|
|
by Rev. Fr. V.V. Paulose, Toronto, Canada
"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." (James 1:27)
Do you believe that taking care of those who are
in distress is true worship?
Service to humanity is service to God. Leaving the sick and going for Sunday
worship never pleases both the Creator and the creation. True worship is to take
care of the people. They are the Temple of God. You see God in the faces of each
and every individual. If they are in distress, then we should know that Jesus is
in distress. Magnificent churches and big mansions are mere mortars - it's
nothing but pomp and show. Even the antique value of the large medieval churches
have diminished. Constructing a Church means to enlighten/improve the human
beings who are sick and in distress. True worship, according to James is, not
going for Sunday morning churches, but true worship is what happens when you
care for the sick in your house and neighborhood.
40 years of happy married life of Mathew and Sara saw a thorn in their life when
Mathew become sick by stroke. The burden of looking after the husband fell on
the shoulders of Sara, who was a regular church goer. She shifted the Sunday
worship to her home by looking after her husband. She was completely shut out
from the outside world. Always with a smile on her face, she took loving care of
him 24/7 till Mathew died after 14 long bed-ridden years. She is the genuine
Israelite! The world is in high demand for this kind of heroes. See that our
Sunday worship is not at the expense of pain and sorrow of anybody in our homes
and neighborhood. "Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter
the kingdom of heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my father in
heaven will enter" (Mathew 7:21).
Jesus, let us worship you by serving the people who are made in your image. Lord, let nobody be in distress and let everyone be cared and loved for. Let us be an instrument of love and healing to the widows, widowers, sick and the needy. All we ask in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
Yesterday | Today with Jesus Archives | Next
More Devotionals | Weekly Devotionals | Sermons | Essays | Articles | Bible Study | Library - Home | Baselios Church Home
-------
Malankara World
A service of St. Basil's Syriac Orthodox
Church, Ohio
Copyright © 2009-2020 - ICBS Group. All Rights Reserved.
Disclaimer
Website designed, built, and hosted by
International Cyber Business Services, Inc., Hudson, Ohio
