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Malankara World Journal
Theme: Bread of Eternal Life, Road to Emmaus
Volume 5 No. 283 May 1, 2015
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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I. This Sunday in Church 1. Bible Readings for This Sunday (May 3) 2. Sermons for This Sunday (May 3)
II. Reflections on This Sunday's Bible Reading: Jesus - The Bread of Life 3. Jesus Invites Us to a Life of Joy In inviting us to feed on his "flesh" and drink his "blood," Jesus invites us to change our view and attitude – to embrace the life of his Father: the life that finds joy in humble service to others, the life that is centered in unconditional, total, sacrificial love; the life that seeks fulfillment not in the conventional wisdom of this world, but in the holiness of the next. ...
5. 'I am' Statements of Jesus - Confirming Signs in The Gospel of John
III. This Week's Features 6. The Road To Emmaus: Gospel Reading and Commentary
7. The Economy of Resurrection Cleopas and his friend had high hopes about Jesus. "We had hoped he was the one to redeem Israel." (Luke 24:21) The Messiah, it was thought, would come and drive out the Romans, and all the other oppressors in a great victory and justice would reign. But Jesus was dead. He didn't even fight back. (Luke 23:47-53) It's not as if his followers were unwilling to fight; he refused. He insisted they not resist! ... 8. On Jesus and Reunions and Forgiveness of Sins
9. From Malankara World Journal Archives
IV. Christian Persecution 10. The Assyrian Genocide As Part of the Christian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire
11. Question: Is The Correct Spelling SAIFO, SAYFO or SANFO
V. Regular Features 12. Health: Three Reasons A Fitness and Wellness Regimen Can Empower Women Celebrity Trainer Holly Perkins Says Women Should Look Great To Please Themselves, Not Others ... 13. Recipe: Mixed Berry Crepes
14. Family Special: Parenting - Consistently Inconsistent I didn't relish what I was willing to let happen if my son had willed it. But let it happen I would have. And so will our Father, if his children - who are by nature completely inconsistent - insist on their own way. Jesus was marvelously, amazingly consistent. No wonder He is the model, He is the way, He is life, and the only hope we have to avoid a hellish eternity. ... |
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This Sunday in Church
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Lectionary Period:
Kyomtho (Easter) to Koodosh Eetho
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This Sunday's Bible Reading: 'Jesus - The Bread of Life' |
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Gospel: Jn. 6:51-58
In inviting us to feed on his "flesh" and drink his "blood," Jesus invites us to
change our view and attitude – to embrace the life of his Father: the life that
finds joy in humble service to others, the life that is centered in
unconditional, total, sacrificial love; the life that seeks fulfillment not in
the conventional wisdom of this world, but in the holiness of the next.
In the "bread" he gives us to eat, we become the body of Christ with and for one
another, in his "blood" of the new covenant, his life of compassion, justice and
selflessness flows within us, and we become what we have received: the sacrament
of unity, peace and reconciliation. What a beautiful thought, if we accept it.
For us, food and drink are essential. Not only do they have an enormous symbolic
value in terms of our community or family life. Can you imagine a birthday, a
wedding, or a fiesta celebration without any food? Nowadays, many important
business deals and social agreements are struck over a dinner or luncheon.
"Eat better and live longer." Immortality, it was believed in many ancient
legends and myths, could be found somewhere. In the ancient Roman mythology, it
was believed that the gods were kept from dying because they were fed a
marvelous food called ambrosia and were given to drink a magical potion named
nectar. Truly, for them, they became what they ate, their food made them what
they were – immortals.
Now, that is precisely the whole point of Jesus' words in today's Gospel
reading. On the occasion when Jesus was teaching in the synagogue of Capernaum,
he says something very strange indeed. He says in effect that all those myths
and legends about food and drink capable of producing immortality were not just
empty dreams, but that in fact there were indications, preparations,
anticipations, pointing to what would one day be fulfilled with his coming. For
indeed, Jesus has come to offer the marvelous food and the supremely potent
liquid that will ensure your immortality – and that food and drink are nothing
else than his flesh and blood. This is what Jesus is in effect telling us.
Of course, he is not speaking of mere physical immortality as the ancient pagans
understood it: a prolongation natural life as we know it now. He is speaking of
something much better. He is referring to a sharing in the very life of God, a
life which begins now invisibly but very truly in our hearts – a life so
powerful that eventually, after we will have experienced the physical death like
a mere falling asleep, we will be brought back to life, but this time to a life
of total joy and happiness, filled forever by the infinite love of God.
Jesus slept the sleep of death for only three days, and then rose again
gloriously alive forever. When we partake of the Eucharist, it is not a dead
Christ that we eat. It is his resurrected body, the glorious Christ we receive.
How can we not be changed by it one day, since we become what we eat? With other
food, for example, when we eat a piece of meat or cake, that meat or cake get
assimilated and become part of us. Not so when we receive the Risen Lord in the
Eucharist, we become part of his Risen Life.
For some of us this may sound too good to be true. And so, we might be tempted
to react like some of Jesus' listeners in the synagogue ofCapernaum- with
skepticism. But we are in a better position than they were in judging the truth
of Jesus' words. They only saw a man of flesh and blood before their eyes. But
by the grace of God, we know better. We know that Jesus is risen from the dead,
forever alive with the life of his Father. And that changes everything. When
Jesus promises that whoever receives the Eucharist, he will raise up the person
on the last day, we know that he can do it and that he will do it.
We do not need ambrosia and nectar. We have Jesus Christ, the bread from heaven.
In him humankind's wildest dreams are far surpassed. Do you believe his words?
Source: Food For Thought
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By Michael Youssef, Ph.D. Jesus offers each of us a sure way to experience peace, contentment, and complete satisfaction. In John He tells us:I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. ... All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. (John 6:35, 37)Jesus embraces us with an unconditional love - one that will never cease. Just when we think there is no hope, understanding, or way out of our predicament, our loving Lord speaks words of affirmation and encouragement to our hearts. In times of extreme difficulty, it is important to trust Him and to not faint with weariness. Remember, whatever God does in our lives will end up being for our good and for His praise and glory. Are you prepared for the battle? Are you spiritually nourished? Are you partaking of the true Bread of Life - the One who will sustain you through times of victory and disappointment? If you are eating from the bowl of the world's expectations and dreams, then you will be sorely disappointed, and unfit for victory in your spiritual and emotional life. You can spend your lifetime trying to gain wealth and prominence, but no amount of money is sufficient to purchase the gift that God offers you through the life of His Son. If you want to be sure of your eternal salvation, then take and eat of God's beloved manna. There is not a man or a woman on earth who can satisfy your needs like Jesus. Will you receive the true bread from heaven? Prayer: Father, please forgive me for trying to receive nourishment and contentment from this world. Thank You for Jesus, the Bread of Life, who perfectly nourishes me. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven" (John 6:32).© 2013 Leading The Way |
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by Arlene Sheldon "I am" sayings of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of John Jesus Christ's seven unique "I am" metaphorical statements about himself in the Gospel of John have corresponding details in the circumstances of his birth, and corresponding "signs" (miracles). There are eight such statements if "I am" with no metaphorical object is included. Seven "I am" metaphorical statements of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of John:1. "I am the bread of life." John 6:35, 41, 48-512. "I am the light of the world." John 8:12, 9:53. "I am the door of the sheep." John 10:7, 94. "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." John 10:11, 145. "I am the resurrection, and the life." John 11:256. "I am the way, the truth, and the life." John 14:67. "I am the true vine." John 15:1, 5Eighth "I am" statement of Jesus if "I am" with no object is included: It is I; be not afraid [In Greek, same as "I am; be not afraid"]. John 6:16-21Details in the circumstances of Jesus Christ's birth which correspond to the seven "I am" sayings: 1. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, which means "house of bread." Luke 2:4-6 2. He was born under the light of the Star of Bethlehem. Matthew 2:1-12 3. He was unable to enter the inn, but able to enter a stable. Luke 2:7 4. He was sought by shepherds who were looking for a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes [sometimes used for burial], and lying in a manger. Luke 2:8-20 5. He survived King Herod's attempt to kill him. Matthew 2:13-16 6. Wise men supernaturally found their way to him, supernaturally knew the truth about him, and supernaturally survived King Herod's evil plot even though they defied him. Matthew 2:1-12 7. He was born in Bethlehem Ephrathah, which means "fruitful." Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:5, 6 Eighth detail in the circumstances of Jesus' birth if "I am" with no object is included: The angels announced "Fear not,...for unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord". Luke 2:10-11 But the witness which I have is greater than that of John; for the works which the Father hath given me to accomplish, the very works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. John 5:36 "Signs" in the works (miracles) which Jesus Christ did which correspond to the seven "I am" sayings: 1. The multiplication of bread confirms that Jesus is the bread of life. John 6:1-13 2. Enabling a blind man to see the light confirms that Jesus is the light of the world. John 9:1-11 3. The healing of a paralyzed man by Jerusalem's Sheep Gate confirms that Jesus is the door of the sheepfold. John 5:2-9 4. Entering a room when the doors are shut (switching roles with a thief), confirms that Jesus is the good shepherd who gave his life for the sheep. Compare with Judah offering to take Benjamin's place when Benjamin is accused of stealing the silver cup. Genesis 43-44, John 10:1-18. John 20:19-31 5. The raising of Lazarus confirms that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. John 11:1-45 6. The healing of the nobleman's son confirms that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. While the nobleman was on his way, his servants confirmed the truth of Jesus words, "Your son will live." John 4:46-54 7. The water turning to wine confirms that Jesus is the True Vine. John 2:1-11 Eighth "sign" which Jesus did in the Gospel of John if "I am" with no object is included: When Jesus said, "I am; be not afraid," he was walking on the water. Job 9:1-8, John 6:16-21 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks... Rev. 1:12 Menorah structure of the "I am" sayings of Jesus: To see how the "I am" statements of Jesus, the corresponding details of his birth, and the confirming "signs" form a menorah structure, see the menorah page. Bible stories that reflect the "I am" sayings of Jesus: The following Bible stories reflect the "I am" sayings of Jesus. To see how each Bible story reflects the "I am" sayings of Jesus, click on the respective links: • Joseph Revealing Himself to His Brothers• Peter's Escape From Prison• Rachel's Death• Road to EmmausTHE WORD The Word of God is Bread for me,Source: wellofbethlehem.witnesstoday.org Copyright 2007-2019 Arlene Sheldon All rights reserved |
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This Week's Features
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Gospel: Luke 24:13-35
[13] That very day two of them (disciples) were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, [14] and talking with each other about
all these things that had happened. [15] While they were talking and discussing
together, Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. [16] But their eyes were
kept from recognizing Him. [17] And He said to them, "What is this conversation
which you are holding with each other as you walk?" And they stood still, looking sad. [18] Then one of them, named Cleopas,
answered Him, "Are You the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the
things that have happened there in these days?" [19] And He said to them, "What
things?" And they said to Him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet
mighty in deed and word be- fore God and all the people, [20] and how our chief
priests and rulers delivered Him up to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.
[21] But we had hoped that He was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all
this, it is now the third day since this happened. [22] Moreover, some women of
our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning [23] and did not find His
body; and they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels,
who said that He was alive. [24] Some of those who were with us went to the
tomb, and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see."
[25] And He said to them, "O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that
the prophets have spoken! [26] Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into His glory?" [27] And beginning with Moses and all
the prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning
Himself.
[28] So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He appeared to
be going further, [29] but they constrained Him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." So He went in to stay with them.
[30] When He was at table with them, He took the bread and blessed, and broke
it, and gave it to them. [31] And their eyes were opened and they recognized Him;
and He vanished out of their sight. [32] They said to each other, "Did not our
hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the road, while He opened to us
the Scriptures?" [33] And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem;
and they found the Eleven gathered together and those who were with them, [34]
who said, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" [35] Then they
told what had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Commentary:
13-35. In the course of their conversation with Jesus, the disciples' mood changes from sadness to joy; they begin to hope again, and feel the need to share
their joy with others, thus becoming heralds and witnesses of the risen Christ.
This is an episode exclusive to St. Luke, who describes it in a masterly way. It
shows our Lord's zeal for souls. "As He is walking along, Christ meets two men
who have nearly lost all hope. They are beginning to feel that life has no meaning
for them. Christ understands their sorrow; He sees into their heart and communicates to them some of the life He carries within Himself."
"When they draw near the village, He makes as if to go on, but the two disciples
stop Him and practically force Him to stay with them. They recognize Him later
when He breaks the bread. The Lord, they exclaimed, has been with us! 'And they
said to each other: "Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on
the road, while He opened to us the Scriptures?"' (Luke 24:32). Every Christian should make Christ present among men. He ought to act in such a way that
those who know Him sense 'the aroma of Christ' (cf. 2 Corinthians 2:15). Men
should be able to recognize the Master in His disciples" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ
Is Passing By", 105).
13-27. Jesus' conversation with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus gives
us a very good idea of the disillusionment felt by His disciples after His apparent
total failure. Cleopas' words summarize Christ's life and mission (verse 19), His
passion and death (verse 20), the despair felt by His disciples (verse 21), and
the events of that Sunday morning (verse 22).
Earlier, Jesus had said to the Jews: "You search the Scriptures, because you
think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness to Me"
(John 5:39). In saying this He indicated the best way for us to get to know Him.
Pope Paul VI points out that today also frequent reading of and devotion to Holy
Scripture is a clear inspiration of the Holy Spirit: "The progress made in biblical
studies, the increasing dissemination of the Sacred Scriptures, and above all
the example of tradition and the interior action of the Holy Spirit are tending to
cause the modern Christian to use the Bible ever increasingly as the basic
prayer book and to draw from it genuine inspiration and unsurpassable examples" Paul VI, "Marialis Cultus", 30).
Because the disciples are so downhearted, Jesus patiently opens for them the
meaning of all the Scriptural passages concerning the Messiah. "Was it not
necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into His glory?":
with these words He disabuses them of the notion of an earthly and political
Messiah and shows them that Christ's mission is a supernatural one - to save
all mankind.
Sacred Scripture contained the prophecy that God would bring about salvation
through the redemptive passion and death of the Messiah. The Cross does not
mean failure: it is the route chosen by God for Christ to achieve definitive victory
over sin and death (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:23-24). Many of our Lord's contemporaries failed to understand His supernatural mission because they misinterpreted
the Old Testament texts. No one knew the meaning of Sacred Scripture like
Jesus. And, after Him, only the Church has the mission and responsibility of
conserving Scripture and interpreting it correctly: "All that has been said about
the manner of interpreting Scripture is ultimately subject to the judgment of the
Church which exercises the divinely conferred commission and ministry of watching over and interpreting the Word of God" (Vatican II, "Dei Verbum", 12).
28-35. The Master's presence and words restore the disciples' spirits and give
them new and lasting hope. "There were two disciples on their way to Emmaus.
They were walking along at a normal pace, like so many other travelers on that
road. And there, without any fuss, Jesus appears to them, and walks with them,
His conversation helping to alleviate their tiredness. I can well imagine the scene,
just as dusk is falling. A gentle breeze is blowing. All around are fields ripe with
wheat, and venerable olive trees, their branches shimmering in the soft glowing
light.
"Jesus joins them as they go along their way. Lord, how great you are, in everything! But You move me even more when You come down to our level, to follow
us and to seek us in the hustle and bustle of each day. Lord, grant us a childlike spirit, pure eyes and a clear mind so that we may recognize You when
You come without any outward sign of Your glory.
"The journey ends when they reach the village. The two disciples who, without
realizing it, have been deeply stirred by the words and love shown by God made
man, are sorry to see Him leaving. For Jesus 'appeared to be going further' (Luke
24:28). This Lord of ours never forces Himself on us. He wants us to turn to Him
freely, when we begin to grasp the purity of His Love which He has placed in our
souls. We have to hold Him back ('they constrained Him') and beg Him: 'Stay
with us, for it is towards evening, and the day is now far spent' (Luke 24:29).
"That's just like us-always short on daring, perhaps because we are insincere,
or because we feel embarrassed. Deep down, what we are really thinking is:
'Stay with us, because our souls are shrouded in darkness and You alone are
the light. You alone can satisfy this longing that consumes us.' For 'we know
full well which among all things fair and honorable is the best-to possess God
for ever' (St. Gregory Nazianzen, "Epistolae", 212).
"And Jesus stays. Our eyes are opened, as were those of Cleopas and his
companion, when Christ breaks the bread; and, though He vanishes once more
from sight, we too will find strength to start out once more - though night is falling - to tell the others about Him, because so much joy cannot be kept in one
heart alone.
"The road to Emmaus-our God has filled this name with sweetness. Now the
entire world has become an Emmaus, for the Lord has opened up all the divine
paths of the earth" (St. J. Escriva, "Friends of God", 313f).
32. If you were an apostle, these words of the disciples of Emmaus should rise
spontaneously to the lips of your professional companions when they meet you
along the way of their lives" ("The Way", 917).
33-35. The disciples now feel the need to return to Jerusalem immediately; there
they find the Apostles and some other disciples gathered together with Peter, to
whom Jesus has appeared.
In sacred history, Jerusalem was the place where God chose to be praised in a
very special way and where the prophets carried out their main ministry. God
willed that Christ should suffer, die and rise again in Jerusalem, and from
there the Kingdom of God begins to spread (cf. Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8). In the New
Testament the Church of Christ is described as "the Jerusalem above" (Galatians 4:26), "the Heavenly Jerusalem" (Hebrews 12:22) and the "new Jerusalem"
(Revelation 21:2).
The Church began in the Holy City. Later on, St. Peter, not without a special
intervention of Providence, moved to Rome, thereby making that city the center
of the Church. Just as Peter strengthened these first disciples in the faith, so
too Christians of all generations have recourse to the See of Peter to strengthen
their faith and thereby build up the unity of the Church: "Take away the Pope
and the Catholic Church would no longer be catholic. Moreover, without the supreme,
effective and authoritative pastoral office of Peter the unity of Christ's
Church would collapse. It would be vain to look for other principles of unity in
place of the true one established by Christ Himself [...]. We would add that
this cardinal principle of holy Church is not a supremacy of spiritual pride and
a de- sire to dominate mankind, but a primacy of service, ministration and love.
It is no vapid rhetoric which confers on Christ's vicar the title: 'Servant of
the servants of God'" (Paul VI, "Ecclesiam Suam", 83).
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
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by Andrew Prior Gospel: Luke 24:13-35 Cleopas and his friend had high hopes about Jesus. "We had hoped he was the one to redeem Israel." (Luke 24:21) The Messiah, it was thought, would come and drive out the Romans, and all the other oppressors in a great victory and justice would reign. But Jesus was dead. He didn't even fight back. (Luke 23:47-53) It's not as if his followers were unwilling to fight; he refused. He insisted they not resist! NT Wright saysThe crucifixion of Jesus was ... the complete and final devastation of their hope. Crucifixion is what happens to people who think they are going to liberate Israel and find out, too late, that they are mistaken. It is not simply that Jesus' followers knew from Deuteronomy that a crucified person was under God's curse. Nor was it simply that they had not yet worked out a theology of Jesus' atoning death. The crucifixion already had, for them, a perfectly clear theological as well as political meaning: It meant that the exile was still continuing, that God had not forgiven Israel's sins, and that pagans were still ruling the world. Their thirst for redemption for God's light and truth to come and lead them had still not been satisfied.So they are walking away from the City of God in despair. The City of God remains in the hands of the unjust and the evil. The Promised Land is far distant. They are exiles in their own land. Things are as they always were. The rich rule. The Tony Abbot of the day has kept the peace, and the country is still safe in the care of Rome. And the poor? Who cares... it's their fault, after all; God blesses those who are righteous. In their despair Jesus approaches them and is unrecognized. "Are you the only one who doesn't know what has happened?" they ask. (Luke 24:18) The irony is, of course, that he is the only one who does know what has happened. It is here that the Good News of resurrection is preached. 25 Then he said to them, 'Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?' 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. (Luke 24)"It is the suffering Christ, the suffering God by which Scripture is to be interpreted." (Preaching Peace) [He] begins to make of the story of his life and death a way of opening the imagination of his disciples, offering a new interpretation of texts which they already knew, so that they, not yet dead, might begin to live... James Alison The new imagination sees the scripture they already knew with new eyes, with eyes which were opened. In that imagination they see the scriptures from a completely different point of view, inside a new paradigm; they see Promised Land, Messiah, and Kingdom of God, in a whole new way. Of course, Cleopas was not familiar with paradigm shifts! That is our language. But his companion is unnamed, and can stand in for anyone of us, as we walk our road of despair at the state of the world, seeing only defeat and oppression. The Good News to which our eyes is opened will be re-expressed by each generation, in its own language. The trouble is that we too often scarcely open our eyes. The church becomes the oppressor. Girard says that "myth" is written from the perspective ... of the perpetrators of collective violence..." Myth does not mean an 'old story.' In this context it means the story the nation lives by, especially the story told by the victors, also known as the government and its supporters. Our history is a myth. The Good News of the crucifixion and resurrection - they are not separate events - is that they are a key point in an alternative history that we call Gospel . This history is written "from the perspective of the victim... In the resurrection of Jesus Christ, you have for the first time in history the permanent survival of the victim's perspective becoming a thematic in history ..." The death and resurrection of Jesus turns our received history - our imposed history - on its head. It lets us critique all the stories we have been told about who we are. And if we are rich, it judges us because our being at the top, even if only relatively so, is always at the expense of a victim. The doctrine that all have sinned reflects the fact that we are all enmeshed in a system that is founded on violence and oppression. And we are stuck in it, whether we are Cleopas, or whether we are Pilate, pushed and pulled and powerless in the face of political pressures. We are told that Cleopas' heart burned within him. But as I walked beside him listening, I was appalled. You see, it is not so hard to see that penal substitutionary atonement, which claims "Christ's sacrifice on the cross is a substitutionary sacrifice to a wrathful God who otherwise would be punishing us sinners... goes back to the old logic of the ancient practices and theologies of sacrifice." It clearly makes God no different from the arbitrary and jealous tyrant Gods of Olympus, or from a super version of a hardline moralist dictator. (Nuechterlein) Violence and oppression rule. Neither is it so hard to see that "[T]he responsibility of the cross's violence lies fully with us human beings and not with God. John 3:16 tells us that God gave us the Son out of love, not wrath. In other Johannine language: God gave his Lamb to our satanic engines of sacrifice so that this sin would be taken away from us. We finally understand that if 'God requires mercy not sacrifice,' then we are the ones, not God, who have required sacrifice all along." Ibid Until, that is, we look with our Emmaus opened eyes at what our less extreme theologies say! How many of us are happy with the notion that Jesus is very God; that is, the way he acts is how God acts? Jesus disappointed [the disciples with his] ... inability or unwillingness to defend himself, to achieve victory with shock and awe. He let himself get killed. Fool. God's emissary would never let that happen. God is all powerful, so also would his agent be. It did not occur to Jesus' followers that he would choose to not use this potential power in his own defense or in retribution. Well and good on paper, all this, but it means that "Beyond the cross there isn't a reservoir of awesome force. The power of God just is the weakness of the cross. The cross exhausts what we mean by "the power of God," with no remainder. As Bonhoeffer says, God is weak and powerless in the world, and that is precisely the way, the only way, in which God is with us and helps us. .... There is no Big Stick, no Big Power Switch sitting in reserve. The weakness of the cross is the only way God rules the world. The. Only. Way."( Beck) Is this good news? Saved through suffering!? Not fighting back!? Weakness will win over tyranny!? How can this be so? When logic kicks in I realize that this stranger from some other place has a silver tongue, but his message does not match the reality of life. We need a Lord "mighty in deed and word before God." Cleopas insists we invite the stranger for tea. And he reaches out and takes the bread, and blesses, breaks, and gives it to us. And in that moment - for just that moment - I see it is Him. It is all true! I see the world stood on end! My eyes are opened. And we race back to Jerusalem to tell the others that we have seen him, and that we have seen and heard how the world really is! Messiah has come. But the night is cold, the road is just as long, and despite all Cleopas' enthusiasm, I can't see it when we get back. They're full of the news about Peter seeing him, but I am standing alone in the crowd, wondering. It sometimes seems a very small thing that a man might be raised from the dead. It's a far easier thing than to trust that the whole world is upside down! I can't see how to even begin living that. When I began theological college, it was horrible. We had a baby who didn't sleep past 4am - on a good night. We felt profound culture shock moving from a poor desert tribe into an affluent inner suburb. The study was intense and challenging... and there was too much. Each Wednesday in the first year I would go to the college Eucharist, and each Wednesday I would be put back together. I would see again a little of the world upside down. And I could manage one more week. It still happens. At each Eucharist we stand around the table, poor, battered inside and out, leaning on sticks and walkers... and we see. The economy of resurrection is not the economy of the world. There is no budget emergency - there is love to spare. And some of the vision has begun to "stick." The diagnosis of the world and its endemic violence and injustice is no longer a theory. I see, and I experience, the injustice of our systems. I feel my enmeshment in Sin, the compromise of almost everything I do. I cannot not see the world this way. Tech stores, bike shops, web sites where I would once spend hours, hobbies I once had - all these have faded. I have new appetites. The old diversions are not only boring. Some of them offend me. I have been changed. How will Kingdom happen? How does suffering, death and resurrection "fund" Kingdom? That's where I have to have trust, also known as... faith. When I see the bare faced media lies, the and power grabs of the powers-that-be, I cannot imagine how Kingdom justice and peace will ever replace them. Yet in each breaking of the bread there is still a taste of Kingdom before, again, he disappears from my sight. © Copyright Andrew Prior |
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by Dr. Janet H. Hunt Gospel: Luke 24:36-49 A tornado hit my hometown last Thursday night. And here is one thing that has caught my attention. People have been faithful about 'spreading the word.' My news feed is inundated with photographs and videos and suggestions about how to help and stories of loss and stories of survival and stories of courage and stories of hope. And again and again people have posted pictures of lost pets. One touched me so much, though, that I shared it, too. It is of the local sheriff and his dog. Apparently, when the tornado went through, the dog was the only one home. Unlike other animals who fled in their confusion and fear, this one stayed put. When the family returned, there she was in the rubble waiting for them. Whenever we experience or encounter loss and hope, devastation and unexpected life, we get a window into what the disciples must have experienced that first Easter so long ago. No, of course, it would not be fair to compare them to family pets who in their terror fled for their lives even while that is exactly what they did on that fateful Friday. At the same time, before long they came to their senses and gathered together --- even those two who had made their way all the way to Emmaus realized the importance of being with the rest back in Jerusalem, especially after their encounter with Jesus over a meal. I don't know what would have become of them if Jesus had not made his presence known when he did. Indeed, perhaps if he had not told them to stay put for the time being they would have gone back to whatever their lives had been before they were called away from their fishing boats and other places of business three years before. But Jesus did stand among them.He reminded them his coming was for peace. He invited them to see for themselves that it was him. He ate a meal with them, proving he was not just a ghost. He spent some time teaching, one more time. He reminded them of all they had heard and seen and that though he would not be among them in the way that he had been, their work was just beginning. And before he left, he told them to stay put and wait. Wait for the power that was yet to come. So here is what I am wondering now. What does it mean to stay put and wait as Jesus told his followers to do so long ago? I wonder how it is they spent those days and weeks. And I wonder when it is that you and I are just to stay put and wait. Like that beautiful and loyal dog did as it sat in the rubble, trusting her family would return. And I wonder how it is we are called to use such waiting time. In his last words to them, Jesus tells them that when the time is right they will be proclaiming repentance and forgiveness of sins to all the world. And isn't repentance and forgiveness of sins always about reparation that makes true reunion possible? It has been heartwarming to see so many do what they can to make sure beloved pets are reunited with their families. I wonder if I have taken nearly seriously enough Jesus' call to be about this for all the people of this world --- that their reunions with God and with each other might be complete. And I wonder what it would look like if I would take that more seriously. Even knowing that our relationships with one another tend to be far more complex than those we share with our pets, still I wonder. And I wonder this, too. What might it look like if I were even half as trusting as that beautiful animal? How might we live our lives differently if we did so knowing that one day --- and in some way --- every day even now, Jesus holds our faces in his hands just like that? [Editor's Note: This message was edited.] Source: Dancing with the Word |
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Malankara World Journals with the Theme: Road to Emmaus
Volume 4 No 219: May 16, 2014
Volume 3 No 139: April 25 2013 |
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Christian Persecution |
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By Dr. Anahit Khosroeva The dissolution of the Ottoman Empire is in both historiography and public memory almost solely associated with the murder of the Armenians. Although the Turkish government still denies that the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire fell victim to systematic murder, the extermination of the Armenians is far from being a "forgotten genocide." No book on the history of genocide can omit the case of the Armenians. Unfortunately, achieving the global remembrance of the genocide against the Armenians seems to have downplayed the fate of all other Christian minority groups in the Ottoman Empire such as Assyrians that suffered from ethnic cleansing and mass murder at the hands of the Sultan Abdul Hamid II and Young Turks. |
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by V T John My dear Sir, I have a serious doubt as the the spelling of the word SAIFO. It is shown in hoardings etc as ܤܰܢܦܐ Here instead of Yoodh the 10th letter of the W.Syriac Alphabet Noon the 14th letter is used as the second letter of the word whereby the word can only be read as SANFO. Will any one kindly clarify ? [Editor's Note: We seek reader's comments on the question posed by Hon. V.T. John. You can rely to the email mail@malankaraworld.com and we will forward the answers to to Hon. John. Interesting comments may be published in a future edition of Malankara World Journal.] |
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Regular Features |
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Celebrity Trainer Holly Perkins Says Women Should Look Great To Please Themselves, Not OthersFrom an early age, women have foisted on them images of the "ideal" female body, and self-esteem can plummet when they fail to measure up. But celebrity trainer Holly Perkins says it's time women stop buying into those societal pressures. "There's this perception that all women need to look like perfect runway models," says Perkins, a leading national weight-loss expert. "They can feel the anxiety building when they are trying to meet someone else's expectations. That's when the effort to lose weight or get fit can add to the stresses of life instead of relieving them." Certainly, women should want to improve their health, get fit and look gorgeous all at the same time, says Perkins, who recently released a home-exercise system designed specifically for women called baladea (www.baladea.com), with regimens she developed to fuse fitness and wellness exercises. But getting in shape needs to be something women want for themselves, and not an effort to mimic some airbrushed image on a magazine cover at the supermarket, she says. Perkins realized several years ago that her clients met their weight-loss goals faster when she created programs that addressed both their fitness and wellness needs at the same time. They also felt happier about themselves. So she incorporated yoga and other stress-relieving and relaxation techniques into the baladea program. Perkins offers three reasons why the right fitness and wellness regimen can empower women and emancipate them from society's image pressures: • Because looking good makes you feel good. That's especially true when you're trying to look good to please yourself and not others, Perkins says. "There's this sense of empowerment when you exercise, eat a healthier diet and lose weight because it's what you want and not because of peer pressure or societal pressures," she says. Self-esteem rises when you improve your image on your terms, she says, and as a result "looking gorgeous never felt better." • Because the science says so. Research shows that stress can keep you from losing weight and might even cause you to add pounds. Even if you eat well and exercise, an excessive amount of stress can counteract all your efforts. That's why meshing fitness and wellness works so well, Perkins says. "Stress reduction and relaxation can significantly improve weight loss," she says. "That allows you to look and feel your absolute best." • Because while improving your look, you also become healthier. You will feel amazing not just because of elevated self-esteem, but because your body really is functioning better because of the diet and exercise, Perkins says. Your energy level will rise and "you will feel ready for anything," she says. "You can look awesome and you can feel happy at the same time," Perkins says. "It's all about letting your true self shine." About Holly Perkins Holly Perkins is a national fitness expert and developer of baladea (www.baladea.com), a customizable fitness and wellness system for women. She holds a bachelor's degree in Exercise Physiology and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), one of the most prestigious certifications in the industry. She believes that making fitness a fun lifestyle is the best way to achieve true change. As one of the nation's leading weight-loss experts and a highly sought-after celebrity trainer, she has been featured in numerous magazines, newspapers and on national TV shows. |
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by BistroMD Filled with fresh ricotta cheese and topped with a variety of fresh, juicy berries, these crepes are easy to make and perfect for a weekend brunch. Yield: Serves 4. Ingredients:· 2 cups of milk · 2 eggs · 1 cup and 2 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour · 1/2 teaspoon of salt · 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil · 1/2 teaspoon of orange zest · 1 and a1/2 pint of strawberries (hulled and quartered) · 1 and a 1/2 pint of blueberries · 1 and a 1/2 pint of raspberries · 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice · 3 and a1/2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar, or to taste · 1-1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese · 1 Tablespoon of olive oil · Confectioners' sugar for dusting Directions: In a blender, combine the milk, eggs, flour, salt, oil and zest. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for a half hour. In a large bowl, combine the strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, lemon juice and 2 Tablespoons of the granulated sugar, or to taste. In another bowl, combine the ricotta and the remaining 1 and a 1/2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar. Set aside. In a crepe pan over medium heat, melt 1 teaspoons of the butter to coat the pan evenly. Pour in 1/4 cup of the batter and spread with a spatula. Cook until the crepe is golden underneath, for 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the crepe over and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover with aluminum foil. Repeat the process to make 8 crepes Cover half of each crepe with the ricotta mixture and 1/4 cup of the berry mixture and roll into a tube. Place 2 crepes on each individual plate. Top 1/2 cup of berries and dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve immediately. |
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by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Managing Editor But if you're not sure, if you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe - some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them - then you know that you're out of line. If the way you live isn't consistent with what you believe, then it's wrong.Never brag on a four-and-a-half year-old. One Saturday long ago, my wife and I could not have been more proud of our son, Jordan. He had been invited to a good friend's birthday party at a local YMCA, where they have a rock climbing wall, and the party was going to be Jordan's first chance to try it out. He'd been gearing up for it all week, even telling the stylists at mom's hair salon that he was going to get to climb a wall - just like Spider-Man. He even opted out of a post-haircut lollipop, completely on his own, rationalizing that because he'd be eating cake and ice cream later that day, he didn't want to have too many sweets. Anyway, his mom had in her mind that the party was from 3:00 to 5:00 on Saturday afternoon. But as Valerie drove into the parking lot, she saw people leaving. Uh-oh. Yep... the cake was mostly eaten, the presents were being packed, and Nathan's birthday party had actually been from 1:00 to 3:00. How would you expect the typical four-year-old boy to react to the news that he had just missed the whole party? Well, when Val got down on her knees and looked him in the eyes and told him what had happened, he threw his arms around her neck and hugged her. He said, "I love you even when you mess up, Mommy." Nathan's mom invited Jordan over to their home to watch Nathan open his presents (they hadn't done this at the party) and play. Jordan eagerly accepted. To my knowledge, he never got any cake. But when he came home, he told me this had been, "the best day ever," as it had also included going to the gym with daddy that morning, and now he was going to get to watch some football. It was his mom who was beating herself up, but the boy was as calm and pleasant and forgiving and full of joy as ever. That night, at a fellowship for our Adult Bible class from church, some friends asked about the kids, and we told the story of Jordan's day. Jaws dropped. I went to bed feeling like the world's most blessed (and amazing) dad. Then came Sunday morning. First, Jordan decided he wanted neither a shower nor a bath, though he needed one. This may sound normal to you, but this boy generally loves getting clean. After we got him dressed he was fine. In the car, he informed me he didn't want to go to church. This wasn't unusual, as it was just a statement, one he has made before. But when we got to the church parking lot... he WOULD NOT get out of the car. When we finally got into the education building... he WOULD NOT go into his class. He was in between crying and screaming. Where did this come from?! We pulled out every prayer and parenting trick we know. Ultimately, we presented our son a choice, and made it clear: go into the class, which would be fun (it always is! He always has loved it and participated and knows the Bible stories), or - go home with Daddy and face an entire day in his room without watching football with Dad, without his toys, without his games. He said he couldn't choose. We told him he had to. He chose option B, one that would literally be, for a boy of his age (and for his parents to carry out as well), Hell-on-earth for a day. My son, the same one who had mused to me the day before, "I think Heaven is going to be just great," the same one who had wowed us with a positive attitude and forgiveness beyond his years, was choosing THE worst possible day we could give him. But we did give him one more chance. And another. Valerie went into the class with him. He screamed. The teacher tried to soothe him with "Mommy's coming back" talk, but this was no separation anxiety issue. This was, for whatever reason, the day my only son decided to exert his will at any or all costs. I honestly feel bad in some way that we still put him in the class - not only for disrupting it but because we so didn't want to see him suffer the consequences of a choice we WOULD have carried out because HE had chosen it. We just knew he'd be happier going forward with class. *** Later, as I sat down to write about this, I realized that even in missing church that morning (I was too confused and angry (not to mention late) to attend the service that morning), I had still learned two huge lessons: 1) Inconsistency, thy name is humanity. Jordan is nothing if not his father's son. If there is one thing I lack that I would prize above all other things in my life it would be consistency - of actions, thoughts, behavior, character. To not go lax on a health plan the moment people start to notice and give me praise. To not raise my voice or let the wrong word slip a day or two after studying how the man of God should speak. To act like I believe the things I say. A good friend in college was once asked by a young person what virtue he thought it was most important for the Christian to achieve. "Consistency," he said. I overheard that... and it has stung like a barb in my brain ever since, as I knew the only thing I was consistent about was being inconsistent. Honestly, it's what I sympathize with my wife most about - that I am not sure she can count on my action or reaction to ever be what she expects, or the same from one situation to another. And oh Lord if that doesn't sting again seeing the same potential in my son. But then there's the flip side: is Jordan really behaving like me, or have I for too long behaved like a little boy? I think that's more likely. And eye-opening. Perfect Christian with spot-on answers one day, sheer rebellion the next. Great in a crisis, raging at petty things. I've been living like a child for most of my life. 2) That age-old theological question about free will and Heaven and Hell and God's role in sending people to one place or the other? It plays itself out all the time, I see now, in people of all ages. I love my son to no end, but no matter how we tried to "share the good news" with him, he was "hell-bent" to choose utter torment... almost just because he could. At the same time, we loved him so much that we were determined to make sure he knew the consequences of his choices and actions, extend mercy in the form of extra chance after extra chance, and in the end help him find the right way. I didn't relish what I was willing to let happen if my son had willed it. But let it happen I would have. And so will our Father, if his children - who are by nature completely inconsistent - insist on their own way. Jesus was marvelously, amazingly consistent. No wonder He is the model, He is the way, He is life, and the only hope we have to avoid a hellish eternity. Intersecting Faith & Life: What action can you do today that would show someone important in your life that you are taking steps to be more dependable, consistent, trustworthy, or more grown-up? Further Reading Hebrews 13:7-8 Source: Crosswalk the Devotional |
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