnagar Diocese
, February 14, 2016, Sunday
(Healing Ministry Sunday)

Being with outcasts and Marginalized

Esther 4:1-17 Psalm 43

Acts.15:12-21 Mark 1:40-45
Eve. Isaiah 55:1-13 Luke14:1-14

Collect: God of the margins, the centre of our life and hope, we thank you for manifesting
your love for the outcastes and the marginalized by empathizing with them. We thank you for
sending your Son Jesus Christ to empower the margins with the good news of the kingdom of
God that embraces all. Help us to be committed to your call to bring wholeness to the
communities we serve, through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever more. Amen.

Introduction

Caste practices constantly create outcasts and centers are sustained at the life-expense of the
margins. Even in the development and much hyped democratic era of post-globalization
seems no exception for this tendency. In every age people and communities are invented by
the dominant and powerful social systems as outcasts and marginalized. Outcasts are socially
excluded individuals or communities on the basis of stratification. Society can be stratified by
many means. The system with its religio-cultural censorship power sets certain standards of
living mostly justifying the privileged position and ongoing status of the dominant. They
sanction regulations and rules both for the adherents of the system and also for the segregated
of the system. These dominant-defined requirements in fact put much pressure on the already
thrown-outs to maintain any system of oppression. By sanctions and subsidies the system
controls the marginal lives of the outcasts and tries to suppress any attempt for rebellion and
protest. People with mental and physical ailments are often seen and considered as the
burden of the developing humanity and therefore they are not counted as individuals with
intrinsic worth. Religions played a notorious role in ostracizing such communities as bad
omens and they many a times kept away them from the public practices of rituals and
festivals. Communities are deprived of their fundamental rights of life with dignity and equal
access to resources. Even in a nation like India, the largest democracy in the world, in this era
of postmodernity too, communities are being targeted and tarnished publically because they
hold a different life perspective in the society. Religious fanatics who crept into the political
arena defame the dignity of minority communities and people are being brutally killed by
mobs for just being a Dalit or an Islam or for eating beef. Outcast and marginalized
communities are people who are religiously and politically oppressed for being different in
their life approaches.

The scripture portions for today’s meditations are evidence for the dominants’ attempts to
marginalize certain people for having their ideas of life. In Esther 4:-17, we see Haman by
skillfully tricking the King Ahasuerus to obtains a royal decree to annihilate all the Jews from
the kingdom only because a Jew, Mordecai, the uncle of Queen Esther hesitated to pay
obeisance to him. But there we see the Jews, with Esther and Mordecai as their leaders,
though they were in exile and in their limits, attempts to abort the plot of Haman by invoking
the guidance of God. Acts 15 is the context of the first Christian council at Jerusalem where
the early church debate on the challenges of Gentile Christianity. And some in the council,
especially believers from the Pharisaic background objects the inflow of the gentile to the
faith and they insist on the practice of circumcision. We know this has become hardcore issue
in the early church and the certain people were ousted from the faith fold for not conforming
to the dominant standards. Mk 1:40-45 presents the leper as the outcast and marginalized in
the text and his encounter with Jesus sets a liberative paradigm for “being with the outcast
and marginalized”.

The Requesting Leper- Search for a Space in the Society

Mark 1 depicts Jesus as God’s messenger of the Reign of God. The gospel narrative directly
presents Jesus of Nazareth as the embodiment of the liberative mission of God and as he
begins his public appearance at the Synagogue in Capernaum on a Sabbath confronting and
healing the demoniac. This episode of Jesus healing the leper follows his preaching ministry
through the region of Galilee. Mk 1:39 concludes by mentioning the location and nature of
his ministry by stating that “..he went through out Galilee, proclaiming the message in their
synagogues and casting out demons”. Therefore his healing exorcisms have to be
theologically seen as the process of sanctifying the lives of the people by chasing out evil
forces that enslave them. The geographical location of the situation is not specifically
informed in the text. Surely, it is not in the synagogue, because a person who is declared by
the religious leaders as a leper cannot enter a public place according to the Leviticus codes.
Leviticus 13:45 specifies that lepers are to wear torn clothes, let their hair hang loose, and cry
out “unclean, unclean” when approached. They are to live outside the city or village because
leprosy was considered as the contagious, communicable disease and any contact with leper
will contaminate the other and they will be regarded as religiously impure. However, they
were allowed to beg at city gate during the day time (2Kings 7:3-9). All these assumptions
on the disease of leprosy and of leper points the context of the narrative in Mk 1:40-45 to a
street near the boundary of the city or town. This location is in fact a social situation of
marginality.

This leper is declared as the outcast and marginalized because of his contagious disease. But
we see him as struggling and fighting leper. He approaches Jesus, kneeling and requesting not
his technical mercy in terms of money or anything else. Rather he request Jesus to declare
him clean and make him whole and restore him to the social fabric. In antiquity, leprosy was
considered as an incurable epidemic and healing was almost improbably other than the
intervention of God. The leper approaches Jesus to wish him to make him clean and restore
his identity to the larger society, perhaps because the priests who are religiously assigned to
preside over the ritual of religious cleansing might have rejected to do it so. Hence this action
of the leper has to be seen as the highlight of the event and his drawing close to Jesus,
kneeling and breaking up the silence and safe area of contact must be interpretatively
acknowledged as the “body language of faith”. He also challenges Jesus to use his divine
prerogative to “choose to heal him and declare him as a normal human being like anyone
else.” The outcast, poor and marginalized are searching ways and means to find a definite
space in the social realm. It is the responsibility of the church, as the community of Christ to
be with them in their struggles for liberation.

The Healing Jesus- The Body Language of Compassion

Jesus really considers the challenge of the leper. He not only dare to heal the leper and make
him whole, rather engages in a radical body language to hold the leper close to him and
explicit his will to declare him clean. The leper might not intend this action. He just wanted a
declaration by someone that he healed of his leprosy and therefore no longer an outsider of
the community. He needs a representative from the other side or a person from the side of the
society who stigmatized him as unclean because of his skin disease, to publically proclaim
his as a human with self-worth and dignity. The statement “Jesus simply moved with pity”
may not be the right way to present what Jesus really did at that point. Jesus was infuriated,
not because leper has challenged him or he has a wavering faith, but rather he is upset and
therefore angry with system that throws the people out from their own living situations. Just
pronouncing the words of healing could be enough to fulfill the purpose of healing, but he
surprises even the leper by touching as symbol of the presence of the age of divine salvation.
He feels the pain of the leper as an outcast and a socially dead and invalid body, and
therapeutically shares the declared uncleanness of the leper. The leper experienced a touch
after a long time. A human touching the other human as an act of solidarity and love. If it is
in right and loving intension every touch has healing power. It is imperative for the church to
descend from its holy and clean places and moves to the margins of the society and identify
herself as the community of Christ and therefore of hope.

Proclaiming Leper- The Celebration of Liberation

Jesus sends the leper back to the religious authorities to present him as testimony against
them. It means that he is physically restored and therefore able to perform his religious
responsibility. But the leper responds subversively. He began to the message of his healing.
For him this experience cannot be kept a secret. It has to be celebrated commonly. He in fact
celebrates the touch of the healer. Jesus by his action cast him to the priests to testify against
them. Jesus’ mission with the outcast and marginalized challenges the religious centers to
change their attitude towards the people at the margins. Jesus sends him to the Temple with
deep groaning and snorting and growling. The system again exploits the poor with further
religious sanctions. However, the leper chose not to comply with the religious requirement,
rather goes out to celebrate the liberation at the margins. He experienced the savior at the
margins. The church is the proclaiming community like this leper who experienced the touch
of the liberator and this proclamation is the continuation mission of Jesus to touch and feel
the outcasts and marginalized.

Rev. Joseph Samuel

CSI Madhya Kerala Diocese
[KUTS]
 Healing in Sickness

Exodus 4:10-17 Psalm 103:1-10

II Cor. 12:1-10 John.9:1-7
Eve.2 Kings 20:1-11 2 Cor.12:1-10

Collect: Merciful God, the mighty healer, you are our redeemer and comforter in sorrow and
sickness. Help us to bear witness to your miracles in our lives. Make us channels of your
healing to the broken world so that the whole world may know that you heal our diseases and
our memories to make us better people, through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you and the holy spirit one God now and ever. Amen.

The vile of sickness is prevalent in the whole creation of this biosphere. Every living thing is
affected with it at some point of lifetime. What is sickness? Is it the temporary or a permanent
loss and the absence of health? How does it affect the creation of God? When it comes to a
human being, how are they disturbed by the sickness? How do human beings cope up with it?
What are the measures they take to get rid of it and be restored back to health? As the “called
out community of Christ,” the immediate reaction to sickness is to seek God’s intervention.
This is because, our God, both in the Old Testament and Jesus Christ in the New Testament is
depicted as a “Healing God.” Therefore, the belief of health and healing in God is so strong
and vital for a Christian.

The Biblical scripture being the source of the faith journey is replete with narratives on
sickness and healing in the lives of individuals and communities. The scripture points out the
root causes of sickness and disease as disobedience to God, curse of God, retribution (or
punishment) from God, testing of one’s faith, source of refinement, unworthy participation in
the Holy Eucharist and so on. Moreover, we have acquired much knowledge about all that is
related to sickness. This knowledge is primarily received through the advancing medical
research. The same God also brings healing through God’s Word, his presence and his
compassionate touch. We also receive God’s healing through the “Broken Body of Jesus.”

How do we see the whole concept of the experience of health? Is it about wholeness in the
body alone? Sickness basically affects the physical body, be it one organ or organ systems.
The body is a composite of constituents of the hot bed of emotions, desires and there are
people living with unhealed sickness too. How do we respond to the thoughts, actions, and
behaviours which exhibit sickness? Sickness affects the whole person of the individual.
Also, it disturbs the environment in the family and friends. Nevertheless, the God we see in
the scripture heals, restores and brings Shalom or wholeness to the individual and those in the
circle.

The texts for this Sunday explain God’s attitude towards the sick and his purpose in afflicting
with sickness at times.

The narrative of God’s demonstration of healing virtue in and through Moses in Ex. 4: 10-17
is, firstly, to lead him to dedicate himself to God’s mission. Secondly, to redeem God’s
people from Egypt, and finally, to overpower the social, political, cultural and religious
powers in and of Egypt.

The essence in the Psalm 103: 1-10 is healing in its wholeness, from sin, the eternal
damnation and weariness.

The healing of the Person with congenital visual impairment by Jesus in St.John 9:1-10 is,
firstly to reverse the disorders that are naturally acquired by/from birth. Secondly, to restore
him to the mainstream of social and religious life, and finally to overturn the doctrines of sin-
sicknes.

St Paul’s experience of perennial sickness in 2 Cor. 12: 1-10 asserts the truth that there are
sicknesses that are permanent. In such a situation, what is underlined is the ever abiding
accompanying grace and the presence of Christ.

Having reflected on the prescribed texts, taking the current context into consideration, healing
can be received through many ways. We must accept the truth that it is the same healing God
that has made provisions for God’s healing virtue to flow through many channels. Therefore,
accessing the healing virtue of God is our prerogative.

The mandate on our Church is to become God’s Channel of healing presence and touch. We
as the body of Christ shoulder the responsibility to render our Accompanying Presence to the
sick. When sickness is permanent, it becomes the responsibility of both the family as well as
the church to accept the person and accompany him/her with the compassion of Christ.
Soothing words and empathetic presence can bring inner healing that is visible only to the
afflicted.

Mr. John Samadhanam,

DISHA, CSI-SEVA.
 February 15, 2016, Monday

Stephen the first Martyr

II Chronicles 24: 17-22 Psalm 31: 1-5

Acts 7: 51-60 Matt. 10: 16-22

Collect: Almighty God, who gave to your servant, deacon Stephen boldness to confess the
name of our saviour Jesus Christ and courage to die for his faith; grant that we also may be
ready to give an answer for the faith that is in us and to suffer gladly for the sake of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
for ever. Amen.

Introduction:

In the early history of the church, from the 1st century of the Christian era to the present time
persecution and martyrdom are central to the experience of Christianity. The people of faith
have suffered persecution in different form as a result of their faith. They shine as bright
light in the darkness of this world. As Tertullian observed, ‘the blood of the martyr is the
seed of the church’. The word “Martyr” is a transliteration of the Greek word for “Witness”.
The martyrs have borne witness to “Jesus Christ” (Rev.1:5) by their lives and by their deaths.
Stephen has the distinction of being the first to ever sacrifice his life for the cause of Christ.
So he is known as the first Christian martyr of early church. As Jesus said that you will be
my witnesses….. to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8), we are called to be a true witness in this
world for Christ. Let us discuss the characteristics of a true witness through the life and
witness of Stephen.

Stephen was one of the seven chosen by the early Christian church to deal with a dispute over
the distribution of food to the needy and poor widows, while the apostles devoted themselves
for their spiritual tasks of prayer and securing the word (Acts 6:1-6). He was chosen for
having good reputation among the people.

1. Stephen the braver defender of faith

Stephen was known for his great and unshakable faith (Acts 6:5). James 2:17 says that faith
by itself, if it has no work, is dead. So faith with work is the fundamental characteristic of a
true witness. Stephen was not only exercising his faith by working for the poor and needy
but also defended his faith courageously even as the stones were crushing his body. Nothing
could stop the witness and faith of Stephen. His commitment to Christ was unwavering and
his devotion was unending. According to Matt. 10:22, “the one who endures to the end will
be saved”, Stephen fought a good fight, finished his race and kept his faith till the end of his
life in the midst of suffering and saw the glory of God.

2. Stephen the powerful proclaimer of the word of God

Stephen came to know Christ through Peter the apostle. Though he had not seen Jesus Christ,
he knew the one in whom he had put his trust. So boldly he spoke to the world around him
through his dynamic proclamation of the God’s word. In Luke 21:15, Christ promised his
followers, “For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to
withstand or contradict”. He did that just with Stephen. Stephen preached a longest sermon
in which he charged the so called leaders of high council of Sanhedrin the Scribes and
Pharisees for persecuting the prophets of God that had been sent to them just as their fathers.
Stephen went on to say ‘you have betrayed and murdered the Messiah too, because you are
deaf to God’s message of coming of Messiah, though you had a great privilege of receiving
God’s Law, yet you have not obeyed it’. As Stephen let us raise our voice against the existing
problems of money, power and positions which dominates and corrupts the holiness of the
church today and challenge the church to take stand as a true witness for Christ in this world.

3. Stephen the forgiver of persecutors

To err is human, to forgive is divine. While the Jewish leaders gnashing their teeth and
stoning against Stephen to death, he looked into the Lord as he was dying. And he prayed for
them and for their forgiveness, just like Christ had done on the cross. Stephen had the heart of
forgiveness because of the Holy Spirit that filled his heart with God’s love. Stephen
confidently faced his end, and committed his spirit into the hands of God and received the
crown of glory as promised in Rev.2:10.

Conclusion:

Stephen lived a short life and made great impact on Christianity through his life and witness
for Christ. After his death the gospel scattered into the ends of the world. So let us recall the
Stephen’s unwavering faith, powerful message and the heart of forgiving enemies, and
recommit ourselves to do God’s ministry effectively.

Rev. Pramila
CSI Coimbatore Diocese
 February 21, 2016, Sunday

2nd Sunday in Lent

Releasing from the Burden of Sin

2 Sam.12:1-14 Psalm 32
Acts 8: 9-25 Mark. 2:1-12
Eve.Lev.16:29-34 John.1: 29-34

Collect: Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known and from whom no
secrets are hid, grant that being regenerated, we may daily be renewed to present our bodies
as a living sacrifice, holy acceptable to you, which is our spiritual worship, through Jesus
Christ the Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God now and for ever
more. Amen.

The act of true introspection and confession, in the light of God and victimized human
(cosmic) agencies, commences the journey of “the self” to be released from the clutches of
sin. This journey engages in faith dynamics and its correlativity between the subjectivity and
the objectivity with the discipline of doing “theology”. “Theos” becoming the center of
“Demos” and “Demos” becoming the apex of “Theos’ is the essence of Christology and this
mystic reality is overwhelmed at the CROSS of Jesus. “Amartia” the Greek word for sin,
means “missing the way of the mark”; i.e. missing God’s way or God’s will which webs in
the just and equal life for all men and women with mutual respect and mutual consensus. The
un-even socio economic political and cultural world systems explicit the multiple
predicaments in the life of individuals and particularly in the pathos of the margins of every
society. Most of the time we rustle with “God’s Will” and misunderstand it with our own
vested interests and aspirations. The parochialistic and imperialistic ideologies always contest
with the’ Will of God’ (which is good, righteous and love (Romans 12-1, 2)). “Turning to
GOD’ is the constant call God to human kind to visualize his purpose of creation to live in
peace and justice with its totality. Even though God is a God of Individuals his care and
concerns accepts every one equally in his folder of fellowship and celebration with its cosmic
plurality, dignifying the uniqueness of all creation and denying the monopoly of the
powerful. Thus we Pray” Thine is thy Kingdom power and Glory” Amen!

The act of adultery by KING David coasted a life of his own devoted loyalist; Uriah, and
exploited Uriah’s Wife Bathsheba, a voiceless and a powerless woman, and killed an
innocent new born child, as an aftermath of his own immoral and unethical attitudes. When
we microscope the cause of decease of the infant on the psychological accounts, the
possibility of hermeneutics suggest the Phobia of the mother, (on the king was the murderer
and an exploiter) would have caused it. This periscope translates the operation of power and
authority of an irresponsible king and his extreme abuse of authority blined the life of a Good
Committed, Sincere Citizen.

“Authority matters”, per se the prophetic voice of Nathan “ YOU ARE THE MAN” reveals
the Condemnation of God to David and to all those who abuse power. For, leadership is
nothing but the cohesive authorization of people (Majority who exercise their franchise) in a
democratic set up to govern with true values of care and cooperation for one other for their
welfare. Even though democracy is a government of, by and for the people, the
representatives (the legal proxies), square them like monarchs is an ongoing challenge. This
story dictates how women are being subjugated by “the Powerful” and also the death of
Infant, previewing the dangerous lifelessness for the future generation when power being
abused.

Everyone has a power and authority at different realms, but the common demand for a
theological praxis is setting our faith trajectories, in depowering the negative constructs such
as hatred culture, pessimistic attitudes, jealousy, pride, ultimate individualism, selfishness,
etc. and to forward the obligatory agenda for all, by introspecting our usage of our power in
building healthy relationship to realize the presence of the Body OF CHRIST. The Immediate
options to care and empower the marginalized and the transformation from the roots of Self
will be the an exuberating act of spirituality during lent.

Acts 8:4-8 reveal that there is overwhelming joy to the individuals and people around when a
person is healed and also released from the burden of Sin. Simeon the magician’s episode
reminds that when a person sins, he/she looses the spirit of God. “Repent, therefore, of this
wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.
For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity (v.22 & 25) indicate
the burden of the guilt of sin which not only calls for the wroth of God but also points to the
necessity of repentance. Gospel portion Mt.2:1-12 is a clear evidence to the fact that God
helps those who seek him sincerely from sinning. God would rather like us to be partners
with him in serving the needy and protecting his creation than being partners with the wicked.
Let us strive for the joy that comes from the redemption and being partners with God.

Rev Abidhananthar John

CSI Madras Diocese
STM student at Union Theological Seminary
 February 28, 2016, Sunday

Acknowledging Faith beyond Boundaries

Isa.44:28-45: 8 Psalm 125
Acts. 10:24-33 Matt.15:21-28
Eve. Dan.6:19-28 Luk.7:1-10

Collect: Merciful God, we thank you that you have created the entire cosmos and you are
ever so gracious to all that you have made. Help us to understand your abiding love in the
lives of all people so that we may affirm the dignity of life, through the love of Jesus Christ
our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God world without end.
Amen.

Boundaries are set and created. Boundaries can be altered or removed. Often the boundaries
are created to make divisions within, among, and beyond relationship or dealings with
people, nations and so on. Acknowledging something, which is beyond the boundaries, can
be blissful or doom. However, it has to be shaken and removed in order to experience what
had been hidden behind it. Faith is the essence of belief. Bible is full of faith experiences of
people, nations, and groups. Finding faith within the boundaries is an easy task whereas,
finding faith beyond boundaries is a courageous act; it calls for attention, proof and
credibility before it is acknowledged and affirmed. The theme given for today’s meditation is
a call, an invitation, or a challenge to acknowledge faith beyond the boundaries. The act of
acknowledging involves a conscious effort to see, understand, and affirm things in a different
way. Jesus’ ministry involved recognizing and responding people, cultures, and nations
beyond the boundaries. Christians, the followers of Jesus Christ are called to emulate Jesus’
model of acknowledging faith beyond boundaries in order to make the Kingdom of God
realized here on earth. Acknowledging faith beyond the boundaries involves the following:

1. Affirming God’s works in faith beyond the boundaries. (Isa. 44: 28 - 45: 1-8)

The Old Testament passage foretells of the favors God designed for his people, the Israel
long before they went into captivity. These favors are definite although it involves great
difficulties in the way of their deliverance from captivity. By Divine power, all the
difficulties were removed. The Deliverer of his people from the captivity is appointed or
chosen by God. In the passage, we read that the Spirit of the King Cyrus of Persia was
‘Stirred up by the Lord’ so that he liberated the people of Israel, who were then in exile in
Babylon and enabled them to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple and the city of
Jerusalem (Ezra. 1:1). King Cyrus was called as ‘God’s anointed’, he was designed and
qualified for this greatest service by the Spirit of God, though he was not a Jew. It was the
greatest honor to be employed as instruments of the divine favor.

As we read the Chapter 45:1-8, it unfurls the divine design that God had made for the
deliverance of His people Israel. The gates of Babylon that led to the river were left open that
the King Cyrus marched his army into the empty channel. The Lord went before him,
showing the way to the cities to be besieged. He gave his treasures, which had been hidden,
in secret places. The important truth to be noted here is, the God who used King Cyrus as an
instrument in his Divine Design is true God who the King Cyrus not know, yet did God
foreknew him and called him by his name. The exact fulfillment of the prophecy enabled
Cyrus to know and affirm that Jehovah was the only true God and it was for the sake of
God’s people Israel, King Cyrus had been prospered What we need to learn is that, God
works out His plan for His people, one of the ways could be through secular leaders who had
nothing to do with the faith of the people or the church. In the great deliverance story of
Israel from the Pharaoh’s bondage, God through his mighty works enabled both the children
of Israel and the enemy-Pharaoh and his people to understand that God is above all. Human
beings are called to acknowledge God’s mighty and mysterious ways and have faith in him.
Acknowledging Faith or God’s works always involved crossing religious, cultural and
physical boundaries. Unless one goes beyond these boundaries, it is not possible to
acknowledge the best behind it. In this passage, the Israel was called to do this act of faith,
trusting God and God’s works beyond the boundaries for His people. Exo.14: 13-14 says “be
still and know that I am the Lord.” This slogan led Israel from the Pharaoh’s bondage into the
Promised Land and from the Babylonian captivity into liberated life in Christ through Jesus
the redeemer. As the faithful, it is our responsibility to affirm God’s works in the midst of the
cross - cultural boundaries with faith and have courage to discern the divine design for our
lives and for the Church on the Earth in order to experience the liberative salvation in Jesus
Christ to all who come to Him in faith. Faith crosses the boundaries with courage and
confidence and experiences happiness and deliverance.

2. Responding to the challenges in a creative manner (Acts. 10: 23-33)

The Epistle reading talks about the fact that God’s attitude to people is not determined by any
external criteria. The intension of separation between clean and unclean is to uphold the
identity of Jewish religion and community. Thus, the social contact between Jews and Non-
Jews ceased to exist. Therefore, Peter in his address says it is unlawful for the Jew to
associate with other nation (Vs. 28). The charge brought against Paul was that “he also
brought Gentiles into the temple and has defiled this holy place. (21:28). Jesus consistently
kept hostile towards such racial approach sanctioned by religion; hence the Jewish authorities
came in conflict with Jesus. (Luke. 4: 26-27; 6: 1-11; 11: 37).

On the other hand, Jesus always emphasized that it is not the ritual cleanliness that is
important but moral sensitivity, ethical life and social justice are required. Through the vision
at Joppa, the Holy Spirit led Peter to grasp the fullness of truth. There is nothing naturally
unclean in the world created by God and sanctified by the incarnation of Jesus Christ. No
man or people are ritually impure, unclean, or defiled. By the vision and the guidance of the
Holy Spirit, Peter confirms the conviction of his inner consciousness. All human beings are
created by God and in the image of God and are bestowed with divine grace.

At the same time, Cornelius being a non-Jew, invited Peter, the Jew to his home and it was a
challenge posed to Peter by a gentile. What did Peter do? When the messengers of Cornelius
were at the door, knowing the Jewish viewpoint, they did not go further, but Peter asked them
to come in and gave them hospitality (vs. 23) When Peter came to Caesarea, Cornelius met
him at the door and Peter came in (vs. 27) by accepting each other amazingly the barriers
were transcended. Thus, a new society in Christ was created based on the truth that ‘God does
not show favoritism’ (vs. 34). It was possible to Peter, the early church leader, because of his
faith in Jesus Christ and the lesson that God taught him through the vision that the Lord is the
Lord of all cultures. We as the Church has no liberty to make distinction based on anything
because God does not make distinctions. Today the distinction between clean and unclean has
crept into the tradition of the Christian churches also. It distorts the Christian understanding
of humanity. The Christian churches are not entirely free from color prejudices, nationalism,
casteism, social and cultural snobbery, sexism and so on. In such context, Peter’s vision at
Joppa is a classic example and yet plays a decisive role. God saw the world he created is
good; so all that is in it is good and recreated in Jesus Christ. God accepts all who fear him
and do what is right. This we need to promote to the grassroots of the society and the church
so that the purpose of new community created in Christ through the redemption is realized
(Col. 3:11; Gal. 3:15). God accepts all who fears him and be righteous and do justice, such
attitude has to be inculcated in our minds and accept and enjoy the privilege of being children
of God.

3. Honoring faith that is beyond the Boundaries (Mt. 15: 21-28)

The Gospel reading affirms how Christ blessed a woman, healing her demon possessed
daughter instantaneously. God honored her faith in Christ. The faith of this woman of
different tradition was expressed in three verses Mt. 15: 22, 25 & 27, where she addressed
Jesus as Lord in spite of the discouraging response for her “cry” to heal her demon possessed
daughter. Faith crossed boundaries and in faith, she came to Jesus pleading to heal her
daughter. The heathen and a Canaanite woman crossed the boundaries of Jewish religion and
their claim as chosen people; pleaded Jesus the master of Jews to heal her daughter. Jesus’
disciples wanted to turn away and get rid of her but Lord Jesus emphasized that he has come
to help the lost. However, the woman with persistent faith pleaded for and in other words, she
demanded for help though she does not belong to inner circle. Finally, Jesus honored her
unwavering faith healed her daughter and restored peace in her family. Jesus’ ministry
primarily hinged on the release of people from all bondages, diseases, and release from evil
spirit and then only he preached about the Kingdom of God. (Luke. 4: 18-20). This healing
stands as a clear example for the fact that ethnicity does not constitute God’s people but it is
the believing (Gentiles) people who are included in God’s purposes. Here Jesus did not send
disciples or insiders out in mission, but brought an outsider and thereby created an ethnically
mixed community. Thus, Jesus worked as an agent of God’s blessing for this Gentile woman.

The Church is far away to recognizing and honoring the faith that is beyond the boundaries in
its fuller sense. India is a secular country where different faiths exists and flourish but as the
followers of Jesus Christ, we need to be aware of and open to the needs of the people
irrespective of their faith backgrounds. It is to acknowledge our diversities and stay united
even with our differences. We are called to spread this fragrance of friendship across all
barriers. Let us realize that we are nothing without the other.

Rev. Bethel Krupa Victor,

CSI Karimnagar Diocese.
 March 06, 2016, Sunday

Transforming the oppressive Structures

Nahum 1:1-15 Psalm 113
Acts 4:32- 37 Luk.13:10-17
Eve. Isa. 1:10-20 Luk.14:15-24

Collect: God of Order and justice, we adore you that in your abundant wisdom you have
created the world and helped us to create various social, political, economic systems to
sustain the creation and make life beautiful. Grant us your wisdom to identify and transform
structures that destroy the wellbeing of people; the peace of the world and wholeness of your
creation, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit
now and for ever. Amen.

Introduction: the present humanity faces many challenges as new forms of oppressive
structures emerge and oppress the humanity. These oppressive structures creep into the
church and the society, in various forms and the oppressed community many times fail to
recognize these oppressive forces. Such is the challenge that is set before us. In order to
understand and know about the oppressive structures, the following definitions and forms of
oppression have been

Iris Young states in his article “Five faces of oppression: that oppression is the exercise of
tyranny by a ruling group. Oppression creates injustice in other circumstances as well. People
are not always oppressed by cruel tyrants with bad intentions. In many cases, a well-
intentioned liberal society can place system-wide constraints on groups and limit their
freedom. Oppression can be the result of a few people’s choices or policies that cause
embedded unquestioned norms, habits, and symbols. These societal rules can become a
restrictive structure of forces and barriers that immobilize and reduce a group or category of
people. In other words, oppression is when people make other people less human. This could
mean treating them in a dehumanizing manner. But, it could also mean denying people
language, education, and other opportunities that might make them become fully human in
both mind and body. People should be free to pursue life plans in their own way. Oppressive
forces seek to diminish those plans and thus those people as well.

There are five “faces” or types of oppression namely: violence, exploitation, marginalization,
powerlessness, and cultural imperialism. In the light of above definition and forms of
oppressions, let us look at today’s scripture portions to see how the Triune God intended to
transform the oppression structures and invite us to be partners with Him.

I. God The Liberator Against The Oppressive Structure Of Assyria: Nahum 1:1-15

The oppressive structure of Assyria: Here we clearly observe that the kingdom of Assyria
which was at the height of its glory under their king Ashurbanipal. The Assyrian Empire was
known for its cruelty. "Judged from the vaunting inscriptions of her kings, no power more
useless, more savage, more terrible, ever cast its gigantic shadow on the page of history as it
passed on the way to ruin. The kings of Assyria tormented the miserable world. They exult to
record how 'space failed for corpses'; how unsparing a destroyer is their goddess Ishtar; how
they flung away the bodies of soldiers like so much clay; how they made pyramids of human
heads; how they burned cities; how they filled populous lands with death and devastation;
how they reddened broad deserts with carnage of warriors; how they scattered whole
countries with the corpses of their defenders as with chaff; how they impaled 'heaps of men'
on stakes, and strewed the mountains and choked rivers with dead bones; how they cut off the
hands of kings and nailed them on the walls, and left their bodies to rot with bears and dogs
on the entrance gates of cities; how they employed nations of captives in making brick in
fetters; how they cut down warriors like weeds, or smote them like wild beasts in the forests,
and covered pillars with the flayed skins of rival monarchs." (Farrar, The Minor Prophets, pp.
147-148)

While the above describes the fate of the oppressed, the God of liberation and justice stood
against the oppressive structure of Assyria, Ashurbanipal who boasted himself as Lion and
beast master, judgment was pronounced against his reign and his kingdom and now there was
no scope of repentance as it was during the time of Jonah.

Prophet Nahum prophesizes against Assyria: in 3: 1, 4.

“Ah! City of bloodshed, utterly deceitful, full of booty-no end to the plunder”, Because of the
countless debaucheries of the prostitute, gracefully alluring, mistress of sorcery, who
enslaves nations through her debaucheries and people through sorcery”.

God proclaims liberation for the oppressed: Nahum 1: 15

“Look! On the mountains the feet of one who brings good tidings, who proclaims peace!
Celebrate your festivals, O Judah, fulfill your vows, for never shall the wicked invade you,
they are utterly cut off”.

II. Jesus Christ: The epitome of Transformation of the Oppressive Structure: Luke
13: 10-17:

The two books of the Bible Luke and Acts, whose author is the same, give us a vivid picture
of the intention of writing both the books. On one hand it encapsulates the prophetic
proclamation and on the other hand actualizes fulfillment through the incarnation, vision and
mission of Jesus Christ and transformation of oppressive structures.

This particular passage deals with powerful words of Jesus Christ: Vs 12 “Set free”, and Vs
15 “Hypocrites”, Here we clearly observe that Jesus Christ was redefining the very structure
of synagogues which have been misused by Jewish leaders for their own selfish authority. He
calls them “hypocrites” who in the name of religion oppressed poor people. The message
that Jesus Christ gave was the value of human life, especially that of the poor, needy,
suffering, the marginalized sections of the society. He was the lover of humanity. Always
sided the victims of exploitation, powerless, marginalized, silenced, victims of violence, He
said you are “set free” from every bondage that “bound” them. Jesus Christ also redefines
that whoever bind any human being from their full functioning and oppress them, they are not
of God.

The result was vs. 17 “when he said this, all His opponents were put to shame; and the entire
crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing”

III. Holy Spirit, The Conscientizer : Making Us Instruments Of Transformation:

Acts 4:32-37:

The book of Acts is popularly known as the book of Holy Spirit, as it deals and emphasizes
and explains the work of the Holy Spirit and the transformation of believers and making them
instruments of transformation. The present passage deals exactly with this notion. A group of
people whose life together is so radically different, so completely changed from the way the
world builds a community. Karl Marx claimed that “Nearly every human attitude and action
could be traced to economic sources”. Luke was not a Marxist, but he was enough of realist
to know that there is a good chance that “where our possessions are our hearts will also be”.1

Four important things we observe as a result of conscientizing, which leads to transformation.

Vs. 32a. Unity in mind and heart.

Vs. 32b. Sharing of their possessions.
Vs. 33a. Power and witness of the Apostles.
Vs. 33b. The grace of God, which rested upon them.
As a result Vs. 34-35. There was no needy person among.
Thus, the Holy Spirit, in conscientizing every believer enabled them to be active instruments
of transformation. Barnabas, (Acts-11:23-24) is a good example of becoming an instrument
of transformation who conscientized every believer of their role and responsibility in standing
against the oppressive structures for transformation. Today, it is our turn to become an
instrument in the hands of Triune God to confront the social structures that create or
perpetuate oppressive conditions; and how we can transform them.

Rev. P. Solomon Raj

CSI Medak Diocese
[UTC, Bangalore]
 March 13, 2016, Sunday

Passion Sunday

Cross and a New Paradigm to Discipleship

Gen.26:12-33 Psalm 92
2 Cor.11:21-31 Mk 10: 46-52
Eve. Mic.6:6-8 I Cor.1:18-31

Collect: God our perfect model, we thank you for choosing us as your disciples and also
assuring to be with us. Help us to serve you worthy of our calling and bear the cross like
Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit now and for ever.
Amen.

“When we walk without the cross,

When we build without the cross and
When we proclaim Christ without the cross,
We are not disciples of the Lord. We are worldly.
We may be bishops, priests, cardinals, popes, all of this,
But we are not disciples of the Lord.” – Pope Francis

‘Cross,’ up to the time of Jesus never formed the basis for discipleship. But the ‘cross of
Jesus’, had tremendous impact upon the whole notion of discipleship and has offered the
same, a new paradigm. In Christian theological understanding, ‘cross’ having largely
associated with Jesus and his passion, precisely symbolizes the set of attitudes and actions
practiced by Jesus during his life as well as at the time of his suffering and death. This
metaphor expresses most clearly the foundational paradigm to which God has intended every
disciple to be conformed. Discipleship, thus, requires our focusing on and being conformed to
these attitudes and actions exemplified in the life of Jesus. This is of paramount importance in
following Jesus or in becoming like him, which is at the heart of discipleship. Therefore,
‘cross’ provides a new paradigm to discipleship. One who employs this paradigm would be
able to experience discipleship and “carry the cross.” This paradigm calls for a transformation
of personality, attitudes and perspectives towards the form of cross. This formative
transformation can be termed as ‘cruciform discipleship’. Apart from the indications of
‘form,’ ‘cruciform’ is to be taken into the sense of action, which would inspire one to practice
discipleship with crucified attitudes in his/her everyday realities. ‘Cruciform discipleship’ in
fact is a paradigm put into practice by Jesus and which he exhorts his disciples to observe.
Disciple (‘mathetes’) means; adherent, student, or apprentice. According to Greek-English
Lexicon of the New Testament, Disciple is a person, “who is constantly associated with
someone who has a pedagogical reputation or a particular set of views.” That means, the
disciple is a person, who engages constantly in learning through instructions from a teacher,
and practices those in his/her life. Therefore, cruciform discipleship involves constant
learning under Jesus, the teacher, and uninterrupted following of those teachings. From the
given Old Testament passage, we may further explore ‘cruciform discipleship’ in the light of
the life of Isaac, who was identified by his neighbours as a person of divine favour due to his
exemplary life.
Cruciform Discipleship: A life-affirming Model

The events depicted in Gen.26:12-33 portrays Isaac as a person with ‘life-affirming attitudes,
compared to those of the people lived around him. Gerar (means “halting place”) was a
Philistine city on the southern edge of Palestine, near Gaza (Gen. 26:1; 2 Chr. 14:13).The city
had a prosperous period in Middle Bronze Age, the age of the Patriarchs. However, the valley
of Gerar, being part of the wilderness area of the Negev, was not a fertile land, which
received only between 75 and 150 mm of rainfall yearly. Therefore, when forced to move
into the valley, not feasible for agriculture, Isaac would have shifted his attention from
agriculture to cattle rearing. Also, they had to find water sources for survival that brought the
herders of Gerar in confrontation with Isaac’s herders. Isaac, in response, did not retaliate.
But moved on, giving away the disputed wells to the Philistine herders. This happened more
than once and later they did not quarrel, and later, their king Abimelech visits Isaac on a
peace mission and made a covenant with him.

The standards exhibited by Isaac in this episode is one of life-affirming discipleship. Water
being a life-sustaining, natural resource, needs to be considered as a common property. Isaac,
by reclaiming the closed wells, recovered the sources of life; by digging new wells, revealed
new sources of life; and by giving them away freely, retained the access to the sources of
water to the Philistines, the people of the land. Discipleship is a call to reclaim, recover,
reveal, retain, open-up, and share or give away the sources of life to the people in need.
Isaac’s life-affirming actions were at the cost of his own resources and reputation. In a world,
marked by consumerism, individualism and privatization; practicing cruciform discipleship,
characterized by life-affirming life-style is a real challenge. If we are blessed, it is only to
become a blessing to many around us.

Cruciform Discipleship: A life-transforming Model

Along with life affirming attitudes, Isaac assumes life-transforming aspect too as part of
cruciform discipleship. Isaac, when moved to the valley of Gerar, the major challenge before
him was to find water to sustain his life. The Hebrew word naḥal, used here to refer Negev
means ‘a dry stream-bed,’ a “wadi,” which remains dry except during rainy seasons.
Maintaining its cross-reference to the Abraham saga (Gen. 26:1, 15), the text mentions that
Isaac reopened the wells Abraham had dug. The story then turns to the discovery of a new
well (v. 19), a well of “living water” (mayimḥayyim). This presumably refers to flowing
water, perhaps an artesian well, as differentiated from the stagnant pond that might exist in a
dry streambed. Artesian well is drilled through the strata of solid rocks into strata that receive
water from a higher altitude. The third time, when they dug the well, there was no dispute and
Isaac named it ‘Rehoboth’ (v.22). The word means “plazas” and as the name of a place, it
means “spacious place.” Also, the name Beʹer-sheʹba means “well of the oath,” where Isaac
enters into the peace treaty with Abimelech. That is, when Isaac was forced to move away
due to dispute on water, each time Isaac could reach to more spacious and better place and
finally settled at a peaceful place of running water. Running water symbolizes transformation
as there would be constant dynamic changes to the places through which the water flows. A
cruciform disciple is called not to become stagnant by clinging on to places or positions that
could bring disputes; but to move on to be dynamic like the running water and bring
transformations into the lives of people, to whom he/she comes in contact with.

Cruciform Discipleship: A life-linking Model

The narrative uses the well as a symbol of linking, which links the nature, animals and
humans. This well in the Negev, dug by Isaac (Gen 26:22),“could serve as a paradigm for the
relationship between agriculturalists and pastoralists, or nomads and the state, in the 2ndand
1stmillennia B.C.” (Matthews 1986: 123–24). The well becomes a symbol of linking people
and building relationship. Linking is a pro-life attitude. The narrative affirms the life-giving
aspect of the water and the God-given reality of the natural resources. Isaac, by allowing
access to the sources he had already found, explores new possibilities of water to connect
people and build relationships. It also can be seen as affirming the right to access the sources
of life beyond boundaries. In allowing the Philistine pastoral community and their herds to
use the wells, Isaac humbles himself to be an instrument of God; assigned with the
responsibility to find and share the sources of transformation. Further, this action extends to
transforming relationships between the creation and the creatures. Isaac, being an
agriculturalist and a pastoralist, could figure out the essentiality of water in life. The
cruciform discipleship affirms the life-linking relationship between the nature, animals, and
humans and explicate that any one of these cannot exist without the other.

Conclusion:

Isaac exemplified higher values of sharing, caring, giving away and moving on and that
brought him the reputed status in life. The Philistine king Abimelech said “We see plainly
that the Lord has been with you” (v28). Living in a world that promotes the life-negating
realities of envy, anger, intolerance, disputes, individualism, possessiveness; we are called to
be life-transforming cruciform disciples.

Rev. Anilal M. Jose

CSI South Kerala Diocese
 March 20, 2016, Sunday

Palm Sunday

Hosanna: Lord Save Us

Zech. 9:1-12 Psalm 118:19-29
I Tim.4:6-16 Lk.19:29-40
Eve. Ps.24 John.12:12-19

Collect: Almighty God, we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ who marched triumphantly
into Jerusalem as the Lamb of God and Saviour of the world amidst the shouts of hosannas.
In this world of sadness and sorrow give us the confidence to triumph over the evil, and stand
by those who call for salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God world without end. Amen.

Palm Sunday is one of the most important days in the Christian calendar. It is the Sunday
before Easter, and marks the beginning of Holy Week, the week of events leading to the
death of Jesus. On this day, we commemorate the Triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into
Jerusalem. This is the first time in all the gospel narratives that Jesus allows himself to be
elevated.

Every year when we celebrate the Palm Sunday, we remember the joyful shouts of the people
who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem, “Hosanna; blessed is He that comes in the name of the
Lord” (Mt. 21:9, Mk. 11:9-10, Lk. 19: 38 and Jn. 12:13). Even as we celebrate today, we
shout joyfully ‘Hosanna’ which is not only a joyous shout of victory but a cry of great
anticipation for the deliverance from the socio, political and religious bondage. It is a cry of
hope for salvation. Today as we celebrate the Palm Sunday, our joyous shouts of Hosannas
must be a cry for peace in this world of conflicts; a cry for liberation in this society that
neglects, alienates and oppresses the weak; and a cry for spiritual renewal.

Hosanna: Lord, save us from the world of war and conflicts (Zechariah 9: 1-12)

The book of Zechariah was written during the efforts of people to return to rebuild the
Temple, which had been destroyed by the Babylonians. People were living in conditions
where there was no peace at all. The exile was ended, people returned to Jerusalem but things
were not restored to their original state. The reminiscences of war and captivity were still
afresh in their memory.

The above words form a prayer by Zechariah while the remaining verses are part of his
prophesy to the post-exilic community. It was to assure the people of God that the Lord will
establish His kingdom by judging the nations and by bringing peace in Jerusalem. It was to
promise that in spite of the nation’s lowly position, a Deliverer will bring a time of ultimate
blessing of salvation. This salvation will be achieved not by war or conflicts but by the
absolute Peace. This coming king is righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey (v. 9, NIV). Zechariah’s promise goes on to say that all the
apparatus of war will be removed. Messiah’s rule will not be established by physical force, or
maintained by military defenses. He will extend this peace to the entire world, teaching the
heathen to receive his spiritual rule, to compose their differences, to lay aside their arms, and
live as one united family.
These people of Jerusalem were also perturbed or upset by the constant hostilities between
Romans and the radical groups of Israel mostly, the Zealots. As they were welcoming the
Messiah with shouts of Hosanna, it was their inward cry to be saved from the world of war
and conflicts and to have a life filled with peace and salvation. Even today, as the weapons of
destruction continue to negate God’s purposes of creation, let us pray Hosanna!!! Lord, save
us.

Hosanna: Lord, save us from the Oppressive Structures of the society (St. Luke 19:29-40)

A palm branch in Jewish culture is a symbol of rejoicing and in Roman culture a symbol of
victory. It is said that the early Christians used the palm branch to symbolize the victory of
the faithful over the enemies of their souls. Christian martyrs are usually shown holding a
palm branch/leaf as a holy attribute, representing the victory of spirit over flesh.

The crowd who welcomed Jesus was well acquainted with his words and deeds. They were
the people living as colonials of the Roman Empire and many of them were being oppressed,
alienated and out casted by the socio-political and religious structures of that day. They were
seeking a Messiah or savior who, according to their understanding, would bring them
spiritual renewal and political freedom from centuries of foreign oppression and currently
from the Roman Empire. When they found Jesus as a powerful personality of the time, they
welcomed him with shouts of joy holding the branches of palms which symbolize their
anticipated victory. Even as we celebrate the Palm Sunday today we shout Hosanna joyfully
with a hope to be delivered and to be victorious from all kinds of social, political and
religious oppressive structures that treat us as outcastes and untouchables. Hosanna!!! Lord,
save us.

Hosanna: Lord, Save Us from Inappropriate Spirituality

Along with His disciples, the villagers from Bethany and the citizens of Jerusalem, there were
also many pilgrims who had come up to the feast from different parts the Roman Empire and
had participated in this procession of welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem. Those were the people
who came to worship the Lord in the Temple. But they were definitely disappointed by the
religious practices that were made by the so-called religious leaders of that time. Religion
was completely materialized. Access to God was made possible only on the basis of the
sacrifices and coins that were exchanged and offered in the temple. It was almost difficult for
a poor family to offer the annual sacrifices. God already told them that he is not pleased with
their sacrifices (Isaiah 1:11&12, Jeremiah 7:21).

It was the expectation of the People who welcomed Jesus that he should come and reform the
defiled religion and build a spiritual temple. Paul also expected the same thing when he was
writing to Timothy saying “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for
all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1Timothy 4:8).
Even to the Church in Sardis, the Apostle John writes, “you have the reputation of being alive
but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die…” (Rev. 3:1-2).
Today, it is expected of us that we may raise from inappropriate spirituality and be revived in
spirit to serve God and people faithfully. Hosanna!!! Lord, save us.

Conclusion
Celebrating Palm Sunday is not just about shouting with joy and enthusiasm but it has
something to do with the inward cry of the people who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem. Their
shouts of Hosanna were the shouts of appeal for holistic Salvation. Even as we welcome
Jesus into our churches and lives, may His triumphal entry give us Peace in our lives filled
with conflicts, deliverance from the oppressive structures, and spiritual renewal in the context
of materialism. As we shout Hosanna, we make our appeal to Him, “Lord, save us”.

Rev. Dileep Kumar Kandula

Krishna-Godavari (Costal Andhra) Diocese
 March 24, 2016, Thursday

Maundy Thursday

Eucharist: Communion of Suffering Humanity

Ex. 12:1-7 Psalm 116
I Cor.11:23-34 Mk.14:17-25

Collect: Holy God, we thank you for your son who is the Bread of life and the blood of new
covenant. We thank you for the holy table which symbolizes the transformative power of
your sacrifice. Equip us with your Holy Spirit to weave the threads of harmony and
communion with all the suffering humanity and creation as we partake in your Eucharistic
meal, through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one
God, now and for ever. Amen.

“He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him
to life on the last day.” (John 6:54)

INTRODUCTION: Mark vividly explains the sequence of what happened on

the night Jesus was betrayed. It was in the evening that Jesus came with his
disciples and when they sat and were eating he told them that one of them
would betray him. The disciples were perturbed and each one asked Jesus if it
were he. Jesus revealed that it would be the one who dips his bread in the cup
with him. Sad mood prevailed among the disciples. During this time Jesus
instituted the Lord’s Supper by sharing with his disciples the bread and the wine
symbolizing his flesh and blood.

St. Paul calls us to meaningfully partake in the Lord’s Supper. He states: “For if
he does not recognize the meaning of the Lord’s body when he eats the bread
and drinks from the cup, he brings judgment on himself as he eats and drinks.”
(I Cor. 11:29). Therefore let us set our minds to understand the performance of
Jesus in instituting the Lord’s Supper.

Mark writes: “While they were eating, Jesus took a piece of bread, gave a
prayer of thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, ‘Take it’, he said, ‘this is
my body’.” (Mark 14:22)

The breaking of the bread is already taken to be the symbol of the broken body
of Jesus Christ. Jesus is seen to be identifying himself with the suffering, with
the broken, with the marginalized for He said: “the son of man has come to seek
and save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10).

The lost are the suffering lot, the broken ones, and those who are living a life of
hopelessness. The broken bread, which is the broken body of Jesus Christ
relates itself to all that is broken in this world, created by God and is in need of
redemption.

1. Jesus identified himself with the suffering animals: “Then, on the evening
of the fourteenth day of the month, the whole community of Israel will
 kill the animals.” (Exod. 12:6). Eating the Passover meal with the
disciples Jesus identified himself with the suffering animals. Suffering of
the animals for no reason of theirs. John the Baptist rightly pointed to
Jesus saying: “Behold the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the
world.” (John 1:29). Jesus by telling the parable of the lost sheep drives
home the point of the lostness of the animals. In an ecologically
disastrous time, when the world is gazing at the intense suffering that
animals are subjected to and the rapid extinction of many species of
God’s creatures as the prophet Hosea too points out: “Therefore the land
mourns, and all who live in it languish; together with the wild animals
and the birds of the air, even the fish of the sea are perishing.” (Hosea
4:3). Jesus being the paschal lamb identified himself with the sufferings
of the creatures and therefore by his once for all sacrifice as the Lamb of
God has redeemed all the animals from being put to intense suffering in
the name of sacrifice. No more animal sacrifice so no more animal
suffering. Jesus has redeemed them all! In the Lord’s Supper Jesus as the
paschal lamb is the hope for suffering animals. When partaking in the
Lord’s Supper we are called to remember that ‘Jesus the lamb’ is the
redeemer of all God’s creatures, and thereby we ought to strive for the
sustenance and dignity of all living creatures.

2. Jesus identified himself with the suffering humanity: When Jesus said
this is my body, symbolized by the broken bread; Jesus had identified
himself with the broken humanity. The brokenness of humanity is
depicted well by the Psalmist as it is found in Psalm 116: 3 “The danger
of death was all around me; the horrors of the grave closed in on me; I
was filled with fear and anxiety.” Even St. Paul write: “For all have
sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). Another
parable of Jesus, which is normally titled as the ‘prodigal son’ depicts the
sinfulness and suffering of the broken humanity. Jesus in the human form
identified himself with the broken and suffering humanity. Jesus with his
new covenant is all set to redeem the humanity and transform it to be in
tune with the values of the Kingdom of God he proclaimed. As the ‘son
of man’ Jesus identified himself with the suffering humanity. He is the
redeemer of the humanity, for he took away the sin of the world. When
partaking in the Lord’s Supper we are called to remember ‘Jesus the son
of man’ is the redeemer of all human beings, and thereby continue to call
all human beings into this grace and salvation.

3. Jesus identified himself with the suffering creation: Mark 14:22 “Jesus
took a piece of bread…broke it….” The very act of Jesus breaking the
bread itself depicts the brokenness of the creation. The parable of Jesus
about the lost coin explains the brokenness of the material world. In the
beginning the earth was formless and void and out of this brokenness God
made this beautiful world, but human aggression towards the creation is
turning the beautiful world back to being formless and void. As St. Paul
reminds us that “the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs”
 (Rom. 8:22) for its redemption. Jesus by identifying himself with the
suffering of the creation redeems the creation, for he is the new creation
and in him all things become new, a new heaven and a new earth. When
we partake in the Lord’s Supper we are called to remember that ‘Jesus the
first born of all creation’ is the redeemer of the whole creation, and
thereby we continue to be the agents of this redemption of the creation.

CONCLUSION: Week after week as we participate in the Lord’s Supper we are

reminded as Christ’s children to be in communion with Christ and as Christ was
and is, to be also in communion with the sufferings of the humanity, God’s
creatures and of the whole creation and to be engaged in the mission of catering
Christ’s holistic redemption to the whole created order. Amen!

Rev. Dr. Chilkuri Vasantha Rao

CSI Medak Diocese
Professor, ACTC
 March 25, 2016, Friday

Good Friday

Cross: Accomplishment of Salvation

Ex.14:15-22 Psalm 22
Heb.13: 8-17 John19:23-30

Collect: God our very being and our salvation, we thank and praise you for your everlasting
love towards the creation. We thank you for sending your son Jesus Christ into this world as a
sacrificial lamb for the redemption of the humankind. Enlighten us to understand and
continue the plan of salvation for your glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever. Amen.

Salvation is nothing but Humanisation – Dr M.M. Thomas

The God of the Bible inaugurated, influenced and interpreted the process of salvation for the
people, through the Cross and by the Church. The Messiah's death on the cross has become a
symbolic tool in learning the meaning of salvation that God wants to teach us. Every story,
incident, miracle, teaching of parables, discourses, and encounter of God with men and
women that we find in the Bible is a sign orchestrated by God to make us understand the
process of salvation. These signs can be embraced by every human being as models,
popularised and executed for the salvation of humankind. God stopped providing manna
after the settlement of the Israelites in Palestine. Manna was a sign and model. Jesus didn't
provide bread and fish to thousands every day! Jesus didn't rise all the dead! Jesus didn't cure
all the people suffering from leprosy! But there were many in want of food, many deaths,
many lepers wanting to be cured. These works of Jesus were signs and models in order that
his followers ought to take the mission work and to pass it on to the next generation. Hence
the accomplishment of salvation is a continuous process which God inaugurated, in order to
accomplish this mission, so that every generation needs to be taught with sound biblical
teaching and reflection by learning the sufferings of people in their immediate context. The
Cross is a sign wherein we learn how the mission of Christ is synchronised and culminated.
The mission accomplished on the Cross is observed on Good Friday to witness the meaning
of the accomplishment of salvation. Let us reflect on the theme THE ACCOMPLISHMENT
OF SALVATION under three sub topics :

1. Salvation INAUGURATED for the people

2. The Salvation INFLUENCE of the cross
3. Salvation INTERPRETED by the Church.

1. Salvation INAUGURATED for the people:

Exodus 14:15-22

God initiates the process of liberation through the participation of people since it is primarily
for them. In the book of Exodus we see that God does this through the leadership of Moses
who was called and trained to present the appeal of liberation before the powerful king of
Egypt and who mobilises the people to support God's initiation of liberation from their
oppression. And on the day of Passover God orders the people to "GO" (v.15), and warns
Moses not to listen to their cry: the same God who once carefully heard their cry and
responded positively( Ex.3:7-10) utters this harsh statement. We need to find the sheer
difference between these two occasions. The fact that the word of God is powerful is being
reiterated by his command "GO". It is evident that the word of God is in action. God wants
the people not to be dependent forever. It is not the sign of God's withdrawal. But God wants
to teach that every liberated one must take the role of the liberative God and experience
independence by leading the journey of liberation from the land of servitude. Every one who
takes the first step from Egypt should witness how the accomplishment of salvation took
place. This is the lesson of the inauguration of salvation.

God also trains the people in every possible way to equip them to face any life situation
which is part of the process of liberation, since they have been slaves without independence
for centuries. First they are made to understand the functions of creation, through the cloud.
The same cloud protects the liberated one by giving light to Israel to pave the way to escape
and showing darkness to hinder the pursuit of the oppressors (v.20). Again the wind of the
east functions to divide the waters of the Red Sea to make the way for the Israelites to walk
through. The people of Israel live to witness the world as a sign and model that oppression is
not a permanent phenomenon and that liberation is possible through the participation of God
and people.

2. Salvation INFLUENCE of the Cross:

John 19:23-30

The saving act of God has been well taken by the people who have been longing for it
through the sufferings and function of Jesus on the Cross. Jesus on the cross reveals the
divine act of salvation while encountering the oppressive and draconian elements of fanatic
Jews who are against the liberation of women, shepherds, fishermen, tax collectors and
lepers. Their opposition by means of persecution and death on the Cross fails to deter Jesus
who continues his mission of salvation. Two significant aspects of radical mission are
demonstrated on the Cross.

Firstly Jesus creates a new relationship of family by asking his mother to take his beloved
disciple as her son and asking the disciple to accept her as his mother. Here lies the radical
thought and Jesus's true essence of mission as the fishermen are untouchables to Jews and
alienated from mainstream social life. They were banned from bearing witness in a Jewish
court of law (please refer to 'Jerusalem in the time of Jesus' written by Joachim Jeremias).
John, Christ's beloved disciple who stood under the Cross, was a fisherman (John21:7; Luke
5:10) and now he becomes the son of mother Mary, of the wife of a carpenter. Carpenters
alone were given the task of blessing the devotees as they proceeded to the Jerusalem Temple
during the annual festival of Passover. By standing on a specially erected stage carpenters
raised their hands to bless those who walked the street in Jerusalem to perform the
purification rites of shaving their heads (Acts20:16 & 21:24). God converts the Cross into a
platform to purify the polluted hearts and minds of Jews to embrace the new family formed of
Mary, the highly respected member of a carpenter's family, and John, the lowly treated
fisherman by breaking the Jewish discrimination, while thousands of Jews perform their
rituals in the Jerusalem Temple which are external signs only and do not realise the sinful
attitude of discrimination against people which is against God from whom they expect
purification. Jesus says NO to inequality and discrimination by creating this new relationship
on the Cross.
Secondly, the word becomes alive and it is realised on the Cross. John immediately takes
Mary into his home. We don't know how the thief experienced the paradise as promised by
Jesus (Luke 23:43), but the action-oriented implementation of the word is seen here. The
mother of Jesus becomes the mother of John and she starts living in the home of a fisherman.
This is the miracle; this is the sign of the kingdom God. To teach and to accomplish this new
life Jesus dies on the Cross.

3. Salvation INTERPRETED by the Church:

Hebrews 13:8-17

The author of Hebrews meticulously brings out very important factors necessary for
understanding the meaning of salvation through Christ. The author vouchsafes to interpret the
salvation that Jesus brought forth on the cross through his blood. The letter to the Hebrews is
believed to have been written to Jewish Christians, and explains very clearly the background
of their rites of purification. The readers are called not to follow wrong teachings (v.9) and
warned not to strengthen themselves with ceremonial food as the Jews do. Instead the author
advocates that they understand the grace of God. By referring to the blood of Jesus shed on
the Cross the young Church is advised not to rely on old Jewish rituals. The challenge is
made that no one could ever replace the value of the grace that springs out of the Cross with
that of mere rites which have no value as they were broken and must not be revived. It
teaches that the rituals of the Aaronic tradition end with the blood of Christ. The young
Church is given this interpretation not to continue the practices of Jewish rituals as they
cannot bring genuine forgiveness and also are not sensitive to the evil practices of
discrimination. In India even after embracing Christ many wish to be culturally Hindus in
following certain rituals which advocate the ill treatment of women and support
discrimination on caste basis. The blood of Jesus that the faithful Christians receive at the
time of Holy Communion has not been fully understood by them. They are the same as the
Jews whom the author of Hebrews found in his time. Many fail to understand the grace that
springs from the blood of the Cross, and instead they focus on their own blood which wishes
to establish their own kingdom of a caste ridden society – a model entirely against the
mission of God which has ruined the nations for many centuries . This wrong understanding
of the gospel of Christ must be corrected in order to liberate the millions of so-called low
caste people in India since this system of caste deprives them of education and participation
in politics and favours slavery which oppresses more than 300 millions. The Church in India
instead of becoming prey to the Hindu culture must awake its members and educate them
biblically with sound theological teachings to be aware of the consequences of this evil
practice. Good Friday is not given to mourn for Jesus, but is instead given to focus on the
needs of those who mourn, the victims of the caste system in India, of women, refugees and
the crores of people who succumb to torture around the world.

Rev. N. Manova Santhosham

CSI Madras Diocese
 The Annunciation to Mary
Isaiah 7:10-14 Psalm 41:1-10
Galatians 4:1-7 Luke 1: 26-38

Collect: We pray, O God, to pour your grace into our hearts; that as, at the message of an
angel, Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, and became the mother of the Lord and
the most blessed among women, so we, believing your word, may receive Christ to dwell in
our hearts, and by our life make known the mystery of His incarnation; who was exalted our
humanity into the glory of the divine; through the same Jesus Christ ourLord, who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and ever. Amen.

In the prelude to the birth of Jesus Christ Luke narrates the birth of John the Baptist, then
leading to the Annunciation to Mary, Mary meeting Elizabeth and then the actual birth of
Jesus Christ. This is something very unique and it helps us to understand God, understand
Mary and also understand ourselves as the Church.

The Annunciation to Mary is a parallel to the Annunciation to Zechariah (Luke 1.8-20).

However the Annunciation to Mary is much more profound. There is a model of Birth
annunciations in the old testament as we see in Gen 16:7–14 annunciation to Hagar, Gen 17–
18 annunciation to Abraham, Judges 13:2–23 annunciation to Manoah. However the
annunciation to Mary is very special as Mary is only betrothed to Joseph as in the Jewish
tradition at that time would have been 13 years of age. She will likely wait one year after the
betrothal to be married to Joseph. It is in this context Angel Gabriel was sent to Mary.

The Angel tells Mary that she has found favour with God. Mary in her situation is perplexed
and pondered ‘what sort of greeting this might be.’ The angel assures her that she need not
be afraid as she has found favour with God and she is going to conceive and bear a son and
the son is to be called Jesus. “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house
of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. The young woman Mary
surrenders to this mighty act of God in her life and surrenders saying, ‘Here I am, the servant
of the Lord, let it be with me according to your word.’
The annunciation to Mary draws her into a very special relationship with God. She is chosen
for the special task of receiving the Son of God and bearing the son of God to let him grow
within her and at the appropriate time to deliver him in the manger for the world to receive
him, to believe in him, to be healed by him and to be redeemed by his death and resurrection.
She was initially perplexed as she looked at her situation but her response to this realization
was that of total submission and surrender to God. Mary was part of God’s plan of salvation
and she responds by her surrender. There is nothing that she was required to do for all these
things to happen but what was expected was for her to willingly submit herself to be part of
this wonderful and mighty event of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Mary was chosen as a vessel to bear the Christ just as Jesus commissioned the disciples to go
throughout the world to make disciples of all nations. After Pentecost the church is called
with a special calling just as Mary was called. The Annunciation narrative defines the nature
of the church. Like Mary the church as a ecclesia community with people are the people who
have found favour with God. Now it is not the angel Gabriel but the Risen Christ himself
appears to the church to say that they are to participate in the mission of God for the salvation
of the world.
CHURCH : FAVOURED TO SERVE
The Church now gets the good news of proclamation that they are a people who have found
favour with God. As a favoured people they are not to enjoy an exclusive status but they are
called to participate with God in the work of Salvation. Being favoured by God is a call to
yield their will to God’s will and ask what would you like to do with us. We are so incapable
in ourselves to respond as we know our frail nature. Not capable in ourselves for anything so
miraculous to be a kingdom community and God responds to this fear by saying fear not. The
Risen Christ lives now in the church and it is not Jesus who grows but the church grows in
maturity and take shape to be the body of Christ. In the Annunciation the baby Jesus was
taking shape in the womb of Mary but now the church who is receiving the Christ grows in
faith in character and in mission. Taking the shape of a new creation to be the body of Christ.
God assures the church, fear not. God comes to us when we are perplexed and are pondering
about the immense nature of our call. Like Mary, the church needs to accept the call and
move forward with the assurance of God.

CHURCH: CALLED TO BEAR

The calling of the church to be the body of Christ is accomplished by accepting to partake in
God’s mission like Mary. It is too high a calling considering the tension that goes on in the
church from being a human community striving to be a divine community of God on earth.
Under the kingship of Christ. The Church is ever in wonder how to bear the Christ while we
are so frail in understanding. God promises the Holy Spirit who helped Mary conceive the
son of God, to be empowered to bear witness to the Risen Christ and become the visible body
of Christ. Christ is not hidden in the womb of the church but Christ becomes manifest
transforming the church to be Christ like in this world.

CHURCH: CALLED TO SURRENDER

Mary gave birth to the Christ child as she said "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be
with me according to your word”. God expects the same submission and obedience from the
church. To become the servant of God and to let the destiny of the church be shaped not by
Human will and plan but by the power of the word of God. In doing this the church involves
in places and situations and in people’s lives that people may receive Jesus in the way the
church incarnates in mission in the world. In places of despair, and as Mary sang, the Church
should sing the anthem of mission proclaiming that ‘the Mighty One has done great things for
me, and holy is his name.’ In helping the proud and the arrogant to understand that God will
scatter the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. God will bring down the powerful from their
thrones and will lift up the lowly. God will fill the hungry with good things, and send the rich
away empty. The Church needs to be conscious of the fact that she is called to serve, bear
witness and surrender herself to God’s purpose, just like Mary, so that God;s reign is realized
by all.

Rev. Deborah Premraj

CSI Madras Diocese
 March 26, 2016, Saturday

Holy Saturday

Hope for the New Life

Daniel 12: 1-4 Psalm 4
1 Peter 4: 12-1 John 19: 38-42

Collect: God of hope, we come to your presence today for hope and strength in the midst of
turbulent situations around us. While everything changes, you remain unchanged and your
promises are trust worthy. Lord strengthen us with the hope of new life so that we may
become a channel of hope to the hopeless, through Jesus Christ your son our Lord, who lives
and reign with the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen.

Hope is a remarkable feature of faith journey. For Christian, there is always a hope for the
new life in Christ. So, we the followers of Jesus Christ are marked as the Community of
Hope. This community is always featured by positive , creative, constructive , and dynamic
paradigm in which we think that past is past , present is an opportunity. and the best is yet to
come from God and we are awaiting daily with hope for that glorious future. In other words,
Christian hope is an optimistic and innovative outlook in Christ towards every sphere of our
daily life which will be the stepping stone for the eternal future. At this state, we need to
perceive how the hope works for the new life.

Hope springs from the faith in God. No hope without faith since it is a matter of faith in God.
It is the faith in the promise of God (Daniel 12:1-3), faith in the blessing of God (Psalms 4:
3,7,8), faith in the way of Christ (1Peter4:16), and the faith in the work of Christ(John 19: 38-
42). Strong faith will increase our hope.

Faith leads us into the Christian formation. Old self has been replaced by the new self in
Christ. It is a conditioning by Holy Spirit according to the will of God(1 Peter 4:14-15, 19),
and complete and regular trust in God (Psalm 4:4-5). Christian formation is an organizing and
representing skill on behalf of others for the sake of Christ(John 19:38-42). It is shaping and
polishing by the power of the Word of God (Daniel4:4). Thus we became formed into Christ
like character.

Formation is resulted in holistic transformation. It is a total change in our

perspectives ,personalities and patterns in accordance with Christ culture. At this stance, we
could experience and realize the new life. Real transformation is the new and fresh life. It
starts as intra personal and eventually and gradually develop into inter personal . It's
influencing range is vast, wide and high. If some one could be transformed, he or she become
an exponent and channel of new life (Daniel 4:3 ). They will be in otherness (1Peter 4:19)
and their peace and happiness will overflow to their living surroundings (Psalm 4:6-8). Thus
transformed life become transforming life. This will be the real new life and it's features.

Holy Saturday is an appropriate day to meditate upon the Hope which springs from faith and
the faith leads to the Christian formation which is resulted in transformation. It is the new
life in Christ. Yes , let's hope for the new life. Amen! Some Christian recognize Holy
Saturday as the day on which Jesus “rested” from His work of providing salvation.
After the crucifixion, Jesus was laid in a nearby tomb in which no one had yet been laid.
Churches that celebrate Holy Saturday observe it as a day of ‘reflection on the hope for the
new life.

The day between Christ’s crucifixion and His resurrection would have been a time of grief
and shock as the stunned disciples tried to understand the death of Jesus and the dashing of
their hopes. Holy Saturday is a day of silence and stillness waiting and wondering,
remembering and hoping perhaps that in what faithfulness look like on Holy Saturday. There
is not much to do except be present to the reality of what is, to sit opposite the tomb. Where is
Christ on Holy Saturday? Reread the apostle’s creed. Remind yourself that on this day “He
descended to the dead” or as another translation says, “He descended into hell”. The new day
dawns sorrow in transformed into joy, the tomb becomes a womb, and death gives birth to
new life. Christ’s triumph is not apart from death but within death Christ trampled down
death by death.

Through His sacrifice, we ‘may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance’. The death of
Christ was necessary, because it was the sacrifice that restores everything to the way og God
intended. With His death, Christ brought humanity into the presence of the Father, having
satisfied the wrath of God against sin and demonstrated the love of God for sinners.

Rev. Maxcin John

CSI East Kerala Diocese
 April 3, 2016, Sunday

New Sunday

Empowered by the Risen Lord

Gen.28:10-22 Psalm 29
Acts.20:7-12 John 20:11-18
Eve.I King.17:17-24 John 20:24-29

Collect: Gracious God we thank you for your son who is the resurrection and life. Embolden
us to be firm in our faith; empower us to go beyond the boundaries to love and serve; and
enlighten us to recognise the risen Lord in the un trodden paths of our life, through Jesus
Christ our Lord who conquered death by rising again and lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit now and forever more. Amen.

“At the heart of Christian faith is the story of death and resurrection of Jesus Christ” said,
John Ortberg. Yes, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death is the most significant as well
as historic event upon which the Church is built. The resurrection validates the authenticity
of the scriptures as they contain prophesies concerning the new covenant that God had
promised and became a reality in Jesus Christ. The resurrection of Christ and of believers
cannot be separated as ‘Christ is the first-fruits of the resurrection’ includes believers as well.
Christ's resurrection is the guarantee of the future bodily resurrection of believers. His
resurrection is not simply a bare sign but the actual beginning of the ‘epochal event'.
Moreover, the Resurrection is not only a powerful proof of Christ's divine nature but it is also
an evident display of powerful transformation of his human nature. The risen Lord did
empower the people who encountered him and he continues to empower those who believe in
him for he overcame the powers of death and darkness.

Empowered to realize the Vision: It needs foresightedness to envision while it requires

courage and commitment to realize the same. Be it Church or any institution perishes if they
are not led by the visionary leaders. There are many factors which affect the individuals and
the communities. Greed has become a major challenge today that is destroying the purposes
of God.

Gen28: 10-22 talks about a vision Jacob saw at Bethel. He saw a ladder which reached from
earth to heaven, the angels ascending and descending upon it, and God himself was at the
head of it. This vision gave very seasonable comfort to Jacob by letting him know that he had
both a good guide and a good guard, in his going out and coming in. The former promises
made to his father were repeated and ratified to him. God had promised him that his posterity
will multiply exceedingly as the dust of the earth (v. 13-14). Jacob was actually apprehensive
of danger from his brother Esau but God promised to protect him. He was unsure of his
journey and the destiny but God said to him, “I will not leave you until I have done what I
have promised you”. God wanted Jacob to go out, being empowered by the vision, to carry
forward the faith of his father Abraham. The response of Jacob is worth noting for he reacted
in bewilderment of the vision. He turned his pillow into a pillar as an altar and poured oil on
top of it and changed the name of that place from Luz (meaning, nut bearing tree) to Bethel
(meaning, the house of God). Besides these changes the vision has transformed him from a
man of fear into a man of courage; from being pessimistic to an optimistic. It is important to
note that God’s promise contains a moral obligation to be fulfilled by Jacob. That is, to claim
God’s promises as he moved out and be loyal to Yahweh, the true God. Because of his
loyalty, (a) Jacob prospered at the house of Laban despite being treated unjustly by Laban;
(b) his life was saved from the anger of his brother Esau; (c) he could see God face to face at
Peniel (Gen 32: 22-32); (d) he got victory over the enemy (Gen 35: 5ff); and (e) was renamed
as Israel. In moving out, Jacob experienced the presence of God, protection and providence
of God.

Empowered to Affirm Life: There are many life negating unjust practices in our society
such as corruption, casteism, gender discrimination, fanaticism and abuse of natural
resources. While life is a gift of God, those practices negate this fact and value things rather
than ‘life’. Most often the Church is silent, taking a neutral stance when God’s creation is
exploited or God’s image is marred until she is personally attacked. Many voiceless and
vulnerable need a helping hand to be strengthened in their struggle for life and dignity. Paul
‘went down and bent over’ Eutychus to revive him to life (Acts 20:7-12) was a beautiful
expression of showing God’s compassion to the dying and perishing. It was not an act of
exhibiting his power but an act of extending God’s hospitality! God in Christ empowers us to
confront the life negating practices and affirm the dignity of life. ‘To go out and bend over’
is the responsibility of all who believe in the risen Lord. A close look at the ministry of Jesus
and that of the Apostles indicate that they did ‘went out and bent over’ the blind, the
imprisoned, the oppressed and the poor to give new hope. Risking for the sake of Christ
becomes the hall mark of Christianity than Confining to the rituals and comfort zones.

Empowered to Proclaim the Truth: Speaking truth to the truth is an important task today.
In modernism, truth was that which could be measured, calculated and proven. Whereas the
postmodernism challenges all truths and concludes that there is no such thing called absolute
truth. Postmodernism emphasizes on creativity and therefore truth becomes relative. It can be
true and untrue simultaneously. But Jesus’ resurrection is a historical fact that cannot be true
and untrue simultaneously. John 20: 11-18 describes the empowerment of a weeping woman
to become the first witness of the risen Lord. In Scripture we see that the person who
encountered an angel is generally struck with terror. But since Mary was in deep grief she did
not recognize them as angels. She even did not recognize the risen Lord. Such can be the
blinding effect of profound emotions. In this case her inability to recognize him also seems to
be due to the character of Jesus' resurrected body. But she recognized Jesus when he called
her name. Jesus' statement “do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the father…”
indicated to her the radical change in him and consequently in his relationship with his
followers. The use of the present tense (haptou) suggests in this context that he did not forbid
her to touch him but told her to stop that which she was already doing. Jesus revealed that he
was still on the move, and he also set Mary in motion to bear the good news to the disciples.
She had just found him, and now she was sent away with a commission. As the ancient
church put it, “she became an apostle to the apostles”.

Christian witness too should not merely attempt to share an experience rather it should direct
people to Jesus so that people can encounter him for themselves. The risen Lord encounter
us in our life situations. He liberates us and empowers us to realize the vision of God, to
affirm the life and dignity of every person created in the likeness and image of God and to
proclaim the ultimate truth. May the power of the risen Lord embolden us to confront the
challenges and move forward to be a light in the darkness, and sort that looses its identity in
order to transform others.
Rev. K. James Cecil Victor
Director, Dept. of Pastoral Concerns
 April 10, 2016, Sunday

Re-reading the Scripture with the Risen Lord

II Chron.34:29-33 Psalm 19:7-14

Acts. 8:26-40 Luke 24:13-27
Eve. Ezra.7:11-26 Acts.4:5-12

Collect: Most merciful and loving God, we thank you for revealing your power in the death
and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ, who surrendered his life on the cross of Calvary to
be the Saviour of the world to overcome the powers of darkness. Help us to understand our
lives in relation to your revelations in the scripture, through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God world without end Amen.

Resurrection is an invitation to read the scriptures with the risen Lord. Resurrection enables
us to understand the universal mission of God. Besides, the power of resurrection moulds,
strengthens and stabilises the faith of a believer. In fact the present context and
circumstances we face destabilises the soundness of our faith and make us blind to
understand the power of resurrection. So ,we are tempted to read the Bible in a traditional
way. The faith that constructed from the Bible builds Christian life, filled with the power of
Resurrection. To stimulate and to flourish the power of Resurrection the re-reading of the
Bible is inevitable. In this way the power of risen Lord helps us to read the Bible in a
relevant context and make our reading more apt and realistic. There is pre-dominant power of
Resurrection behind faith which the Bible builds. Similarly, the Bible is the most important
thing which moulds and enhances the predominant power of Resurrection in a believer.

The texts selected for this day , even though documented historical incidents, speak to us
very closely appear to be happening in our own context and expect us to register sensitive
response.

1. For Israelites the temple was symbol of the presence of God and also symbol of their
identity. The temple was a power centre for them. By loosing the real image of the temple
rest of the community was dead to its internal strength and relationship. They had political
freedom but that freedom had become meaningless as the whole community did not adapt to
it’s inner relationship and inner strength. God started to trigger transformation notion in them
and unite them by the prophet Josiah. Then they decided to alter their ways and turn towards
God. They started to recognise the power of God in their midst and in all parts of their life.
They experienced the presence of God and learned to respect His commandments. As an
indication of all these things, purification of the temple had taken place. (2 Chr. 32:3-7). In
fact they initiated to re-analyse their faith and this led to new thoughts , reconstruction and
progress. Meanwhile it led them to perceive their weakness precisely. The prophetess Hulda
led the Israel community to such kind of introspection. Israels could undertstand the reasons
for their lowly situation only when they analysed their faith (scriptures). The power of
ressurection stimulates us to measure the difference between our lowly situation and elevated
situation only through our faith. Through Hulda Israel could understand that it stayed too far
from God. Risen Lord leads us to know about the role of our response to God’s action. In
our scripture reading He helps us to grasp the limitations we have and His capacity of
crossing the barriers. He can make us triumphant even when we are defeated and also
examine our faith and its commitment. Israel re-examined its faith towards God and it caused
the purification of the temple and reestablishment of their identity which was lost.
2. In early church , Baptism was a symbol for believing and finding existence in risen
Lord. The sacrament of baptism was performed to pronounce the acceptance of a believer
into faith community and it was believed that transformation generated in a believer is by the
risen Lord himself. Transformation symbolises that a person is changed into a new status.
The baptism was used to perform at the time of Easter. It was believed that every believer
should be part of Christ-event that took place in Jesus of Nazareth. This baptism indicates
the previlage to take part in the life, given by the risen Lord and it’s a call to spread the LIFE
in the contexts of dominion of death. Baptism symbolizes dying for sin and living for life
and also to have union in the life of risen Lord. Baptism is sign for dying to worldly
coherence and submit to heavenly power and to co-work for His life giving mission. It’s a
inner stress to give a new interpretation to one’s life. In the book of Acts the Ethiopian
underwent this kind of experience. Belonging to other faith, he read the scripture
traditionally and found it difficult to understand . Meanwhile the power of Resurrection
visited his courious mind through Philip. The power of Resurrection joined both
intrepretation of Philip and comprehension of the Ethiopian. This power not only
transformed his comprehension but also diverted his faith. He stood there and got baptized.
This was the symbol of transformation. Unless the reading of the Bible and comprehension
are not filled with the presence of the risen Lord the transformation and true following
cannot take place. The Ethiopian found the real meaning of his life. The baptism he had is
the result of re-comprehension of his faith. If we need to find such outcomes in our faith
community we need to give new interpretation to our faith. The book of Isaiah chapter 53
finds its fullness in Christ, in risen Lord and the whole Bible stands meaningful and
contextual.

3. The disciples who had vision of the risen Lord got new perspective for their faith.
Affirmation of Thomas (John 20:18), revelation to Mary (John 20:11-15) and commissioning
of Peter (John21:15-19)challenge Thomas, Mary and Peter respectively to a new
understanding of the risen Lord.

The disciples who were travelling to Emmaus with despair and distress was
encountered by the risen Lord. The destressed disciples could not recognise Him. But He
joined them and made them analyze their faith . A Bible study took place! A re-reading of
scripture with the risen Lord! He helped them to understand the mission of Messiah with an
open mind. The risen Lord created a new understanding and a new direction to their faith .
They turned their journey from Emmaus to Jerusalem which is also a significant sign of
their understanding. Experience of the risen Lord became more significant when He broke
the bread (luke24:30). Breaking the bread stands for a new understanding and gave new
missiological ideas which emerged in early churches. The risen Lord envisaged the early
disciples as the sufferings are inevitable part of the community. Sufferings in the mission
can force us to new understanding and new interpretation to faith we have. The Lord’s table
enables the church to remember the sufferings of our Lord and share the sufferings of one
another in faith community. This challenges the Church to re-read the faith with the raised
Lord and have true understanding of Sacraments. The presence of the risen Lord enables the
church to have new understanding, new interpretation and new experience of faith. He also
makes it possible to interpret and apply our faith to the present context .

Rev.C.George Vinod Kumar

CSI Karnataka Southern Diocese
 April 17, 2016, Sunday

Commissioning by the Risen Lord

Jerm.9:1-10 Psalm 47
1Tim 4: 6-16 John20:19-23
Eve. Amos 7:10-17 Mat.28:16-20

Collect: Our heavenly Father, we thank you that you are our creator and eternal life giver. We
thank you for revealing to us through your Son and our Lord Jesus Christ that there is a life
after death. We beseech you to strengthen us as you strengthened your apostles in word, faith
and spirit so that we may proclaim your living word to the entire creation. Through Jesus
Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit now and forever more.
Amen.

INTRODUCTION;

The Resurrection Narratives in the John’s Gospel are challenging us with different
dimensions of faith. Risen Jesus appearance to the Disciples, who were stricken with Fear of
death at the hands of Jewish authorities, enriches them with strength and courage. Mission of
God cannot be confined within the Closed doors or behind locked doors but to break the
confinement or the door of hostility, to go out into the world because, God so Loved the
World. The Risen Lord gives His disciples this appearance to enable them to get rid of their
Cowardice and be clothed with Courage. The Closed doors cannot stop Christ from entering
but even though entry was restricted, Risen Lord proves His presence as unstoppable. No
power or principality on this earth can stop the Presence of Jesus at the time of weakness,
fragility, fear, crisis, danger, loneliness etc but His presence always makes a difference and
equips people to Celebrate. This authentically shows the power of His Resurrection.

COMMISSIONING THE WEAK;

The Disciples of Jesus were upset and full of fear, confused and disturbed by the horrific
Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. They were not able to comprehend the words which Jesus Spoke
about Resurrection during His ministry. Their minds were not able see beyond Cross. These
disciples could not perceive the power of God in Jesus. These disciples were very weak and
forgot the Purpose of their Calling. They thought Everything was over with the death of Jesus
Christ, but at this point of time the Risen Lord says “Peace Be With You”. This was very
conventional way of greeting one another pertaining to the Jewish tradition but at this
juncture it was full of Meaning to their life. The presence of the Risen Lord transformed the
whole situation , of Disturbance to Peace, of Fear to Faith, of Despair to Hope, of Sorrow
to Joy; The very words of Jesus gave the disciples Life in all its fullness. They were ready to
break the doors of hostility and divide between them and the world, thus the Risen Lord
empowered and commissioned the WEAK.

COMMISSIONING TO SEEK;

Risen Lord Jesus gives the disciples the experience to seek the Wounds of His Crucifixion.
He showed his hands and His Ribs, to empower them to have this as a Sign in their Mission
and Ministry. His presence also emphatically pushed them to seek the People who are
Centrality of God’s Mission. Being confined in the room is of no use and he prepares them
to seek the people who are suffering the same wounds like Christ. Seeking is a challenge to
the disciples of Christ, Seeking needs courage and compassion. During the ministry Christ
had told them clearly “seek ye first the kingdom of God.” There was a drastic change in
disciples they were overjoyed seeing His pierced hands and His side. From fear and
despondency they moved to Faith and assurance of Hope. This was a re-commissioning of
the Disciples as His Apostles. Jesus Christ sending them into this world as His
representatives as the Father had sent Him. This time these disciples who were sent with
authority to Preach, teach, and do wonders in the name of the Risen Lord. Mission of God is
being sent into the world. These disciples were stagnated in the locked room were sent from
their stagnation, communicating to us that the Church must be on the Move to do God’s
Mission with the Liberating power of the Risen Lord. This Liberating power was Breathed on
the disciples saying Receive the Holy Spirit. Disciples were commissioned to “Go” with the
power of God the Holy Spirit.

COMMISSIONING TO SPEAK;

The post Resurrection ‘Breathing’ gave His disciples a experience of ‘New Life and New
Power’ in speaking the words of liberation to the Least, Lost and the Last in the society.
This was the main purpose for which these disciples are being sent into the world. They are
sent to make disciples, to speak the good news to all and to Baptize in the name of the triune
God. These threefold responsibility had been endowed on the disciples. Speaking about the
values of Christ especially the act of forgiveness, as the death of Christ on the cross was to
forgive all our trespasses. Freely received has to be shared freely who trespass against us.
Speaking or proclaiming Forgiveness of sins was the predominant and significant
characteristic of the Apostles preaching in the book of the Acts of the Apostles. God in Jesus
is God of Life and He never rejects or turn away any one who comes to Him in all truth to
receive the liberating power of forgiveness. The Risen Lord clearly attributes that the
presence and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit gives the power of forgiveness and
acceptance of all, inspite of their going astray.

The Church as the Body of living Christ is called to be a Movement of the people, by the
people and for the people. We are called not to be confined to the four walls or inside the
Church but the Calling is to “Go Out”. The risen Lord commissioned us the Weak, to Seek
and to Speak Peace to the people enabling them with the words of hope and assurance that
there is always a ” Life Before death”. Many a thousands of people are denied of life and the
possibility of life, as life is the precious gift of God and this life must be assured in all its
fullness to the people who are denied of life. May God equip us in our faith Journey to carry
out His Mission in a meaningful way.

Rev. Paul Francis

CSI Madras Diocese
 April 24, 2016, Sunday

Believing in Christ: The Truth

Ex.34:1-9 Psalm 119:89-96

Eph.4:7-16 John.17:6-19
Eve.Neh.8:5-12 John14:1-6

Collect: God of truth and life, we thank you for sending your son Jesus Christ, the initiator
and perfecter of faith. Grant us the heart to believe in him and have perfect understanding of
truth so that we may escape the traps of illusion through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God world without end. Amen.

Today we live in the world which is under the impact of Globalization that fosters the inter
change of world views, products, ideas, and other aspects of culture. It believes that the
whole world comes together to be in union to solve the problems. On the other hand,
globalization leads to uneven wealth distribution, degradation of environment, disparity,
conflicts, monopoly and so on. It has a lot of ill-effects upon the society. In this situation
what would be our responsibility being a Christian and how a Christian should respond to
find a solution in this critical conditions.
1.Nature of God: Ex.34:1-9

In the History of Israel, the exodus event is an event of liberation, remembrance, and a
custom for the future generations. Besides this event has made them to know about God and
his nature and to be rooted have rooted in the tradition. Israelites rightly understood the true
God when they came to mount Sinai. Firstly, the Israelites were in wrong conception about
the true God and hence made a image of golden calf. In the Ancient West Asian context, the
image of bull was associated with the Fertility, Sex, violence, and power. God shown
himself as God who forgives people and renews the covenant by calling Moses for second
time to mount Sinai. Hence forgiveness and mercy predominates in his dealings with the
chosen people, who are called to be a counter culture to the system of exploitation. For
instance, in the event of exodus, the king pharaoh has exploited the resources of his own
people and the Israelites (Ex.47:13-22). So, God liberated them from the hands of Pharoah to
prove that he is a just god who is always with the suffering people. God is a promise keeping
God for He remembered his covenant and came down to liberate them. Throughout the
exodus event, God’s immaculate nature such as love and forgiveness, become explicit.

2. Knowing the Will of God: John.17:6-19.

This passage from John’s Gospel is a prayer of Jesus for his disciples on the last evening
before his death. The prayer of Jesus reveals to us that the mission of Jesus in the world is
going to be accomplished. He distinguishes from the world as he prayed for disciples because
they belong to him. In Hebrew traditions, revealing name is revealing the character of a
person. Therefore, Jesus revealed the very nature of God, along with that; Jesus has made
them to understand the vision of God by revealing himself to them.

The gospel according to Mark 4:41 shows that the disciples were in confusion to understand
Jesus. Gradually, disciples had acknowledged Jesus as the son of God. The works of Jesus
shows that God is active in every work of Christ. His deeds were liberating the oppressed,
marginalized, and touching the “untouchables”.
In this high priest prayer Jesus prays that his followers may be kept from the evil. He says
“Sanctify them in the Truth; your word is truth” (V.17). It is God’s will that we should be
sanctified in them. While satan is the father of lies, Jesus, the son of God is “the Way, the
Truth and the life.

3. Engaging in the world:

Nevertheless the early church was equipped with the spirit of the resurrection. They believed
in going up to heaven after the death which is in contrast to the understanding of the
descending down to the earth (Hades) in the Old Testament. They came to know the reality
of the life and bravely stood as witness for the resurrected Christ, and for the growth of the
church. The essentiality of the church is to build unity with proper values, such as humility
gentleness, patience, forbearance. Attaining the unity and the knowledge of the Son of God,
to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ is the will of God (Eph.4:13). Paul says
that only when each part works properly, the body grows and build itself up in love (V.16).
so, knowing the nature of god and the will of God should motivate one to engage themselves
in the world, to transform the world after the Truth, found in Christ. Believing in Christ is
believeing the ultimate truth that sets us all free.
Conclusion: Therefore, the Old Testament God is always engaging with the world to
disclose himself and the welfare of the creation. Through these institutions of the society in
the ancient Israel like the temple, Prophets, and kingship God always tried to reveal his very
nature. But when these institutions fail to keep the welfare of the people God himself
revealed again through Jesus. the church really believed in reality of the nature of the God
only through Jesus and his mission. The mission of the church is to stand against the
exploitation of the people in the world. Further the church has to bring hormonal relations
among them to show the reality of the life and will of the God.
Rev.K.J.Premavardhan
CSI Rayalaseema Diocese,
 April 25, 2016, Monday

Mark, Evangelist

Hosea 6: 1-6 /Pro.15: 28-33 Psalm 119:1-8

II Timothy 4: 1-11/1Peter 5: 5-14 Luke 12: 4-12 /Mark 14:43-52

Collect: Almighty God, who taught us through Mark the evangelist to discern your glory in
he passion of your dear Son; preserve your Church from all false teaching, and grant that we
may ever stand firm in the truth of the Gospel; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.

Mark, the Evangelist is the traditionally ascribed author of the Gospel of Mark. Mark
is said to have founded the Church of Alexandria, one of the most important Episcopal sees
of Early Christianity. His feast day is celebrated on April 25, and his symbol is the winged
lion.

Mark presents the story of Jesus in a straightforward way with emphasis on what
Jesus did. Mark contains careful explanations of Jewish culture and local geography. After a
brief prologue about John the Baptist and the baptism and temptation of Jesus, the writer
immediately takes up Jesus’ ministry of healing and teaching.

Mark's Identity

According to William Lane, an "unbroken tradition" identifies Mark the Evangelist

with John Mark, and John Mark as the cousin of Barnabas. However, Hippolytus of Rome
distinguishes Mark the Evangelist from the Seventy Apostles (2 Tim. 4:11), John Mark (Acts
12:12, 25; 13:5, 13; 15:37), and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (Col. 4:10). According to
Hippolytus, they all belonged to the "Seventy Disciples" who were sent out by Jesus to
saturate Judea with the gospel (Luke 10:1).

Identifying Mark the Evangelist with John Mark also led to identifying him as the
man who carried water to the house where the Last Supper took place (Mk. 14:13), or as the
young man who ran away naked when Jesus was arrested (Mk. 14:51–52).

The house of his mother Mary adjoined the Garden of Gethsemane. As church
tradition relates, on the night that Christ was betrayed Mark followed after him, wrapped only
in a linen cloth. He was seized by soldiers, and fled away naked, leaving the cloth behind
(Mk. 14:51-52). After the Ascension of the Lord, the house of his mother Mary became a
place where Christians gathered, and a place of lodging for some of the Apostles (Acts
12:12). Mark was very close companion of the Apostles Peter, Paul and Barnabas.
Message of Mark
Several features make Mark’s Gospel unique among the Gospels, beginning with
the statement “the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mk.1:1). Jesus is pictured as a
man of action and authority. His authority is seen in his teaching, in his power over demons,
and in forgiving people’s sins. Jesus speaks of himself as the Son of man, who came to give
his life to set people free from sin.
Mark’s portrait of Jesus and its meaning for discipleship stand at the centre of his
theology. In the opening verse Jesus Christ is identified as the “SON OF GOD” (Mk.1:1).
This was confirmed by the Father (Mk.1:11, 9:7) and affirmed by demons (Mk.3:11; 5:7), by
Jesus himself (Mk.13:32; 14:36), and also by Roman centurion at Jesus’ death (Mk.15:39). It
was also confirmed by his authoritative teaching (Mk.1:22, 27) and his sovereignty power
over disease and disability (Mk.1:30-31, 40-42, 2:3-12, 3:1-5).
 Mark records Peter’s confession “YOU ARE THE CHRIST” (Mk.8:29) in its
simplest and most direct form. Jesus did not accept or reject this title but turned the disciple’s
attention from the question of his identity to that of his activity (Mk.8:31-38). He used the
preferred designation “Son of Man” and taught his disciples that he must suffer, die, and rise
again. The title ‘Son of Man’ is used 12 times by Jesus in Mark. His single use of the title
“Christ” (the Messiah - Mk.9:41), was especially suitable to his total messianic mission -
present and future. He was the suffering servant of Yahweh (Isaiah 52:13-53:12) who gave
up his life for others in submission to God’s will (Mk.8:31). He was also the Son of Man who
will come in glory to render judgment and establish His Kingdom on earth (Mk.8:38-9:8;
13:26; 14:62).

Mark’s Emphasis
Mark, the evangelist emphasized on universal salvation: “For the Son of Man came
not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk.10:45). This is
the heart of the Christian gospel that church should live out today.

Rev. M. Rajendran
CSI Vellore Diocese
 May 1, 2016, Sunday

Mission with Christ’s Spirit

2 King.2:9-16 Psalm 105:1-11

Acts 7:54-60 Matt.28:16-20
Eve. Nah. 1:12-15 Acts. 1:1-9

Collect: Gracious God, we give you thanks and praise for your son Jesus Christ who came
into the world to redeem the people and transform the world to become your kingdom. Grant
us the power to carry on this mission of our Lord Jesus Christ with his spirit and courage so
that your love is experienced by all, through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit one God world without end. Amen.

The mission mandate of the Church is sharing the good news of repentance and
forgiveness earned by Christ through his death on the cross and his victory over all
powers of evil achieved by the resurrection from the dead. Fulfilling the mission is
impossible without the strength from above. Jesus himself told his disciples, “…apart
from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). As per his promise to send the ‘Helper’
after his departure (John 16:7) who will facilitate witnessing for him ‘to the end of the
earth’ (Acts 1:8), the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit on the Pentecost day by
which they were able to ‘turn the world upside down.’ The scripture passages for
today help us to understand how the Spirit guides us to undertake the mission mandate
meaningfully.
1. Christ’s spirit provides authority for the Mission
The gospel passage (Matt 28:16-20) narrates the end of the gospel story where the
Master gives the last words to his disciples. So far they had been going through the
process of mentoring. Now the time has come to take control of the mission by
themselves. He charges them with authority upon earth and in heaven. Their mission
was to make the entire world his disciples. Their fragility and timidity were
overpowered by the assurance of their master’s presence throughout, ‘until the end of
the world.’
We do not preach a dead or an absent Christ. We have not only to do with the Jesus of
ancient history, but also with the living Christ of today. The Universal Church is a
missionary church; the power and inspiration of missionary work is his presence in
our midst. The apostleship is not an empty title, but a laborious office; ‘Go out,
therefore, and teach all nations’. The meaning amounts to this, that by proclaiming the
gospel everywhere, they should bring all nations to the obedience of the faith, and
next, that they should seal and ratify their doctrine by the sign of the gospel.
2. Christ’s Spirit empowers to withstand persecutions
The persecution Stephen had undergone (Acts 7:54-60) was responded with an
unequivocal and unprecedented ‘gaze.’ This gaze goes beyond time and space and
stops at Jesus standing at the right hand of God. His commend on this vision was
beyond the comprehension of the people around. We see the secret of his courage
being the ‘Welcoming of the Lord.’ When Christ’s Spirit enters a person, his/ her
mind and words go beyond time and space.
Stephen being full of the Holy Spirit looked up steadfastly into heaven (v. 55). Thus
he directed his sufferings to the glory of God, to the honour of Christ, and did as it
were appeal to heaven concerning them (‘Lord, for thy sake I suffer this’). Thus he
made it to appear that he was full of the Holy Spirit; for, wherever the Spirit of grace
dwells, and works, and reigns, he directs the eye of the soul upward. Those that are
full of the Holy Spirit will look up steadfastly to heaven, for there their heart is. The
heavens were opened, to give him a view of the happiness he was going to, that he
might, in prospect of it, go cheerfully through death, so great a death. The heaven is
opened for the settling of a correspondence between God and people that His favours
and blessings may come down to us, and our prayers and praises may go up to
Him. Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God (v. 55). The glory of God
shines brightest in the face of Jesus Christ; for there shines the glory of His grace,
which is the most illustrious instance of his glory. God appears more glorious with
Jesus standing at his right hand than with millions of angels about him. He sees Christ
is for him, and then no matter who is against him.
God opens an inner door for the one who gazes into heaven which is inaccessible for
others, and speaks of things, which cannot be uttered, and offers visions, which cannot
be described.
3. Christ’s Spirit journeys from generation to generation
Elijah makes three efforts (2 Kings 2:1-11) to rid himself of the presence of his
faithful attendant Elisha towards the end of his life, either desiring to spend the
remaining hours of his life in solitude, or for the purpose of testing his fidelity and
affection; it could also be to spare him the pain of seeing his master depart. Under
ordinary circumstances, the servant would naturally have obeyed his master; but
Elisha expressed his strong commitment to his master by spending the last moments
with his master ready to do him all needful service, until the end. Elisha probably had
a desire to see the wonders of God's working, not a vain curiosity but a rational wish
to see the crown of glory put on a career that had already received so much honour.
He wished to see the completion of one of God's great works.
We are also informed of the gradual disclosure to Elijah of the places to which he was
to go. He is only bid to go to Bethel, and not till he gets there is he further sent on to
Jericho and thence to cross Jordan. God does not show the entire road at once, even if
it leads to glory, but step by step, and a second stage only when we have obediently
traversed the first.
We are impressed with the vigour with which Elisha twists his characteristic mantle
into a kind of rod, and strikes the waters strongly. The repetition of the former miracle
is a sign that the Spirit of God that was guiding Elijah has been poured into Elisha.
The God of yesterday is the God of to-day. Power is lodged in the faithful messenger.
God’s strength dwells in those who love Him.
Christ’s Spirit that was implanted in the lives of the disciples on the Pentecost day did
not conclude the mission with them. Even after twenty centuries it continues to equip
committed people with authority and the strength to withstand persecutions. May God
help us to ‘gaze into heaven and see the glory of God, and see Jesus standing at the
right hand of God.’
Rev Dr Malhia Joshua
Union Christian College, Aluva
 World Labour Day

Joseph the Carpenter

Genesis 1: 26 – 2:3 Psalm 15
II Thessalonians 3: 6-15 John 5: 1-10
Eve. Matthew 11:25-30

Collect: God our Lord, who raised up Joseph the carpenter to be the guardian of your
incarnate son: give us grace to follow Him in faithful obedience to your commands; help us,
strengthened by His example, to count the wisdom of the world as foolishness, and to walk
with Him in simplicity and trust; through Jesus Christ your son our Lord, who lives and
reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

The life of Joseph the carpenter tells us how hard it is for the labourers to sustain their life.
He was forced to move from one place to another. He and his family are forced to migrate
due to government census, at times with the fear of genocide and at times due to political
situations. Though Joseph remains silent in the New Testament, he play an important role in
the story of nativity. To protect, nurture and to care his family he undergoes extreme
situations in his life. He led a life that is similar to a refugee and migrant worker. The life of
the labourers undergoes through difficult and hard times. They contribute their strength and
energy for the functioning of the society. Many of them risk their lives for the maintenance of
the family. Refugees and migrant workers are ready to take even menial jobs for their
survival. Yet all those who work deserve dignity and respect. Labour Day is a reminder in our
lives that demands respect, dignity, honour equality for every labourer.
Ancient Greek mythology gives an inferior feeling towards work. The noble and wise always
spend their time in thinking and reflecting and to rule. This kind of binary is also seen in
other religions. This is the ploy of the dominating groups and classes which oppressed the
working class for the ages. Even in the Christian tradition Work is often misunderstood as
punishment to humanity because of fall. Work is assigned by God and humans are created as
working beings. Gen 2: 15 says The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of
Eden to work it and take care of it. God the creator is an active worker in creating and
sustaining life.
Work is the divine mandate for humanity (II Thessalonians 3:6-15)
In the Bible most of the times we find God is interested to call those who are engaged in
work. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David are shepherds, Amos Shepherd and farmer. Jesus
called Peter, Andrew, James and John who are fishermen. There were also tax collectors,
zealots and other working class community who are part of Jesus Movement. Apostle Paul
and his companions are working daily to earn their livelihood and supported ministry. Paul,
Acquila and Priscilla are tent makers, Luke is a physician. Apostle Paul warns the
Thessalonian church not to follow the Greek people who spend themselves as mere busy
doers and are idle. He further says that those do not work has no moral right to eat. The term
labour is used for child delivery and also for the workers both has productivity in common.
Those who do not work are not actually involving in the process of productivity and the
functioning of the society.
Work is inspired and mandate of God. Martin Luther says every honest vocation is service to
God (in his works Weimar Ausgabe). Only when humans work they remain healthy. Humans
today suffer diabetes blood pressure, thyroid, obesity and other diseases due to artificial
comfortable lives. Major changes in the lifestyle of humans depending upon the technology
to lead a cozy life leads to sickness.
God the worker established rest for all (Gen 1:26-2:3)
God(s) are commonly understood by many as idle beings who spend time in liesure. Whereas
Christian God is one who is constantly at work in creating, redeeming, sanctifying and
sustaining the life. In Genesis first and second chapter God is working to create the cosmos
and engages humans in taking care of it. God took rest after working six days in creating the
cosmos. It is the same God who intervenes in the life of Israelites while they suffered
hardships under the Egyptian masters. The Lord God commanded to observe strictly to rest
so that the land, animal and the slaves gets time to rest. Deuteronomy 5: 14 says so that your
male and female slave may rest as well as you. Only a God who works can understand the
pain of the labourer. Even the land needs rest endless and continuous farming has affected the
fertility of the soil.
The workers in Chicago in the year 1886 suffered very much with long hours of work and
without proper wages. The struggle against this severe oppression gave rise May Day
demanding rest and rightful wages for the workers. Right to rest is basic human right for
humans, animals and even to the Land. Today most of us demand rest and hike in wage at our
work place. When it comes to the maids and servants at our house we deny them rest and
hike in wages most of the time.
Working for the Liberation (Jn 5: 1-10)
Jewish religious system has become very rigid and oppressive during the Jesus earthly
ministry. Instead bringing peace and comfort to broken communities it has at times become
an oppressive structure. In John 5: 1-10 Jews objects Jesus from healing a person on the day
of Sabbath. Jesus defends his acts by saying not only me, even my Father is still working.
Fundamentalism is a serious problem for the whole humanity since ages. The message of
Gospel or any religion is to promote peace and harmony in society. Millions of people died
due to religious fundamentalism. Jesus attacked this dominant and oppressive force. His tool
to achieve the means is to work. By doing the salvific acts of God he liberated people from
the oppression of religious leaders of his time. God is inviting all of us to partake in the
mission of love to promote life on earth. Missio Dei(Mission of God) is to extend the love of
God to those who are unreached, untouched and neglected. Working for God and
worshipping him is through spreading the message of love and not killing or hurting anyone.

Rev. Manda Prashanth Babu

CSI Medak Diocese
 May 05, 2016, Thursday

Ascension Day
Glorified Christ
Dan 7: 9-14 Psalm 47
Acts 1:1-11 Luke 24:50-53

Collect: Almighty God we thank you for the incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection of your
son and our Lord Jesus Christ. Grant us grace to receive hope and courage by fixing our eyes
on the Ascended Christ who comes again to judge the living and the dead, with you and the
Holy Spirit one God world without end. Amen.

INTRODUCTION:

Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ is undoubtedly an important event. It is absolutely right
to state that, It is the foundation of our Church and its our greatest belief. It is the ray of
hope for the children of God. Ascension of Jesus Christ is the end of the tenure of our Lord,
on the earth as a human and the beginning of His heavenly reign. It represents the second
coming (παρουσία – parousia meaning "arrival", "coming", or "presence") of our Lord as
mentioned in the book of Acts 1:11. This is the major source to set faith on, not only for the
apostles, but also for the believers and the whole world. Our Lord Jesus Christ preached as a
teacher, sacrificed life for our sins, died for us on the cross and resurrected on the third day.
These events mark His purpose of living on this earth. As a Savior he healed the sick, and
also served the weak and mend the broken hearts through His life-giving compassion. But,
His Ascension is remarkable for it shows the mighty power of God and His sovereignty.
Glorification of Christ is the result of fulfilling God’s will on this earth. It shows that Jesus
came to this earth as a human in the nature of flesh, but was Raised and Glorified. Above all ,
fulfilled His mission on earth .Therefore, bearing fruit for Christ , is what matters for a
TRUE Christian. We are here to fulfill the tasks, Christ has assigned for us, to sanctify and
Glorify his name on earth. God’s love and promises are fulfilled through the Ascension and
Glorification of our Lord and Savior The kingdom and judgment begins with Ascension of
JESUS CHRIST. Today’s theme Ascension and Glorification of Jesus Christ guides us, as to
how important it is for us to believe in God’s word, to keep our hope in our Lord, and fulfill
the mission for which eternal life is rewarded by Abba Father .

DANIEL 7:9-14 - Rise of Sun of Righteousness and Supreme Power of God Shown Through
Ascension and Glorification of Jesus Christ

Daniel receives God’s vision that describes about the events to happen in future. God
comforts His children, through these verses, as they will be persecuted in the near future.
Knowing that Son of God is to return the way he ascended to heaven, alone can comforts us.
Verses from 9-12 portrays God’s Kingdom, His power, purity and enormity of the Kingdom.
These verses are filled with speeches, which are crystal clear about the omnipresence of
God, the manifestation of His power and talks about how His Kingdom will be established on
the earth after dethroning every mighty power on earth. Every nation will bow down before
the King, Our Lord and master Jesus Christ. When God gives the power of judgment to His
Son. Verses 13 and 14 clarifies how Jesus will be exalted when His kingdom is established.
It is mentioned that “He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; to all nations and
all people of every language would worship him. His everlasting dominion will not pass
away, and his kingdom is ONE that will never be destroyed.” Every nation, every race, and
every creation will bow before him as, He is Glorified and given Authority by the Father, and
He is to rule in His kingdom to Eternity. Every evil power, enemies and persecutors will be
crushed into pieces during the judgment and children of God will be given justice for all the
persecutions they faced, for the sake of our Lord. Deliverance will be given to the children of
God against bondages. They will be freed from every prison and will be redeemed in our
Lord’s rule (Rom 8:21). Lord Jesus will rise, as it is written in Malachi 4:2, “Sun of
righteousness arise with healing in its wings,” providing them healing and happiness. Verse
14 proclaims the reason to await our Lord’s return and believe in the redemption to be
provided by Him as Everything will be made new, Jesus will conquer everything and will
be given every authority by His Father.

Psalms 47 is a chapter where the psalmist sings about the Establishment of God’s Kingdom
in the world, to which we should relate ourselves , become anxious, to get to know him.
Being His believers. by singing this Psalm, we will honor and glorify our Redeemer.

LUKE 24:50-53 - Blessings and Happiness Given Through Ascension and Glorification of
Jesus Christ

The last four verses of this Chapter does not seem important because they are absolutely
precise. But, we need to understand every act of Jesus. Before the Ascension, Jesus Christ
blessed the disciples (verse 50) and later, the verse states that “JESUS Ascended into
heaven.” (24:51). Christ came as human being , but returned to heaven in the form of
Spiritual body . It was important for JESUS to ascend because the ‘Comforter’ Holy Spirit
might rest and abide with us. In verse 52, the disciples returned to Jerusalem with great joy.
This is the result of His Blessings. His Blessings are precious gift to mankind. Disciples and
people around at that time, are the TRUE WITNESSES of Ascension of our LORD.
Therefore, Our faith should always remain and we need to pray for Heavenly Father’s
Blessings. We are Blessed by Him to continue to spread The Gospel. Jesus Ascended and
will return and Judge every action of ours on the judgment day. Verse 53 enables us to
know that disciples stayed continually at the Temple and Praised God. What an Amazing
thing !!! We have to Praise God for providing us, with Comfort and Joy through His
blessings. Through our Happiness, we have to Magnify His name at all times . These verses
from the BIBLE shows that Ascension of Jesus Christ is also a source of Joy, because we are
Blessed by Him immensely for ever and ever.

ACTS 1:1-11 - Empowerment of Believers through Glorification of Jesus Christ

Book of Acts is the chapter of Great Commission and the Affirmation of Faith where
disciples were Commissioned to teach the world about Jesus and His life and it is also about
how they sacrificed their lives and became martyrs for Jesus. In the beginning of this chapter,
Jesus commissions his disciples, who He chose, to continue preaching about the Kingdom of
God. After Lord’s Ascension here, is very important because, the ‘Comforter’( HOLY
SPIRIT ) should be sent to them. As believers we are not simply meant to await the Lord’s
second coming at an unpredictable time (verse 7) but meant to work, put ourselves in action
to reach the Gospel to every corner of the world, till the return of Christ (verse 8). It is our
responsibility to take the good news and preach about Kingdom of God to every nook and
corner of this world, so did the disciples. They struggled, perplexed, persecuted, but still
glorified the name of JESUS. The another purpose of ascension of Jesus Christ was to
strengthen His children and make them stronger to finish their commissioned labors.
CONCLUSION: We, children of God, know that even though Jesus is taken to Heaven, will
descend with Angels and Arch Angels and HIS mighty power to eradicate evil from earth and
to deliver His children for salvation. Those who believe in God’s purpose in our lives, obey
his commands and completes the commissioned work, will be honored with eternal life.
Even though, our lives are short lived on this earth, Let us not ignore God’s call, to be His
disciples and to preach His teachings, spread the true gospel, across the world as His
Witnesses and help souls enter His kingdom. When our Lord Jesus returns with Supreme
Power, the serpent’s head will be crushed, evil power will be overthrown, believers will be
saved and a new reign begins. And so, as GOD’S children will live to see Eternity . Come
Lord Jesus! (µαραναθά) Amen.

Rev. Adrian Deepak

CSI Karnataka Southern Diocese
 May 06, 2016, Friday

John, Apostle and Evangelist

Exodus 33 : 18-23 Psalm 27
I John 1: 1-4 John 21: 20-25

Collect: Almighty God, whose apostle and evangelist John revealed to us your son as the
light of the world, grant us so as to walk in that light that we may abide in your truth and live
in your presence; through Jesus Christ your son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in
the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.

Exodus 33:18-23 speaks about Moses’ encounter with God on Mt. Sinai and his request to
see God’s glory. Moses was a person who had closer communion with God than any one of
the human race prior to him. But when he asked God to show God’s glory, God showed only
God’s back. In reply God said to Moses that he can see all God’s goodness but cannot see
God’s face for no human being can see God’s face and live.

Later, during the time of Jesus’ Transfiguration when there was Moses and Elijah, it was
John along with James and Peter who witnessed the glory of God in Jesus Christ. Being still
in a physical body, John along with two other disciples got the opportunity to witness the
glory of God. A revelation that was not allowed to Moses was revealed to John and other two
disciples.

Indeed, we see the significance of John in all gospel narratives during the time of Jesus’
ministry. Therefore, it is a blessed thing to remember and celebrate the life and witness of this
apostle and evangelist.

John was son of Zebedee and Salome. He was the younger brother of James the Great who
together were called as “Boanerges” which means Sons of Thunder (Mark 3:17). He was a
beloved disciple of Jesus Christ. Church tradition holds that St. John was the author of the
Fourth Gospel and four other books of the New Testament, the three Epistles of John and the
Book of Revelation.

After the death and resurrection of Jesus, he rose to a position of influence within world-wide
Christianity and shortly before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 AD, he
moved to church in Ephesus (in modern day, Turkey) and lived there till his death. Tradition
says that he was, by order of Emperor Dometian, cast into a cauldron of boiling oil but came
forth unhurt and was banished to the island called Pathmos for a year where he wrote the
book of Revelation and returned back to Ephesus. He lived to an extreme old age and died at
Ephesus after 98AD.

The feast day of John in the Roman Catholic Church, which calls him “St. John, Apostle and
Evangelist”, and in the Anglican Communion and Lutheran Calendars, which call him “John,
Apostle and Evangelist”, is on 27 December. The Orthodox Church and those Eastern
Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite commemorate the “Repose of the Holy
Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian” on September 26. On May 8 they celebrate the
“Feast of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian”, on which date Christians
used to draw forth from his grave fine ashes which were believed to be effective for healing
the sick.

Some of the special characteristics of St. John are as follows:

 • John was very much loved by Jesus Christ, His master. He was called as one of the
three inner circle of Jesus Christ.
• John along with Peter and James were witnesses of the raising of Jairus's daughter
(Mark 5:37), of the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1), and of the Agony of Jesus in
Gethsemane more closely than the other disciples (Matthew 26:37).
• Jesus sent only John and Peter into the city to make the preparation for the final
Passover meal (the Last Supper) (Luke 22:8).
• At the meal itself, the “disciple whom Jesus loved” sat next to Jesus and the
tradition identified this disciple as John.
• He was the only one of the Twelve who did not forsake the Savior in the hour of His
Passion. He alone among the Apostles remained near Jesus at the foot of the cross
on Calvary alongside numerous other women (John 19:27).
• Following the instruction of Jesus from the Cross, John took Mary, the mother of
Jesus, into his care as the last legacy of Jesus.
• He was with Peter at the healing of the lame man at Solomon's Porch in the Temple
(Acts 3:1) and he was also thrown into prison with Peter.(Acts 4:3) He went with
Peter to visit the newly converted believers in Samaria (Acts 8:14).
• He was the last remaining member of the Twelve Disciples of Jesus Christ. He died
as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully.

St. John 21: 20-25 is the epilogue of the gospel that includes the uniqueness of John among
the disciples and the authenticity of his testimony in this gospel. John, throughout his journey
with his master, witnessed many things which some of his fellow disciples could not. He was
an eye-witness and an ear-witness of all recorded in this Gospel. That is what he mentions
when he wrote his first epistle:

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our
eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched - this we proclaim concerning the
Word of life.” (1John 1:1ff)

Unlike the other gospel writers, he testified about Jesus in an utmost spiritual way as Love,
Light and Life in a great philosophical depth yet in simple language. Because of the depth of
his Gospel, John is usually thought of as the eagle of theology, soaring in high regions that
other writers did not enter.

As we commemorate his life and witness, may our savior Lord inspire us to live in
accordance with the gospel proclaimed by St. John, which relentlessly emphasized, “Love
one-another” and what may be called a summary of the Bible.

“We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever
remains in love remains in God and God in him” (1 John 4:16).

Rev. Dileep Kumar Kandula

CSI CSI-Krishna-Godavari Diocese
 May 8, 2016, Sunday

Lead by the Holy Spirit

Ex. 36: 1-7 Psalm 107:1-22
Rom. 8 12-17 John 14:25-31
Eve. I Sam.11:5-14 Acts 13:1-12

Collect: Gracious God, we thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit who convicts us of our
sins, judgment and sanctification. We beseech you to fi ll us with the Holy Spirit who
enlightens us and empowers us to face the challenges of our lives, through Jesus Christ our
Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God world without end. Amen.

Our theme indicates that we are saved, are led by the Holy Spirit of God. Actually, it
is precisely Holy Spirit’s leadership that affirms this identity, both internally and externally.
When the Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts, it assures us that we are indeed, children of God.
When we follow that voice, people take notice and see the spiritual dimension and deep
spirituality in to our lives. If you are led by the Holy Spirit of God, then you must are a child
of God.

The Word of God is clear that when we are saved, the Holy Spirit comes to abide
within us as a Comforter or helper. Jesus in John 14:16-18 says, ‘And I will pray the Father,
and He shall give you another Comforter that He may abide with you forever’ What does it
mean to be led by the Holy Spirit? Perhaps we can gain some insight by looking into the book
of Acts and reading about how first century Christians were led.

In Acts 8:29, the Holy Spirit directed Philip to meet an Ethiopian eunuch join a
chariot in the desert. ‘Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this
chariot.’ Just before this, in verse 26, it tells us that an ‘angel of the Lord’ spoke to Philip,
and instructed him to go to the desert in Gaza. After arriving, it was the Holy Spirit who gave
Philip more detailed instruction. In Acts 10:19-20, the Holy Spirit spoke to Peter, and
instructed him to go with three men without hesitation, because the Spirit had led them to
Peter for the purpose of connecting with Cornelius. While Peter was pondering over the
vision, the Spirit said unto him, “Behold, three men seek thee, Rise and go down and
accompany them.”

Five Ways The Holy Spirit Leads Us

1. The Holy Spirit leads us through our prayer life. The church in Antioch prayed and
fasted together, seeking God's intervention and direction. Our prayers can solicit the guidance
of the Holy Spirit.

2. The Holy Spirit leads us through the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit is called the "Spirit
of truth." The Bible was inspired by the Holy Spirit. II Peter 1:21 says, ‘For the prophecy
came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by
the Holy Ghost.’ The Holy Spirit speaks to us as we prayerfully, openly, thoughtfully read the
Bible. John 16:13 says, when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth:
for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He
will shew you things to come.’

3. The Holy Spirit leads us through teaching and preaching. In Acts 10, when Peter
arrived at the house of Cornelius and preached the gospel, the Holy Spirit dealt with their
hearts. Acts 10:44 says, ‘While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them
which heard the word. ‘Reading the Word of God is one thing, but hearing it taught and
preached is another. The Holy Spirit always accompanies the teaching and preaching of
God's Word. Sometimes a scripture portion or sermon confirms what the Holy Spirit has
previously said.

4. The Holy Spirit leads us through the voices of people. Proverbs 11:14 says, ‘where
no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.’ God has
placed wise, proven, godly believers in our lives, to help us discern God's voice. We are
foolish to ignore the wisdom that can be gained from those who are spiritually mature and
proven. God's Holy Spirit can use their voices to speak to our hearts and minds.

5. The Holy Spirit leads us through circumstances, situations, and experiences. When
Peter arrived at the house of Cornelius and saw the Gentiles gathered together for the purpose
of hearing the gospel, it moved him and opened his heart and mind to the truth spoken by the
Holy Spirit. We can never underestimate God's ability to speak to us through experiences and
situations we find ourselves in.

Conclusion: It is important to note that we need to be lead by the Holy Spirit in all spheres
of our life. In our personal life, in our family life, in our community life and even at our
work place. God has bestowed us with many resources. But to be resourceful, we need to be
guided. In Ex.36:1-7 we see that Bezaleel and Aholiab were skilled craftsmen. Their ability
and intelligence to build the sanctuary came from the spirit of God. Therefore, they were
able to manage people, material and every resource and complete the work. Rom.8:6 says
that setting our mind on things of the Spirit leads to life and peace. May God help us to be
lead by the Holy Spirit.

Rev. Prakash Jaswil

CSI South Kerala Diocese
 May 15, 2016, Sunday

Pentecost Sunday

Come Holy Spirit Set Us Free

Isa.61: 1-11 Psalm 107:31-43

Acts 2: 1-13 Luke 4: 16 -21
Eve. Joel 2:28-32 Jn.16:5-15

Collect: God of Grace and love, we thank you for sending your Holy Spirit upon the Church
so that she may become an instrument to free people from ungodliness, slavery of sin and the
powers of darkness. Have mercy on us and empower us with the Holy Spirit that we will be
liberated and will become a new community to fulfil the mission of our Lord Jesus Christ who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God world without end. Amen.

Pentecost was the second important festival of the Jews. It was the harvest festival when the
first fruits of the grain harvest were presented to God (Lev.23:17). The feast of Pentecost
coincides with the Jewish feast of Weeks, which occurs 50 days after the Passover
(Deut.16:10). According to Jewish tradition, the Ten Commandments were given to Moses
50 days after the first Passover. At the time of Jesus, the festival focused on rabbinic law and
traditions. We celebrate Pentecost Sunday, not because of the old historical event but
because of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, that led to the birth of
the Church. The spirit of God is active not merely from the event recorded in Acts chapter 2
but has been active from the beginning of creation. He was brooding upon the face of the
waters before the creation (Gen.1:2). Human became a living being only after the sprit was
breathed in to him/her. In Old Testament we see the Holy Spirit as creative, directive and
empowering agent that came upon Bazaliel, Samson, Gideon, David, Samuel and so on.
Similarly in the New Testament we see Holy Spirit as an empowering and guiding force for
humanity to be set free and walk in faith and truth.

1. Prayer that sets us free: is a prayer for God’s intervention in our lives’ situation.
Prayer is a conversation. It is not a monolog but a dialogue for God communicates in
and through prayer. It is a relationship for communication establishes relationship.
But how do we pray and for what purpose we pray becomes important. We must pray
with confidence that God will answer our prayers sooner or later. We must pray not
just for material things, but for peace and justice that affects the lives of people. When
Jesus said, “when the Holy Spirit comes he will set you free” he intended both
spiritual and social liberation because without one the other is futile. Today people
need to be freed from greed, consumerism, fanaticism and communalism which
destroy the “neighbour-hood”, negate life and bring disorder in God’s creation. While
 materials gain prominence than people; personal pleasures than needs of others, we
must pray for the deliverance. The Spirit of God is ever willing to intervene and
transform the lives and structures. Prayer is power, prayer to invoke the Spirit to set
us free is certainly a genuine prayer that can change the atitudes of people and
transform the lives of people.

2. Person who indwells: As a spirit he goes everywhere he wants but as a person, he

understands our needs, aspirations and grief. He is one among the trinity, the God
head. He proceeds from the Father and the Son. He has personal characteristics for
he thinks (Rom.8:27), feels (Rom.15:30), wills (I Cor.12:11) and loves. He speaks to
us, indwells, confronts us, intercedes for us and sets us free from untruth. In this post-
modern era there is nothing called absolute truth and therefore nothing to rely up on.
But one needs to realise that God is the ultimate truth. People and the human
structures needs to be subjected to this truth. The Spirit is the agent of salvation
(Jn.16:7-8), reveals to us the truth about Jesus (Jn.14:16,26) and incorporates us into
the body of Christ (I Cor.12:13). He is the agent of sanctification (Rom:8:9) and
deliverance (Rom:8:2-4). He indwells us to give us courage to confront the life-
negating elements of the society; to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God;
to live as Christ’s witnesses. As an advocate and comforter, he continues to guide us
and strengthen us.

3. Power that empowers us: He empowers the weak, the vulnerable and the
marginalised to testify to the saving knowledge of Christ. Acts 1:8 says ‘when the
Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be empowered to be a witness in Jerusalem,
Samaria, Judea and to the end of the earth. It is impossible to be a witness without the
help of the Holy Spirit. Isa. 61:1-11 is a clear depiction of empowerment of the Holy
Spirit. The messiah was promised the in dwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in order
to preach the good news to the poor, release the captives, restore sight to the blind and
thereby deliver people from their spiritual and social bondages. Acts 2:1-13 is another
remarkable event which portrays the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. On Pentecost
day there were three observable manifestation, while the Holy Spirit descended upon
120 disciples. a) Audible manifestation: There was a sound as of a rushing might
wind (v.2). The Hebrew and Greek words for Spirit have the meaning of wind which
is one of the Biblical symbols of the Holy Spirit (Jn.3:8). b) Visual manifestation:
There also appeared visibly cloven tongues like as of fire (v.3) that rested on each of
the disciples. c) Speech manifestation: As the 120 disciples were filled with the Holy
Spirit they began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them the utterance
v.4. The foreign languages spoken by the Galilean disciples were a corporate
 prophetic sign that the witness of the Church was to be universal. Besides, the Holy
Spirit also revealed His nature as an agent of salvation. These manifestations point
out to the power of the Holy Spirit that empowers people to be effective
communications of God’s love.

In Luke 4:18-21 Jesus gives the purpose of his Spirit filled ministry. a) To preach the
Gospel to the poor, the destitute, the afflicted and the broken hearted. b) To heal those
who are bruised and oppressed. c) To open the spiritual eyes of those blinded by
satan. d) To proclaim the liberation from satan’s dominion, sin, fear, guilt and
oppressive structures. It is imperative for the believers to follow this ministry of Jesus
by the power of the Holy Spirit so that God’s kingdom is realized.

Department of Pastoral Concerns

 May 22, 2016, Sunday

Trinity Sunday

Trinity: Community of Love

Gen.18: 1-15 Psalm 97

II Cor.13:5-14 Mk. 1: 1-11
Eve. Isa. 6:1-8 Titus 3:1-7

Collect: Triune God, in whom we know the maker, see the saviour and experience the ever
abiding presence of the almighty, enable us to worship you in Spirit and truth. May your
communion inspire us to transcend the barriers that divide us. Help us to build the
communities of Christ where the agape love surpasses all things, through Jesus Christ our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God, now and for ever more.
Amen.

The Russian artist and writer Vera Nazarian once said, “Love is made up of three
unconditional properties in equal measure: acceptance, understanding and appreciation.
Remove any one of the three and the triangle falls apart.” It is the tri-ness or many-ness of
love that makes love so inevitably imperative. The idea of a community of love, indeed, can
never escape such a trinitarian logic of love.

Mark 1:1-11

The faith of the early Christians in the tri-ness or many-ness of the Godhead is well reflected
in this pericope. John the Baptizer, God’s ‘path-straightener’ stands here as a witness to the
many-ness of God. Descending voice of God the parent and the descending act of the Holy
Spirit are embodied in the ascending body of the Son, who was just coming up out of the
water. This sight of triune revelation of God is surrounded by a socially significant
sacrament: Baptism. For John, Baptism was a public demonstration of a new community, a
community that is repented for its sins and now reformed and renewed by the incarnation of
Love. Jesus, the Son of God, stands here as the ultimate and supreme revelation of God’s
descending love. Thus a community that comes up out of the water is a community of love.

Genesis 18:1-15:
The faith of the Church in the many-ness of God is traced back to the Abrahamic community
of faith not just by the early Christian apologetics but also by the contemporary theologians.
The Mamre experience of Abraham and Sarah is remembered and reaffirmed as an
experience of Triune God who is in loving communion with human beings. The
unconditional hospitality of Abraham and Sarah to the many-ness of Godhead is powerfully
demonstrated in Abraham and Sarah’s acceptance of the guests not as ‘foreigners’ but as part
of their own self. They do not make any queries regarding the whereabouts of the ‘guests’,
but get ready to cater them unconditionally. An unconditional hospitality is not associated
with right, law, debt, or with duty. It is associated with mutual love, respect and being
together for each other. In this act, Abraham and Sarah become part of a new community
where Godhead is adored in its many-ness. A pure gesture of love and hospitality becomes
the foundation of such a new community.

II Corinthians 13:14
The communitarian benediction that the Church has been affirming since centuries signifies
that the Church’s faith is deeply rooted not in the ‘oneness’ of her members but in their
many-ness. As God is perceived in God’s many-ness, the community of believers is also
perceived in its foundational faith of being many in different identities. The plurality in God’s
image demands an acceptance of plurality in the image of humans too. It challenges the
modernist stress on singularity and individuality. It is the singularity and one-ness that should
be put to stake, and not the plurality and many-ness.

Trinity calls us to worship God who is diversified in many-ness and who is different in God’s
ownself, and to recreate communities which are so diverse, yet unified in the love of God.
Love becomes a guiding principle to celebrate many-ness and differences in human
communities. Affirming God in tri-ness or many-ness in the midst of hatred, injustice and
turmoil, thus is a daring act of faith and hope for a new community of love. Such a new
community challenges all the singular claims of power and knowledge, transcends the
barriers constructed by such claims and celebrates plurality and differences.

Dr. Gladson Jathanna

Karnataka Theological College, Mangalore
 May 29, 2016, Sunday

Revelation of God in Worship

I Kings 8:22-30 Psalm 148

Rev.14: 1-7 Mark 3:1-6
Eve. Mica 4:1-5 John 4:16-26

Collect: Almighty God, we thank you for revealing yourself to us through Jesus Christ, your
Son. We seek you to meet with us, move in us, work through us and lead us forward in the
journey of faith. Enable us to discern your will and grow closer to you in worship so that we
may be renewed in hope and vision; strengthened in our faith and equipped to reveal you to
the community in our midst, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reign and the Holy
Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen.

Introduction:

"We only learn to behave ourselves in the presence of God." C. S. Lewis.

There is no doubt that God’s presence is everywhere. At the same time worship is a time we
realize and acknowledge the presence of God. Worship without revelation of God cannot be
considered as worship. If it happens without experiencing the God’s revelation, the order of
worship will become merely a program. The biblical contexts which narrate the worship
always reveal theophany with a vision. This vision helps one to understand God, realize the
context and examine the self. The texts of the day help us to examine whether our worship is
a revelation of God or are we participating in a program.

Revelation of God the creator who is greater than the worship place (I Kings 8: 22-30)

Our church buildings ought to helps us to focus our lives on God. We gather to worship God.
We come to hear His Word, and to receive His grace, forgiveness and love. At the same time
we come to learn that the God we worship is the creator of the universe. Building a sanctuary
for worship is not only a human effort. David desired to build a temple but he could not do
that. Solomon constructed a magnificent huge structure of a temple but he himself admits that
it was not an exclusive dwelling place of God. He acknowledges his limitations and the
limitations of the human made temple. Psalmist says, “I lift up my eyes to the hills (where
temple was situated) from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord who
made heaven and d earth.” (Ps 121: 1, 2)

Revelation of God in worship with unity, witness and integrity (Rev 14: 1-7)

In his vision the author of the book of Revelation sees a vision of heavenly worship with a
loud voice. A multitude of one hundred and forty four thousand, the first fruit of God as
described here, worshiping God and the Lamb with a new song. They sang the song louder
and it was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. Such a big crowed singing a song
with harmony shows the need of unity in worship. These worshipers always follow the lamb
where ever he goes. Worship never ends with the benediction pronounced by the clergy. It
continues. The worshiper should follow their master where ever they go. The text also says
“in their mouth no lie was found”(v.5). The integrity of a disciple is important in worship.

Revelation of God who sees the heart of the believer in worship (Mark 3: 1-6)

There was a person in the synagogue who had a withered hand. The critics of Jesus were not
interested in needy but they were very much keen on the rules, regulations, precedence and
traditions. Jesus takes care of the need of the people in a worship place. But the so called
worshipers like Pharisees try to find fault. When one receives God’s mercy, the Pharisees
immediately started conspiracy against Jesus along with their enemies i.e., Herodians (cf
Mark 12: 13-17). If at all there is conspiracy, unholy political alliances and strategically
attack against the good work of God’s people, God reveals the divine mercy to the needy.
God sees the needs of the heart as well as the crooked intentions of the people.

Rev. T. I. James
CSI Cochin Diocese
 June 05, 2016, Sunday

Student’s Sunday

Fear of the Lord as the Beginning of Wisdom

1 Kings 3:3-14 Psalm 14
1John 5:13-21 Luk.10:21-24
Eve. Prov.1:1-7 Mark 6:1-6

Collect: God of wisdom, we adore you for you are the eternal wisdom who enriches our
understanding to recognize the mysteries in creation. Grant our children your grace that as
students they may understand that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and that in
fearing you, we will create a society based on justice, peace and love through Jesus Christ our
Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God world without end. Amen.

“Fear of the Lord” doesn’t indicate terror but reverence and awe towards God. In the Old
Testament, the phrase “The fear of God” is often used in the sense of a genuine faith which is
characterized by a) obedience to God’s law (Dt.5:29), b) listening to his voice (I Sam. 12:14)
and c) learning his ways (Ps.86:11). While knowledge can be acquired from various sources,
wisdom and understanding are divine gifts to human kind.

The acquisition of wisdom beging with understanding that God is holy, overwhelming,
majestic and glorious and that His glory is fully embodied in our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ.
Ps. 14:1 says that only fools say in their heart that there is no God. They do not understand
God because they are corrupt is their perception about creation. Oswald Chambers says,
“The remarkable thing about fearing God is that , when you fear God, you fear nothing else;
whereas , if you do not fear God, you fear everything else”. Jn.5:20 says “the son of God has
come and has given us understanding so that we may know him – who is true… He is the true
god and eternal life. “Fear of God doesn’t make one terrified and fearful but emboldens a
person to face the realities of life; to be optimistic and strong.

Fear of God motivates people to Holiness

Prov. 3:7 says “fear the Lord and depart from evil’.
This verse clearly indicates that the fear of God keeps a person from doing anything that
brings disgrace to God. Those who fear the Lord will flee from evil. Joseph in Potiphar’s
house is a splendid example to understand to efficacy of the fear of God. With the
advancement of information and technology people are finding newer ways of drifting away
from God. Cybercrimes, pornography and voyeurism are few examples to mention. Today’s
education if it can’t instil fear of God in a child, it will be devastating for the society itself.
On this students’ Sunday, it is important to affirm that the education should be value-based
rather than career oriented. Education should inculcate values in the lives of children, and
lead them to truth and justice that are the marks of holiness.

Fear of the Lord prolongs life

Prov.10”27 says“The fear of the Lord prolongs the days, but the years of the wicked shall be
shortened”. It is said that approximately 60% of human illness can be traced directly or
indirectly to fear, sorrow, envy, guilt, hatred or emotional stress. Contrarily, the fear of the
Lord prolongs life as a sign of God’s blessing and also assures eternal life. Yes, fear of God
brings discipline in one’s life in terms of attitude, prayer life, habits and interpersonal
relationships. This invokes the presence of God and God as a shepherd, shield and buckler,
will protect and preserve those who fear him. Isa.40:29 says, “He gives power to the faint and
to him who has no might he increases strength”. Though how long we live may not be as
important as how well we live, the prolonged is certainly an indicator for God’s blessing. It
should only enable us to proclaim God’s saving power and loving grace.

Fear of the Lord produces a sense of security

Prov. 14:26 says “ In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a
place of refuge”. Luke 10:21-24 reveals the blessed status of those who fear the Lord. “They
see what Jesus sees! And understand the mysteries of God”. Sense of security lies not in
perishable goods but in possessing the eternal God. True wisdom is not going after mammon
but loving God and serving people genuinely which gives him/her a sense of belonging to
God. The real security lies in belonging to God! King David relied on God’s strength rather
than in his chariots or military. As a request he won battles and the enemies. For David, God
was the rock and refuge, the fortress and the buckler.

Fear of the Lord produces contentment

Prov. 19:23 – “The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whomever has it rests satisfied…”
Those who fear the Lord will have a clear Goal in Life; and therefore, when his/her needs are
met, they will be happy and satisfied. Wisdom enables us to seek what we need and not what
we want. Human want has no limit but needs do have. When we know what we require, we
will be content when our requirements/needs are met. King Solomon, when a chance was
given to ask what he wanted, he chose what was needed. It was a wise choice for two
reasons. Firstly, his choice was based on the experiences of his father, David. Secondly, his
choice was based on the need. As a king, he needed wisdom to rule people than strength to
protect or amass wealth. Like his father, Solomon also walked before God in faithfulness and
righteous which are the expressions of obedience to God (fear of God). Hence, he could
choose aright and as a result, he received an understanding mind to discern good and evil, and
also what he has not asked, both riches and honour. Our prayer are not answered because
either we ask wrong things or ask wrongly. I John 5:14 – “If we ask anything according to
His will, he hears us”
Rev. K. James Cecil Victor
CSI Medak Diocese
Director, Synod DPC
 June 11, 2016, Saturday

Barnabas, Apostle
Job 29:7-16 Psalm 34
Acts 11: 19-26, 13: 1-3 Matthew 5:13-16

Collect: Almighty God, you greatly blessed your Church through the humility and goodness
of your apostle Barnabas; teach us also by his example to be simple and generous, and to
forget ourselves in the service of others; through Jesus Christ your son our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.

Introduction
The name Barnabas means “the son of encouragement” and “consolation”. He came
from Cyprus and was a Levite. At his young age became Christian. He played a vital role in
the early church. He made remarkable impact on society and there are many aspects of his
life that are worth remembering as Barnabas the Apostle was known for his sacrificial life
and good deeds.

When the early church was scattered due to persecution, some of them ended in
Antioch. Antioch was the greatest city in Roman Empire and ranked as third in the empire.
The city was filled with wickedness and deceitful activities. This metropolis had large
community of Jews, who enjoyed a considerable amount of self government. Scattered
believers had word of God on their lips. Their proclamation of Gospel had great impact and
sinners repented and believed. Elders at Jerusalem commissioned Barnabas to go to Antioch
to find out what was going among the Gentiles.

Let us meditate on the life of Barnabas

I. Barnabas was a cheerful giver:

Acts 4:36 says that first thing Barnabas gave up was his possessions and wealth for the
extension of ministry. During the early church, Barnabas’ life remains as exemplary for
many. He did what he heard and believed .He proved to be generous for the sake of Christ.

II. Barnabas lived up to his name: Acts 11:23

During his visit to the church at Antioch Barnabas had new experience in worshipping God
with Gentiles. He did not criticise the practices and methods they adopted. Barnabas was a
righteous man obeyed word of God in daily life and was filled with the spirit which explains
effectiveness of his ministry. He encouraged believers to be persistent in faith. He was a man
of faith which is evident from the way he encouraged the church and Saul. New churches and
new Christians need people like Barnabas to encourage them in life and ministry.

III. Barnabas saw the Grace of God Acts 11:23

When Barnabas seen the growth and development of the church he saw grace of God behind
the growth. Barnabas a young man relied on the grace of God. He rejoiced at what he saw! It
was work of God and Barnabas gave thanks for God’s grace. Apostle Paul acknowledges that
“only by the grace of God I am what I am” (ICor 15:10). Barnabas opened the door for Paul
to become apostle to the gentiles in Antioch.
Barnabas was an extremely important person in the life of the early church. His life is a
dynamic example to all. Antioch was destined to become the second birth place of
Christianity. Though Paul and Barnabas were together for short time, they made great impact
on the life of the Jews and Gentiles.

As we commemorate the day of Barnabas let us learn three lessons (i) to be generous (ii) to
encourage others and (iii) to see the grace of God. Barnabas encourages believers’ into the
ministry of God. We need to involve ourselves in the ministry of encouragement and remain
faithful as Barnabas in the ministry of God.

Rev. S. Susheel Kumar

CSI Medak Diocese
 June 12, 2016, Sunday

Environment Sunday

Nurturing God’s Creation

Gen. 1: 28-31 Psalm 104:1-23
Rev.22:1-5 Luke 1:22-31
Eve.Psalm 65 Col. 1:15-20

Collect: Almighty God, we rejoice in the richness of your creation. In yourcreation we see
your glory, your coming to us and the sign of your abiding presence with us. Help us to
nurture your creation and use everything youhave given us responsibly; through Jesus Christ
our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 104:24 (NRSV)

O LORD, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.

While I was addressing children in a School, I asked them about their ambition in life.
They said they would like to become a ….doctor, engineer, advocate, teacher etc. One boy
said that he would like to become a veterinary doctor. As it was an unusual answer, I asked
him the reason for the choice. He immediately responded: ‘Sir, whatever medicines we give,
they will take it without a word. Moreover, these animals will not a file a case against the
doctor in the consumer forum’. This is the public attitude towards animals. We fail to
understand the intrinsic value of each component and the ecosystem surrounding it. The
Universe, Earth and all its components, are a part of a dynamic cosmic design within which
each piece has its place. God designed each component to play a role in contributing to the
wellbeing of the Earth. The goodness of creation is of value to God and was created with a
purpose. Thus, for e.g., Psalm 104 celebrates not only those aspects of creation which serve
human needs (crops and domestic animals), but also those that have no immediate connection
with human life - the wild places and wild creatures that live there. All components on the
Earth are mutually interconnected or dependent on each other for life and survival. Man is
not is not the only species, we share this earth with 80 million other species. The relationship
between these species is connected in a complex web of interaction.
People who profess faith in God should discover and acknowledge the contributions
that the species and abiota make to their shared ecosystems .Actions that inhibit their
contributions should be identified and prevented. In the web of life, every animal and every
plant relies on other plants and animals for survival. All animals and plants in a sense work
together to survive. God created the web of life which is interdependent. In human eye some
of the creations of God are useless or waste. Let us study the value of some of the creations of
God.
Mangroves
The Mangroves were considered as a ‘useless’ vegetation. The conversion of mangrove
habitat into tourist resorts, contributed significantly to the catastrophic loss of human lives
and settlements during the 2004 tsunami. Mangrove is a group of tropical and specialized
trees growing in the saline and brackish water area which the most suitable for feeding,
breeding and nursery grounds of these marine organisms and hence important for aquaculture
purposes. Mangrove trees offer significant and unique habitat to birds, mammals, and fish
populations through a complex marine food chain, creation of breeding habitat, and
establishment of restrictive areas that offer protection for maturing offspring. Mangroves, one
of the creations of God, has intrinsic value, purpose and is interconnected with other
creations. Mangroves are an essential part of the body of Earth. If Mangroves vanish from
Earth every part of the Earth will suffer.
Frogs
Frogs, the friends of farmers, are an important indicator of the ecosystem. Frogs feed on
many insects and pests that frequently destroy the crops. Also, they are consumed by fish,
some large insects, snakes, lizards, larger frogs, birds and small mammals. In the food chain,
frogs play a vital role in maintaining a healthy environment. Many of the human activities are
unsuitable to frogs and their habitats. We drain the wetlands to get land for cultivation,
housing and tourist resorts thereby causing habitat destruction. The extinction of frogs, will
result in the multiplication of mosquitoes and other insects which will spread fatal diseases.
Frogs are a wonderful creation of God, which have an intrinsic value, a purpose, and an
inter connection between other creations.
Bees
Bees visit the flowers of plants and take nectar and use it to make honey. While the bee is
collecting nectar, it gets a powder on it called pollen. Bees fly from one flower to the next,
carrying this pollen, which falls into the flowers, and the plants use that to reproduce! The
plant helps the bees, and the bees in turn help the plants.
Grass
The majority of people consider the grass which is growing on the ground, as useless. In
order to avoid the growth of the grass, some may spray herbicides. If we clear the grass from
the surface of Earth it will grow within a short period. Normally the majority of people don’t
know the intrinsic value, purpose and interconnectedness of grass. If the grass is not there on
the surface of the Earth, the Sun’s rays will fall directly on the surface of the Earth and heat
energy from the Sun will be transferred directly to the earth. As a result of the disappearance
of moisture, micro-organisms will die, which will result in desertification . This is an
irreversible process. If the grass was there, sunlight will not fall on the surface of Earth. The
grass will convert the heat energy from Sun to chemical energy . In other words,
photosynthesis will take place and carbohydrates will be produced which is a food for all
animals. God created grass as a blanket over our dear Earth; it is neither waste nor useless. It
is a wonderful creation of God.
Sun
The energy in living things originates from the sun. Green plants are the only living
organisms that can use the energy from the sun to make food, which can be used by the plant
itself or by animals that eat the plant. If people/ animals eat the plant, they get energy from
the sugar in the plant. But people cannot hold out their hands to the sun and make food in the
same way that the plant makes food in its leaves.
Holy Spirit
We are reluctant to acknowledge the intrinsic value, purpose and interconnectedness of each
component in the universe. Each component of God’s creation has a voice. We are unwilling
to hear the voices of God’s creations, communicating to each other in their own language.
Why is it not possible for us to understand the language of communication of each species.
From Acts chapter 2 we understand; when the Holy Spirit comes upon us we will be able to
understand the language of plants, animals and other components of earth. The presence of
the Holy spirit will enable us to understand the language of other creations of God and we
will respect the integrity of creation.

Conclusion
An amazing variety of habitats, people, plants, and animals are all interconnected in a fragile
web of life we call “biodiversity.” And every member is essential in keeping this web in
balance. About 1.4 million species have been identified, and researchers estimate that
millions more are yet to be identified. Everything created by God has a purpose and nothing
in the universe is neither waste nor useless. God saw everything that he had made, and
indeed, it was very good.(Genesis 1:31) O LORD, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom you have made them all;the earth is full of your creatures(Psalm 104:24)

Prof. Dr. Mathew Koshy Punnackad

Honorary Director, Ecological Department, CSI Synod
 June 19, 2016, Sunday

Make Disciples

1 kings 19:11-21 Psalm 34:11-22

Rom.16:3-16 John1:35-42
Eve. Deu. 6:10-19 Mark 3:13-19

Collect: Sovereign God, we thank you for your Son who commissioned us to be the disciples
to go out and proclaim the Gospel, to make disciples of all nations and to demonstrate the
reality of your love through word and deed. We humbly ask you to strengthen, equip and
inspire each one of us for your service that we may joyfully serve you, sensitively proclaim
you and faithfully express your love for all, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God, now and for ever more. Amen.

Introduction:

The Greek word for Disciple is ‘Mathetes’. The Greek root verb ‘manthano’ means to learn.
The term is understood as a learner or pupil, the one who accepts and follows a given
doctrine or teacher. According to Old Testament understanding, disciple means a person who
is seeking to become scholar. According to New Testament, the term disciple term used with
the sense Talmidim meant disciples of the rabbis, whose studies resulted in the Talmud. Two
important points derived from above; (a) to designate an adherent of almost any great leader.

(b) as the most frequent and general term for believers in Christ.

A disciple is therefore one who is primarily a learner, a student and a pupil. In the beginning
of Jesus’ ministry Jesus picked up 12 people as his disciples. And he had given them
vigorous theological training for 3 ½ years. The lessons appointed for this Sunday would help
us to understand the theme from three different contexts in the following lines.

I Kings 19:15-21

The prophet Elijah goes to Beersheba, the southernmost town in the land of the Lord’s
people. Elijah is legally well beyond the reach of Jezebel. For Elijah, who had known the
presence of God (theophanies) through God’s providence and through miraculous acts that
clearly demonstrated God’s power was also manifested in his role in the ordination of his
successor. Elijah made available himself to God who revealed his intentions with regard to
Elijah’s successor. Elijah did not feel jealous to ordain his successor.

This text reminds us that the God’s ministry may take many forms. God needs human agents
to fulfill his will and his ministry on this earth. Our faithfulness to God’s calling may entail
the preparation of others for their own ministries. Throughout the text Elijah manifests all the
signs of depression. He complains. He needed to be told to eat. His view of reality was
distorted. He expressed self-pity, and was alone faithful to God; as result received a divine
rebuke. Elijah was touched by a divine intermediary. His perspective was strongly
challenged. And further God offered him a lesson. God did not let him go simply because he
was burned out and depressed. Finally he understood that discipleship is costly.

John 1:35-42.

John 1:35-51 is treated as a paricopy under the heading of ‘how people find Christ’. Our
Lord’s first disciples were originally drawn from the John the Baptist’s circle. First two
disciples were directed to Christ by John the Baptist. John the Baptist did not feel envy or
jealous through the attitude of his disciples who have chosen to follow Christ. Rather he
encouraged them to become Jesus’ disciples, as he knew Jesus was greater than himself. Two
pairs of brothers suddenly received call from Jesus Christ to be his disciples from their
fishing craft. Jesus did not conduct entrance test or test their scripture knowledge. Their
prompt response to Jesus’ call certainly challenges us. Some of them voluntarily followed
and expressed their desire to be his disciples. Selection as disciples is not for a privilege, but
for service, suffering and self-sacrifice for the sake of Christ. The people who received Jesus’
invitation as disciples they were ordinary people. Primary tasks of Jesus’ disciples were (a) to
learn mysteries of Jesus the Messiah and the Kingdom of God, (b) proclaim God’s Kingdom.

Romans 16:3-16.

Pricilla and Aquila were Jewish Christians, expelled from Rome by Claudius. They have
settled in Corinth, they were engaged in tent-making. Their family provided hospitality for
Paul. Later they have decided to travel along with Paul to Ephesus where they took up
residence. They opened their home to conduct Sunday worship (house church). As wife and
husband they both supported Paul’s ministry and looked after the Church. They both were
treated by Paul as firstfruits of Asia unto Christ. Making disciple is a mission of the Church.
Ready to learn, depend upon God to be guided in our day to day life should become the
lifestyle. Encourage the Church members to respect God’s call.

Conclusion

Jesus’ command to make disciples of all nations indicates that he has authority over all
nations. Besides, he does not want any to perish but be saved in order to have abundance of
life. This command to make disciples of all nations also indicates to nature of God’s
kingdom. God’s kingdom is not an exclusive community but an inclusive one. It welcomes
all and accommodates all. The justice of God’s kingdom becomes a paradigm for
discipleship. A true disciple follows Christ in humility, in service and sacrifice.

Rev. Sunil Varakumar

CSI Rayalaseema Diocese (ACTC)
 June 24, 2016, Friday

John the Baptist

Malachi 3:1-5 Psalm 3:1-6

Revelation 3:14-22 John 3:22-36

Collect: Almighty God who sent John the Baptist as witness to the light, teach us to repent
sincerely, and speak the truth constantly. Help us never to be silent in the presence of
injustice and impurity and enable us to rebuke in love. Give us courage to suffer and to
decrease so that your reign may increase; so grant that living in faithfulness we may be true
servants of our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you together with the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end. Amen.

Introduction

Often, we use to hear the role of John the Baptist in our churches. He was called simply as
“Baptizer” or “the Baptist”. Undoubtedly, we can see the religious diversity in John’s day.
There were existing, three principle sects; each of which was committed to upholding the
covenant law of Moses. Firstly, the Sadducees represent priestly interests and secondly, the
Pharisees, non-priests, committed themselves to applying the commandments to everyday
life. Thirdly, Essenes, who came from priestly and non-priestly backgrounds, tended to
separate themselves from the society at large. In midst of these backgrounds he emphasizes
his preaching was on sin, repentance, judgment and hell. His prophetic call was “Repent, for
the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 3:2) and we can see his prophetic
dynamism when Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them; "You brood
of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matthew 3:7).

1. Forerunner of the Messiah

It was the prophecy that “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me, and
he will clear a path before me.” (Isaiah 40:3), Here the usage of Hebrew word Derek means
“prepare the way” or better “clear a path” which are mentioned in Isaiah (40:3; 57:14; 62:10).
Prophet Malachi actually interprets the “messenger” here as an identical with the “voice”.
When it comes to New Testament, four gospels see it as fulfillment in John the Baptist
(Matt.3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23). John the Baptist is also understood in the gospels
(Matt.11:14; 17:10-13; Mark 9:11-13; Luke 1:13-17) to fulfill the prophecy of Elijah in
Malachi 4:5, who is announced there to Precede “that great and dreadful day of the Lord”. If
this verse can be understood in the light of Isaiah 40:3, the task of “my messenger” would be
to send for the people to prepare for the Lord’s coming by clearing away the obstacles of
unbelief.

The Messenger of the Covenant (Malachi 3:1-5)

It is therefore the ‘Messenger of the covenant’ whose coming is foretold in this passage. This
is the only place in the Old Testament, where God is called “the messenger of the covenant”
(3:1), and he is identical with the Lord. The coming of the Lord of the Covenant is to be
preceded by the appearance of his “messenger,” whose identity is not given but who is then
identified with Elijah in 4:5. Further it goes in 3:5, “Then I will draw near to you for
judgment; I will be swift to bear witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against
those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired workers in their wages, the
widow and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the alien, and do not fear me, says the
LORD of hosts.” When the society was filled with the unjust structures and oppression and
marginalization which are against to the will of the God, then God wants send his messenger,
before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes.

2. You are neither Cold nor Hot (Rev. 3:14-22): A call for Repentance
Laodicea is the last of the seven churches; and its geographical location is on the highway
system and trade routes but not for good defense or water resources. And it’s meaning and
significance is “judging of the people”. This city was built by Antiochus II, 261-246 B.C.,
and was named in honor of his wife, Laodice, reference to whom is found in (Daniel 11:6).
The Characteristics of the Church of Laodicea
Laodicea used to be called “city of compromise”. And it has a peculiar character. It has ever
flexible and accommodating, full of the spirit of compromise. And it was a city of wealth,
with large markets, a large banking exchange, and large manufacturing interests. A rich
farming district surrounded it. Valuable wool was produced in the valley, soft in texture.
Laodicea was one of the leading health resorts in the Greco-Roman Empire. Lukewarm baths
and mineral springs attracted many visitors from Europe and Asia. Because of their wealth,
the citizens were proud, arrogant, and self-satisfied. Since they lack nothing they have
become nominal believers and their spiritual life become very static one.
i) Commendation: There was nothing to speak well of Laodicea, for this church had imbibed
the proud spirit of the world around it, and its people were in spiritual threat. For that Lord’s
called them as “lukewarm”.
ii) Accusation: The Church was in the situation of miserable, poor and blind and naked; yet
interestingly, they possessed all the essentials that make an impressive appearance. Yet they
are actually wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. “Increased with goods,”
even today’s churches are wealthy as measured by world’s standards, possessing beautiful
church buildings, wonderful institutions, and centers of learning, yet lacking the very
essentials of Christian experience. When worldliness eats its way into our hearts, it destroys
our passion for souls. Too many of us are comfortable and self-satisfied, yet we do not know
our real condition; we are immunized with just enough Christianity to make us resistant to the
genuine thing.
iii) Warning: God warns the Laodicea, by saying that, you are blind but not incurably blind.
You need to be healed; but look! The great Physician waiting to helps you. You need to be
clothed, and he is waiting to cover you with his own robes of righteousness. No garment,
comes out of the earth can meet your need. In the Greco-Roman world, black was generally
recognized as symbol of subjection. But white is a symbol of purity and victory. Thus, God
wants us to be pure, that we may be victorious. And He appeals us with tenderness and love,
saying “I counsel you”. When we surrender ourselves to Christ, our hearts will be renewed by
his spirit. Thus, the Church of Laodicea gives a symbol of self pride on the earth and living in
the status of lukewarm. All these consequences will lead them to the wrath of God i.e. “I will
spit you out of my mouth” (Rev.3:16).

3. He must Increase, but I must Decrease (St. John 3:22-36)

John’s Gospel gives the clear picture of John the Baptist as forerunner. Though crowds
misunderstood him as messiah but he came to prepare the way for the messiah. His powerful
words melted the hearts of the people; and they left their homes in search of the object of
desire inspired by him. Repentance led them to search for new life (Luke 3:15). On the other
hand, the disciples of John the Baptist came and said, “Rabbi, the one who was with you
across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are going to him.”
(3:26), this is very natural and human tendency. The central figure in the scene is of course
the John the Baptist himself, with his total lack of envy and bitterness, and with his splendor
of generosity and complete forgetfulness of self. Says very powerful statement “I am not the
Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.”(3:28) and goes beyond said boldly “He must
increase, but I must decrease” (3:30). And I exalt that my groundwork work has made it
possible for him to come, and he has come, and that increasingly I am being forgotten and he
being accepted.
John the Baptist: the Preacher of Repentance
He refers to his disciples concern; and reminded them of what he had confessed before “I am
not the Christ” (1:20). And then emphasized it again: you yourselves can testify that I said,
“I am not the Christ but am sent a head if him” (3:28). It seems that some of John the
Baptist’s disciples had not grasped the full meaning of his testimony about Jesus. They could
only remember John’s statement that he was not the Christ because he had said it in their
hearing. Which indicates Christ’s forerunner showed himself worth of his calling and
perfectly fulfilled his task.
Conclusion
Therefore, the dynamic John the Baptist was fearlessly and harshly spoken out, and he
condemned even those who are in the high places who committed wrong (Matthew 14:3-4).
Here we can draw some conclusions that John the Baptist came as forerunner or to prepare
the way; he was succeeded in his responsibility. Often we are lacking the prophetic voice, in
our churches and society. We are not able to come out of our safety zones. Like, church of
Laodicea, we are trying to get or hold abundance in worldly wealth, but utterly poor in
spiritual life. Today’s church resembles the status of lukewarmness. The ultimate result will
be “to spit out of mouth”. However, John the Baptist is one of the most fascinating
personalities of the Bible. A Prophet with his feet in two worlds, he calls out to the Israel of
his own generation as well as to Christian believers of every age. Listen and respond to the
most radical demands of conversion and newness of life.

Rev. Pratap Vasamalla

CSI Dornakal Dicoese
 June 26, 2016, Sunday

People of God: Flock of Christ

Gen: 35: 1-15 Psalm 95
Acts. 16:11-15 John 10:1-6
Eve. Eze.34:25-31 Gal.6:1-10

Collect: Ever gracious God our parent, how amazing is your grace that you choose us as your
people and save us through your Son Jesus Christ. Enable us to be ever conscious of your
calling to be an inclusive community that is nurtured by the love of Christ. Guide us through
your tender love to be in the flock of Christ and radiate your love and mercy to the people
around, through Jesus Christ who lives and reigns as the good shepherd, with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Introduction:

All those who are on the earth are People of God, since God created everyone
(Nehemiah 9:6), provides everything (Ps. 65:9-13) and sustains everything and everyone
(Acts 17:22-28). Though this is true, many a times people do not realise this fact and are not
live a life worthy as ‘People of God’. Sometimes, even among the people who believe that
they are ‘People of God’ also do not maintain the decorum but have dual standards (St. Matt
6:23).

People of God contain characteristic of ‘Flock of Christ.’ In other words ‘flock of

Christ’ are the ‘people of God’. 10th Chapter of St. John’s Gospel gives an account on ‘Jesus
the Good Shepherd’. Here Jesus used ‘figurative language’ where Jesus presented himself as
Good shepherd and his listeners as his sheep. The following are three important characteristic
features of the ‘Flock of Christ’

I. Flock of Christ listen to their Master:

It is obvious that a Shepherded can maintain a flock of hundred or sometimes more than
hundred sheep. How they can handle that many sheep? Jn. 10:3 Jesus says ‘Sheep hear his
voice.’ The shepherd may be one, but with his voice, shepherd can handle many sheep.
Further Jesus said that ‘sheep do not know the voice of the strangers’. There is a video in the
‘YouTube’ with name ‘Good Shepherd,’ in which a group of visitors with the permission of
Shepherd tried to call the sheep. They imitated just like the voice of Shepherd. They tried and
tried but they couldn’t succeed. Even some of the sheep were very near to them, but the sheep
did not respond to them. In Jn. 10:8 Jesus said, “before me are thieves and bandits but the
sheep did not listen to them”. In the video, at last Shepherd came forward and he called the
Sheep. In a fraction of seconds all the sheep gathered around the Shepherd. John 10:3 says
‘Shepherd calls his own sheep by name.’ It rightly depicts the intimate relationship that
Shepherd and Sheep have between them. As it said in Jn. 10:27 ‘my sheep hear my voice’,
‘Flock of Christ’ listen to their master alone.

In Gen 35: 1-7, God said to Jacob, ‘Arise, go up to Bethel and settle there.’ Jacob
listened to the Voice of God just as his father and grandfather. This made Jacob to receive a
name of Blessing from God (Gen. 35:9). Whoever listens to God, God will give a name to
them and develop a bond of relationship between them. Hence People of God like flock of
Christ listen to God.
II. Flock of Christ follows their Master:

Jn. 10:4 says ‘Shepherd goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him’. Sheep has a
habit of following. For this reason shepherd goes ahead and sheep follows. It is obvious that
if we observe those who are herding goats or cows and buffalos, they follow their flock. But
only in the case of sheep, Shepherd goes ahead and Sheep follows him. Among hundred
sheep, many may not look at their shepherd, but they follow the sheep which are immediately
to them, ultimately never lost the way from flock. If shepherd walks slowly, sheep walks
slowly; if shepherd walks fast, sheep walks fast.

‘Following’ is just not limiting to the likes and dislikes, but wherever Shepherd goes,
whatever the way he choose, sheep follows.Christ extended the same call to his disciples in
their ‘following’. In Jesus’ earthly ministry, there were many instances that huge crowd
followed him (Mt. 4:25, 8:1, 12:15; Mk. 3:7, 5:24; Lk. 9:11, and Jn. 6:2 etc... All these texts
reveal the fact that the crowd followed Jesus for getting some sort of benefit. Addressing to
them Jesus said in Jn. 6:26 ‘you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs but
because you ate the loaves and were filled.’ But Jesus’ call to his flock is not just for material
benefits but to carry the Cross.

In Acts 16:3, Paul wanted Timothy to fallow him. So he took Timothy and had him
circumcised. In fact Paul’s preaching doesn’t demand circumcision, but here Timothy was
circumcised because of the ministerial need. Timothy is ready to face any sort of sufferings
while following Paul in the ministry. In Jn. 10:27, Jesus says I know my sheep, and they
follow me. ‘Know’ is the verb which qualifies the statement here. Jesus knew about his flock.
They follows Christ in any means, hence they are ‘people of God’

III. Flock of Christ receives life in its abundance from their Master:

Life of sheep is always a providence that given to them by their master. Shepherd saves
the sheep. The shepherd’s worry is always about the wild animals. At any time they may
attack sheep from any side. For this reason shepherd always looks around to save the Sheep
from them. Sheep have intimate relationship with master. They completely believe their
master. Since the sheep completely rely on him, he feels it as his responsibility to save the
sheep. As part his caring he will dispose his best even will be ready to give up his life. Life
giving commitment of the shepherd gives life to the sheep. The same way flock of Christ
receives the life in abundance from their master. In Jn. 10:10, Jesus says ‘I came that they
may have life, and have it abundantly.’ Jesus loved and promised life in it’s abundance to
sheep which listen to him and follow him. In Jn.10:28, Jesus said, ‘I give them eternal life
and they will never perish. As ‘flock of Christ’, ‘people of God’ do have life in its abundance.

Rev.B.D.P. Ravindra
CSI Dornakal Diocese
 June 29, 2016, Wednesday

Peter, Apostle and Martyr

Jeremiah 16: 16-21 Psalm 18:30-36

II Peter 3: 14-18 Mathew 16:13-19

Collect: O God our Lord through your Son Jesus Christ you called Peter the fisherman to be a
fisher of people. Help us to recognize and accept your call in our workplaces, to follow you
through to the cross. Grant us the strength of will, steadiness in purpose, wisdom to see what
we ought to do, courage to begin, ability to do, willingness to bear, and strength and skill to
complete. Grant that as we may share in His cross, we may share His crown, and as we may
share in His death, we may share also His life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and
reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Jesus’ first words to Simon Peter were “Follow me” (Mark 1: 17); his last words to him were
“You follow me” (John 21: 22). Irrespective of having few fumbles, Peter never failed to
follow Jesus in every steps of his life, even unto the point of giving his life as a martyr.
Peter: A Transformed Witness for Jesus
In judgment oracle, Jeremiah 16: 16-21, God proclaims a warning for the iniquity of the
people and their evil ways. Here, the judgment of the Lord is emphasized by the image of
‘fishers’ and ‘hunters’ to round up all the people for exile. When Jesus used the metaphor of
fishermen to describe the mission of his disciples (Mark 1: 17), he was actually reversing its
meaning from that intended by the Jeremiah. Jeremiah’s fishers caught people for judgment;
Jesus’ fishers are called to catch them for salvation.
When Jesus entered Peter’s life, this ordinary fisherman became a new person with
new goals and new priorities. Though Simeon is gloomy in human perception, he dazzles in
Jesus’ perception. Having identified his great potential, Jesus gave a new name Peter –
‘rock’, to be a vital leader of the Church. We may wonder what Jesus sees in us when he calls
us to follow him. But we know Jesus accepted Peter, and, in spite of his failures, Peter went
on to do great things for God. Are you willing to keep following Jesus, even when you fail?
Peter: A Martyr for Christ
Peter in his first public discourse, he described himself and other apostles as "witnesses" who
saw the risen Christ. Subsequently, after the miraculous escape of the Apostles from prison,
when brought a second time before the tribunal, Peter again declares the twelve as witnesses
to Christ. Moreover, Peter in his First Epistle St. Peter also refers to himself as a "witness of
the sufferings of Christ" (1 Peter 5:1).
Though Peter declares himself as the witness of Christ on several instances, he stands
tall only through his witness for Christ as a martyr. The Greek word martus means’ to
witness’. To understand the significance of martyrdom, it should be viewed in the light of
Roman persecution. During the persecution against Christians, witnessing to Christ can’t be
done openly; all the activities and functions of the church and Christians were done secretly.
In such a situation, martyrdom was the only opportunity to witness publicly for Christ.
Therefore, the martyrdom witness of the apostles like Peter, has helped the early Christianity
to withstand in the times of persecution.
Conclusion:
As a dedicated servant of God, like Peter, who gave his life for the growth of Church, and
suffered for the faith in Christ, let us also be a living witness for Christ, in the midst the
challenges confronting us.
Rev. N. Jeremiah
CSI Thoothukudi – Nazareth Diocese
 July 03, 2016, Sunday

Stewardship Sunday

Giving without Counting the Cost

Gen. 13:8-18 Psalm 15
II Cor.8:1-15 Mark 14:3-11
II Kings 4:8-13 Luke 10:30-37

Collect: Gracious God, we thank you for your self-spending love you have manifested in and
through your son Jesus our Lord, who became poor so that we might become rich; became
empty so that we might be whole; gave himself up to die in order that we might live. Grant us
courage to follow the footsteps of Christ in giving without counting the cost, through Him
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.

The Bible both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament talks about a God who is
generous. The created order is itself a testimony to the generosity of God. God’s providence
for the entire creation to sustain life is also an indication to God’s generosity. In the creation
of the human being God gives a part of his own being as God creates human beings in his
own image. God gives so lovingly and God also forgives so graciously. Therefore the nature
of God is to give. God in the Old Testament is seen as someone who loves people and gives
them life. In fact the Bible tells us in a very revolutionary way that God cares for both good
people and bad people, God makes life possible for his covenant people and also for all
people. That is the nature of God’s love. The New Testament tells us the ultimate level of
God’s generosity in God giving his own Son Jesus Christ to the world to redeem the world to
God. Jesus responds to the selfless and sacrificial generosity of God by giving his own life on
the cross of calvary.

The woman in the gospel narrative in Mark gives us an insight in to the nature of
discipleship. The woman has deep devotion for Jesus Christ and she has something very
special with her; a very expensive flask of Nard known as the fragrance of Jerusalem and she
pours it on Jesus’ head and anoints him. This woman gives us an idea of giving like how God
gives without counting the cost.

Giving is a major responsibility of every Christian believer. Giving from whatever we have.
There are different types of giving that we find in society.
There are people who give to get – sometimes popularity, power etc.
There are people who give and announce about their giving.
There are people who hesitate to give and give grudgingly.
There are people who give as in Proverbs 18:16 A gift opens doors; it gives access to the
great.
Giving to compete with others- to be better than others.

Christian experience is a giving experience – giving ourselves, giving what we have – for
God. It is important to se why we should give; to whom we should give and how we should
give?

1. Why should we give?

We give because everything belongs to God and we give as much as we love God. What we
have is what we have received and therefore a part of what we have is to be given. Giving is
a way of sharing what has been given to us. In the Old Testament time we hear of the word
Tithe. Tithe refers to offering to God 10 percent of the produce. During kingship, the tithe
was given to the king and later on it shifted to the priests and the religious establishment. In
the book of Deuteronomy there are two types of tithes mentioned.
 a) On the one hand, the tithe, the tenth of the yield of agricultural products, is to be
used, year by year, in an offering culminating in a sacrificial meal in which the
household of the farmer is to share (Deut. 14:22-27; 12:6-19). Although the meal is a
household affair, it is to be held at the sanctuary, and to it the Levite is to be invited.
The offering and the meal are, however, a household affair, and their primary purpose
is not the support of the Levite. It has been conjectured that this provision was a
reform which was the result of such abuses as those condemned by the prophet Amos
(Amos 4:4; cf. 5:11).

b) There is another Tithe in Deuteronomy where Deuteronomy speaks of a tithe to be

offered for charitable purposes every third year (14:28-29; 26:12-15). This tithe is to
be distributed to the Levite, the SOJOURNER, the fatherless, and the widow--those
without land to produce crops for themselves. The question of whether or not
Deuteronomy is thus contemplating two separate tithes naturally arises, and the
answer to the question is probably a negative one. The tithe in Deuteronomy is, thus,
something which may have different purposes. It is an offering which acknowledges
God's ownership of the soil and its fruits, a means of support for the Levite, and an
offering for the sake of charity.

2. To whom should we give?

Belonging to the Church is responsibility in giving and supporting the ministries of the
Church. Christian giving is to support the work of the church. The Church is also a giving
community – reaching out to people in need and distress, helping the work of the gospel.
Giving should also be a believers response to God. St. Paul says that one’s abundance should
respond to a persons need. It is a fair balance between your present abundance and their need,
so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance.
Paul also wants believers to be careful in giving. There may be people who do not work and
Paul urges the church not to support them. Idleness is against the will of God. Giving to the
Church and Giving to the Poor and the needy both are a Christian responsibility.

3. How should we give?

Firstly, God accepts offering that comes out of Love.
Matt:5. 23 and 24 says, So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that
your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go;
first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.

Secondly, God appreciates giving out of poverty and need.

Luke 21 1-4
He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor
widow put in two small copper coins. He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in
more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of
her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”

May God enrich every believer, every church and every community to be giving generously
to be giving graciously and in such giving of themselves the church and the world will be a
haven of justice and well-being of all.

Rev. D.C. Premraj

CSI Madras Diocese
 July 10, 2016, Sunday

Theological Education Sunday

Theological Education: Making of the Faithful

Joshua 4:1-9 Psalm 1
I Tim. 6:11-16 Matt.13: 1-9
Eve. Joshua 24:1-14 1 Cor.10: 1-11

Collect: God of life, we praise you for you are the source of our being. We thank you for the
theological education that enables us to understand your word contextually and apply
appropriately to our life situations. Enable the theological teachers and students to be guided
by your spirit in order to make people faithful and committed to their calling, through Jesus
Christ our mediator, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for
ever. Amen.

Introduction
The word, “Theology” comes from two Greek words, “Theos” which means “God”
and “Logos” which means word. Hence, theology means the study of the word of God.
According to the English dictionaries, education is training for body, mind and character
followed by systematic instruction. Education can be religious and secular while both are
necessary for every human being. The word secular is a supplement to a moral standard of
religious education. Theological education equips a person to study the word of God in a
deeper level in relation to the philosophical, political, sociological and psychological context
of the society. Hence, the ultimate goal of theological education is to equip a person to
minister to the needs of Church and Society to establish the ministry of reconciliation of God
to human and human to human as revealed in Jesus Christ. Therefore, the central focus of the
theme is the role of theological education in making faithful humankind.

Theology Memorialized (Joshua 4: 1 – 9)

God’s saving act is a unique once-for-all event in history. It is good to memorialize
the great act of the Lord, provided that the memorials do not become idols. According the
book of Joshua, chapter one verses one to nine, after the people safely crossed the river, God
directed them through Joshua to build a memorial from the twelve stones drawn from the
river by the twelve men from each tribe to commemorate God who was guiding them. To
educate the new generations about what God has done for their forefathers so that they will
also obey God’s word and trust Him in the future (Psalm 78 : 1 – 8). “Crossing the Jordan”
illustrates the death to old self and identification of new life in Christ in His resurrection as
Romans 6: 1 – edifies. When we have living faith in a living God, the past is not a dead
history, it throbs with living reality. Every believer must set up in his heart stones of
remembrance of what God has done in the past, and when trouble overtakes them, they can
have the confidence they once had. Theology is partly shaped by Church history. None of us
can live in isolation from the past. Apostle Paul built his teaching on those like, Abraham and
David, who preceded him (Romans 4: 1 – 8). Joshua built up his spiritual career following the
footsteps of his master Moses and communicated to his future generation a witness which
culminates in his commitment: “As for me and my household we will serve the Lord”
(Joshua 24 : 15).
Theology Internalized (I Timothy 6: 11 – 16)
The epistle portion speaks about Paul’s charge to Timothy, a man of God. He does not
address him by name. Instead he uses the title “man of God” which in the Old Testament is
reserved for the leaders of Israel like Moses (Deut 33 : 1; Joshua 14 : 6), Samuel (I Samuel 9
: 6) David (Neh. 12 : 24, 36),Elijah and Elisha(I Kings 17 : 18, II Kings 4 : 7). As a man of
God, Timothy is deliberately contrasted with false teachers who are the men of the world.
Accordingly, Timothy should be radically different from false teachers. Then, Paul goes on to
develop a threefold appeal to Timothy which is ethical, doctrinal and experimental (I
Timothy 6: 11, 12).The internalization of theological education and spirituality depends more
upon the role of the Church and Theological Colleges in training the candidates for ministry.
There is a greater awareness today that the authentic spirituality cannot be expressed apart
from participation and involvement in the struggles of the people to be truly human. One
must internalize God’s love and His saving acts to save the world. At this context the Church
and the Theological Seminaries must co-op equipping the candidates for ministry. They
should prepare the candidates giving priority to private devotion, and meditation. The earlier
image of a minister as a mere shepherd of the souls and one who presides over traditional
spiritual exercises, has been broadened in the contemporary Church and society. A true
spiritual minister must have sound theological training, motivate social change and take up
cause of justice and love to mobilize people for the right type of action against all forms of
inhumanity. Leaders in the Church must internalize the theology to opt for the ministry of the
Church.

Theology Contextualized (Mathew 13: 1 – 9)

The word parable comes, from a Greek word that means “to throw alongside”. Jesus
used the familiar to teach the familiar and the unfamiliar (things new and old – Mathew 13:
52). He did that not to hide the truth but to arouse interest in the truth (Mathew 13: 13 – 15).
He wanted to open people’s eyes and ears to receive the truth in to their sluggish hearts. Any
training is must be contextual so too is theological. India is pluralistic with a variety of major
religions such as Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikkism, and many other
minor religions. People of different faiths live side by side and usually get along well. But we
notice tensions and violence between religious communities increasing in recent years. Over
emphasizing the supremacy of their own religion, conversion and anti-conversion efforts are
prevalent in the society and create restlessness in the society.

Does theology need contextualization in India? Should we insist only evangelism, and
ignore inter-religious dialogue? Can the issues be included in the curriculum to maintain
peace and harmony? Young Christians must be trained to appreciate culture, uphold
indigenization and at the same time not to contradict the Gospel. According to the parable of
seeds, God is sowing His word in human hearts and looking for fruit. Let our Church and the
theological institutions plan to preach the word of God in such a way that it reaches the
people of all kinds in the society with tolerance and without hurting people of other faith too.
The seed has life and power, to produce the harvest of blessing in the life of the Society at
large. Do we share with others the way Lord taught? We have to plan and work carefully to
make the theological education relevant to our context modifying periodically the curriculum,
the teaching method, the involvement and the evaluation procedure.

Conclusion
The Church as sponsoring body, the theological colleges as training bodies are
expected to train the students and ministers to be people oriented with kingdom values. Jesus
preferred discipleship training model to suit the goal and objectives. Jesus mission is
liberative. He trained the disciples to live and die for the gospel of forgiveness, liberation and
welfare. He used houses, seashores, streets, pools, gardens, hills and mountains, temple,
synagogues as centres for his training.

Rev. Dr. G Stephen Lionel

CSI, Tirunelveli Diocese.
 July 17, 2016, Sunday

Ordained Ministry: Fragrance of Christ

Ex.29:1-9 Psalm Ps.99

Eph.5:1-14 Luke 10:1-11
Eve. Lev.8:1-9 2 Cor.2:14-17

Collect: Ever compassionate God, whose blessed son set a model for a prophetic and self-
emptying ministry, grant your wisdom to be conscious that we are ordained in to your
ministry by your grace in order to reveal you through our teaching, preaching and witnessing.
Enable us to be in communion with you so that we could shed the fragrance of your gospel
that redeems us from every bondage and makes us free to embrace you, through Jesus Christ
our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and for ever. Amen.

The ordained ministry which Jesus entrusted to the apostles and then to the seventy-two was
a new form of mission envisaged by him which has been accomplished with the participation
of God and human beings to save the world from sin (Luke 10:17-20). This pattern of
mission has become a pioneering model of mission work to the Church. Jesus’s instruction on
mission was a unique one and an alternative to Jewish style of teaching the saving act of the
people from sin. Therefore it was one which challenged the Jewish establishment from the
very inception of selecting, training and ordaining the ministers. Jesus’s design of mission
was not only aimed at Jews alone but it was a broader and an inclusive one, not a selective
one which was earlier proposed by Jesus at the time of appointing the twelve (Matthew 10:5-
6). The very introduction of the ordained ministry reveals the spirit of universalism of Jesus
and the urgency of building the kingdom of God. Let us reflect on this theme under three sub
topics based on Luke 10:1-11:

Ordained ministry fragranced with discretion

Ordained ministry fragranced with distinctiveness
Ordained ministry fragranced with diversification

1. ORDAINED MINISTRY FRAGRANCED WITH DISCRETION: Luke10:1-4

Christ’s mission mandate of freedom to the people as against the Jewish religion and Roman
rule which posed a threat to the rights of common people are very well exhibited through the
freedom he has exercised in his unique method of selecting and training the twelve apostles
and a further seventy-two. His move is a counter approach to the discriminative method of
election of priests in the Jewish religion where only the descendants of the family of Aaron
could serve as priests, with no-one from the other tribes enjoying this privilege. This meant
that a vast majority of people in Israel were deprived of the right to become a priest. Jesus
breaks this tradition of discrimination and ordains as ministers any who accept his call and
who commit themselves to be his co-workers in the new form of the ministry, partaking in
building the kingdom of God. Here a new life dawns on the people of non-Aaronic families
to serve for humanity. The works of priests are limited to the people of Israel, whereas Jesus
selects ministers to minister to the people of all nations. In India those who are treated as
untouchables could serve for God as pastors and the same is the case around the world. This
blessing for the Church in treating the so called untouchables is drawn from Christ’s way of
selecting and ordaining ministers. Although the Tamil Nadu government introduced
amendments and appointed non-Brahmins as Archaka in Hindu temples through the
Government Order on May 23, 2006, the same was challenged in the Supreme Court of India
and an order was passed in favour of Brahmins on December 16, 2015 that the appointment
of Archaka( priest) be based as per the Agamas which means those privileges will not be
available to Non-Brahmins.

Jesus also teaches the very essence of being a fellow worker in his mission, and hence a
simple life style was programmed to them in which they would not take a purse or bag or
sandals. These external appearances and attitudes of the new workers would have great
appeal for the people who had seen the worst aspects of Jewish religious workers who
dressed elaborately, decorated with very expensive stones (Exodus:28:13-30) paid out of
public money. And this culture of the Jewish priests alienated them from that of Christian
worshippers where Christ’s teaching brings the ministers very close to ordinary people who
long for spirituality.

Christ also appeals to them to mobilise more volunteers to support his cause of building a
new community of faith based on the values of freedom, equality and simplicity. They were
to function like John the Baptist to prepare the people before he himself could be ministering
for the people. Ordinary people have been chosen to be his co-workers, and thus the mission
of God to the people has become a feature of common people, thereby bringing the
domination of the single tribe to an end. Transformation was possible only by disturbing the
present structures which were not helpful to ordinary people.

2. Ordained ministry fragranced with distinctiveness: Luke 10:5-7

The ordained ministry was once again a counter one to Jewish religious authority and the
Roman rulers. Jesus proposes a counter order of Peace through ordinary people (v.5) while
the colonial Roman government was active in propagating Pax Romana – a pseudo
programme of Peace under Roman rule. Jesus teaches them to say "Peace to this house" by
meeting individual families through visiting their houses. This was the first task directly
associated with the mission activities of these seventy-two to the people. Peace, proclaimed
by the workers, would rest on the family if they are welcomed by the members of the house
who have been longing for it. Jesus propagates the mission of peace and wants them to
promote it among the people who live under foreign rule without freedom and peace. This
new way of meeting people is a unique part of Jesus’s mission at a time when the religious
leaders were indifferent by only concentrating their income through the expenses incurred
through religious rituals (John 2:13-16). People were taught by the Jewish religion to go to
the Jerusalem temple to perform many sorts of religious rituals and for the observances of
annual festivals like Passover, and to undergo rites of purification administered by the priests,
whereas Jesus’s ministers are trained to go to the people and meet them on their doorsteps to
proclaim peace. Jesus eases the burden of the people on spending money like offerings and
transportation from all the corners of Israel and neighbouring countries by making the
ministers to go the people. Now the transition takes place in terms of understanding God,
earning peace and entertaining the workers of God (Jesus’ disciples). Again no mandatory
0ffering like tithes (Numbers 18:21) are demanded as that of provisions made to meet the
needs of Levites, but the basic needs of the ministers are looked after by those who embrace
peace and who have benefitted by their ministry which is a voluntary act of hospitality. And
they were also warned not to develop the bad attitude of making use of their position to take
advantage of people by moving from one house to another which might invite wrong
understandings at the very inception of Christ’s great mission. The pity is that this teaching
has no value in today’s culture of Christian preachers who wish to promote rich life styles
and advocate that such things are the blessings of God - an approach which is quite contrary
to the teachings of Jesus (Mark 10:21-23; Luke 19:8-10).

Jesus also taught his disciples not to waste their time when their greeting of Peace is not
welcomed by members of the family, and therefore he makes them to realise that Jesus’s
mission should not be forced upon people (v.6b), simply saying that the peace proclaimed by
them would return. Jesus taught the new workers that when someone is not interested in
embracing peace and is indifferent (during the foreign rule with exorbitant compulsory
payment of taxes there was no true peace) it’s a waste of time to try to bring them under the
influence of Christ’s programme of peace. But he teaches them to warn those who are not
welcoming the promoter of peace that they wouldn’t have any more relationship with them
and to declare that "the kingdom of God is near", a call to repent as in the manifesto of
Jesus’s inaugural mission.

3. Ordained ministry fragranced with diversification: Luke 10:9

The mission given to them by Jesus was to heal the sick. Jesus diversifies the mission work
and each time it focuses on the individual, which again negates the approaches of Jewish
religious teachings where no concentration on the needs of people finds place. Many
sicknesses were understood by the Jewish people as the consequences of their sins. Certain
sick people had to go to the priest and perform certain rites which qualified them to be treated
as normal and free from sickness. There was no personal contact or support between the
officiating priest and the sick or healed person. But Jesus creates a cordial relationship
between the minister and the people who are sick. Here begins the formation of the Kingdom
of God. Again this union is a witness to the realisation of the mission of God and initiates
hope among the sick. Jesus aims to establish a new order by the genuine involvement of his
workers in the society. The longing for Peace in Jesus’ time was a national issue since they
were under the foreign rule, but it was also a matter of individuals. Whereas the sickness is
not a national phenomenon and at the same time those who are sick must be identified in
order that they be healed and comforted with the assurance that the kingdom of God was near
to them – a new order for which the healed would serve as signs and instruments. The sick
are vulnerable since their condition deprives them of the very right to work and earn money
to meet their needs. If the sick happen to be economically poor and the bread winner of a
family falls sick for a long period their condition will be pathetic as they lose the buying
capacity without money. This could be witnessed in the families who depend on daily wages.
Jesus cured the leper when he approached him and advised him to meet the priest so as to
accomplish the rites required of the law recorded in the book of Leviticus (Mark 1:42, 44;
Levi 13:43-59). Jesus healed many (Mark 5:29, 34, 41) in order to make them united with
their family. Jesus was available to the sick whereas Jewish priests would not go to meet the
sick, and that was the approach of the religion. Jesus gives worth to every individual in the
society and desires their health. He wants everyone to be healthy to take part in the kingdom
of God. Thus the mission of Jesus is very significant since he cared for those who were
neglected and made them partners in mission (Mark 5:19).

The Church has to follow the teachings of Jesus as given to the apostles and the seventy-two,
and must function so as to build a new order of the world wherein we are reminded to go to
people to proclaim peace, to heal them and above all to make them understand that we are
available to rescue them from all bondage.

Rev. N. Manova Santhosham

CSI Madras Diocese
 July 24, 2016, Sunday

Marriage: Lasting Life of Love

Gen.29: 1-20 Psalm 128

Heb. 13:1-6 Matt.19:3-9
Eve. Gen. 2:18-25 1 Cor.13:1-13

Collect: God of Love, we thank you for the institution of family where you unite man and
woman in a sacred bond of love and companionship. Grant us Grace and Love to live our
relationships in such-a-way that husband and wife may treat each other with respect and
dignity; help and encourage each other with the love of our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

There are many different approaches to the subject of marriage. The liturgy for the
solemnization of marriage in the Church of South India, is one of the finest liturgies among
the liturgies of the traditional churches, with a strong biblical and theological foundation. The
emphasis is about the lasting nature of the relationship based on the lasting love, till death
separates the two. It becomes mandatory on the part of the Church to stress on the importance
of the lasting nature of marriage.

In the OT passage, we are introduced to the love story of Jacob. It is love at first sight. He is
prepared to do anything in order to get her to be his wife. Jacob is blessed in many ways in
spite of his sinful nature. God had appeared to him and had given him an assurance that he
would bless him with a large family and also land. His sins were forgiven. When he went in
search of his future security, he easily gets the access to the family of his uncle Laban who
accepted him saying 'my bone, my flesh' (29:14); he was received as a member of the family.
He is safe in Haran. He is looking for a new future. At the same time Laban also has his own
secret agenda to accomplish. He uses the opportunity to be good to Jacob and at the same
time to achieve what he wanted to achieve. When he tells Jacob - should you serve me for
nothing -the words appear as words of concern for Jacob but Laban is clearly indicating that
he is the master and that Jacob is a servant.

Jacob asks for Rachel and agrees to serve for seven years. Considering his background,
working for someone is something new for Jacob. He was the son of a rich man Isaac and has
a rich tradition in Abraham and Isaac. They are great ancestors. He would have had many
servants to serve him in his own place. But now he is in a new environment where he cannot
make any claims. He has to build his future. His willingness to work with Laban is not only
for his own security and assured basic necessities in life, but also to get a beautiful woman as
his wife. His purpose in life appears to be to get the hand of Rachel. In order to achieve this
he is prepared to become a servant and serve for seven years leaving behind his glorious past
in the family. His sins - of deceiving his brother must be a reminder to him.

After the end of seven years he gets the shock of his life. Laban did not give Rachel to be his
wife but gave the elder daughter Leah to whom he did not have any liking. His first love was
for Rachel. Leah was not appealing to him. He decided to remain with his first choice. But
now after seven years he got the older daughter to be his wife. He would not have worked for
seven years if he had known that at the end of seven years Leah is going to be his wife. But
Laban has planned his scheme successfully and the deceiver Jacob is deceived by Laban.
Still Laban appears to Jacob as if he is truly concerned about Jacob and makes another offer.
Jacob was willing to work for an additional seven years for his love towards Rachel.

God's promise of family and land to Jacob is being fulfilled. But in the process Jacob is also
learning a lesson to understand his true position. This understanding makes him to realize the
greatness of God to forgive him and to give his blessings to him. We could observe how his
life is going through a change. This experience makes him to move closer to God and his
love towards Rachel appears to be true and a lasting love. He is not a deceiver in this
relationship. He submits himself to all the conditions in order to see that his love becomes
fruitful and meaningful. God uses every circumstance to shape his people.

In the letter to Hebrews the first 12 chapters tell us about the supremacy of Christ and
presents him as the great High Priest.. When we come to chapter 13 there are practical
instructions that concern our daily life and our relationship with Christ and the importance of
living in a way that is acceptable to God. The writer begins by emphasizing the importance of
love - love of the brethren - loving our fellow believers and refers to the importance of
marriage. It is just one statement - Marriage to be held in honour among all.

To hold in honour is to hold it as precious or valuable. It is precious because God ordained

marriage. It was God's desire that man should not be alone and he created woman to be his
partner. Since marriage comes from God it should be held as valuable and precious. As we
read this practical message we should also understand that this message tells us that marriage
should not be dishonored by reducing the love relationship to a mere arrangement between
two individuals for the sake of comfort and convenience. It should be a commitment to the
other person and no person should be treated as a property on which the other person has
absolute ownership. We are called to honour marriage and remain in the lasting love
relationship by staying committed to our partner and working through difficulties rather than
attempting to bail out.

The gospel lesson presents to us a discourse on the subject of divorce and marriage. It is
important to note that the discourse does not begin with marriage and then lead to the
discussion on divorce. On the contrary it begins with divorce and ends with the stress on the
marriage - Jesus emphasizing the lasting nature of marriage.

The Pharisees come to Jesus seeking a clarification on the provision made by Moses
regarding divorce which is found in Deut 24:1.

Divorce was a common practice during the time of Jesus. The Pharisees were raising the
issue to trap Jesus. They used every occasion and every conversation to find fault in Jesus'
teaching and preaching. The framing of the question is such that any answer, be it for divorce
or against divorce, can be interpreted wrongly and can be used against Jesus. If Jesus
contradicts Moses, his reputation will be ruined. It will also involve him in Herod -Herodias
affair and he also may be arrested like John the Baptist.

In his reply Jesus takes them out of the context of divorce, a provision created by Moses
because of the hardness of heart of the people, to the original plan and purpose of God. He
quotes from Genesis 1:27 and 2:24 to underline the purpose and plan of God. He points out
that the original intention of God was misused by the people and Moses had to create a
provision for separation in order to put some fear in the hearts of people who were breaking
the marriage relationship according to their own desires. But such a provision was used as a
licence to promote separation. Jesus emphasizes that marriage is a bond formed by God,
designed by Him and that it is rooted in creation itself. Marriage is not supposed to be viewed
as disposable. It cannot be defined merely in terms of an agreement. Jesus stresses on the
long term impact that our choices and decisions make on our lives and the lives of our
families.

To the question about divorce Jesus replies that dissolution of marriage was not an option
given by God. His only intention was for the husband and wife to live together till the last. If
there is right relationship, a relationship that is revered and respected, there would be no
question of divorce.

Marriage today is not viewed as a lasting relationship but as a civil contract or arrangement.
The marital relationship is assessed on the basis of one's comfort rather than one's
commitment to a lasting relationship. The increased divorce rates even among the Christian
families remind us that the partners are succumbing to the pressures of this world and are
seeking the easy way out to move away from the lasting relationship. We know the old
saying - love at first sight. Today people are trying to regret for this because they failed to
take a second look or another look at the other person. They stopped with the first look. The
blue print for marriage that God gave to humankind is a man and a woman leaving their
respective families and cleaving to each other for ever. The two becoming one flesh is not
simply sexual union but a union of their lives. It is the union of or coming together of their
hopes, dreams, ambitions, plans and sexual activity. They are one by God's will. They are
called to remain in this lasting relationship.

Rev. Dr. Moses Jayakumar

CSI Karnataka Central Diocese
 July 31, 2016, Sunday

Baptism: Born from Above

Gen.8:1-14 Psalm 25
Col3: 1-11 John 3:1-8
Eve. Ex.14:15-31 Matt. 3:13-17

Collect: Almighty God, we thank you for the sacrament of Baptism by which we participate
in the death and resurrection of Jesus and become a new creation with your redeeming power.
Grant us grace and power to live as people born from above; to transform the earth to be your
kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit
one God world without end. Amen.

Once, a man came to me and said that he wanted to join in the church. And I asked him,
when he was willing to take baptism?. He replied, if he was given baptism, this would be his
fifth one! All over the world more or less 40000 denominations are there in Christianity.
Every denomination has its own way of baptizing people and gives own meaning time and
again to convince people. John 3:1-13 talks about the unknown kingdom in which no one
ever entered. I would like to drive home three points from this text.

1.Baptism gives new identity

Baptism is one of the sacraments in Christianity. It is normally enforced on people to be

members of the church. But when we read John3:1-13, we can understand the real meaning.
Recently one of my friends went abroad to work over there. For which he had to change
himself a lot, learn the rules and law code of the country to adopt it for his survival sake. To
work or live in other countries one should get the identity through some procedures. In this
same way for heavenly kingdom, we should have to go through certain procedures, which can
make us eligible to get the identity. When Nicodemus spoke to Jesus, Jesus said to him that
“very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.
“Nicodemus asked Him “ how can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a
second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered “ very truly, I tell you, no
one enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and spirit”. Until a person assures
the government of another country that he or she would follow the rules and regulations, they
will not get permission to enter into that country. Baptism, as a sacrament gives born again
experience from the evil life to holy life ( kingdom values). The baptized obtains a new
identity as a child of God. So it becomes a challenging responsibility to keep up that identity.

2.Baptism gives new Citizenship

Secondly, Once baptism is taken, the person has to follow the new rules and regulations. In
the time of old testament, Israelites were given a land and all the rights, once after they came
under the law. Similarly, after baptism person is given a authority or right to possess the
things which belong to the kingdom of God, and exhibit the values as well.

Once two different group of people went to Malaysia to work over there for their life
survival. One point of time Malaysian government petrified after seeing the report that more
than 50% of land of that country and wealth was owned by these two group of people. Then
government gave them deadline to leave the country, since they were not of that country.
When they came back to India, left their land and most of the wealth over there. Without
baptism, one cannot become citizen of Kingdom of God. Baptism makes one as a citizen of
heavenly kingdom.

3.Baptism gives new inheritance Baptism gives new inheritance who are baptized with
water and spirit. After becoming the citizen of one kingdom, he or she begins to get all the
priorities. Once, Paul was talking about his Roman citizenship, saying that Paul didn’t
purchase it by giving money. During that time, many got Roman citizenship by paying
money. But they didn’t get the privilege as others did. Baptism which gives privilege cannot
be purchased by paying money as it is the symbol of divine love that embraces us.

In John 3:5 Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a man be born of water and of
the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Water symbolizes a cleansing which only
Jesus can give, a new life which Jesus offers, and is used in baptism to showcase the
acceptance of Jesus and the denial of self(worldly privileges). Water refers purification. This
is the outward sign of cleansing. When we take baptism with water, outwardly we are
cleansed, at the same time, inwardly by spirit. Spirit of the Lord cleanses everyone’s heart,
mind and soul. Such a purification gives inheritance and authority to possess and live a life in
that kingdom of God. Baptism makes a person to own the kingdom of God and it’s
possessions without any impediment and hurdle. Let us enjoy the gift of baptism through the
one who has taken baptism to set us a model in the river of Jordan. May the almighty God
help us to receive new identity, new citizenship and new inheritance through the holy
sacrament of Baptism.

Rev.A. Raja Christopher

CSI Tirunelveli Diocese
 August 06, 2016, Saturday

The Transfiguration of Christ

Exodus 24:12-18 Psalm 110
II Peter 1: 12-21 Luke 9: 28-36

Collect: Eternal God, whose son Jesus Christ was wonderfully transfigured before chosen
witnesses upon the holy mountain, and spoke of the exodus he would accomplish at
Jerusalem: give us strength so to hear his voice and bear our cross that in the world to come
we may see him as he is; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and
the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

INTRODUCTION

Our faith is dependent upon what we have perceived and our understanding of God is
articulated on what we have received. Many a time, our faith remains stagnant. Our doctrinal
and traditional upbringing does not allow us to articulate our faith according to the changing
scenario and the contexts we live in. We have stopped rethinking, re-evaluating and re-
formulating our faith and our understanding of God. The transfiguration narrative that is
found in Luke 9:28-36 is a call to all who have been stagnant in faith; it is a call to rethink, to
set us in motion and to articulate our faith, understanding and theology relevant to the
changing contexts. The passage of transfiguration is one of the complicated passages in the
gospels, because of its complexity of vocabulary and the various interpretations that arise
from it and the diverse theological arguments it gives way to.

Transfiguration as transformation of faith

Peter, John and James are considered to be in tension with the power politics among the
disciples. Peter’s eagerness to respond to Jesus; mother of John and James requesting for
prime position to be seated at the right and left of Jesus at his kingdom are few dynamics of
socio-political scenario that is evident in the gospels. Amidst these dynamics, Jesus chooses
only these three disciples to witness the transfiguration experience. Often the three disciples
are interpreted as the few who had close relationship with Jesus. However, it would be unfair
to imagine the partial relationship that Jesus had with Peter, James and John among the
twelve. The very mission of God in Jesus and the Kin-dom of God would be in stake if Luke
9:28-36 is read with such exclusiveness. Amidst the socio-political and religious context of
the first century, the message of Jesus would be no greater than any other teachings of the
time. In a patriarchal society where hierarchy is rigorously maintained Jesus’ teaching brings
renewal to the existing structure. Transfiguration experience is a classical example where the
focus is not just about Jesus being transfigured to endorse his divinity before the disciples,
but rather the selection of the disciples highlight one of the purposes and that is to transform
the understanding of the disciples about Jesus, the mission to be carried and their faith in
God. The disciples’ actions display that their faith has been disfigured and this transfiguration
experience has enabled them to re-figure and trans-figure that faith.

Dis-figuring faith to trans-figuring faith

The passage cannot be read in isolation from the previous pericope as it has a connecting
word in the beginning of the verse 2. Luke 9:28 begins with the words "about eight days later
Jesus took…" is a representation of transition that Luke is trying to draw between the
previous pericope and the present one. If we observe the previous pericope, we discern that
Jesus has already informed that "But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will
not taste death until they see the kingdom of God". The disciples heard these utterances of
Jesus and wondered who would see the Kingdom of God. And after eight days when Jesus
took Peter, John and James to a high mountain, probably the disciples would have slightly
guessed that Jesus would share with them alone that which is forbidden from others. When
the three disciples saw that Jesus has transfigured before their eyes, probably this is a
shocking experience for three of them, but only one responds to the incident. Peter
immediately responds to the incident and says, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us
make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah". Through his response,
he makes a connection with the previous incident and with the previous pericope and with the
previous teachings of Jesus Christ. And now, Peter perhaps elevates his position to another
level as he has seen Moses and Elijah too. He considers that as a virtue. He clearly says to
Jesus; Let us make three dwelling places, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah. By
calling out their names, he attests that he has seen what is forbidden from others and he will
respond to it to which others are unable to respond to. Peter misunderstands and relates Jesus'
teaching of the coming of the Kingdom in power with what he has seen during the
transfiguration. Peter now sees the transfiguration as a full revelation of the Jesus' glory.
When Peter assumes everything and takes decisions, in Jesus's Silence, a voice comes saying
"This is my Son, the Beloved, listen to him". The voice shattered Peter's plans for the future.
Peter assumed to pitch tents so as to watch over the coming of the kin-dom of God. Peter has
been one of the disciples who has often claimed to have known Jesus very well than anyone
else. He has been the first among the disciples to confess in Mark 8:29b that "You are the
messiah". In spite of the affirmations he was making from time to time about Jesus Christ and
his Messiahship, Peter's faith has often been stagnant, his understanding of the ministry of
Jesus has been limited, his faith has not transformed him or he neither makes an effort to
transform his faith based on his journey in the ministry of Jesus and his accompaniment at
various instances. Transfiguration, is depicted as one of the crucial symbols of coming of
God' reign and the place where it takes place is significant too, because mountain top is
considered as a locus of God's revelation. And Peter assumes this revelation as the revelation
of God's reign coming down and wants to limit God's reign to mountain top. But the voice
that comes from the cloud is a call to disfigure that faith that makes us stagnant, that makes
us to limit god's revelation and that is formulated by physical perceptions.

Conclusion

The voice from above is a call to each one of us to go beyond in our faith i.e. to trans-figure
his /her faith that is beyond physical appearances. The presence of the three disciples and
their fear is a representative for the need of them being transfigured too. Our faith either has
to transform us or we need to transform our faith. Our fasting and prayers might remain
ritualistic if its observance doesn’t transform us and allow us to tran-figure in our faith in and
perceptions of God.

Rev. Rueben Manohar

CSI Karnataka Central Diocese
(United Theological Collet – M.Th II)
 August 07, 2016, Sunday

Mission Sunday
Mission: From Everywhere to Every Where
I Kings. 17: 1-16 Psalm 107: 1-15
Gal.2 : 1-10 Matt. 13: 47-52
Eve. Isa.45:1-7 Acts.10: 34-48

Collect: Almighty God, we thank you for the mission you have entrusted to your people.
Help us to diligently obey your command and creatively engage in your mission that
embraces all. Empower us by your spirit to proclaim your Gospel, heal the diseases, empower
the weak and liberate the captive, through Jesus Christ your son, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

INTRODUCTION:

The Church has been bestowed and Challenged to Carry out the Mission of God. The Church
cannot exist without the Mission. The word ‘mission’ is not a sacred word but secular in
nature. This word has been taken seriously by Christendom only after the advent of Jesus
Christ, through his Mission Mandate as we read in Luke 4:18ff. Mission is the
Commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ by which the Church was commissioned to Mission.
There is no Mission of the Church but the Mission of God to be accomplished by the Church
which is the Servant of the Lord. The world is the Missional platform for the Church to
minister and mission. Mission must be local and contextual, addressing to the living
situations and aspirations of the people. The Church must consider Mission as a privilege as
God becomes our partner in Mission. Mission has the power to transcend all boundaries such
as caste, colour, creed, culture, language, race, etc. Mission must be the most significant
priority of the Church. Mission has always been misconceived as ‘conversion’ and ‘
proselytization’ where the other aspects of mission especially, the “Diaconal” perspective is
always missed. In the context of life threatening issues and concerns what is Mission and how
the Mission is possible? Can the Church pitch her tent in the midst of the poor and victims in
society?

MISSION IS LIFE:

Prophet Elijah was prepared by the Lord to demonstrate to all Israel that God Yahweh and
not Baal, is the only true God. Elijah was directed by God to go to Zarephath, a town on the
mediterranean coast between Tyre and Sidon in Phoenicia, the homeland of Jezebel. God
Yahweh promised Elijah that a widow would feed him. Widows were very poor and God’s
direction to go to a widow for food was very strange and obscure. She welcomed the prophet,
fed him with what was available with her, a limited stock of flour and oil, which she had for
her and her son as a last meal before death. God is God of Life. Elijah was sent by God with a
purpose and Mission. Elijah promised her that she would have flour and oil until the drought
ended. She was bestowed with life anew. Her fear was turned into Faith. The word of
promise and assurance gave the gentile woman life in all its fullness because of her implicit
Obedience unto God’s word. The Poor widow of Zarephath experienced joy, hope and life. I
am reminded of the words of the former Bishop Late M. Azariah of Madras Diocese, who
always said “Sharing of Life is Mission”.
MISSION IS LOVE:

Mission is possibile only if founded on Love. Many times, everything precedes from us
without love. The shorter commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ is ‘Love your neighbor as
yourself’ is full of meaning with Missional perspective. Our lord and savior Jesus Christ was
sent by God the father with a Mission to bestow life for the life denied and love for the love
denied. This love of the lord was freely given to us ought to be freely shared. The widow of
Zarephath in spite of poverty shared what she had, obliging the request of prophet Elijah. The
words of Elijah was full of love for this lady who was denied the possibility of love. A widow
will not entertain strangers and no person will go to a widow’s home seeking food as all
widows were very poor. The love of the widow in giving and the love of Elijah in responding
that she and her son should not suffer from want of food till drought is over. This miracle
again is a protest against Baal just as was the drought. This is to understand that God
Yahweh could provide flour and oil even at the time of draught and famine. This is what is
God’s Mission to His people, when people respond and obey to God’s word. The Mission
that was given to Elijah was again successful in proving that God Yahweh is all powerful
and full of love.

MISSION IS LIBERATION:

The liberative act of God is seen when the people suffer and when people become victims of
oppression. Here in this event the widow would have been seen as an expendable in all
perspectives. No person would have come to her rescue at the times of trouble or at times of
starving without food. God is God of liberation. He is quick to respond at times when people
call on Him. God honoured the immediate demonstration of faith of the Widow by fulfilling
His promise miraculously. Her faith became strong, she had fresh hopes to live, the fear of
death was missing in her, in totality she had become a new woman from Being to Becoming.
This Becoming was possible because of the experience of the Liberation from the shackles of
bondage socially, economically, culturally, religiously and politically. She would have gained
a new respect and she would have been a source of liberation to all people who were starving
as she would have shared what God had given to her as a gift.

As a Church in our Faith Journey we are called to understand the Mission of God in an
emphatic way by which Life, Love and Liberation could be offered to the People who are
denied of these possibilities. May God Empower us and equip us in our Mission and Ministry
to the Least, Lost and the Last.

Rev. Mrs. Indira Paul

CSI Madras Diocese
 August 14, 2016, Sunday

Sacrament of Holy Communion

Ex.12:1-14 Psalm 42
I Cor.10: 14-22 Luke 22:7-20
Eve. Gen.14:17-20 Heb.10:1-10

Collect: Loving God, we thank you for the institution of the Holy Eucharist through which
you call our attention to the cross of Calvary where our Lord Jesus offered himself as an
oblation and sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Grant us grace that as we participate in
this Holy mystery, we may be transformed, empowered and enriched to become your
children, through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one
God world without end. Amen.

Introduction: The Sacrament of Holy Communion is also known by several other names
such as Eucharist, Last Supper, The Lord’s Supper, Memorial Meal, etc. Augustine of Hippo
defined the sacrament as an “outward and visible signs of an inward and spiritual grace.”
Until 12th century there were a number of sacraments and sacramental activities in the
medieval Church. Peter Lombard (1100-1160) had systemised sacraments and the total
number of sacraments was listed as seven. However, the Protestant Reformation reduced the
sacraments to just two, they are Baptism and Holy Communion, with both having the explicit
command of Christ in scripture (Matthew 28:19-20 and Luke 22:19-20). Martin Luther
(1483-1546) argued that “...only in these two (Baptism and the Holy Communion) do we find
the divinely instituted sign and the promise of the forgiveness of sins.” The Sacrament of the
Holy Communion as Luther understood was one of the most essential symbols that point to
and builds up the Church as the communion of saints. The Roman Catholic belief emphasises
on the true and literal presence of Christ in the communion elements. (Doctrine of
transubstantiation) Luther challenged this view and put forward an alternative view, wherein,
the elements do not change completely into the body and blood of Christ, rather Christ is
present ‘in, with and under’ them. (Consubstantiation) This is called as sacramental union,
for which faith is essential to those who receive the sacrament. Let us consider three
important aspects of the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

1. Holy Communion as Exodus from Slavery to Freedom (Exodus 12:1-14)

The Holy Communion serves as a reminder that God loves us unconditionally. It signifies the
love poured out to us giving us freedom. The Holy Communion has its origin from a sacred
Jewish meal called “Passover Seder,” a ritual meal that the people of Israel celebrated when
Moses was leading them out of Egypt. It is a meal in which they give thanks to God for
freeing them from slavery. One of the major concerns of the Exodus 12:1-14 is deliverance
from unjust oppression. Passover is the tenth plague that God sent upon the Egyptians to
force them to free the people of Israel from slavery. Even though God has shown grace and
mercy to Pharaoh, had given him every opportunity to change his mind, Pharaoh refused to
listen to God. Moreover, God has chosen Israel as its “chosen nation” and was motivated by
his antecedent commitment to the patriarchs so God delivers the Israelites and they move
slavery to freedom.
Each of us should make our own Exodus from the slavery of any darkness, from the
imprisonment of narrow thinking which oppresses our creativity. There will be many
challenges, struggles and difficult situations along the way. And we will need sustenance
along the way. We are asked to step into the way, to sustain ourselves on the Bread of Life in
order to enact our own Exodus to our own Promise Land in a strange and unknown place.
2. Holy Communion as Re-membering (1 Corinthians 10:14-22)
In the Eucharistic prayer, Jesus said, "Do this in remembrance of me." The Greek word, ‘an-
nam-nesis’ is translated as ‘remembrance,’ which is much stronger word than ‘memorial.’
Remembrance has reference to an event in the past that is recalled with such power that it
brings a blessing into the present. According to Moody, this “blessing” includes not only
union with God but the unity of all who are participating in the Supper. Moreover, the aspect
of ‘re-membering’ brings another powerful practice of the gathering church – it
“reconstitutes” the church. One of the reasons why Paul writes to the Corinthian church is
because it was divided, a fact which seems to have been most apparent in this church’s
practice of the Eucharist. (1 Corinthians 11:20-22) Raymond E. Brown notes that the
Corinthian church were conducting worship services in the homes of the wealthy, wherein the
hosts and their closest friends had preparatory meal before what was supposed to be the
bonding practice of the Lord’s Supper. However, persons who were rich were taking
advantage of their position and were eating and drinking greedily, whereas Paul believed that
all Christians including the poor and slaves have to be accepted into the hospitality area of the
house for the Eucharist. The very rite which effects unity in the church is in fact bringing to
light the division in the Corinthian church, therefore he says, “we who are many are one
body, for we all partake of the one loaf” (1 Corinthians 10:17). Paul’s understanding of
church’s unity implies that the members of the church were truly – a body, rather than
individuals. Therefore, when we ‘re-member’ or ‘reconstitute’ the body of Christ we are to
include all the excluded ones; excluded on the basis of sex, gender, sexual orientation; least,
lost and the last.

3. Holy Communion as Transformation (Luke 22:7-22)

Jesus used the Passover meal and put new meaning into it, he identified the bread and wine.
He made them symbolic symbols of his own body and blood. Jesus took normal, mundane
ingredients, bread and wine, and charged them with meaning, life, and potential. The bread
symbolizes that Jesus’ body that is given to us for nourishment and his blood that gives us
new life.
In the making of bread the individual grains of wheat lose their individual shape and form
and dissolve in the flour to become one loaf. So also, the grapes lose their individual
existence in becoming wine. And while we eat and drink in the same bread and wine, we, as
individual believers are transformed into one body, which is the community of saints, a
process in which the, individual identity dissipates and they obtain a collective identity as the
body of Christ. In participating in the Holy Communion the members of the church are
reminded that they are “members of one another” in the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:25), the
body of which Christ himself was and is both “member” and “head” (Ephesians 4:15-17).
The goal is to be transformed into Christ-likeness.

In Holy Communion we are called to move from slavery to freedom, re-member the body of
Christ and be transformed into Christ-likeness. Thanks be to God for this Holy Sacrament.
Amen.

Rev. B.J. Moses Shanthi Kumar

CSI Medak Diocese
(United Theological College, M.Th.II)
 August 15, 2016, Monday

Independence Day

Participatory Decision making

Ex.18:13-27 Psalm 2
Acts.15:22-29 Luke 20:20-26

Collect: O God, you created all people in your image. We thank you for the astonishing and
rich variety of cultures and peoples in our country. We thank you for the gift of democracy.
Enable us to make right decisions in choosing our leaders, in setting our priorities so that we
all reap the fruit of democracy in peace and harmony, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Biblically and Historically FREEDOM is a celebrated theme in world History. The supreme
command of Moses undergirded with a Divine authority of Yahweh reverborated in the
portals of Pharoh when Moses said ,”LET MY PEOPLE GO”.

Before Christ and in 6th. Century B.C. Cyrus the Great who was an Emperor for 3 continents
never wanted any slaves to be entertained in any Kingdom which was won by him. This is the
reason why he wanted Jerusalem to be rebuilt and authorized Nehemiah to rebuild the walls
of Jerusalem.

Later in our own history the French Revolution gave the world a threefold formula on the
meaning of Freedom and said: “Freedom, Equality and Fraternity.” And Martin Luther King
Jr. who fought for human dignity always said, “ LET FREEDOM RING” .

So Independence Day reminds us of the Freedom India has won paying a heavy cost of
sacrifices by the Patriots. It is Freedom which brought to us Democracy and democracy
announces the human worth and human talents and human participation in all the decision
making processes. Usually decisions are made at the top. And the people at the grass roots
level are asked just to follow what is ordered by the authorities. They are treated as objects.
Now a days we also work out Models of decision making from bottom upwards. The CSI
also encourages decision taken by the local congregations to reach the Synod.

2. We have a classical example of one leader wanting to take up all decisions in the case of
Moses when he had to lead the People of Israel after their delivery from Egypt. If you read
Ex.18: 13 – 17 , you will find Moses carrying a huge burden on himself. His father-in-law
comes to his rescue and introduces Participatory Decision Making Principle. Accordingly,
they choose leaders with fear of God and talents to lead 1000 s, 100s, 50s and 10s. Here you
find Group work and group dynamics ! Moses stays back as a reference authority to solve
critical issues. Moses becomes much more a listening type . Moses receives more
recognition from the people as a humane personality. People are not subject to unreasonable
pain in following a single leader.

In the Gospel narratives, you always find Jesus asking people on what they read in the
scriptures, what they had learnt and what they thought, as in Lk. Ch.20. Jesus enabled people
to make decisions in accordance with God’s will. Though Jesus knew all the answers He did
not want to dictate on others or wanted to rule over them. Jesus brought out the potential and
helped people’s personality to bloom to get nearer to the Kingdom of God..!
In participatory decision making you bear witness to the fact that all are created equal in the
sight of God. You recognize that the Holy Spirit can work among men and women from the
ordinary ways of life.

This also helps us to evaluate how our committees function in the church. Some times a
Pastor wants his word to be the final word! A Pastor has to recognize that there may be more
knowledgeable persons in the committee and people with many different Gifts. Some times
one committee member would want to dominate all discussion! This can happen in the
Diocesan Council also.! Some times members want the Bishop to make all decisions. It is one
thing to refer to the Bishop for a Final Decision and it is quite an inadequate practice not to
give any opinion from the floor at all!

3. Partricipatory Decision Making comes from the Holy Spirit as we read in I Cor. 12:4 ff.
They are referred to as varieties of gifts and the same spirit. And they are varieties of
working. There is room for plurality of thinking. There is no need f or one blue print!! There
is room for recognition of contribution from the least of all. There is no room for ego
domination. People learn to self empty their glories as Christ did. (Phil2:7) People learn to
serve and not try to dominate.( Mt.20:28) The result is enjoying the privilege of beloning to
the ONE body of Christ. To God be the Glory.

PRAYER: God help us to relate to people as equals. Help us to honour our neighbours. Help
us not to be negative in our thinking.Help us to understand Independence as interdependence
, and help us to see the value of participation for a wholesome spiritual life in the church and
the society. AMEN.

Rt. Rev. Dr. D. Pothirajulu

Retd. Bishop
 August 24, 2016, Wednesday

Bartholomew, Apostle and Martyr

Genesis 28: 10-17 Psalm 25
Ephesians 4: 7-16 Luke 6: 12-16

Collect: God of peace, who through the ministry of your servant apostle Bartholomew
strengthened the true faith and brought harmony to your Church: keep us steadfast in your
truth and renew us in faith and love, that we may always walk in the way that leads to eternal
life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of
the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Saint Bartholomew lived in the first century AD and was one of the twelve apostles of
Jesus Christ. He was introduced to Christ through St. Philip and is also known as “Nathaniel”
of Cana in Galilee, notably in John’s Gospel 1.47. It would be because the name Nathaniel in
Hebrew is equivalent to that of Matthew, meaning “ GIFT OF GOD”.

Philip advised by Peter and Andrew, hastened to communicate to his friend the good news
of his discovery of Christ: “we have found Him whom Moses in Law, and the Prophets
wrote! Come and see”. Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to Him and said of Him, “Behold a true
Israelite in whom there is no guile” (cf. John 1.45 – 49). His innocence and simplicity of
heart deserved to be celebrated with this high praise in the divine mouth of our Redeemer.
And Nathanael, when Jesus told him he had already seen him in a certain place, confessed his
faith at once “Rabbi Thou art the Son of God, Thou art the King of Israel”.

Bartholomew was a missionary to Asia, he witnessed Lord in present day Turkey. The
ministry of Apostle Bartholomew belonged more to the eastern churches than does to the
western churches. Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia when he was
flayed to death by a whip.

The characteristic virtue of the Holy Apostles was zeal for the divine glory. A soldier is
always ready to defend the honor of his prince, and a son that of his father; can a Christian
say he loves God if he is indifferent to His honor? Jesus is our greatness. He is given to us,
and carrying with him He brings all his gifts of forgiveness, life and salvation. No matter how
horrible our lives may be, having been beaten by the assaults of the devil, stripped of our
skin, our reputation, by this dark world, he will never leave us or forsake us. He cannot and
will not be taken from you.

We celebrate Bartholomew because he staked everything on the truth that Jesus Christ is
the Son of God. So perhaps we can claim him as Patron Saint for all disciples, who never hit
the headlines, but just get on with being faithful. The Book of Ecclesiastes gives some
insights into what that involves. Ecclesiastics is a book of wisdom found in the Apocrypha,
the writings from the inter-testament period. It describes a person who devotes himself to the
study of the law of God. A devoted person is a person of prayer, setting their heart to rise
early so that they can pray to God who made them. That’s not so easy for many of us, but
some time set aside is important. Then, God can fill such a person with the spirit of
understanding so that they pour forth words of wisdom that are not our own – wisdom that
comes from God.
 The additional gift of God is that some people live on in the collective memory and
become part of our heritage and so today we remember Bartholomew. As we give thanks for
him, we celebrate the daily routine of ordinary discipleship, of getting on with the task in
hand, perhaps rising to occasional moments of greatness but underpinning them with routine
devotion and, when the occasion arises, being willing to go wherever we are sent.

Bartholomew’s ordinary discipleship that led to extraordinary events can be taken as a

good example with thanksgiving. We have to remember that we can’t just be spectators
because our baptism demands that we are to be involved too, we have to follow the example
of saints and martyrs.

Rev.R.S Supriya Sarvesh

CSI Karimnagar Diocese
 August 21, 2016, Sunday

God and People of All Faiths

Amos. 9:1-12 Psalm 66
Rom.2:17- 29 John 10:14-18
Isa.45:1-8 Rev.7:9-17

Collect: Gracious God, creator and redeemer of all, we thank you for calling us to be the
sojourners in this world. Create in us a new heart that accepts people of all faith as sisters and
brothers and strive together to discern your light and truth. Nurture in all people a thirst for
justice and peace in our world so that we may work together in faith and love and discover
you in our midst, through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit one God, now and for ever more. Amen.

Introduction

The need of the hour is peaceful and cooperative living and growing as communities. The
only way to solve all social and political issues is to focus our attention on development of
the life of the whole earth, so that we learn to celebrate the differences and channel all human
resources towards enhancing life. The need for having an understanding about the character
of God as shepherd of all and who gives life for all is the unifying factor of faith. How to
bring people of all faiths under a larger umbrella of God? What is the role of the church in
realizing this end?

The recent floods in Chennai witnessed an amazing evidence of unique human community.
The churches, mosques and temples became relief camps. Everyone shared all they can to
minimize suffering and starving. And all got together in helping the other. A Christian
cooked food and Muslims distributed and a Hindu gave his vehicle freely. Caste, creed,
region, language were all forgotten, only humanity was found during the time of floods. You
may also term it as the spirit of God moving in the hearts of all people.

Superior Spirituality- All are God’s People

Is Christian spirituality matured enough (practicing transcending faith - crossing all
boundaries; and condescending faith humbling to the utmost and showing great respect) to
reach out and embrace every other form of faith? Does Christian faith or Church
communities possess the power to serve and strengthen the growing and weak faiths and also
possess the power of humility to strengthen itself by other spiritualties? The text from Amos
reveals the nature of God that was explicit in redeeming people of Israel, Philistines and
Arameans and they are equal and same for God (Amos 9: 7). God will punish all human
communities that sin against God. The judgment will come upon all those who are filled with
pride and arrogance. (Amos 9:8)

Splendid Spectacle
There will be one flock and one shepherd (John 10: 16). Who is this Shepherd? Who are
these sheep? This shepherd is good and life giving and therefore He has no prejudice and
preferences and He does not possess the character which includes some and excludes another.
The Shepherd knows the sheep (all people) and His knowledge about the sheep is perfect. Is
our knowledge about people of other faith complete? Good understanding will lead to better
living and practice and performance.
Specific Actions
The first principle for the family of God (God and People of All Faiths) will be that each
religion should teach themselves all that is said in their own religion/scriptures about
harmony, peace and loving the neighbour. Instruct yourself first. Let your religion change
you first. (Romans 2:21) Secondly, we must see Christ’s presence in people belonging to all
faiths. He is present where there is poverty, grief and life-negating circumstances. He invites
us to partner with Him to alleviate such pain and injustice. If we bring glory to God we
cannot disrespect people of other faiths, because we will find God living in them too. We do
not know when we will arrive at this point in our human society but if we hasten peace
mission we can bring about this reality soon. One God and one people is the assignment for
the church. Our mission is to bring the other sheep. Let us strive to grow towards completion
in our knowledge and in our understanding about people of all faiths so that all may have
renewed vision of God- the unifying power.

Conclusion
As a called out community, the church, has a vital role in the construction of New
Community. Let us realize the great expectation of God about us. Let us understand the
responsibility entrusted to us. Let us also remember the power of the Holy Spirit who has
anointed us to be special people to lead all around us in to peaceful and harmonious living.
Our baptism and participation in the Holy Eucharist will keep reminding us the challenges we
have face and the accompanying presence of God with us in our peace journey. Amen

Rev. Paul Pragasam

CSI Madras Diocese
 August 28, 2016, Sunday

Peace in the Context of Violence

1 Sam.24:1-12 Psalm 52
Rom12: 14-21 Matt 5:38-48
Eve. Gen.33:1-20 Matt. 26:47-56

Collect: God of peace we thank you for your constant love and comfort. You brought peace
on earth by sending your son Jesus Christ, our Lord, who empower us to love our enemies as
you loved us in all our iniquities and weakness. Strengthen us to forgive and be forgiven even
in the context of violence and enable us to turn violence into peace through Jesus Christ our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.

One of the recent Indian theological consultations on Kairos-Plastine painfully expressed its
view that, “today, the land in which the Prince of Peace was born has been turned into a
land of separation, violence and injustice, subject to the geo-political designs of Israel and its
anarchic Zionist political agenda”. Is there any place where justice and peace prevail in the
world? In this context we are called to celebrate God’s Sovereignty, Justice and Peace.

Every day justice is denied to the earth communities including human communities in the
form of Ecological degradations, Deforestation, Mining, Human Right Violations, Arm-
attacks on innocents, Just-war, Unjust-labour policies, Gender and sexual harassments, Caste
and Racial Profiling, Attacks on Minorities, Social Policing even Christian
Denominationalism and so on…. When someone cry or mourn for Justice and Peace
celebrate? What should be our response?

In this context God gives us enormous responsibilities including celebrating God’s Justice
and Peace in this world. The readings of today call us to introspect ourselves with the
flowing three key points: ‘Let your love be genuine’, love your enemies and love does not
judge. Let us ponder upon these themes.

1. Celebrate God’s Desire for Love, Justice and Peace:

Today’s Old Testament passage (I Samuel 24: 1 -12) describes God’s desire of Justice
God assures an appointment of a ‘ANOITED KING’ and this king will rule the
society with ‘JUSTICE”. When the society creates misunderstanding between Soul
and David, they were not yielded to those circumstances. Both have kept their
promise alive and did not attack each other. As long as we are honest in our call there
will be Peace and Security. And the meaning for God anointed kingship means “The
Lord Gives Justice”. This shows how God of the Bible is concerned for Justice and
Peace. God does not want the people to war against each other, suffer by the unjust
politics of the rulers, the State and the people.

Are we not fortunate enough that, we worship and follow God who is “Just- peace”
and whose desire is Justice and Peace? So, we are called to celebrate God who has a
desire for Justice and Peace. While celebrating let us introspect whether we have
desire for justice and Peace? If not we are called to commit to have a desire for Justice
and Peace.

2. Celebrate God’s Call to Establish Harmony”:

We as Children of God, we are called to be the channels of Peace and Harmony. The
Epistle reading of today (Romans 12: 14 - 21) reminds us to celebrate our call in order
to establish societal harmony by forging the short coming of our neighbors and
 blessing them with God’s grace. This calls us to live in harmony by expressing and
showing love for others. But often we are driven away by our ‘fundamentalist
ideologies’ ‘judgmental attitudes’, ‘hate campaigns’, ‘character assassinations’ and
such as. While claiming ourselves as ‘chosen, holy, saved, children of God need to
practice the same in our faith journey are we realizing that, we are called to accept
others as they are? The reading also calls us to love all as God loved the world, and
we as Christian Church are called to be humble and not to exclude ourselves from
the society with pride and jealous.

As Jesus emptied himself for the sake of others we are all called to give-up what all
we have with pride and jealous. Only by which we are empowered to be the ‘the
agents of unity’ by Spirit of God rather divisive forces. Are we for Unity? If so, our
calling to establish unity and harmony is to be celebrated.

3. Celebrate Your Commitment to be a Peace-lover:

Today’s Gospel reading calls us to radically depart from loving the ‘loved ones to
loving the most hated one’s. (Matt 5: 38 - 48). The Gospel reading reminding us of
our empowered commitment to trample the evil forces which have divisive and unjust
characters. Jesus reminds us that, God’s power is bestowed upon us to cast out the
injustice from the World by loving our enemies. Jesus crossed all boundaries and
barriers in order to challenge the evil forces as a “Prince of Peace”. How about us?
Are we peace lovers? If so let us celebrate our commitment as “peace-lovers”.

In conclusion, ‘today Bethlehem, where the Prince of Peace is born’ is turned to separation,
violence and injustice. Let our Church, family and neighborhood not be the case of the same.
We are called celebrate God’s sovereignty, Justice and peace not inside the church but in the
society with love, humble and commitment by challenging and voicing out for love against
the hate, unjust and divisive elements. Let our actions be the celebrations. Let our love be
genuine.

R. Christopher Rajkumar
CSI Madurai-Ramnad Diocese
Executive Sercretary of the Commission on Justice, Peace and Creation, NCCI
 September 04, 2016, Sunday

Education Sunday
(Teachers’ Day)

Education as a Ministry of the Church

Neh.8: 1-8 Psalm 119:41-48
Acts. 18:24-28 Matt.5: 1-12
Eve. Prov.2:1-15 Titus 2:1-15

Collect: Eternal Guru, the fountain of wisdom, we thank you for revealing your wisdom and
power to all generations. We thank you for your son, who taught us the essence of true faith
in you. Bless and inspire the teachers to mould the lives of students to become strong in faith
and a ray of hope to our nation, through Jesus Christ your son, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

Introduction:

As we celebrate ‘Teachers Day’ every year and observe ‘Education Sunday’ we remember
and commemorate the great teachers who have shaped our lives and inspired us through their
lives. As we may be aware that the word ‘Education’ comes from the Latin word ‘Educare’
means ‘To draw out’. Hence the teacher is the person who draws out the skills and abilities in
the students which are hidden in them.

The distinction between a teacher and a preacher should be understood at this juncture. A
teacher in a school/collage educates a person’s mind and intelligence with the knowledge of
this world to live in this world. Whereas a preacher in the church educate and nourish the
soul of a person with the word of God and prepares that person to live for the glorious
eternity with God. I.e., the teacher feeds the mind and preacher feeds the soul.

Today the church’s ministry of education is primarily meant to reach out for the lost, care for
the destitute, teach and train the people in the Christian ethical and moral values. Indeed the
church’s ministry of education is the continuation of the teaching ministry of Jesus Christ our
Lord.

The churches from the beginning recognized the holistic need of the people in the community
and send its missionaries to reach out the needy not only with Gospel but also with education
and medical services.it should be noted that the effect of the holistic Gospel must reach the
whole mankind. Hence in this regard education was given precedence over other
considerations. To name some of them: Alexander Duff of the Church of Scotland stationed
in Calcutta was the pioneer in this area in the early part of 19th century [Duff school in
Calcutta]. Apart from that there came ‘John Wilson’ college in Mumbai, ‘Madras Christian
College [MCC] in Chennai, Noble college in Machilipatnam, Andhra Christian College in
Guntur are some to be named. It was due to the influence of the missionaries exerted by
William Cary and others that the social evils like the sati and child marriages were efficiently
banned during William Benedict’s viceroyalty.

The church missionary schools and English education produced an outstanding national
leaders, freedom fighters like Dadabai Naouroji, Pattabhi Seetaramaiah, sarvepally
Radhakrishnan, N.G.Ranga and Socio-Religious reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy,
Keshub Chandra sen, Balagangadhar Thilak, Dayananda Saraswathi, Swami Vivekananda
and above all, Mahatma Gandhi who derived his principle of non-violence from Jesus’s
sermon on the mount.

Having said the above lines let us now look into the scripture lessons to understand the
following aspects in the church’s ministry of education:

1. The Education Ministry of the Church is to impart knowledge [ Prov2: 1-15]:

a. About the living God: Verse 5, 6 says, it is God who is the source of all wisdom,
knowledge and understanding.
In prov30:2, 3 we see the writers agonizing words of his stupidity and lack of the
knowledge of the Holy one. In the end time this will be the cry of many people who
knowingly despised the knowledge of God.
b. About Jesus Christ: 1Cor1:24 clearly says that ‘Jesus Christ is the power and
wisdom of God’, who was mentioned in the book of proverbs time and again.
c. About the coming disaster: Prov1:24-33 we see the terrible consequences of the
rejection of wisdom and understanding.
d. About the Gospel: if a person has not heard the Gospel, it is not his fault but the
failure of the church which has neglected the great commission of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The 1st century church in spite of heavy persecution [Acts8:4] never ceased to proclaim
the Gospel.

It is sad to see that, in spite of every facility available to us, we as a church are still
lagging behind to enhance the great commission of our Lord. We are investing cores of
rupees for the construction of the big and beautiful church’s and on elections of church
officers at all levels, and celebration of all church festivals, But are least bothered to
support and encourage the missions and missionaries through our church resources.

2. The Education Ministry of the Church has an Apologetic role to play [Acts18:24-
28] :

The church of Christ from its birth has faced the problem of heresies, which are making
relentless effort in attacking the divinity of Christ and the authenticity of the Gospel.
Still it is the same today. In the midst of this uproar of false witnesses we need a voice of
Apollo’s the apologetic that refuted the false arguments through the word of God and
proved that Jesus is Christ [verse28].

Apollo’s was from the Alexandria in Egypt, the second important city in the Roman
Empire, and the home of a great university. He was a scholar, orator, and debater, and
after his knowledge about Christ was made more complete, God greatly used His gifts to
strengthen and encourage the church.

Reason is a powerful tool in the right hands and in the right situation. Apollo’s used the
gift of reason to convince many in Greece about the truth of the Good news. If anyone in
the church has the ability of logic and debate use it to bring others to God. We also have
Jesus Christ in the temple when he was 12years old, Apostle Paul in Athens models for
reason and debate to convince people about God.

Hence the church has an ‘Apologetic Ministry’ to carry on as the old church fathers like
Origen, Athenasius, and Augustine did in the early church.
 3. The Education ministry of the church has an unchanging Message[Matt5:1-12]:

The hymn writer Henry F Lyte expressed the faith of multitudes when he wrote: “O thou
who changes not abide with me”. The author of Hebrews was correct in saying “Jesus
Christ is same yesterday, today and forever”[Heb13:8].

So are the teachings of Jesus Christ, especially His sermon on the mount, they are :

a. An unchanging answer for an unending search of humanity. The ‘Beatitudes is God’s

answer to man’s search.
b. They are the unchanging teachings of Christ who is the son of an unchanging God.
c. They are unchanging divine truths to be lived in an ever changing world.

Every human being ever born on this earth yearns for peace, purpose and above all God
himself. But can this unending search in this ever changing world be possible for a finite
human being?

The Bible says a resounding ‘Yes’. And in these eight beatitudes Jesus points the way.
Jesus’ first words were “Blessed are you…”He was telling us that there ‘IS’ an answer to
ones search for peace, purpose and God. And because of that we are ‘Blessed’, i.e., we
have peace of God in our life, purpose of God in our life and fellowship with God in our
life.

But is it possible to be happy/blessed? Or is Jesus simply speaking some high philosophy

of life which has no substance? To answer that – we got to look first of all at Jesus
Himself. Certainly if anyone had genuine happiness and blessedness, it was Jesus. In spite
of the religious heads opposition and abuse, and eventual injustice of His death. He knew
the secret of true happiness, and in these beatitudes He unveils it to us. Now it is the
responsibility of the church and every believer in the church to live out this blessedness in
and through their lives thus proclaiming the unchanging message of God’s love and His
invitation for salvation in this ever changing world.

Conclsion:

The education ministry of the church today should display the integrity and authoritative
nature. When we look at the ministry of Jesus Christ, His teaching and ministry was marked
with love n compassion on one side, and authority and integrity on the other side. His
integrity in life is exhibited not only through his authoritative teachings but also through His
mighty works.[Mk1:23-27].

He had the power to cast out the demons, drive out the unclean spirits. Likewise today Jesus
has bestowed His power unto His church to cast out the demons and unclean spirits such as
castism, corruption, politics, dowry, exploitation of poor and voiceless and injustice through
its authoritative teachings and bold stand against such evils in the church and society. On the
other side church also need to be sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit to reach and
teach the seeker in the society like the Ethiopian eunuch [Acts8:2-38]. May God grant us as a
church to carry on the ministry of education with His wisdom and guidance of His Spirit.
Amen

Rev.John Augustine.Govada
CSI Krishna Godavari Diocese
 September 11, 2016, Sunday

Women’s Sunday
Remembering and Celebrating Women’s Ministry
Judges 4:4-16 Psalm 132
Phil.4:1-7 Luke 8:1-3
Eve.2 King.5:1-5 Rom. 16:6-16

Collect: God our Parent, who has called women to be partners in the liberation and
redemption of the world, help us to acknowledge and celebrate the power and active
contribution of many women past and present, their readiness to take risks and act for the
greater good of humanity, their strong belief in the face of scepticism, their leadership and
inspiration to be the witnesses to the Gospel. Give your community of men and women grace
that they may equip and complement each other, and that equality, freedom, joy and praise
become reality, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of
the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen.

Remembering may not be always an occasion of celebration however remembering the past
can also be a source of new energy and occasion to celebrate. Remembering and Celebrating
Women’s Ministry is indeed a source of encouragement and occasion to celebrate the life and
the witness of God’s people. Remembering involves thankful heart and celebration requires a
joyful note. The theme that has been set apart for our meditation on this special day is an
invitation to remember with thankfulness and that leads towards celebration of the greatness
of women - our fore mothers in faith journey. In the Bible, we find women used as God’s
instruments and a blessing to their own family, community, society and to the nation of their
own and other nations too and remembering them is always a source of energy and happy
occasion for women in faith journey. In general, women are considered as the weaker sex
easily succumbed to temptation and downfall. Women were subjected to the tyranny of the
male and given a subordinate place in the society. While looking back on our journey and the
paths that we have travelled and navigated, remember many people especially the women
who have contributed greatly to leave impact on our lives, faith journey and ministry as a
woman. People of Israel were admonished to remember their past and the works of the Lord
among them and be encouraged and equipped to move forward in celebrating the greatness of
God, God’s works and lives of the people who were used as instruments for God’s glory.

Remembering the past has been an always an inspiration and source of energy to move
forward in order to attempt and experience great and mighty things of God. Remembering is
ever renewable, remarkable and memorable and it heals, inspires, encourages, and brings to
life that which had been faded away. With this brief introduction about the theme of the day,
let us meditate on what to remember and what to celebrate in the present context while
remembering and re-visiting the past glimpse of faith journey from the scripture readings that
are set apart for this day.

1. Deborah - the Great Prophetess whom God used (Judges 4:4-16)

Deborah, the Judge in Israel was the fourth Judge, who was a woman. Deborah is one of the
most remembered of the judges. She was a judge in Israel when the people of Israel are being
oppressed by Jabin, king of Canaan. Jabin lives in Hazor and has an army commanded by a
man named Sisera. Deborah, judge in Israel, sat under the palm tree in the hill country, with
people coming to her for counsel. She is introduced as a “Prophetess” and “wife of
Lappidoth,” but we know nothing of why she has earned the title prophetess, nor do we hear
anything of her husband. Perhaps one of the few women not defined by her husband,
Deborah stands clearly on her own. Let us celebrate her individuality and self- assertion.
Only Deborah of all those who judged Israel is identified as having function of judicious
decision or arbitration (Jud. 4:5). She was chosen by Yahweh to free the people from the
oppressor. Her authority as a charismatic leader was gifted with wisdom and prophetic
insights. Deborah gifted with great wisdom and insight, sat patiently under the special tree,
listened to the tales of heart breaking, anger, depression, loss and abuse and gently counseled
the distressed. She also heard the Lord speaking to her and telling her that the time had come
to lead the people into battle in the political and economic setting of the Israel on their way to
settlement in the Promised Land; she obeyed without any hesitation or excuse. Thus she not
only played the role as a prophet and as current judge and ruler but she was also in position of
commander-in-chief of the armies, a military position. Let us celebrate her courage to risk
her-self for fulfilling God’s purpose.

As a prophet she knew that the Lord required faithfulness on the part of the people and that
they had gone after false gods (Jud. 4:1) and she admonished, encouraged, empowered people
to be faithful to God through her spirituality of listening to God and God’s counsel in all that
she did. She knew and she spoke that which she knew boldly. It is important to note that
people of Israel trust the Word of the Lord came through her (4:8). So when Deborah, God’s
prophet, spoke, the people listened and obeyed. Let us celebrate her spirituality.

Jael is another remarkable woman, figures largely in the victory over the Canaanites. She is
the woman whom Deborah foresees when she spoke to Barak (4: 9). She comes into story
when the battle has taken a decisive turn for the worse for the Canaanites. Jael, skilled at
driving tent pegs into the ground through many nomadic journeys, drove the tent peg through
his head and killed Sisera and she was praised as the “most blessed of women” (5:24). Let us
celebrate the humility of both Deborah, the prophetess who was equally on par with the great
prophet Moses. And also Jael, the most skilled woman and victorious woman to recognize
each other and work in collaboration to accomplishing the will of God. Finally we note that
under the leadership of Deborah, as prophet, people of Israel experienced peace and rest on
the land for 40 years. The present context calls for prophets who will speak against
destruction and all evil that prevails on the earth. Let us celebrate and commit ourselves as
woman into the hands of God to be used as instruments for God’s glory.

2. Women Pioneers - Living Proof of the Gospel Power (Luke 8: 1-3)

In this passage, Luke records list of women who were regular followers of Jesus, people who
ministered to His needs and listened to His teaching and preaching. This passage becomes
highly important when we realize that women simply did not roam about the countryside but
followed the footsteps of Jesus. According to the custom, they were to remain at home, caring
for their families but to travel with a rabbi was scandalous. Even more scandalous was the
fact that women, both respectable and not, were among Jesus’ travelling companions. This
behavior then must have been as surprising to onlookers as Mary’s behavior was to Martha.
Yet we nowhere have an indication that Jesus discourages the presence of women in his
company. On contrary, he teaches them, travels with them, and accepts their comfort and
companionship. Let us celebrate the team work of Jesus as he knew how to work and walk,
toil and talk with the people of different categories. He entered into theological discourses
with women. He chose a woman to announce the message of His resurrection. Men, women,
learned, illiterate, rich, poor, saints, sinners, he mingled with all of them and opened to them
the love of his Father and be benefitted from His teaching, healing and be transformed.

The first woman mentioned, Mary Magdalene, is the best known among these women,
possibly because of her healing was most dramatic, released from the possession of seven
demons, the extraordinary malignity (Mt. 27:57, 61, 28:1; Mk. 15:40, 47; Lk. 24:10).
Similarly, Joanna a long standing disciple, present with Mary at the tomb and the upper room
and a witness to Jesus. She is unlike Mary of Magdala, who came from a small town and was
undoubtedly avoided by many until Jesus healed her. Joanna, is the wife of Chuza who was
in authority (Manager, Herod’s estate), thus she was a woman of some means and
prominence. The note worthy point about her presence among Jesus’ followers is that
apparently she had left her home and family to become a follower and travelling companion
of Jesus. This is clearly an indication of Gospel breaking down the class and economic
divisions and social barriers. Jesus reconciles men and women from all walks of life into one
community. The third woman was Susanna, a familiar person to Luke’s audience and most
prominent among women who followed Jesus. Luke’s intension in mentioning these three
women could be, to emphasize the fact that Jesus’ actions in behalf these women freed them
to serve both Him and the disciples. Though it was uncommon and unknown for women to
be travelling disciples of a rabbi and it was not uncommon for women to support rabbis and
their disciples out of their money, property and foodstuffs. Let us remember all women who
followed and served Jesus with gratitude and celebrate the privilege that Jesus has given us to
serve Him at different capacities and establish His Kingdom on the earth.

3. Rejoice and Celebrate - We have Hope (Philippians 4:1-7)

Philippians were the crown of Paul’s toil. Paul suggests them to stand fast in the Lord, be in
unity with one another without any barrier and rejoice in the Lord always. In verse 1-3 Paul
tries to settle the dispute among the leaders of early church. In most of the Pauline churches,
women had to be content with a subordinate place; however, in Macedonian churches, they
clearly had a leading place. In this passage, we read of Euodias and Syntyche were women in
whose homes, the house congregations of Philippi met. The women in Macedonia and
Philippi women had freedom which was unheard in Greece. This passage shows clearly that
in Macedonian church, women were in leading position and they endured trials and
tribulations in ministry of the Lord. Paul acknowledging their endurance seeks to heal rifts
within the leadership and encourages them through the word of God and assurance in God’s
providence and care.

In verses 5-8 we read Paul suggesting them to rejoice in the Lord always. It is a promise
which liberates them from anxiety. Though life seems to be bound with worries and anxiety,
peace that passes all understandings is promised by our Lord Jesus Christ. The true believer
will experience this peace through prayer and thanks giving in all things. “Peace” military
term but Peace of God will stand sentry, a watch over our heart and mind to grant peace
within and among us. So let us remember that Peace of God is promised to us and celebrate
that the promised peace of God guards our heart and mind as we continue in the mission and
ministry of the Lord wherever, we are and whichever capacities. (Ps. 125:2).

As we celebrate Women’s Sunday, let us thank God for his love and concern towards women
and Jesus’ inclusion of women in ministry and commit ourselves once again to be faithful
partners in God’s work (1 Cor. 15: 58).

Rev. Dr. Mrs. Ramani Dyvasirvadam

CSI Women’s Fellowship President
 September 18, 2016, Sunday

Christian Response to Consumerism

Gen.3:1-7 Psalm 37
Phil.3:17 – 21 Matt.6: 25-34
Eve. Amos 2:6-16 Luke 12:13-21

Collect: Almighty God, we thank you and praise you for you are the creator and sustainer of
your creation. You have placed innumerable resources in the universe, especially all that we
need for our sustenance and growth. We beseech you to help us to overcome our greed and
un-ending desire for the things of the world. Help us to value our fellow human beings rather
than the things which can never satisfy us. Transform us to become agents of love, peace and
justice, through your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you, and the
Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever.

Consumerism means a drive to accumulate more, competitive comparing of what we have

with what others have, and equating worth with the material goods or services we possess,
purchase and use rather than who we are. It spends, exploits, and devours. The consumer
uses, discards, and wastes. The “right” to consume has become a core value in our life today.
Unfortunately, even Christian mind set also is driven by a merchant mentality and many of us
have adopted the very consumerist tactics such as consumption, competition, accounting and
transaction.

1.CONSUMPTION: The objective of the consumer is to receive. When we attend the

worship service in our church, we passively listen to the preachers as a spectator event and
pay by offertory for what we have listened.
2.COMPETITION: Merchants compete with one another. We boast ourselves for attending
the best church in town. Increasingly, we have adopted competitive fellowship; vie for the
shrinking number of people who are the commodities under the steeples.
3.ACCOUNTING: Consumer businesses measure their success by the numbers. The most of
the Christians focuses on the bottom line that gets the prime attention is numerical
attendance, offerings, and square footage.
4.TRANSACTION: Merchants push the sales at the doorsteps. Many Christians emulate the
transactional model with altar calls, membership drives, and pledge campaigns.

Though some tried to rationalize on these methods but many Christians have been driven by
the merchant mentality rather available to serve God and our fellow beings.

The first consumerism in the Bible

Before the sin has entered there was perfect existence of relationship between God and
humankind. Adam and eve were naked in a lush garden enjoying fellowship with the Lord
and each other 2:25. They satisfied what they had in that garden. All their basic needs were
met. The first consumption happened in the Eden garden. The first consumers were Adam
and eve and the wild animal serpent was marketing the materiel that the knowledge of good
and evil. Then something happens that forever changed the world. In Genesis creation is
described as a gift to enjoy, care for, develop and treasure (Genesis 2:15). If we concentrate
on the accumulation of material wealth regardless of the need or usefulness of that wealth
then this creation gift of God is undermined and the creation is treated as an ‘asset’ that can
be cleared, harvested, or mined for our own selfish purposes. This contrasts with God’s
purposes, which is that our use of resources will be balanced to bring increase that can be
shared in the human family and that resources are preserved for future purposes and future
generations (Acts 2:44; Acts 3:32). Thus Consumerism can become an entire worldview that
human beings have developed. In other words, this has fully taken root to believe the world
through consumerism we can meet our needs instead of God like Adam and Eve which
resulted the emptiness and even death.

Our response towards Consumerism

Consumerism vs Simplicity
Jesus says “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about
your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?”
(Matt. 6:25). Here, Jesus asks us to consider whether worrying accomplishes anything. Jesus
is not against planning or concern for the future. Rather, Jesus is concerned about worrying
when our catastrophizing thoughts and emotions generate fire within us instead of light
outside. Jesus is against worrying the basic needs of a human being. Even the prayer Jesus
taught his disciples is helpful (Luke 11:1-4), showing us an attitude that can curb the
excessiveness of our consumerism. The prayer says ‘give us each day our daily bread’. In
Phil 4:19 Paul said God will give you what you really need and he didn’t say God will meet
all your wants. What Paul is advocating is a pure and simple life dedicated to godly concerns,
not worldly ones. Paul continues to remind us in Phil 4:11-13 that contentment does not come
from the accumulation. His formula for getting there was to love God, love our neighbor, and
be happy with what we have. No longer are we encouraged to live within our means and live
a life of simplicity that helps us to disconnect from the worldly concerns in destroying God’s
creation and, instead, engage in redemptive actions that heal. Simplicity allows us to be
transformed by God’s grace into people who take care of God’s creation and helps us do what
we cannot do alone to save the planet. The opposite of simplicity is blind consumerism. A
consumerist way of life tells us we never have enough. If simplicity brings us closer to God,
consumerism draws us to the devil.

Consumerism vs Prosperity
Prosperity is sometimes seen as the blessings of God to a particular people. Many rich seek a
free ride on the productive class and see poverty as a failing of human society to provide the
means and opportunities for the poor. Instead of poverty, the consumerism embraces a
wholesale pursuit of over the top material prosperity. In stark contrast, Jesus Christ, in the
Incarnation, rather than coming in material riches worthy of God, He fully embraces
poverty. When He launches His public ministry, Jesus lives a life that embraces
poverty. The first words of Jesus’ first sermon (The Sermon on the Mount) are: “Blessed are
the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:3). After His baptism, Jesus
goes into the wilderness, living as a starving person might, without food for forty days. He
lives the life of a poor itinerate preacher, walking on foot for thousands of miles and often
sleeping outdoors. He lives with the poor, heals the poorest of the poor, the blind, the lame,
the lepers and the possessed. He lives like the homeless, saying, “Foxes have holes, and birds
of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” Mat 8:20. Jesus tells
the rich young man to give away all his possessions and to follow Him. (Luke 18:22.) He
applauds the destitute widow who, even in her poverty, gives a penny to the Jewish treasury
Mark 12:42-44. Prior to Holy week, Jesus spends time in Bethany (from the Aramaic,
meaning “The House of Poverty”). Jesus dies like a common criminal, stripped bare, beaten
and hung on the Cross and watches the soldiers gamble for His robe, His one material
possession John 19:23-24. Jesus teaches that all people, even the poorest of the poor, are
worthy of respect and are worthy of love. If we are to love and follow Jesus Christ, we must
love the poverty of Jesus Christ and we must love those whom Jesus Christ loved: the poor.

Over and over, Jesus makes it clear that the consumerism of wealth leads to death. He
teaches that, “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to
enter the kingdom of God” (Matt 19:24). Christ teaches that we must practice the virtue of
temperance, so as to moderate attachment to the world’s goods.

Consumerism vs Humanity
We live in a world concerned with the self and its satisfaction, with personal fulfillment and
the meeting of individual needs whereas God cares for us as whole people, these issues are
not outside his concern, but they can be used to subvert his purposes. We receive in the same
measure with which we give. That is the way we attract others to the Gospel of Christ, the
Gospel of hope, the Gospel of Life. Jesus Christ, in the plan of the Father, gave everything
that He had. His “return on investment,” if I may be so bold as to use a term, is humanity. In
John 3:16 the Father has given Him the whole universe as a reward. We must focus on our
mission of sharing the humanity of the Father and the gift of Christ with those in need. God
wants all humans to be saved, to be washed clean in the blood of the Lamb, and to draw near
to Him in confidence and assurance of faith. This is the hope we have to share, the only hope
that will fill the void in our lives and our hearts that all men feel.

The Holy Father warns us that consumerism, which by its nature is self-centered and ignores
the needs of the poor, damages us not just on a personal level but on a societal level.
Unbridled consumerism combined with inequality proves doubly damaging to the social
fabric. Inequality eventually engenders a violence which recourse to arms cannot and never
will be able to resolve. Some simply content themselves with blaming the poor and the poorer
countries themselves for their troubles; indulging in unwarranted generalizations, they claim
that the solution is an “education” that would tranquilize them, making them tame and
harmless. All this becomes even more exasperating for the marginalized in the light of the
widespread and deeply rooted corruption found in many countries – in their governments,
businesses and institutions - whatever the political ideology of their leaders.

Conclusion: We can overcome consumerism by:

1. Learning to be grateful for what we have: We need to look at our possessions, our
energy use and our money and decide whether we have enough. To keep adding to our pile of
things takes up resources. We must learn the art of being content. 2. Focusing on our
relationship with Christ: We should build a strong relationship with Christ brings internal
security. A person with a strong inner life that is centred on Christ won’t be obsessed about
buying things and won’t have trouble sharing or giving away things they own (Acts: 2:44-
46). 3. Seeing ourselves as stewards of the earth: We should believe that God, as creator,
calls us to be stewards of the world’s resources. (Genesis 2:15) We are aware that excessive
consumerism and scarcity can create unnecessary depletion of natural resources, the unjust
polarisation of the poor and rich, and the unacceptable death and suffering of millions of
people. We individually need to live as stewards of creation, finding practical ways of living
simply and adopting a sharing and caring lifestyle (Acts 2:44-46). “God wants to give us
something, but cannot, because our hands are full - there is nowhere for him to put it” —
Augustine of Hippo (City of God)
Rev. E. Stella Richardson
CSI Diocese of Madras
 September 21, 2016, Wednesday

Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

Proverbs 3: 13-17 Isaiah 33: 13-17
Psalm 18: 1-6, 20-30 II Corinthians 4: 1-6
I John 2: 15-17 Matthew 9: 9-13

Collect: Gracious God through your son our Lord Jesus Christ, you called Matthew the tax
collector to be your apostle. Give us grace always to make use of what we have and give us
the gift of contentment. Give us in our lives the right and true ambition, to find our greatness
in serving others in the footsteps of him who though he was rich, yet for our sake emptied
himself and became poor; through the same Jesus Christ, who now lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.

Key verse: As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax
booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. (Matt. 9: 9)
Introduction
Matthew is the son of Alphaeus and one of the twelve disciples of Jesus and an apostle, and
further described as the tax collector (Matt.10:3). The meaning of the name Matthew is the
"gift of Jehovah". Matthew appears in all four of the apostolic lists (Matt.10:2-4; Mark 3:16-
19; Luke 6: 14-16; Acts 1:13). While in the call narrative Matthew’s Gospel, he was
identified as Matthew; in all other parallel passages the name is mentioned as Levi (Mk.2:13-
14; Luke 5:27-28). The author of the Gospel of Matthew exhibits a theological outlook,
command of Greek, and rabbinic training. Today, let us look at the specific traits of Matthew,
which made him a true disciple of Jesus, a committed apostle and a profound evangelist.

1. Mathew is Ready to Accept Jesus and Take Risk

The Scripture describes Mathew as a person of immediate response. When Jesus said to him,
‘Follow me’ and it says, immediately ‘Matthew got up and followed him’ (Matt. 9: 9).
Mathew gave up his position and occupation as the Tax Collector without a second thought.
It is obvious that Matthew was taking a risk and he gave up far more than the other disciples.
The option was open before all other disciples that they could have gone back to their old
occupations any time, without much difficulty. Simon Peter, James and John could have gone
back to being fishermen. Simon the Zealot could have gone back to being a freedom fighter.
But not Matthew! He deserted his occupation as the tax collector, a responsible and
accountable job, answerable before the authorities. When he listened to Jesus’ call, he got up
then and there and just walked away with Jesus, leaving behind everything. There is no way
they would ever have taken him back. For the authorities, He was too irresponsible! He was
not to be trusted! He had no loyalty to the company! Such was Matthew’s absolute
commitment to Christ. He was so radical, he was so unswerving in his desire to follow Jesus
that he was prepared to sacrifice all the security, all the wealth, all the prosperous living that
he had ever known.
In Matthew’s perspective, discipleship demands taking risk and sacrifice that is to be
expressed in uncompromising commitment to Jesus Christ. Matthew burnt his bridges in
following Christ and that is the call of Christ on our lives too.
2. Matthew is Ready to Introduce Jesus to his Friends
Mathew is so excited about Jesus and he wanted his friends to experience his Joy in their
lives too. He had organised a meeting in his house where Jesus was introduced to many
common people. Here is the tax collector throwing a party and all the sinners and outcasts
and undesirables get an invite and Jesus and his disciples sit down and eat with them (Matt.
9:10). The Pharisees poke their heads through the windows to see what all the noise is about
and rather than rejoice in what they see, they moan and groan to the disciples: “Why does
your teacher eat with such people?” The Spirit of God is at work and the traditional religious
leaders can’t cope with it because this new spirit of freedom is beyond their control. A big
feast is not something that is organised every day of a week! Matthew was so excited at
having been called by Jesus, he was so thrilled at the new lifestyle he had gained, that he
wanted to celebrate it and share it with everyone he know. That’s the joy that Matthew had in
his heart and he was determined to make an opportunity for his friends and family to meet
Jesus at the earliest. Matthew considered this as his mission. It is our enthusiasm for Jesus
that matters. The new life we’ve found in Christ is important. And that is something really
worth sharing!
3. Matthew is Ready to Challenge the Authorities
Matthew may have been a tax farmer working for Herod; situated at an office in Capernaum,
he was more likely a customs agent, charging import duties on wares brought through this
town on important nearby trade routes. Even more than the fishermen, he had a secure and
prosperous job, which he surrendered to follow Jesus’ call. There is a real irony in the fact
that when true religious fervour and zeal awakens a congregation, when a church comes alive
through a time of renewal, or when an individual is touched by the power of the Holy Spirit,
more often than not, the major source of opposition to that renewal is the wider institution of
the church itself. We see it time and time again. But Matthew doesn’t bow to the pressure; he
doesn’t feel ashamed of what he is doing, he doesn’t bow to the pressure of the institution and
quietly ask all the outcasts to leave his house. He knows that what he is doing may not be
something ‘traditional’! But he is prepared to understand being misunderstood if it means the
Kingdom of God is being preached.
4. Matthew is Ready to take up a Personal Challenge
When the Pharisees criticised the disciples for eating with sinners and outcasts, Jesus speaks
up on their behalf in verse 12: “People who are well do not need a doctor, but only those who
are sick. I have not come to call respectable people, but outcasts.” By recording these verses,
Matthew does accept that he too was a sick man in need of a doctor. And also, there is
nothing respectable about him but that he too was a sinner and an outcast. And this is the
most fundamental aspect of Matthew Discipleship: that we must remember that we too are
sick, outcasts and sinners; but loved by God. If we forget this, we become like the Pharisees
in the very same moment. It is the fundamental thought, which needs to guide us on. If we
lose touch with that base, then we get arrogant and proud and believe that we are somehow
worthy of respect. We need to remember the words of Jesus, “Those who want to be first
shall be last in the Kingdom of Heaven.” For Matthew, therefore, the discipleship begin out
of a commitment to self-realisation; and a complete dependency on the grace of God.
Conclusion
On this day Matthew teaches us the true marks of discipleship. Our call is to rise to the
challenges of Christian discipleship. This can only be achieved by constantly renewing our
commitment to Christ and renewing our commitment to mission. It also implies to challenge
unjust structures in the society we live, challenge unjust authorities and also challenging our
own sense of self. It may mean a radical change in lifestyle, a commitment in terms of time,
money and energy, the development of a real heart of compassion and a profound
commitment to mission and evangelism. But the reward, as Matthew found out, was a
lifetime enjoying a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Illustration
The old preacher Vance Havner used to say, "The tragedy of our time is that the situation is
desperate but the saints are not."
Three weeks before President John Kennedy was assassinated, he said, "Almost all presidents
leave office feeling that their work is unfinished. I have a lot to do, and so little time to do it."
As followers of Jesus Christ, we have much work to do and little time to do it. We must give
ourselves to it. The times demand urgent action. Remember, the gospel is only good news if
it arrives in time.
Rev. Anilal M. Jose
South Kerala Diocese
 September 25, 2016, Sunday

Senior Citizen’s Sunday

Caring and Accepting the Elderly

Gen. 46:28-34: 47:1-10 Psalm 21

1 Tim. 5:1-10 Luke 2:25-35
Eve. Isa. 40:29-31 Matt.15:1-11

Collect: Eternal God, your love for us never ends, even when by age or weakness we can no
longer work. Enrich the life of our society with the blessings of the seniors and with the
fellowship of young and old in Christ Jesus. And may the Church be an instrument of God’s
care to the elderly; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.

October 1st is observed as the International Senior Citizens Day as declared by the
United Nations. Men and women above 60 years of age are considered as senior citizens The
Government offers special concessions and comforts for their travel, payment of taxes,
increased rate of interest for investments and special pensions for the aged. Yet the increasing
number of old age Homes and the inmates are very much alarming. The children feel
comfortable and self-satisfied that their parents are safe and taken care well. No one truly
recognises the inner cry and realizes their expectations.

COMMANDMENT: The wise man says ‘Grey hair is a crown of the splendor: it is attained
by a righteous life’. The grey hair is the splendor of the old (Proverb 16:31 and 20:29). The
first commandment with promise is Honour your father and mother, so that your days may be
long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you (Ex. 20:12). Moses taught to ‘Rise in
the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly (Lev 19: 32). Jesus himself reminded
the command of God through Moses saying ‘Honour your Father and Mother’ and anyone
who curses his father and mother must be put to death. In addition, he condemns the attitude
of people offering ‘Corban’ to get rid of the responsibility of caring the parents. Whereas
Pharaoh, for accepting Jacob father of Joseph, received blessings from him (Gen. 49);
Rehoboam son of Solomon rejected the advice of the elders, lost his way that led to division
of his kingdom for ever (I kings12: 12-16). These are classical examples of the need for
obeying the commandments of God to accept and obey the elders and parents. Wisdom of
Sirach, which was accepted by Martin Luther as book to be read for guidance of life teaches
about honouring and accepting the aged. Basically, acceptance and caring of the elders is
commanded by God himself to be followed by every human.

RESPONSIBILITY:

Aged men and women in today’s society continue to experience reject for they are isolated
socially; harassed and robbed (Proverb 28:24) of dignity for money, properties and wealth;
and face abuse of one kind or another within the family.

Paul in his first letter to Timothy (5: 1-10) talks about the relationships of life; church and
family duty, as an honoured and a useful old age. It is to be noted that the early Church did
not propose to assume the responsibility for older people whose children were alive and well
able to support them. It was made clear the duty of the children to support them. Only when it
starts in the family with parents and the grandparents, the children realise their responsibility
towards elders in the society (James 1: 27).
While the traditional Indian culture teaches the value of accepting, respecting and loving the
elders in the family and the society, the influencing western culture inculcates the culture of
nuclear family life style leaving the aged alone or in the Homes. Today the children are
deprived of the privilege of being nurtured in values, faith and culture, by the grandparents
and elders of the family. Also the grandparents loose the love and affection of the
grandchildren, which results in loosing the life values for the younger generation.

COMMITMENT: The commandment ‘Honour your father and mother’ (Ex. 20:12)
demands us to care and love the elders. A moving example is of Joseph who had love and
respect for his aged father in-spite of holding high position, great power and wealth, which
were not obstacles for his love towards his father. He was able to understand that those were
through the blessings of his parents. Also he was not hesitant to request the Pharaoh to get a
place for his father and the brothers with all comforts. Accepting the aged and elders is
accepting them completely together with their disabilities, shortcomings and disadvantages,
which their natural process brings along. Jesus himself in the midst of His excruciating pain
on the cross remembers his mother and hands over the responsiblility to John whom he
trusted.

Today this commitment of the children towards elders and parents are shadowing away
slowly and is a great challenge for the church to inculcate this value of accepting, respecting
and loving the elders, starting from the family to the church and the society. They need to
understand that all the stages of life are the gifts of God and so need to accept the stages of
life gratefully.

BLESSINGS:

Old age is real in human life. It signifies the fullness of life. When Jacob visited Pharaoh, he
blessed him and Pharaoh himself was very glad to receive his blessings. It was a sign of
accepting the elders practised among other civilised communities. When Jesus was brought
by the parents to the temple to fulfil the rites of purification, Simeon and Anna were led by
the Holy Spirit to be present in the temple. They blessed the baby Jesus and revealed great
truths to the parents. The act of the parents of Jesus shows their acceptance of elders in the
temple as channels of blessings. As a church, we need to utilize fully the vast resources of
wisdom and maturity that exists in the elders. It is not only the fellowships and get-togethers
or a trip once a while that they expect from us, but allowing them to share their wisdom,
experience, talents, and resources available with them for the benefit of others (Ps 92: 14).
We need to accept them as channels of blessing.

CONCLUSION:
A son took his aged father to a restaurant for an evening dinner. Father being very old
and week, while eating dropped food on his shirt and trousers. Other diners watched him in
disguised while his son was very calm. After he finished eating, his son who was not at all
embarrassed, quietly took him to a washroom, wiped the food particles, removed the stains,
combed his hair and fitted his spectacles firmly. When they came out the entire restaurant
was watching them in dead silence, not able to grasp how someone could embarrass
themselves publically like that. The son settled the bill and started walking out with his
father. At that time, an old man amongst the diners called out to the son and asked him,
‘Don’t you think you have left something behind?’ The son replied, ‘No Sir, I haven’t’. The
old man resorted, ‘Yes, you have. You have left a lesson for every son and a hope for every
father’. The restaurant went silent. Care for those who once cared us is one of the highest
honours. Let us obey to the commandment, accepting our responsibility with commitment
and be blessed. Also let us not forget that this should be inculcated in the younger generation
to be a channel of blessing.

Rev. Jared Arul Jebareuben. I.

CSI Vellore Diocese
 September 27, 2016, Tuesday

Church of South India Formation Day

Unity in Service
OT Ex.4:27-31 Psalm 28
1Cor.3:1-15 John 17:9-23

Collect: O God, you are the Giver of life. We pray for life in the Church of South India.
Sanctify her, renew her worship, give power to her witnessing, restore her unity. Give
strength to those who are searching together for obedience to your will that creates unity.
Heal the divisions separating your children one from another, so that we may speed up, with
bonds of peace, the unity which the Spirit gives, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.

With gratitude and prayer let us remember the pioneers who became instruments in
the hands of God in the formation of Church of South India. Today we are celebrating the
seventieth anniversary. The mission spark spurred in 1919 became a flame in 1947 on this
historical day. The church historians stated this as the second Pentecost. As a united and
uniting church it has spread far and wide in south India and even crossed the borders. The
motto we took from the high priestly prayer of our Master still kindles the spark within us.
The people from different walks of life came together. Irrespective of their cultural,
linguistic, regional and communal background they have united in their witness. That unity is
the witness and backbone of the church.

Let us skim into the passages given to us to see how we can have more unity in our
missionary journey.

1. Uniting for mission.

Moses and his brother Aaron are joining here .When Moses was called, he presented all
sorts of excuses. But God told him that your brother will be your spokesman. That is
getting materialized here. Aaron now receives his revelation, ensuring that the two
brothers meet half way between Egypt and Midian at the Holy Mountain. Aaron, as
promised, is Moses’ spokesman and presumably, as such, does the signs before Israel.
Both together joined in the venture of God to liberate His people from bondage. This
should be a model in our day to day missions. Why people cannot join together, why they
cannot work together. Our ego or many other matters restrain us from joining in the
Lord’s mission wholeheartedly. That’s why the Kingdom concerns are getting limited.

2. Hindrance for the Union.

The rebuke Paul gave to Corinthian church is noteworthy. He addresses them infants.
Moreover he says that they have not grown up to have solid food. Also he says that they
are worldly. He also models the relationship between other apostles. He explains that
people like himself and Appollos are no more than servants depending on one another and
God. It is God who brings spiritual growth. From the household duties of a servant he
moves to the group activity model in the field. When all of them put their efforts together,
that will lead to blessing. We, as a uniting church, are called to witness through our life. It
is easy to preach and make schemes, but putting into practice really matters. Let us join
together, breaking the barriers for common service and witnessing.
 3. Model for union.

The church as a society has been created by God for a specific purpose. That is to convey
to the world the revelation imparted by Jesus, and to reflect the self sacrificing love
manifested by Jesus on the cross. He does not pray that they may escape from the world,
for that may be immunes from the world’s hatred. Jesus therefore prays to the father that
they may be united and dedicated to their task and so sanctified by the truth about God
that He has taught them.

As a united and uniting church we have crossed sixty nine years. Even though there are
spurs and discomfort, still we continue in one track as a united church. Let us be humble
enough to be channels of His blessing and molders of the perishing souls. May the high
priestly prayer may give us strength in the days to come.

Rev. Thomas Paickad

CSI Madhya Kerala Diocese
 October 02, 2016, Sunday

20th Sunday after Pentecost

Laity Sunday
Priesthood of All Believers

Isa. 61:1-11 Psalm 135:12-21

1 Pet.2:1-10 John 17:1-8
Eve. Ps.80 Jn.15:1-8

Collect: Compassionate God, we thank you for you call your people to carry out your mission
in this world. While we acknowledge the distinct ministry of the ordained, we affirm the
priesthood of all believers. Grant your grace and wisdom to discern your call in order to
proclaim your kingdom, heal the sick and strengthen the weak, through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

Introduction:

Imagine a church without a pastor, how will the situation be? Who would say all the prayers,
celebrate the Eucharist, solemnize weddings, baptise and do the last rites, who will edify the
congregation in God’s word with a sense of theological direction? The role of the clergy
seems to be indispensable. How about we imagine a Church without the congregation or
believers. To whom will the clergy minister to? To whom will the worship services be
conducted, and how could the clergy alone carry out God’s mission in this world? Truly as
the presence of a pastor is requisite for a church, so is the presence and participation of the
congregation in the mission of God. The priesthood of all believers is one such teaching
which edifies the presence and participation of every believer called by God into the
fellowship of Church. The functions might be different, yet the belief is that all are called by
God to perform certain functions.

The ‘priesthood of all believers’ is a Protestant Christian doctrine stating that ordinary
Christians share a common priesthood in that they have direct access to God through their
prayers without requiring a human mediator.

Common priesthood to recognize multifarious grace:

In Isaiah 61:1-11. "Promises in this passage, are made to the Jews returned out of captivity.
Here prophet Isaiah announces “the year of the Lord’s favor.” the time when all debts were
cancelled and all property sold or mortgaged was returned to the original owners. Isaiah
reminds us that in “the year of the Lord’s favor,” God comes to set right everything that has
gone wrong, which make it possible for all people to thrive. It’s a time when God’s grace
defines life for all people.

By the covenant made at Sinai, Israel was to be "a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation"
(Exodus 19:6) this anticipation is slowly being realised through the passage in Isaiah 61:1-11.
This unmerited gift is also to recognize the grace of God in the life of the gentiles and other
people engaged towards a harmonious and just living of everyone equally. God gives the
people of Israel this privilege to act as intermediaries between God and the gentiles. To be a
channel of grace and mercy, proclaiming the righteous acts of God. Therefore God’s favour
towards Israel in this time of desolation is just a means towards experiencing grace and
recognizing the same grace in others lives.
Common priesthood to proclaim God’s goodness

1 peter 2:1-10, Peter says that we are not just living stones being built into a spiritual house
for God's habitation, but we are also a "holy priesthood." In other words, we are not merely
the passive building where God dwells; we are also the active participants in worship. And
not just participants, but a special kind of participant, the priests. This is the great teaching
about the "priesthood of all believers."

We are the priests of this new spiritual house, and our privilege now as priests is to draw near
to God with spiritual sacrifices. In ancient Israel, priests acted as mediators between God and
people. They ministered according to God's instruction and they offered sacrifices to God on
behalf of the people. Once a year, the high priest would enter the holiest part of the temple
and offer a sacrifice for the sins of all the people, including all the priests.

Here the New Covenant recognizes Christ as a mediator between us and God (1 Timothy
2:5). The Epistle to the Hebrews calls Jesus the supreme "high priest," who offered himself as
a perfect sacrifice (Hebrews 7:23–28). Therefore through Christ, God is equally accessible to
all the faithful, and every Christian has equal potential to minister for God.

Common priesthood to Glorify and acknowledge Christ.

John 17:1-8 are about the character of the eleven men to whom they were applied. How weak
was their faith! How slender their knowledge! How shallow their spiritual attainments! How
faint their hearts in the hour of danger! Yet a very little time after Jesus spoke these words
they all forsook Him and fled, and one of them denied Him three times with an oath. No one,
in short, can read the four Gospels with attention, and fail to see that never had a great master
such weak servants as Jesus had in the eleven apostles. Yet these very weak servants were the
men of whom the gracious Head of the Church speaks here in high and honorable terms.

The lesson before us is full of comfort and instruction. It is evident that Jesus sees far more in
His believing people than they see in themselves, or than others see in them. The least degree
of faith is very precious in His sight. Though it be no bigger than a grain of mustard seed, it is
a plant of heavenly growth, and makes a boundless difference between the possessor of it and
the man of the world. Wherever the gracious Savior of sinners sees true faith in Himself,
however feeble, He looks with compassion on many infirmities, and passes by many defects.
It was even so with the eleven apostles. They were weak and unstable as water; but they
believed and loved their Master when millions refused to own Him. And the language of Him
who declared that a cup of cold water given in the name of a disciple should not lose its
reward, shows clearly that their loyalty was not forgotten. But do we simply believe in Jesus?
Do we cling to Him, and roll all our burdens on Him? Can we say with sincerity and truth, as
Peter said afterwards, "Lord, You know all things, You know that I love You" Then let us
take comfort in the words of Christ before us, and not give way to despondency. The Lord
Jesus did not despise the eleven because of their feebleness, but bore with them and saved
them to the end, because they believed. Let us glorify Christ and acknowledge him through
our lives.

Rev. Solomon Paul J.

Director-Youth Department, CSI Synod
 October 09, 2016, Sunday

Sunday for the Mentally & Physically Challenged and

Palliative Patients

Disability: Care and Honour

2 Sam.9 :1-13 Psalm 146
Acts.9: 32-35 Mark 3:1-6
Luke 14:15-24 Ps.66:1-20

Collect: O Lord our God, whose Son Jesus Christ is the great healer of every kind of illness:
grant peace to those who are torn by mental conflicts and strength to the physically impaired
and uphold them with the power of your Spirit. Let the Church be a channel of your love and
care to them; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord who affirmed the dignity of the
mentally and physically challenged in His earthly life, and now lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

Disability, be it mental or physical, is as old as the existence of human race itself. The issue
of disability in India is so pertinent given the increasing population of Person (s) with
Disability (PwD). They are staggeringly over 100 million in number ranking our country as
numero uno in the world with the largest population of PwD. They are either visible or
invisible in our church parlance. The CSI has inherited several disability institutions from the
mission bodies who empathetically initiated them. We must recognize and understand that
they replicated the disability ministry of Jesus which predominated His earthly service.
Therefore, we the church is endowed with this responsibility of imitating and continuing
Jesus’ disability ministry.

A Person (s) with Disability are created in the image of God. This robust biblical affirmation
mandates that these vulnerable and blessed creation of the creator God need to be cared for
and esteemed as they carry the valency of life God has placed upon them.

The biblical accounts of Mephiboshet, Saul and the healing of the nameless man with the
withered hand are an interwoven tapestry of God’s accompaniment.

The promise and the very act of God’s accompanying presence runs as a silver liming in the
scripture. This theme is very vivid in God’s assuring response to Moses, “My presence shall
go before you” and Jesus’ farewell epilogue, “lo Am with you always.”

God’s Accompaniment; Care and Honour of Mephiboshet:

Mephiboshet’s story is a saga of PwD with a locomotor disability. This a journey from
trauma to triumph. As David accepts, creates access, accommodates and accompanies the
latter he experiences “care and honour.” The accompanying presence of David with a PwD is
evident in the table fellowship which is a replica of eucharist. The accompanying presence in
this fellowship is pregnant with nurture, reconciling and sustaining shepherding care. This is
a classic blueprint of leading a PwD from “exclusion and inclusion.”

God’s Accompaniment; Care and Honour of the Nameless Man:

The healing of the man with a withered hand by Jesus is an act of eradicating stigma and
discrimination from the life of the PwD. It is also a ministry of restoration of this man to
“equality and full participation into the life and witness in the church and society.”
God’s Accompaniment; Care and Honour of Saul (Paul):

The dramatic account of Saul’s visual impairment on the road to Damascus is replete with
challenges a PwD with visual impairment encounter. Saul is led by an accompanier who
guides the latter with his hand. It is a physical act of accompaniment where a PwD is
supported and guided “overcoming the physical barriers” that are present on the terrain of the
road. A PwD is challenged with three primary accessibility barriers in one’s life journey.
They are structural and special barriers in the infrastructure, attitudinal barriers that challenge
the transition “from exclusion to inclusion” and barriers in the area of information,
communication and technology.

Conclusion:

So, what can be gathered from the interpretation of the assigned biblical texts from a
disability angle is captured in the aphorism, “including the excluded.” These three PwD,
Mephibosheth, the unnamed man with the withered hand and Saul vociferously monologue
the mainstreaming of PwD in our church for equality and full participation.

In order to achive this set goal the church is called, inspired and also mandated to
metamorphosize herself into an “Accompanying Church” to stand along with this blessed
creation of God in our church and to co-journey along with them. Such an endeavour will
morph the church into an “am there with you” Church.

Mr. John Samadanam

CSI Rayalaseema Diocese
Programme Executive, DISHA, CSI Synod
 October 16, 2016, Sunday

Youth Sunday

Youth with Christ in Action

Daniel 1:1-17 Psalm 98

Acts. 6:1-7 John1:35-42
Eve. Ecc.12:1-8 Mk.10:17-22

Collect: God of love and life, we thank you for your son and our Lord Jesus Christ who set a
model for us by humbly submitting himself to your will. Help our youth to use their
creativity, wisdom and strength to serve you by serving the humanity. Enable them to lead a
Christ-Centred and justice-oriented life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns
with you, in unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Introduction:

Youth hood is the most generous time in a person’s life. This phase of life can be regarded
the best time to be moulded either for good or for bad. Today, Youth are considered the best
agents of change because they hold the key to the lifestyle of the world. Their life is a time of
never ending newness and learning, both about themselves and the world around. No doubt
they are the real ‘today’ and ‘tomorrow’. But is every young person with a vision in life?
Does every young person posess the values of Justice, love and intergrity? Is every young
person seriously committed in being a responsible citizen? Are a few questions which also
pop up when talking about young people.

The theme “Youth with Christ in Action” calls all the Christian young people to journey with
Christ. Today the world characterizes people by ones actions and not by ones words. The call
is for a collaborative action with the ideals of Christ in the context of competition, violence
and provincialism. Youth with Christ in Action invites the young people to tread the paths
which Jesus walked in bringing hope to the hopeless, love to the unloved and peace amidst
violence. This call motivates the young people to leave the comfort zones but to take the
journey of risking themselves for the sake of Christ. In short the theme bids young people to
emulate the actions of Christ and also to proclaim Christ through their actions.

Action-oriented Faithfulness (Daniel 1:1-17)

In the context of Babylonian domination where Jerusalem was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar,

Jehoiakim taken into captivity, and precious items taken from the temple, Israel experienced
a bleak day in its history. In the face of foreign domination and alienation from one’s own
culture and Land, among the captives, Daniel in his teens emerges as one in making a
commitment "purposed in his heart" (1:8). His commitment was to "not defile himself" with
the king's food because it would make him ritually unclean according to Levitical laws about
food.

Daniel remained true to his commitment by doing it with politeness - Dan 1:8b ‘he requested’
and not demanded, but respected the authority of those over him. He did it with God's help -
Dan 1:9 and God granted him favor in the eyes of the chief of eunuchs. He did it through
persistence - Dan 1:10-11. He did not give up after the refusal by the chief of the eunuchs, He
tried something else, going to the steward directly over them. He did it through willingness to
test his faith - Dan 1:12-15. He was confident that God's way was the right way. He was
willing to demonstrate the superiority of God's way, so he asked the steward to give him and
his three friends just water and vegetables for ten days. Ultimately Daniel’s faithfulness to
God’s ways were fruitfully rewarded.

Action-oriented Service (Acts 6:1-7)

Two groups of people Hebrews and the Hellenists were part of the early church. The
Hellenists were Jews living in Jerusalem but originally connected with Diaspora Judaism
characterized by the use of Greek as their principle language, especially for worship and
scripture and the Hebrew community were Aramaic-speaking Jews who held to their native
language and culture.

As the disciples in Jerusalem increased, problems increased as well. The Hellenist widows
were being neglected, leading to a complaint against the Hebrews in the early church. This
problem threatened the unity of the church which affected the spread of the Word of God.

The apostles gave them the choice to select seven people with good reputation, full of spirit
and of wisdom. Here the congregation takes the responsibility of choosing the seven people
probably young man due to the nature of the task involved. These seven young men readily
accepted to do the task. They showed great willingness in rendering their services and time
for the benefit of the community. After selecting the seven, they were appointed with prayer.
Though the church was mostly Hebrew, all the seven selected were from the Hellenist
background. The congregation was pleased, and the widows' need was met. The word of
God started to spread without any hindrance. The Church problem was solved successfully by
informing the congregation of the problem and by involving the congregation in finding a
solution.

Action-oriented Witness (John 1:35-42)

Jesus Christ in the gospels is a young person full of life and vigor. This young man in his
early 30’s made a commitment to stand for justice and proclaiming peace even to the extent
of embracing the cross and its sufferings. He envisioned and inaugurated God’s reign against
the rule of the colonial empire of Rome. He with his associates went on to revolutionize the
world through their movement of love, justice and forgiveness. He spent a lot of time
teaching and preaching, But, they always were coupled with acts of justice and love which
gave a new impetus of faith and love to people in God.

John 1:35-42 speaks about the witness of John the Baptist and the confession of Andrew who
followed Jesus. John the Baptist pointed and directed his disciples to Christ. His life was
meant for that purpose to prepare the way and to direct people to Christ. His could have
gained all the popularity or even the acclamation but he goes to the extent of even letting go
his disciples when he saw Jesus. His actions spoke more loudly than words. He was just a
sign board signifying Christ.

After being directed by John the Baptist, Andrew finds Jesus, he initially addresses him as
‘Rabbi’ which means teacher, He accepts the invitation of Jesus, goes with him and spends
time. Soon after that being greatly convinced, first he finds his brother Simon Peter and tells
him that we have found the ‘Messiah’. The confession of Andrew about Jesus from ‘Rabbi to
Messiah’ denotes the curiosity and the faith acclamation after having a personal encounter
with Christ. He immediately plunges into action. He goes to find his brother and brings him
to Jesus. He realises that there is more joy in sharing thus, he gets his brother to Jesus.
Our actions can be justified and praised only if they reflect or emulate the action-oriented
Christ. Today, May we be sure that our actions and behaviours reflect the words and ideals
and promises and commitments that come out of our mouths. As action-oriented young
people, let us be faithful, willing to serve and ready to witness to the Christ in action. Amen

Rev. Solomon Paul J.

Youth Director, CSI Synod
 October 23, 2016, Sunday

Coming of the Lord and Judgment

Gen.19:14-25 Psalm 94
II Pet. 3: 1-10 Matt.25:31-46
Zeph. 1:1-9 Rev. 20:11-15

Collect: God of justice and righteousness, we thank you for the assurance of Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord that he will come again to judge the world. Help us to eagerly await
his coming, be prepared to meet him and to live our lives with a sense of accountability,
through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God,
world without end. Amen.

Genesis 19:14-25: Genesis 19 revolves around condemnation and judgment, it presents a

view of moral reality that is widely shared in popular religions, i.e., God is the one who
punishes sinners. The primary structure of the chapter 19:14-25 reflects a simple teaching of
retribution in which “good people prosper and the evil people suffer and die.”

The word for Punishment in vs. 15 in Hebrew is Awon a common word for sin. The effects of
sin flow out of the sin itself and they are not introduced by God from outside the situation.
Beginning with the exilic/post exilic period, the noun awon attested 231 times in the OT. The
cause of awon Punishment is found not only in the false behavior towards God but also in
misdeeds against ones fellows. The awon caused by a wicked person surrounds and injures
the innocent. Sin is an action and attitude in opposition to God and His purposes and sin
breaks the harmonious and just relationship with God, others, self and nature.

In the OT worldview sin in any form is punishable. The connection between wrongdoing and
its consequences is already captured in the very vocabulary that appears here in Gen 19:14-25
awon can mean both the wrong doing and the punishment that follows. This word awon
therefore may refer to all three: The Sinful Act, Guilt and the Punishment. Thus the effects of
human sin brings pain to God, as we see in Genesis 6:6 “it grieved Him to His heart”.

Sodom is condemned, not because they have no faith in God, but because of the way in
which they treat their brothers and sisters. God takes seriously what human beings think and
say, which can contribute in a genuine way to the shaping of the future because, the human
behavior, affects, not simply the human community but the entire Cosmos.

This story shows that God is not eager to judge. God appears open to alternatives. The
speech of God in Ezekiel 18:31, I have no pleasure in the death of anyone also characterizes
the mind of God. Israel’s God is Slow to anger even with the non chosen.

The Pentateuch suggests that the destruction of Sodom is a foretaste of the Judgment that will
befall other inhabitants of Canaan for their sins (Lev 18:3-30). Even Israel the very
descendent of Abraham is likened to Sodom and Gomorrah in the prophets and in the Book
of Deuteronomy (Isa 1:9, 3:9 Amos 4:11). Indeed Ezekiel 16:46-47 says that Jerusalem’s sins
are worse than Sodom’s and declare the punishment of Israel. Therefore, the destruction of
Sodom and Gomorrah serves as a warning of what could become of Israel’s own land; the
text may allude the fall of Jerusalem, (Deut 29:22-23; Jer 4:23-26). The link between the
practice of Justice and Righteousness and the future of the land remains very close, as the
prophets often point out (Hos 4:1-3). They focus their message of Judgment in a sharply
corporate manner, rooted in God’s concern for the oppressed, deeply embedded in Law
(Exodus 22:21-24).

II Peter 3:1-10: The scoffers (Greek word empaiktes) are indicative of our tendency to
despair of the promises of God when God does not respond to our pleas within the time span
we have set as reasonable or convenient. We would like God’s help, insight, power, and
strength when we want it, not when God in sovereignty deems it appropriate.

To meet the problem of the delay of the Parousia and Judgment, the author puts forward two
arguments. Firstly, God who determines the time of the Parousia and judgment, does so
from a different perspective on time from that of men and women. He is not limited by a
human life span, but surveys the whole course of human history, so that, as the Psalmist
observed (Ps 90:4), periods which by human standards are of great length may be from God’s
perspective very short. Those who complain of the delay of the Parousia and judgment,
impatient to see it in their own life time, are limiting the divine strategy in history to the
short-term expectations to which transient human beings are accustomed. But God’s purpose
transcends such expectations.

Secondly, again following traditional apocalyptic thinking, explains that the delay is a respite
which God has graciously granted to His people before His intervention in the judgment. It
derives from one of the fundamental attributes of God, His forbearance, which characterizes
God as “slow to anger” (Exodus 34:6), mercifully differing His judgment so that sinners may
have the opportunity to repent and escape condemnation. God delays the Parousia because He
is not willing that any one may perish but should take advantage of the opportunity to repent
and be prepared for the Kingdom of God.

Thus we should not take so much comfort in the patience of God that we do not immediately
repent when we stray from the way of righteousness or ignore our obligations to evangelism
with a false sense that there is plenty of time to attend to the unrepentant.

Matthew 25:31-46: These are the last words of Jesus’ last discourse, a climatic point to
which Matthew has carefully built. Following the long series of six parables and warnings
about living responsibly so as to be ready for the coming of the Son of Man (Matthew 24:32-
25:30). It is not a parable but an apocalyptic drama. Parables begin with familiar, this worldly
scene, which then modulate into a new dimension of meaning. In contrast, it begins with an
other-worldly depiction of Parousia the coming of the Son of Man with His angels and the
gathering of all nations before His throne-and modulates into affirmations of the ultimate
importance of ordinary, this-worldly deeds. Matthew presents two important points here:

The Two Kingdoms: The Son of Man, who comes at the end, is identified as the King
(25:34, 40) who sits on His glorious throne (25:31) and who admits the righteous to the final
kingdom of God (25:34). This is the triumph of the kingdom represented throughout the
Gospel by Jesus as the alternative to this-worldly demonic kingdom represented by His
opponents. This negative counter kingdom is also represented in the imagery of the last
judgment; the counter part of the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world (25:34)
is the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. There are only these two kingdoms:
the Son of Man with His angels, the blessed righteous, and the kingdom of God prepared
from eternity stand on one side; the devil and his angels, the accursed, and the destiny
prepared for the devil and his own stand on the other. The Kingdom of God is disclosed as the
only True Kingdom.

The Primacy of Ethics and the Commandment of Love: This is the only scene with any
details picturing the Last Judgment in the NT. To the readers’ surprise the criterion of
Judgment is not confession of faith in Christ. Nothing is said of Grace, Justification, or the
Forgiveness of Sins. What counts whether one has acted with Loving Care for Needy People.
Such deeds are not a matter of extra credit, but constitute the decisive criterion of judgment
presupposed in chapters 23-25. Jesus has taught that the self-giving care for others is the heart
of the revealed will of God in the Torah. The Messianic King has lived out His teaching that
His kingdom consists of service of others. The fundamental thrust of this scene is that when
people respond to human needs, they are in fact responding, to Christ.

Rev. G. Niranjan
CSI Medak Diocese
(United Theological College, M.Th.-I)
 October 30, 2016, Sunday

Reformation Sunday

Celebration of God’s Sovereignty, Justice and Peace

Ex.7:1-7 Psalm 89:1-18
Rom.13:1-7 John 18:33-38
Eve. Rom.14:13-23 Psalm 24

Collect: God of justice and peace, we praise you for your word that renews our mind in order
that we may see as you see, and do as you do. We beseech you to make us channels of justice
and peace in the midst of violence, exploitation and mistrust so that all may reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Introduction

There are many theological themes centered on reformation. The theme of

Celebration of God’s soverenity, Justice and Peace taken from the Bible is used to reflect
upon reformation in order to further radicalis reformation . The key word for the exploration
of above said theme is “name of God- Elohim.” This key word helps us to understand text,
both the written as well as lived text.

Elohim Reminds of God’s Soverenity, Justice and Peace

(Written Text: Exodus 7:1-7)

(v1.) ... see, I make Elohim to Pharoah; and Aaron your brother shall be your Prophet.

(v2.) You shall speak all that I commanded you....

Name of God- Elohim is extensively used in creation story in the Book of Genesis.
Elohim reveals of God’s soverenity, which is evident in creation acts of God. God’s
soverenity refers to God’s freedom in God’s reign. The statement in creation story it was
good points to God’s soverenity in terms of God’s creativity in making things good.

As much as creation story is about God’s creative activity, so much so it is God’s act
of judgement as well. In the story Novah God becomes very disappointed over the human
sinfulness and it results in God’s judgement on human sinfulness. In the book of Exodus (7:
1-7) the name of God Elohim introduces God’s soverenity in terms of liberative justice for
peace. In order to save the slaves from the clutches of Pharoah, Elohim had placed the weaker
one- Moses to stand face to face with the stronger- Pharoah. If Pharoah stands for power to
kill, Elohim stands for live giving spirit; if Pharoah stands for power to enslave, Elohim
stands for engagement to liberate; If pharaoh stands for Egyptian might, Elohim stands for
God’s care. In Moses facing Pharoah, it was Elohim facing Pharoah. It is in such a facing the
power Elohim comes closer to people for their liberation.

The lived text referring to Reformation, which was lead by Martin Luther, God’s
word was brought closer to people. Prior to that people in Western Europe were placed to
serve the feudal lords as well as Church. In such a service people were reduced to “no-
people” under feudal exploitation through movements like enclosures. Through bringing in
God’s word closer to people, there was an experience of freedom among the people to raise
critical questions with the existing feudal system.
 The challenge to radicalise reformation for our times is ...

1. How to bring God’s word closer to people?

2. What are the factors stand in between God’s word and people?

Word of God affirms God’s Soverenity, Justice and Peace

(St. John 18: 33-38)

(v 37b.) ...everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.

(v36a.) my kingship is not of this world....

Name of God- Elohim is further understood in terms of “word of God” – dabar in the
book of Genesis. New Testament reflects upon God’s word as God’s reign. Jesus in response
to Pilate had stated that he continue to speak and those who belongs to truth will hear his
voice. Jesus as the word of God and at the same time Jesus speaks word of God is a
theological discussion with political implications. The theological discussion points to the
reign of God, which is indifferent to the rule of Kingdoms of this world. Such a
differentiation implications are that Kingdom of this world calls forth for sacrifice by the
followers of King in the interest of protecting power. But, the words of Jesus has to do with
incarnation of God; God coming nearer to people (v37.)

In order to radicalise reformation, on the eve of 500 years of celebration of

Reformation, it is an invitation to critically revisit reformation in order to develop Christian
praxis for our times. For which the word of God needs to be revisited to theologically
strengthen every move towards justice and peace.

Rev. Dr. Praveen PS, Perumalla

CSI Karimnagar Diocese
 November 02, 2016, Wednesday

All Souls Day

Isaiah 25: 6-9 Psalm 118: 14-15, 17-21
II Corinthians 5: 1-10 Hebrews 12:1-2
John 11: 21-27

Collect: Eternal God make this day to remember the unseen cloud of witnesses who
encompass us. We thank you for their witness in life and in death. Help us to walk worthily
of those in whose unseen presence life is lived. Grant us grace that in this life we may never
forget those who have gone before us, whose life is hidden in you so that in the life to come
we may share their blessedness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.

The three parts of the Human Being in general are Body, Soul and the Spirit. While
“Body” denotes the material appearance and “Spirit” the immaterial consciousness, the
“Soul” means both the immaterial and material aspects of humanity. In its most basic sense,
the word “soul” means “life.” The life principle of the soul is departed at the time of physical
death. (Gen 35:18). The spirit, which is the God given consciousness for the body and its
soul, also returns to God who gave it. (Ecc.12:7). However, the soul and the spirit are
connected, but separable (Heb.4:12). The soul as with the spirit is the center of spiritual and
emotional experiences (Job 30:25; Psa.43:5), it refers to the whole person, whether alive or in
the life after. We believe that all souls that are alive before and after death should be saved
for resurrection and life-everlasting by accepting Jesus Christ and His Slavic act of grace on
the cross.

On such grounds the Church celebrates “All Souls Day” on the 2nd of November and
“All Saints’ Day” on the 1st of November. The instances of celebrations in Roman Catholic
Church depict ‘All Saints’ Day’ to honour church members, who were believed to have gone
to heaven and ‘All Souls Day’ to commemorate those who died baptized but without having
confessed their sins and they are believed to reside in purgatory. In the Anglican Church, All
Souls Day is commemoration of All Faithful Departed, and it is seen as an extension of All
Saints’ Day. The Protestants at the Reformation fused the All Souls Day with the All Saints’
Day. In the Eastern Orthodox churches there are several ‘All Souls Days’ during the year
falling on Saturdays. The church of South India celebrates “All Souls day” with a belief in
the resurrection of the dead and the hope of intercession for the Faithful Departed to meet
them.

This year our celebration follows with three thoughts of meditation on the scriptures:
primarily, the celebration is rejoicing in God’s Salvation, secondly it is the confidence in
God-Given Spirit as a guarantee and finally it is a belief in Jesus, the resurrection and life.

Rejoicing in God’s Salvation

Here the first lesson from the Hebrew Scriptures in Isaiah 25:6-8, we learn that God
not only fulfils the longing of those who wait for God’s help but also provides a feast to
celebrate the victory over death. Thus the following verse 9, calls for waiting on God’s
salvation to rejoice and be glad in it. Jesus provides the hope for the forgiveness of sins and
hope for our resurrection in His own death and resurrection. (I thess.4:13-18).
Confidence in God-Given Spirit as a Guarantee

Here in the epistle lesson from 2 Corinthians 5: 1-10, we understand that the tent is
the body in which a soul dwells before death and after death it regains the left mortal body as
an immortal one prepared by God. This faith is kept in the souls by the God-Given Spirit as a
guarantee. In this body every Soul groans and lives with burdens under a yoke of
temptations. The souls get their freedom through death and also gain back their left bodies in
a glorified form as the resurrected body of Jesus. There is no direct teaching about how the
glorified bodies appear like, but we do have a teaching that the resurrected bodies appear as
created by God not subject to sin, death and suffering. As the appearance of the Jesus’ body
after resurrection looked like Jesus that He was, we will also look like the same people that
we were.

Thus, All Souls Day is a celebration of a confidence that we all shall enter into heaven
with the bodies like Jesus both in age and strength without innocence, pain and suffering by
pleasing God.

Belief in Jesus, the Resurrection and Life

Finally from the gospel lesson John 11: 21-27 we see that celebration is renewing our
belief in Jesus, who said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even
though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you
believe this?” These words were not only information about Jesus but also a grand saying
about the power over death and result of believing Him.

The experience of the soul as a life without body is a temporary separation according
to Jesus. The temporary separation of soul and body is here regarded as not even interrupting,
much less impairing, the new and everlasting life imparted by Jesus to His believing people.
Therefore, All Souls Day understands that we misuse the unification of the soul and body
now at present before death and do sin. If we now confess those sins done in this unification
with a belief in Jesus we are going to participate in His resurrection and enjoy the true
unification of soul with the bodies after death that have become earth to earth, ashes to ashes,
dust to dust in the burial ground.

Rev. Devanand Subuddy Kummithi

CSI Rayalaseema Diocese
 November 06, 2016, Sunday

World Sunday School Day

What this Child is Going to be?

Judg.13:1-14 Psalm 119:9-16
Eph.6:1-4 Luke 1:57-66
Eve.Gen.25:19-28 Luk.18: 15-17

Collect: O God, Your Son Jesus Christ our Lord accepted children as inheritors of your
Kingdom. Bless all our children so that they may grow in your knowledge and wisdom that
they become a blessing to the whole world. Also enable the whole Church to care for the little
ones; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.

John the Baptist was born to Zacharias, a priest and a descendant of Aaron, and his wife
Elizabeth who was also from the priestly clan. He was born when they were old. He was
filled with the Holy Spirit even when he was in his mother’s womb. He had understood the
aim of his life, revealed to him by God. He condemned the sins of people and challenged
them to repent for their sins and turn to God. Jesus Christ testified that there was no one
greater than John the Baptist, who was born of women. Jesus was baptised by John the
Baptist. This helped people to know from John that Jesus was the son of God. Only Luke’s
Gospel gives a birth narrative for John, introducing him as the forerunner of Jesus and
intertwining his birth story with that of Jesus. According to Luke both children were born in
the reign of Herod the Great (4 BC). Their mothers were related as cousins. John was six
months older than Jesus. John’s parents were an elderly couple, both of priestly descent and
hitherto childless.

Zacharias and Elizabeth were very old and living without a child. Both of them were very
much known for their empathy in the field of ministry to the God. In general and in their
understanding, to get a baby in the old age, is highly impossible. But by the Grace of God, the
impossible become possible which the world cannot provide to anyone. Because of this the
topic for today’s meditation makes us to think deeper about the child as “what this child is
going to be?”. The child was the forerunner of Jesus Christ. Further, in Historical Jesus’
research, one matter on which all are agreed is that the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry
was associated with his encounter with John the Baptist. All four Gospels together with Acts
(1:22, 13:24-25) attest to this. John’s existence as an historical figure is independently
Josephus. All the accounts agree that John was a preacher who called people to a life of
righteousness before God, and to baptism. Therefore his significance is couched in
theological terms, both in the New Testament and in Josephus. In Christian memory John is
the precursor of Jesus Christ and to some degree his life and death prefigure those of Jesus.
We are familiar with John as the “voice crying in the wilderness”.

Zechariah belonged to the priestly ‘course or division’ of Abijah. One day when Zechariah
was on duty the Holy of Holies, the angel Gabriel appeared to him. Gabriel announced that
Elizabeth would bear a son, whose name would be John (Johanan, ‘Yahweh has shown
favour’). John would drink no wine but be filled with Holy Spirit. He was to play the role of
Elijah, the words of which are echoed on the lips of Gabriel: He will turn many of the people
of Israel to the Lord their God. After this Zechariah asked for a sign that all this is true, and
he is given a punitive sign: he was struck dumb until the child is born. We see three important
points to mediate upon “what this child is going to be’.
God’s provision: The birth of John is very significant and we can notice the God’s provision
as it was announced by an angel. This is not an announcement but an extra ordinary
announcement which signifies the uniqueness of the same as it is from heaven to earth. In
this, one can notice the leading and the providence of God. The God’s provision makes the
impossible into possible. When Zechariah did not receive the message with total confidence
and prompt obedience, that unbelief closed his mouth and believing opened it again. The
hand of the God was working with John who was distinguished as a prophet. God is so
evidently with him right from his birth. He was destined to some great and specific work of
God. In the birth of John we can see the provision of God.

God’s protection: In the Gospel Luke (1:66), explicits some special care and peculiar
providence of God in preserving the life, as the “hand” of the Lord was with John. The
protection started from the womb as John was conceived. This protection makes him to get
the recognition in the community as he was the instrument of God. The word “hand” is used
to denote “aid, protection, favour of God”. We should understand this that this expression
here means that God aided him, protected him and showed him favour. This is what this child
is going to be. God is so evidently with him. The expression, “hand of the Lord” was
peculiarly a Hebrew thought and it is one of the vivid anthropomorphic idioms. Ultimately it
shows the design of god. God had the plan of life for this child. There are supernatural marks
in the case of John. John was under Divine protection.

God’s perfection: God had designed life of John and made him to do the significant role in
the ministry before Jesus. He was the pioneer in the field work of the kingdom of God. He
was known for his empathy in all the fields of ministry and strong in his subject of
establishing the kingdom values. This is the impact of the direction and guidance of God
towards perfection. God wants us to be an integrated personality in all the fields of life
without any perversion. Perfection started when there was an involvement of the providence
of God. The name of the child is given by God himself which is the first explicit direction of
God to the world. According to the general understanding and tradition, the parents ought to
play a significant role in naming their child. But in the case of John the naming took place
through the parents under the eminent direction of God. The father of the child Zachariah also
indicates the name on a wooden tablet covered with wax which shows a major lesson of
obedience and the parents are for the plan of God. Zachariah echoes the instructions of the
angel, not the crowd and custom. His obedience yields additional reward: his tongue was
loosed immediately and judgment ends. Just as the angel promised (in Luke1:20), the
temporary situation of silence of Zachariah’s life ends with the fulfilment of God’s word.
God showed his mercy through John to the people who were in the society. He was the
person with the direction of God to lead the humanity towards perfection and he stood for the
perfection of God from womb to tomb.

Rev.Dr.D.S.A.Samuel
CSI Madras Diocese
 November 13, 2016, Sunday

Unity Sunday

Vine and Branches

Ezek. 37:15-23 Psalm 133

1 Cor.12:12-27 John15:1-8
Eve.Eph.4:1-13 Ps.148

Collect: Almighty God, we thank you for the diversity in creation that reveals your power
and wisdom. Enable us to affirm and celebrate our distinct abilities and strive for the oneness
of heart and mind for the well-being of your creation.. Help us to be grafted into Christ so
that we may bear much fruit, through Jesus Christ our Lord who is the vine, and lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

Introduction
Difference of opinions and perspectives are part and parcel of the human life and society.
Different Culture, region, language and background of the respective communities form their
opinions and objectives. Opinions of a concerned community should be a tool to express their
unique identity and bring out richness of life in diversity. Nevertheless human history
witnessed great amount of damage due to these differences in the name of caste, creed and
religion. The Church is also no exception to this. It has witnessed several divisions due to its
doctrines and origins. Many times they were a barrier to accomplish the vision and mission
entrusted to it by God through Jesus Christ, his son. Today we should overcome our divisions
created by human beings. Of course, God created diversity of life but man created divisions.

We should celebrate our diversity. But our differences should not be a claim to fight with
each other. In this situation, we in India, Churches in India should unite in order to fulfill the
mission of God. Passages provided for the theme speak about unity even in the situation of
divisions. Vine and branches describes the progression of life even they have divisions.
Divisions in the vine and branch are to carry out their responsibilities and mutual burdens too.

To become one to be the People of God: Ezekiel 37:15-23

People of God are divided in the past due to political reasons. Judah and Israel the divided
nations went apart after their own political motifs because of their political leaders went
against the covenantal relationship. The leaders of the nation created divisions not only in
political or national borders but also in serving their God too. It was the promise of Yahweh
that united Israel nation is His People. Without Judah there is no meaning for Northern Israel.
Similarly, Judah has no existence without Israel even though it survived for several years. But
now God brings out His intention to reunite His people. Therefore the wooden stick of Judah
and Israel would become one in the name of Sovereign Lord (v. 20). Becoming one is a
radical change. In the process of change, they have to forsake their divisions created by their
ancestors. Moreover they have to leave their gods and purify themselves (v. 23) because God
Himself will purify them. It is God’s promise that the one nation will have a one ruler and
they will obey Lord’s laws faithfully (v. 24). This brings fruitfulness to the nation (v. 26).

This vision of substantial unity reunites the community of God and reestablishes God’s rule
over them.
United in Christ by the Spirit of the Lord: 1 Cor 12:12-27

Church is the body of Christ. Christ unites all people whether they are Jews or Gentiles,
whether slaves or free. They are united as one body by the Spirit of the Lord. Here Paul uses
the image of body and many parts to bring unity among the Church. The parts of the body
failed to respond to the needs of the other parts and they failed to carry responsibilities of the
whole body (vv. 21-22). This attitude among the parts of the body caused to damage the unity
of the body. The body of Christ has been torn apart due to the differences among the parts of
the body. This disunity among the parts of the body makes other parts weak and finally the
whole body in itself. In this regard Paul urges Corinthians to be united in Christ through the
help of Spirit of the Lord which they received in baptism (vv. 12-13). He calls them to
accompany each other by breaking the barriers in the name of their professions in the
ministry of God.

Being united we shall bear fruit: John 15: 1-8

The metaphor of vine and branches told by Jesus was to bring unity among his disciples so
that they may be firm in facing the troubles and temptations of the world which may come
after his departure from it. Since he was final teaching to his disciples, he consoled them and
strengthened them with teaching and promise of Holy Spirit.

Here Jesus uses vine and branches metaphor to build the cordial relationship between the
disciples and him. There is no existence for a branch without the vine. But a branch should
remain in vine so to bear fruit. Jesus gives importance to bear fruit. He calls his disciples to
abide in him and to bear fruit in him. “I am the real vine” a branch should find its strength
through the vine (v.1). The purpose of the branch is to bear fruit. The disciples should believe
in the words of Jesus and they should follow his commands. By bearing fruit they will
become his disciples.

How to bear fruit in Jesus? Jesus said “Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you”
(v. 4). Disciples will bear fruit only if they remain in Jesus, the Guru. Jesus set an example to
be united. By revealing his bond with the Father he taught his disciples to abide in him.
Because abiding in him means united with the Father too. Having this transcendental unity
with Jesus and Father makes disciples to bear fruit. If the branch fails to bear fruit, the Father
has right to prune the branch. Disciples have no existence unless united in Jesus and bear
fruit. Therefore we have to unite ourselves

Reflection:

Churches in India have several differences in their worship, tradition and culture. But
differences should not lead to divisions. As we are called to be united in reaching our
mission, we should fight our divisions and we should overcome our differences. Though we
believe in baptism and take part in communion, we are failed to fight the enemy which harms
the whole body of Christ due to our own vested interests.

Today Churches in India should unite together in order to fight against the injustice and
fundamentalism in the nation. When they unite they become true disciples of Jesus and
together they can confront unjust structures. Exclusivism breaches our unity on the other
hand it makes our lives miserable. Disunity leads to harm our existence and destroys our
harmony. Finally it distorts the aim and purpose of the mission of God. Christ called us to
remain in him and bear fruit. Therefore the metaphor of vine and branches exhorts us to be
united in Christ.
Unity strengthens our relationship and yields more fruit. This unity should be formed through
the help of the Spirit of the Lord.

Rev. K. Sagar Sundar Raj

Karnataka Theological College, Mangalore
 November 20, 2016, Sunday

Sunday for the Girl Child

Affirming the Worth of the Girl Child

Num.27:1-11 Psalm 71:1-12
Acts 21:7-14 Mark 5:35-43
Eve. Gal.3:23-28 Ps.139:1-18

Collect: Almighty God, whose blessed Son in His earthly life blessed little children, we pray
that those children who are victims of inequality and oppression may receive a new hope of
life with your tender touch. In particular we pray for the girls, that they may find justice,
dignity, and love in the human community, that their lives may flower forth to bring
fragrance in your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and
the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.

The girl child is discriminated against boys from the earliest stages of life through their
childhood and into adulthood. The birth of a female child is often regarded as a disaster.
Socially, boys are preferred, girls are neglected due to dowry demands. In most Indian
households, girl child is discriminated and neglected for basic nutrition, education and health
care. These are all indicators of high preference for a male child due to the belief that girls are
less of an asset and more of a liability. Against this background let us look into the bible
passages.

DARING AND BRAVE YOUNG WOMEN – DAUGHTERS OF ZELOPHEHAD:

(Num.27:1-11)

Zelophehad, the father of these young women had died in the wilderness. He had no male
progeny. His daughters felt that their father’s name should not be taken away from the clan
for no fault of his and for want of male progeny. They were excluded from the list of
successors to the property of a deceased father. All five sisters were unmarried and fatherless.
They were courageous to even challenge the highest authority of the land, Moses. They had
bypassed all the formalities of feminine modesty which the patriarchal society had inflicted
on them.

The Daughters of Zelophehad claimed for their well-deserved rights pleading, “Give to us a
possession among our father’s brothers.” (Num. 27:4). Moses received the divine guidance
from God to resolve this matter. God stated that the sister’s demands were perfectly justified
and God gave a new law to the people. The Daughters were now given the inheritance rights.
In other words, if a man died without a male progeny, the daughters had the right to inherit
the property. Moses executed the law and it became a legal precedent for equal property
rights for women in a society dominated by male chauvinism. This new law marked an
important milestone for women’s rights in a society where women had no property rights at
all. The daughters of Zelophehad raised their voice against unjust laws and fought for their
legitimate rights. Faith in God was the source of their courage and determination. This is
empowerment.

REMARKABLE PROPHETESSES – DAUGHTERS OF PHILIP: (Acts.21:7-14)

In the history of the early church, it is the first time that female prophets has been mentioned.
These four unmarried daughters were the children of the well-known church leader, Philip.
The daughters of Philip prophesied. A Prophet is the one who speaks to God, calling people
to repentance and warning people of future judgement. So prophets are chosen by God, who
open’s their spiritual ears, gives them a message and directs them as to what and to whom to
speak. Perhaps these unmarried daughters prophesied on Paul’s troubles and may have
instructed him as to what he should do. The daughters of Philip had received the imposition
of apostolic hand and were now functioning in the church as inspired proclaimers of word of
the God. The prophets in Acts, are clearly all men but the four daughters mentioned are
exceptional. In the Acts of the Apostles women were given an opportunity of how they might
break that patriarchal and hierarchical structures and attempt to build a life dedicated to God.
These young women were so well known that the writer could not avoid mentioning them.
The bible makes no distinction between the prophetic ministry of men and women.
Prophesying is an activity that can be done by both men and women as they are led by the
Holy Spirit. A prophet whether male or female is a God’s servant. In Acts chapter 21 verse 9
“And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophecy.” The daughters of
Philip are examples of true Godly prophets.

JESUS CARE FOR A GIRL CHILD – DAUGHTER OF JAIRUS (Mk.5:35-43)

The ministry of Jesus was mainly among the sick and the oppressed. This is a story of a
father’s love for his daughter. Jairus, the synagogue ruler pleads Jesus saying, “My little
daughter is dying, please heal her” Jesus assures Jairus by saying, “Do not fear, and only
believe.” (Mk.5:36) Jesus goes to his house and heals her. Here we see Jesus giving life to a
girl. Jairus wanted his twelve year old daughter to live. Every girl child need such fathers
who are willing to accept a female child.

“Saving the Girl Chid”, is a social initiative in India to fight against the practice of female
infanticide. According to recent statistics in developing countries such as India infanticide of
female is common. The reasons for this are social practices like betrothal and marriage
related expenditures like dowry that leads to extreme financial hardships.

The fact is that we need to realise that the girl is also a human, she has the right to live. Her
life is a God’s gift. Jesus loved children and he cared for them. Girls define the sole existence
of human race. They are as important for society’s existence. Still they are discriminated at
every stage of upbringing right from their birth for no reason. At every stage of life men and
women define each other’s existence. Girls not only need care and love but our society
should make them feel safe and secured. The church has a responsibility to affirm the worth
of the girl child in every sphere of her life.

Rev. Jacqueline P Kumar

CSI Karnataka Central Diocese
 November 27, 2016, Sunday

Advent Sunday

Celebrating the Promises of God

(Meeting of Mary with Elizabeth)

1Sam.2:1-10 Psalm 66
Heb.11:29-40 Luke 1: 39-45
Eve. Ex.15: 19-21/Isa.11:1-9 Gal.4:4-7

Collect: Ever gracious and loving God, we thank you for your promises are trust worthy. We
adore you for sending your son as a fulfilment of the law and the prophecies. Grant us grace
to celebrate the accomplishment of your promise by being a witness to your saving power,
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and
forever. Amen.

Introduction: This particular passage is widely known and accepted as the song of praise
and gratitude of Mary the Mother of Jesus, hence labelled as ‘The Magnificat’. The formal
parallelism between the two infancy narratives is maintained at this point of their
intersection: both women are miraculously pregnant, and each is aware through supernatural
revelation of the other’s condition (vv 36, 41-45); Elisabeth’s blessing of Mary and her
unborn son (vv 42-45) is balanced by Mary’s praise of God (vv 46-55)

Secondly, it explains the new Exodus typology. The content of god’s saving intervention is
expressed negatively as the scatter of the proud and positively as the taking of the part of
Israel. The strophe concludes with mercy of God which he promised to the patriarchs.

Echoes of 2 Sam 6: 2-19 are to be found in vv 41, 43,44 and possibly v 56. The magnificat at
times marked by specific OT allusions, but more commonly OT motives and language are
used in a fresh coinage which evokes more generally the whole thought world of OT faith
and declares its eschatological fulfilment, at least in principle, in God’s present activity with
Mary. The song belongs to Mary as a response to her miraculous conception. No wonder,
then that this hymn was probably transmitted and adapted in a Christian worship setting.

Blessedness of Mary: Elizabeth does not wish or offer blessing, but recognizes blessedness.
Mary’s blessedness is that she is carrying the messianic child who is in turn blessed because
of his unique identity and role. Elizabeth’s question echoes 2 Sam 6:9 in its expression of
reverence in the face of God’s action and presence. However, Elizabeth is blessing May’s
faith, which is implicitly contrasting Mart’s glad surrender to the will of God with her own
husband’s unbelief.

On the other hand, Mary’s song opens with declaration of her intention to magnify God in
song which stands parallel to the affirmation that she has found joy in God who, enabling her
in a miraculous way to become pregnant with the child of messianic hopes, has now
intervened as saviour. It is not that Mary has some personal and individual affliction; her
affliction is simply that of God’s people awaiting his saving intervention on their behalf.

The content of this saving intervention of God is thus pointing towards God’s kingdom
wherein the hungry are fed and rich are sent empty. A dramatic example is the story of Brutus
and Coriolanus from Rome. Brutus is one of the poor who revolts against wealth, the humble
against the eminent, and humble poor attain the new office of tribune to protect them! The
poor man Brutus is elevated to the most powerful offices in the state. Coriolanus, the most
successful Roman general of his age, opposes the humble Brutus and is banished, reducing to
“nothing” because he hated poor.

From this we grasp that the justice of God is established as a paradigm of reversal of the
world order. The salvation announced has already been accomplished (1:69, 71), more
characteristic of Jewish Christians than of other contemporary sects of Judaism. The hope in
the promise of God is thus manifested in the celebration in the life of Mary in particular and
in the lives of the humankind at large. In the world of disorder and oppression, the faithful
hold on to this promise of God in hope and celebrate life.

Rev. John Sunder Matoori

CSI- Medak Diocese
 November 30, 2016, Wednesday

Andrew, Apostle and Martyr

Amos 7: 10-15 Psalm 67
Philippians 1: 3-11 John 12: 20-26

Collect: Almighty God, who endowed apostle Andrew the gift of friendship and the wisdom
to lead others in the way of holiness; grant to your people that same spirit of mutual affection,
so that, in loving one another, we may know the love of Christ and rejoice in the eternal
possession of your supreme goodness; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and
reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Andrew was one of the first disciples of Jesus Christ along with Peter his brother. It is said
that his father’s name was Jona and his mother’s name Joanna. Jesus called Andrew to
follow him while he was in his family business of catching fish on the Sea of Galilee. He
was one of the important disciples of Jesus Christ. He moved very intimately with his master
Jesus Christ and was always in favour of him. It is also noted that just as John the Baptist
introduced Jesus to the nation of Israel, so Andrew is noted for having introduced Jesus to
individuals. The apostle Peter became the fisher of men in mass where Andrew was a fisher
of individuals. In his later ministry, it is believed that Andrew went to the foothills of the
Caucasus mountains (present day Georgia in Eastern Europe. While there he preached to the
Scythians as far as the Caspian Sea. He also went to Byzantium which is present day Istanbul
in Turkey and from there, to Greece. In fact, he travelled to Thrace and Macedonia, down
through the Corinthian Gulf to Patros; it was in Patros that Andrew was martyred on the last
day November 69 AD.

Now as we turn to the Bible passages read to us for meditation in the book of Amos, Amos
was called by God while he was gazing the sheep to proclaim the curse which is about to
come upon the people of Israel for their wrong doings. Here Amos was not accepted by
people as God’s Prophet but God used him as His instrument in communicating His word.
God uses the least and the unprivileged to show His might for His glory.

As we meditate the Psalms, the psalmist praises God for what we are, though we are
unworthy, God lifted us high before the gentiles to make known that he is the mighty God.

In Philippians 1:3-11 we see Paul teaches the people of God in Philippi to always be thankful
to God in what we are so as to stay blameless and righteous till the day of Christ.

In John 12:20-26 we see the most important act of Andrew could be noted as when Philip
requires the help of Andrew who brings the gentiles and introduces them to our Lord. During
those days of opposition especially at the time of night is a bold achievement. They come at
a time more or less not to be noticed by any of their own peers. These Gentiles most likely
were of Phoenicia or Syria, or perhaps inhabitants of Decapolis, near to the lake of
Genesareth and Bethsaida; and therefore they addressed themselves to Philip, who was of the
latter city, and probably know to them.

Andrew and Philip brought the gentiles to Christ knowing that Christ accepts them as His
people. Where self-love prevails, and the honour that comes from God is not sought, this
union never exists. Bigotry often ruins every generous sentiment among the different
denominations of the people of God. Like Apostle Andrew we should be bold enough to
bring change in society, God used a fisher man like Andrew to proclaim His gospel for His
glory, so also we should commit our lives to the Lord and be His instruments in bringing
God’s Kingdom Amen.

Rev.B.B. Pavn Kumar

Karimnagar Diocese
 December 04, 2016, Sunday

Bible Sunday

Word of God: Double Edged Sword

(Birth of John the Baptist)

Jer. 36: 1-10 Psalm 118: 89-96

Heb. 4: 11-13 Luke 1:5-17
Eve. Jer.23:23-32 2 Tim.3:10-17

Collect: Sovereign God, we thank you for giving us your word that reveals you and your will
for us. Enable us to accept your word and daily live by your word that is quick and powerful
and discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart. Enlighten us with your word, and challenge
us to live in hope, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit now and forever. Amen.

Advent reminds us of the need of preparation for receiving the Lord. Second Sunday in
advent is observed as Bible Sunday. A few Sundays from today we will be celebrating the
birth of Jesus, the word incarnated. The Bible is inseparable to every Christian as he/she
prepares himself/herself to receive the Lord. Before we go deep into the meaning of the text
given for meditation, let us look at some of the remarkable facts regarding the Bible:

The Bible is referred to as a single book, but it is a collection of 66 books.

The Bible has single author, but is written by many

Most printed but most persecuted

Most loved but most feared

Most comforting but most confronting

Cultures and civilizations transformed…

We may add many such exceptional qualities regarding the Bible. In the Bible, we have many
passages about the power of ‘the word of God’. One would notice that it was “the word”
which God used to some extent as an ingredient in the act of creation (John 1:3) In
Hebrews11:3 we read “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word
of God ,so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear”. The word is
so powerful that it could create something which was not before. Hence the word can create a
universe out of nothing. Now let us look at the Bible portion for our meditation, Hebrews
4:1-12.

The writer of Hebrews insists the backsliding first century Judean Christians, that they should
hold fast to the faith in Jesus Christ. He places Jesus above Moses, angels and Aaronic
priesthood. Chapter 3:1-4 is about Christ’s supremacy over Moses. Chapter 4 speaks about a
rest promised for his people. But to receive this rest one should be obedient to the Lord, this
section concludes with one of the beautiful verses regarding “the word of God”.

v12. “Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword,
piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow, it is able to judge the thoughts
and intention of heart”.
1. The Word is ‘Living and Active’

John 1:14 says “the word became flesh, lived among us and we have seen his glory, the
glory, as of a fathers only son, full of grace and truth.” The word lived among humankind in
Jesus Christ. The word is living because Jesus is living. The word is living and continue to
live as the person behind the Word is living .The life the word possesses is the life of Jesus .

There are three major words used in the NewTestament for life; Zoe, Bios, and psuche.
Bios is life as duration, measure of life and manner of life. Psuche, on the other hand, is the
individual life, or breath of life. But zoe is life of that being , life as ‘father has it’. This is the
life the word has. In John 1:3 and 4 we read, “in Him was life and the life was light of all
people”. The living and active word is the life and light of the world.

The Hebrew word used for “word” is dabar. Whenever the word dabar is used as ‘the
word of God’, an action is followed. The word is active that it will never return empty. It will
fulfill the purpose for which it has been send by the father (Is. 55:10-11). In fact God is
watching over his word to perform it (Jer.1:12).Every use of the word guarantees an
intervention from God Almighty.

2. The word is ‘Piercing and discerning’

In the Bible we have references of using word and sword together .In Eph. 6:17, the word and
sword are related. The word probes the consciousness of humans and would subdue the
impulse to sin. In the book of Revelation 1:16; 2:12, Jesus and sword are used together . In
Hebrews 4:12 the symbol ‘sword’ refers to the perceiving power of the word that can
penetrate deep even into the marrows and transforms an individual. It is said that all books
give information but the Bible gives transformation. “Separating bones from marrows” is a
strong message that the marrow, placed in the cavities of human bones, representing the
deepest and secret areas of human life, is not hidden from the Lord. The word can pierce the
strong bones and touch the marrow. The marrow is the place where the blood cells are
formed. It is an astonishing fact that the word of God can alter any character trait which a
person inherits hereditarily through his/her blood. The word is capable of transforming any
person belonging to any background. The piercing power of the word is transforming power
of the word.

Conclusion

The word of God is a gift from God. Let us thank God for the people who sacrificed their
lives for the translation and the spread of the word around the world. Let us continues to read,
meditate, teach and live the word. It is living, active and piercing and there by transforming.
May the word of God transform us thoroughly and prepare us to receive the Lord.

Rev. George E. Mathew

CSI Kollam-Kottarakkara Diocese
 December 11, 2016, Sunday

Promise of Immanuel

Isa.7:10-17 Psalm 98
1 Pet.3:8-16 Matt.1:18-25
Eve. Isa.49:8-13 Eph.1:15-23

Collect: God, our redeemer, we thank you for sending your son Jesus Christ to assure your
presence with us. Enable us we beseech you, to recognize your presence in our joys and
sorrow; in struggles and victory. Instil in us the courage to live as those who belong to you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and
forever. Amen.

The sweetest word in this world is one’s own name. Have you ever thought about your name
and its meaning? Does it suit to your life and character? |Most of the time it is not, right?
When it comes to Jesus his name goes with very much to his character and mission on earth.
Lets us meditate on how the name Immanuel becomes a promising one in our life situations.

A promise that fulfilled

The name Immanuel gives hope and encouragement. In Jesus we see the fulfillment of this
hope and encouragement. While describing the meeting with the angel and Joseph, Matthew
says “ All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet”
(Mt 1:22). All this incidents took place are strange and mysterious to human understanding.
Virgin birth and Messiah in a manger are strange things to the human logic. Even Joseph was
confused. But God uses these confusions and doubts to work out his promised project-
Immanuel. God acts in a very strange way in our lives whatever may be the situation. God
will keep his word. Let Immanuel enable us to go forward in our endeavors with the strong
hope that “I am not alone”.

A promise that has to be experienced

Through this promise God encourages and motivates his people to live in peace and freedom.
In several occasions in the Bible, God has strengthened his children to go ahead of their
struggles. Abraham, Moses, Joshua are some of the examples who were motivated by God’s
statement ‘I am with you’. God wants to make it clearer that he will be with his children. To
do so “Lord himself will give you a sign: a young woman who is pregnant will have a son and
will name him ‘Immanuel. “ (Isaiah 7:17) When it comes to Jesus he assured that “For where
two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:20). “I am with
you always, to the end of the age” (Maththew 28:20) God’s presence has to be experienced
by gathering in his name- in fellowship. Common worship at church is so important to
experience God’s presence. This will enable one to experience Immanuel in the life
challenges.

A promise that has to be celebrated

Immanuel- God with us affirms that Jesus is God. At the same time that God is willing to be
present with the humanity at times of joys and sorrow; of struggles and victor. Jesus was with
the cries of widow, with the distress of sinful women, with the love of kids, with the hungry
multitude, with the joy of a wedding and so on. There is no part of life that his kindness does
not touch. This is to be celebrated. Isn’t it? Psalmist says (Psalm 98: 3&4)
v.3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
V
4.Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing
praises.

Immanuel is the fulfillment of God’s promise. But our celebrations should not stop merely
with the Christmas greetings, carols and cakes. Immanuel urges us to be with the people and
their struggles.

May God bless all of us to be with the struggles of the people and continue to give hop.

Rev.Stephen Joseph
CSI South Kerala Diocese
 December 18, 2016, Sunday

Preparation: The Lord is Coming

Mic.4:1-5 Psalm 126

1 John 4:7-21 John 4:21-37
Eve. Isa.49:1-7 Phil.4:4-9

Collect: Righteous and merciful God, we thank you for sending your son to identify Himself
with us in our struggles and hopes. We are redeemed by our faith in Him. As He promised to
come again to judge the living and the dead, help us to be diligent in our faith and prudent in
our actions so that we will be with Him and He will be with us, through Jesus Christ our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

When eyes are filled with tears, hearts with anguish, soul with dithering pain and when the
personhood is broken down- the assurance that the one who would wipe any tear, sooth any
anguish, comfort any pain and restore any brokenness is coming by restores lot of hope for
the people who live in the shadow of death. Micah prophesied in a context of historical
turbulence for both Israel and Judah and the neighbouring nations (750-687 BC). Invasions,
war, rebellions, power struggles and injustice had affected the very fabric of the moral ethical
living of the people. People tended to drift away from a passionate covenantal relationship to
God and this coupled with the invaders pushing for their religious code had defocussed the
centrality of the House of the Lord. The prophets of the time while warning the people of
impending judgement lest they repent and mend ways also affirmed God’s love and justice
and assured hope in restoration. Though Micah 4 and Isaiah 2 has striking similarities and
scholars have dwelt deep on the textual intricacies therein the text is clearly a call to prepare
for the coming of the Lord. This call suggested that injustice cannot prevail for long,
hopelessness would soon give way to hope and a change in the circumstances of the world
would come. Those in the peripheries and the margins will have a new dawn and good will
have a place and space.

It could be beyond mere coincidence that Syria, Palestine, Israel, Egypt- the epicentre of the
activity to which the prophet responds -also seem to be the focal points today for any debate
on hope, justice and peace.

1. Worship to be central in the preparation for the coming of the Lord.

Promise of restoration of the pre-eminence of Worship is the first step towards any change
hoped or wished for. It is when people tend to forget God that they begin to live outside
the frameworks of God’s covenantal expectations. The pre-eminence of the house of the
Lord has been affected for several reasons, both internal and external. The house of the
Lord which once stood highest had fallen in glory. In the changed circumstances people
might have tended not to visit the temple much. It is herein the message of hope of
Micah becomes relevant. He affirms that once people turn from their ways then in the
days to come when God will intervene again the mountain of the Lord’s house will be re-
established as the highest of the hills. People would again stream to it. Nations will come
and learn the ways and paths of the Divine. They will heed the instruction that goes from
Zion.
Though much water has flown under the bridges for centuries the socio political situation
today has alarming similarities. The preparation for the coming of the Lord therefore
must look into three major elements in relation to worship life of the peoples.
(i) Continued reformation of the Houses of the Lord. While the church is doing a
tremendous ministry in nurturing the people of God and while affirming all the positives
within the church we should also be prophetic in acknowledging that there are facets that
are not in tune with a covenantal relationship with the God of life that has an influence
in the life of the church today. Fingers are being pointed at moral, ethical and social
flaws and one should have the humility to acknowledge, repent and mend ways.
(ii) Passionate interest for the people in worship. In several nations across the world the
pews are becoming empty and churches are being sold. People seem lesser and lesser
interested in the matters of the Divine. They become so self-focussed and now-centric.
The material blessings have distracted several generations from the ways of God and in
some instances they manufacture a way of spirituality that suits their whims and fancies.
Once the Lord is to be restored to the place due to God in the lives of the people they
would then stream to the house of the Lord
(iii) Space for the instruction of the Lord. The ways of the Lord and the paths of the Lord
need to be learned with humility and faith. However when generations seem disinterested
in the same for whatsoever reasons the result could be a strange distancing between
human ways and the expectations of God. When the spaces lose credibility and the
instructions that comes forth becomes tainted with vested interests it is but natural that
people lose faith.
The call for the preparation of the Lord is therefore a call to recognise the faults and to
change the direction- from a journey away from God to a journey towards God and
towards the direction God points to. For sacred spaces to have spaces in the hearts of the
people those spaces must regain its moral high ground.

2. Peace to be the goal in the preparation for the coming of the Lord:

The prophet envisages the coming one judging between many peoples, arbitrating between
strong nations far away. Weapons of destruction being transformed into weapons of
sustenance and creativity and nations ceasing lifting up weapons against each other and
stopping learning war.

The key elements that need to be discussed today are

(i) A proper interaction between the “many peoples” of the world is an important aspect.
Peace becomes impossible when the other peoples around are not acknowledged, when
the differences are not celebrated and when the freedom of the other to be the other is not
affirmed. Faith and Religion is all about Peace but when they are politicised for different
intentions of selfish natures they could be potently very dangerous combinations.
Politicisation of religion and religionisation of politics happens with the core idea of
“othering the other”. The vision of peace in the preparation of the coming one therefore
affirms the “manyness” of the peoples.
(ii) The role of strong nations far away in the affairs of small nations is another crucial
aspect to be noted. Many a war in the small terrains are planned in war rooms’ miles
away. It is a fact that it is the interest of the strong nations far away that determines the
geo-politics of the smaller nations. Even guerrilla war fares in small forests cannot be
acted out without clear support from big players including training in war tactics and
provisions of weaponry and technical support. Preparation for peace therefore is the
courage to take on big nations and tell it to their face that it is you who are the real “war
makers”
(iii) The place of weapons of mass destruction. A very crucial question that bothers everyone
is this, How is it that such weapons are available for the people to destroy? Shooting in
schools and public places, bombing in civilian areas, killing people in the land, skies and
in the seas. Killing continues. The makers of weapons it is said also decide the war
policies of nations. Herein the vision of Micah becomes very significant. They will beat
swords into ploughshares and spears into pruning hooks.
(iv) A culture that educates against war. Another key element that the world needs today is
education and awareness building against war. When the prophet says, neither shall they
learn war any more he also implies that war is in fact taught to people. It is our systems
of education and upbringing that creates in the minds of people a culture of war and
therefore the preparation for change ought to be a radical remodelling of the very
educational system of the world, a system that would have peace and peaceful co-
existence as core value.

3. Justice to be the core in the preparation for the coming of the Lord.
The prophet envisages that when the coming Lord takes dominion and authority people
would sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees and no one shall make
them afraid. When we read the text today
(i) In a context of displacement people are not able to sit under their own vines today.
Several people are being internally displaced be it in the name of war or in the
sophisticated name of development. Migration patterns affect the flora and fauna that are
so central to the psyche of the people and people in the lands of the fig trees are forced to
live in spaces where there are no fig trees at all. Human trafficking, gender violence and
systemic intolerance continue to drive people away from their figs.
(ii) The vision of the prophet also calls for a radical moving back of the people who had to
move away to the spaces that truly belongs to them, spaces where their ancestors rest.
This would demand justice being made the core of human interactions, where people are
safe secure returning to their own vines and fig trees, and are made to feel welcome and
accepted.
(iii) The vision also envisages that no one would make them afraid. In a context where
everyone is afraid of the other, where people live in constant fear, where religion is
attributed to fear and terror, where border securities operate under the premise of fear the
prophetic vision of living without fear demands structural transformation. From fear of
domestic violence to fear of another World War pople have had enough. People in the
margins and the peripheries to be able to live without fear would mean structures of
injustice are broken down.
(iv) All the people to walk each in the name of its god and yet the people of the prophetic call
to walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever is possible only when each
acknowledges the other, when plurality is affirmed while acknowledging the uniqueness.

Even as the world prepares for the coming of the Lord yet again the prophetic vision of
Micah stays ever relevant and fresh and perhaps more relevant today than in the days in
which the prophet prophesied. But it also demands a response from each of one.
Acknowledgement of wrong doing, Repentance, Trust in the restoring grace of God.

Rev. Vinod Victor

CSI Melbourne
 December 25, 2016, Sunday

Christmas

Christmas: Grace upon Grace

Deut.6:1-9 Psalm 20
Eph.2:4-9 Matt. 2:13-23

Collect: Ever merciful God, we thank you for this day on which we celebrate the birth of
your son Jesus Christ; Grant that we, who have been born again and are made your children
by adoption and grace upon grace, may daily be renewed to be the agents of peace, through
our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and
for ever. Amen.

The message of Christmas, though is one of love, humility and peace, the event of
Christmas is filled with rejection, dejection, pride, envy, arrogance and violence. The context
today, is not different from this, where our world celebrates another Christmas in a time when
terrorism, fascism, casteism, racism and violence against women and children are on a huge
rise. Though our world and nation have tremendously advanced in terms of technology and
communication, we seem to be failing miserably in terms of ethics, morality and human
rights. Ecology too is immensely subjected to exploitation and violence. It is in this context
that we meditate on the ‘Prince of Peace’, who came to live among us filled with grace and
truth. Yes! He came to embrace us with ‘Grace upon Grace’. But, what does it mean to say,
‘Grace upon Grace’, in a context of ‘cries after cries’? Who is Christ in the midst of crises?
What is ‘Peace’, when we live in ‘Piece’?

1. GRACE IMPLIES GOD CHOSE US (Deut. 6:1-9)

This passage speaks about God’s command to the Israelites that they should love their
Lord God with all their heart and with all their soul and with all their strength. The word for
love used here refers not to an emotion, but action. Scholars say that this word ‘Love’ should
be understood in relation to the then political treaties, where to ‘love’ one's sovereign meant
‘loyalty’; to be obedient and faithful. But often such loyalties happened not out of love but
fear. Therefore, when God gives His command to His people, He asks them not to fear Him,
rather love Him, the reason being, “It was not because you were more numerous than any
other people that the Lord set His heart on you and chose you - for you were the fewest of all
peoples. It was because the Lord loved you…” (Deut.7:7-8).

In other words, it is not by their merits, that they were chosen as God’s people, but
because of His grace alone. Christmas reminds us of this relation between God’s Grace and
our status as a chosen race. As it is said in Titus 3: 5-7, “He saved us, not because of
righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy…so that, having been justified by
His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” In fact, it is because of the
same Grace that He came down from heaven to love us and to be loved by us, called to be
His heirs. On this Christmas day, let us rejoice, for we are His chosen heirs, through His
grace.

2. GRACE IMPLIES GOD ANSWERS US (Psalm 20)

The whole focus of this Psalm, attributed to David, is the quality of God who answers
our prayers. The Psalm speaks about the Lord who answers in distress, by protecting, helping,
supporting, remembering, accepting and granting. It affirms the presence of a Lord who gives
the desires of our hearts and helps us to succeed in our plans. However, the climax of this
Psalm is vv. 7 -9, which say, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the
name of the Lord our God…Answer us when we call!” It speaks about God’s Grace in
answering us, when all our sanctuaries, refuge and weapons fail us. Ultimately it is not our
chariots or horses that answers us, but God alone, by and through His grace.

The story of Christmas reminds us of a nation which was subjugated by the Roman
Empire, and also of their prayer for the coming of a Messiah to liberate them. There have
been a number of attempts by the various Jewish sects to gain freedom from the Romans,
using their own ways of weapons and arms, wars and fights, plans and plots. But all these
failed repeatedly as the Roman government supressed those using military. But God answers
a people in distress, by sending the ‘Messiah’, meaning the ‘anointed one’. God’s answer to
their prayer for a ‘Messiah’ to help them comes as the ‘Emmanuel’ (God with us) and ‘Jesus’
(God saves). Christmas therefore, reminds us for God’s grace that works as answers in our
times of pain, distress, anxieties and tensions.

3. GRACE IMPLIES GOD SAVES US (Matt.2:13-23)

Grace not only refers to a God who chooses us and answers us, but also a God who saves
us. Matt. 2:13-23, portrays a God who saves Joseph, Mary and Jesus, amidst the ‘voices
heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning; Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing
to be comforted, because they are no more.’ Though this incident need not have happened
during the birth of Jesus, rather may be within two years after His birth, this incident, which
is included in the ‘Infancy Narratives’ in the Matthean Gospel, has reference to what grace is.
On King Herod’s order, all the Jewish male children below the age of two were massacred by
the Roman soldiers, but God miraculously saves Baby Jesus and His family to escape to
Egypt. This incident seems to have lots of parallels on how Baby Moses was saved, following
the order of Pharaoh, “Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Every Hebrew boy
that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.” (Ex. 1: 22).

In a crisis situation, God interferes and saves Moses and Jesus, and this definitely is
God’s grace. But, if this grace is understood as very exclusive and not in a broader sense, we
could fall into the danger of personalizing grace. Here, grace is not just that act of God saving
them. Rather, it also includes a call, i.e., God saved them to continue the mission to liberate
and save many. The Christmas event mentions Mary, mother of Jesus as a woman of grace.
Her grace was that she was called to participate in the salvific mission of God. Therefore,
Christmas reminds us not only about the grace of God that saves us, but also about the grace
of God that saves us to continue His mission of enhancing that grace to many around us. And
it is then, that Christmas becomes a mission mandate for the Church to engage in God’s
mission of spreading the good news of grace and peace.

CONCLUSION
God’s grace has come in search of us, and we are filled by grace upon grace, that
chose us, answered us and saved as despite our falls and failures. As it is said in today’s,
Epistle reading, “But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us
alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been
saved.” (Eph. 2:4). As Paul says in v. 9, we are God’s handiworks, not only because He has
created us, but also re-created us “in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in
advance for us to do.” Therefore, Christmas is not only a time to celebrate, but also a time to
recommit ourselves to continue God’s mission of welcoming, loving and living in solidarity
with the poor and needy. As Pope Francis says, “Christians cannot force anyone to believe,
but at the same time, no one can force Christians to stop being welcoming, loving and living
in solidarity with others"

Christmas calls us to become an alternative community, a community that trusts not in

chariots and horses, but who believes in Christ, who for His love to the world, was born as
one among us, laid in the manger, lived among us, filled with grace and truth, loved the last,
least and lost, was crucified and rose again from the dead, to come again in glory. Only then
we could practice what we preach, the message of love, humility and peace in a context of
violence, corruption and discrimination in the name of age, gender, caste and race. On this
Christmas day, shall we make our hearts, mangers for Him to be born and laid, in order to
experience and express ‘Grace upon Grace’? Then and only then, our families, churches and
communities could live the meaning of Christmas in its fuller sense. May I once again wish
you all a Grace-filled Christmas and Spirit-Filled New Year.

Rt. Rev. Thomas K. Oommen,

Deputy Moderator, Church of South India &
Bishop, CSI Madhya Kerala Diocese
 December 31, 2016, Saturday

Year Ending
Come the Lord is Good
Nah. 1:1-5 Psalm 34:1-10
1 Pet.2:1-10 John 7:37-39

Collect: Gracious God, our light and our salvation, we thank you for your goodness and
mercies that endure forever. We beseech you to illuminate our lives to understand your
goodness in our lives and the creation around us so that we may ultimately be transformed
into the likeness of Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
now and for ever. Amen.

“… surely you have tasted that the Lord is good. So come to him, …” (1Pe.2:3,4)

That was St. Peter calling Christian communities, located in the five provinces of Asia
Minor, to remain faithful to their standards of belief and conduct in spite of the threats of
persecution they faced. To be loyal to Christ and live by Christian virtues has become a
challenge in the face of injustice, lawlessness, materialism, hypocrisy and permissiveness.
Peter reminds the people of God who have tasted God’s goodness that they cannot easily give
up living in communion with Christ whatever be the circumstances. The Lord has been good
to them all through their journey of faith with Him. Tasting the goodness is not by receiving
whatever we desired for, but by knowing His love, mercy and grace. He is good not just
because He supplies all our needs but He is gracious even when we are found wanting and
not living upto His expectations. In His gentle rebuke Jesus said, “Where is your faith? Why
did you doubt” and repeatedly encouraging, “Do not be afraid! Take heart! Your sins are
forgiven!”

The Lord is good, dependable

The Lord is the living stone (1Peter 2:4), able to hold the spiritual temple built up by the
people chosen by Him. He is the corner-stone (1Peter 2:6) the unshakable foundation of the
faith community – “a people claimed by God for his own” (1Peter 2:9). In the midst of
overwhelming storms and floods, faith in the Solid Rock our Lord has enabled us to stand
undeterred. Human tendency is to depend on human strength and ability without realising that
they would not last long. Human relationship, material assets, intellectual ability, powerful
positions all fail. The Creator God alone is dependable. He will come to our rescue when all
else fail.

The Lord is good, transforming

Our Lord declared, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in
me, … streams of living water shall flow from within him”(John 7:37,38). When Christ
comes into our life the longing of the dry and thirsty soul gets filled with an overflowing
experience. The attitude of grumbling, complaining and blaming, changes into a nature of
rejoicing, appreciating and praising. The one who lived with greed and selfishness becomes a
person of selfless service and generosity when Christ becomes the dominant force within.

The Lord is good, covenant keeping

In his prayer Nehemiah addresses, “LORD God of heaven, great and terrible God faithfully
keeping covenant with those who love him and observe his commandments,…” (Neh.1:5).
He is great and awesome God who preserves His covenant of mercy. Nehemiah said this
prayer when he heard about the plight of the remnants of Israel who survived the captivity
and still lived in the province of Jerusalem. They were facing dire trouble and derision, the
walls of Jerusalem were broken down and its gates had been destroyed by fire (Neh 1:3).
They would have wondered what happened to the promises of God.

To call Him a covenant keeping God, when the situation seems that God has left them to their
plight, is an evidence of Nehemiah’s personal knowledge of God’s goodness. It is implied
here that people often break the covenant relationship with God, while remains unchanging.
The suffering we faced, the humiliations we underwent, the losses we incurred make us sad,
distressed and depressed. But God would prove Himself as the covenant keeping One even as
we go through distressing situations.

The Lord is good, long-suffering

Nahum portrays God as a Mighty One with authority over the nature and who would punish
the guilty. But His goodness is in His long-suffering, slow to anger (Hab 1:3). Fredrick
William Faber elucidates this in his Hymn:

“No earthly father loves like thee;

No mother, e’er so mild,
Bears and forbears as thou hast done
With me, thy sinful child.” (Hymn: My God how wonderful thou art)
Everyone is able to approach the Holy and Mighty God, unworthy as they are for God
overlooks our sins and failures. His grace abounds in the life of the sinful people. Where else
could we seek for succour?
At the end of an year we recall God’s goodness we have discovered in and through the
struggles of life. Every situation added new insight in our personal knowledge of God. Yet
when we step into unknown future, the New Year we need to come to our Lord again,
beseeching Him to accompany us in our journey of faith. May God go before us to show us
the way. May we also follow Him without hesitation but with obedience to His guidance.

Father we do not know our way into the future;

but we do know that you have set the plan and purpose of our life.
Help us not to forget that we are in your care and you will continue to be
our God dependable, transforming, covenant keeping and transforming.
May we trust you and remain in your presence always
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Rev. D. Justus Moni

CSI Medak Diocese