Malankara World Journal
Malankara World Journal
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Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel
of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of
the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he
meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of
water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not
wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Psalm 1:1-3
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Three Components of an Orthodox Church by Patriarch Ignatius IV of Antioch, Antiochene Orthodox Church |
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HOPE FOR THE FUTURE The Church belongs to the very heart of God's intentions. Every Orthodox believes that the Church is an expression of God's will on earth. That is why we take it very seriously and do not regard it as a kind of committee, an office, an administration, or a rigid body. That which is understood by the word "Church" is exactly that which is understood by the word "community." Whenever an Orthodox speaks of community he is ipso facto speaking of the Church and if the Church is not that, it has no raison d'etre at all. It could be replaced by other agencies established to fulfill certain practical purposes. For me, what we call the confessing community, the Church, is made up of three components. THREE COMPONENTS OF THE CHURCH Community The first, and very important, is the family. I know that the family is not very important in some western societies. For us the concept of the family is absolutely essential for the life of the Church. Why? Because above all, life in a community is existential; it is not something rational and conceptual. It is a way of living that involves one's whole being in relationships with other human beings who are the members of the family. What are some of the characteristics of this family life which foreshadow for us the full life of the Church? There is first of all love, that love of which we talk much but which is not often lived. This love gives rise to a faith and trust in others; it gives rise to hope in the total family life and manifests itself in both sacrifice and joy. Religious Community Another component of the Church, one that is related directly to the family, is the religious community. This religious community is a model for the community at large in that the relationship between the community members is founded on forgetfulness of self. We are often self-centered, concerned about our own interests. In the religious community personal interests, when they exist, take second place and the interests of the other have first place. |
We often regard ourselves as infallible and are
encouraged in this attitude by the systems under which we live. In a
religious community one admits that "my sin is the cause of all this
in the world". Then the question of purification becomes very
important and this purification can only take place through our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, through the relationship to the Holy
Trinity. In the religious life we refuse to recognize any other savior than the Lord, any other spirit than the Holy Spirit, and any other god than the Father. This is a very radical position, radical enough to hold its own over against the radicalism of this world; that radicalism in which, to a large degree, we share.
Community of Saints
The third component is more serene. It does not have the tensions
that exist between the reality of this world and the reality that is
asked by God and Holy Scriptures; it is the community of the saints.
We forget the saints. They are heroes; they are fools. In their
spiritual life for God they are people who are ready to be called
crazy. The saints who contemplate God do not have the kind of split
personality that many of us have. One of our biggest problems is
that we are so split apart, so disoriented, that we no longer see
the relationship and the unity between the many divisive elements
that we try to hold together. A very important element in the
community of the saints is unity. They are one in the Lord; they are
one around the Lord. They prefigure the Kingdom which we hope and
pray for.
This element of unity so necessary in the unity both of the family
and of the life of the religious community is the unity of the
community of the saints; that is what we are really looking for.
This unity is an expression of love. Where there is disunity there
is a failure of love. Those who love each other do not find that
their differences lead to schism, to division, to separation and to
antagonism. Here, it seems to me, are the components of the life of
the confessing community; together they show us the confessing
community at its most dynamic and in its truest form.
Source: The Word Magazine, September, 1981 Pages 6-7, St. Mary
Orthodox Church - Cambridge, MA |
The Woodsman and the Leprechaunby Michael Josephson, www.charactercounts.org |
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Long ago, a woodsman saved the life of a leprechaun and was
given one wish. The woodsman thought for a long time and finally wished that
each of his three daughters find a good husband. But the leprechaun was full of games. "How am I to know what's good in your mind? I'll give them husbands, but you can name only one quality and it's got to be the same for all. What'll you have? I can make them clever, strong, beautiful, rich - you name it." The woodsman said, "Then give me men of good character." The leprechaun wasn't done playing. "And how am I to know what good character is?" "Do you have children?" asked the woodsman. "I do," said the leprechaun. "And do you love them?" "More than life itself." |
"Then give my girls the kind of men you want for your children."
"Ah," the leprechaun said, "then you shall have honorable
men with kind and loving hearts. And I'll throw in a strong conscience too."
The woodsman was a shrewd man and a good father. He knew the well-being and
happiness of his children depends on the quality of their relationships. The
quality of their relationships depends on the quality of the people they are
with.
But what if the woodsman was asked what one quality he wants in his own
daughters? As a wise father he would again ask for good character. Whether it's
in one's spouse or oneself, cleverness, good looks, and money are nice, but in
the end the most essential quality of a good life is good character.
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
More inspirational articles can be found in Malankara World |
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Bad Manners at Church by Bishop George V Murray SJ |
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[Editor's Note: Last week, we discussed the role
of Laity in our Holy Qurbana. We stressed the importance of participating in the
Qurbana actively. To balance the discussion, I am providing an article written
by a Catholic Bishop about conduct of laity in church. ]
During the last 10 years or so, I have noticed a
precipitous decline in behavior at church. For some reason, that decline seems
to have accelerated in recent months. Here are some of the horror stories I have
experienced or been told about in our diocese.
Last week, while celebrating Confirmation at one of our parishes, I noticed two
young people standing in the back of church necking. (No, I am not kidding!) A
number of adults were standing around them and some behind them but no one said
a word. When I visit parishes on weekends, I often see
parishioners chewing gum in church and even coming to Holy Communion chewing
gum. At one parish, a woman came to Communion wearing a sweater that said
“World’s Sexiest Grandmother.” At another, I watched a teenager, who was sitting
with her parents, texting throughout the Mass. One priest told me of a man who
came to Communion while speaking on his cell phone.
When I have spoken to some of these people after Mass and asked them about their
behavior, I usually have gotten the same response. “I’m sorry; I forgot I was in
church.” |
I think it would be helpful for us to recall to mind where
we are when we are in church. A church is the house of God, a temple of the
Lord. It is the place where we come to seek peace, quiet and refreshment from
the Word and Sacrament of God. When we are in church we should remember that we
are in God’s presence and as such, should focus our attention on worship.
The Eucharist is the body and blood of Christ. It is not a
symbol of Christ. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us:
The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” The other
sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the
apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in
the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church,
namely Christ himself, our Pasch. (CCC, 1324)
Because we are receiving Christ, we should not be chewing gum or talking during
Mass, or checking email or texting. Instead we should ask the Lord for his
forgiveness and his grace, listen to the Scriptures and worthily receive Holy
Communion in order to live lives worthy of our calling as sons and daughters of
God.
As adults, we have both an opportunity and a responsibility to teach our young
people what is appropriate behavior. A good place to start would be at our
parish church. In that way, we can all deepen our prayer and draw closer to
Christ as we walk On the Road to Jerusalem. |
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Humor: God and Lawn Care |
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God said: St. Francis, you know all about gardens and nature. What
in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happened to
the dandelions, violets, milkweeds and stuff I started eons ago? I
had perfect no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any
type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The
nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey
bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of
colors by now. But, all I see are these green rectangles.
ST. FRANCIS:
GOD:
ST. FRANCIS:
GOD:
ST. FRANCIS:
GOD:
ST. FRANCIS:
GOD:
ST. FRANCIS:
GOD:
ST. FRANCIS: |
GOD:
ST. FRANCIS:
GOD:
ST. FRANCIS:
GOD:
ST. FRANCIS:
GOD:
ST. FRANCIS:
GOD:
ST. CATHERINE:
GOD: |
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Family: Communication Isn't the Key?! by Katherine Britton |
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“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Wedding-hopping is a weekend pastime at this stage of my life. I’ve bounced through half a dozen weddings this summer, yet I’m struck by how different each has been from every other. Each couple has a different story that shone through their choice of venue, vows, and – of course – bridesmaids dresses. What I’ve loved most about the differences, however, is the unique wedding homily that each pastor has imparted. One homily in particular has stuck with me, because it upset a few of my presuppositions. During one ceremony, the young minister told the story of his last trip to premarital counseling before his own wedding. Their mentor asked a familiar question: “What do you think is the key to a loving, healthy marriage?” His wife paused for a moment. “If you’d asked me six months ago,” she pondered, “I would have said communication. But now, I think it’s something different. I think the real key is forgiveness.” Forgiveness? Yep, that sounded about right after I thought about it. I had been married just two weeks at that point, but my sin nature had already made unwelcome appearances in our house. Communicating a sinful attitude to my husband didn’t change it into a right attitude. Nor did communicating that I was upset with an omission on his part move me past frustration. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” The minister continued by pointing to the greatest example of forgiveness – that of Christ forgiving His wandering bride. Where He would have been justified in communicating his anger and walking away from her, He chose a different method entirely. The key wasn’t communication, although He told her of His love and what pained Him. He didn’t wait for her response. Instead, He loved His bride enough to forgive her everything, even though it cost Him everything. |
I am that bride. I need that forgiveness. It’s not that communication is worthless, or that dialogue isn’t an expression of love. On the contrary, scripture is full of commands to encourage and exhort each other in love. In rare moments, communication even lets my husband – or my sister, or my best friends, or my fellow church members – completely understand each other’s perspective. But that only goes so far. Unconditional love manifests itself in that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) Yes, the sinner, that’s me. I need that forgiveness just as much as anyone, and I need Christ’s example to be able to forgive others. It’s a two-way street that points out our own flaws even as we decide to overlook those of others. Humbling, isn’t it? Intersecting Faith & Life: How many times are we tempted to remember little annoyances that those closest to us have committed, the details they forgot to take care of, or the times they simply crossed our whims? Yet we have been forgiven so much more than that. I pray that as you interact with the people closest to you today, you will remember that “as far as the east is from the west, so far as He removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12) Further Reading
Colossians 3:12-17 About the Author: Katherine Britton is the Crosswalk.com News & Culture Editor. Devotional courtesy of Crosswalk.com Family in Malankara World Malankara World Family Section has a big collection of articles dealing with issues families face every day. Articles are added on a regular basis; so you want to visit this section often.
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Malankara
Archdiocese of the Syriac Orthodox Church in North America Thursday, July 21- Sunday, July 24th, 2011 For more details and registration information, visit http://www.MalankaraConvention.com/ |
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Recipe of the Week: Spicy Peanut Noodles Spicy Peanut Noodles? Whoever thought up this recipe had their thinking cap on, that's for sure. Peanut noodles? What a combination. Very unique. Try 'em... you'll like 'em. Recipe for Spicy Peanut Noodles. More Recipes and articles on Nutrition and Food | Articles on Health |
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About Malankara World Malankara World has over 2600 articles covering all aspects of Syriac Orthodoxy that are of interest to Family. In addition to articles on spirituality, faith, sacraments, sermons, devotionals, etc. Malankara World also has general articles of interest, health tips, Food and Cooking, Virtual Travel, and Family Specific articles. Please visit Malankara World by clicking here or cut and paste the link on your browser: http://www.MalankaraWorld.com/Library/default.htm Malankara World Subscription If you are not receiving Malankara World Journal, you may sign up to receive it via email free of cost. Please click here: http://www.MalankaraWorld.com/Library/Register/news_regn.asp You can contact us via email at mail@malankaraworld.com Malankara World Journal Archives Previous Issues of Malankara World Journal can be read from the archives here. Tell Your Friends about Malankara World Malankara World is different. Malankara World's focus is on our families. Our mission is to help every member of our families. Since family is a microcosm of church, it will have everything that a church focused website will have. But there will be more. We will cover issues that are important to families. What are the things that keep our members awake at night? Is that about their children? taking care of old aged parents? Relationship with their spouses? Breakdown of marriage? Health issues? Balancing work, family and spiritual life? Managing stress? We will use a combination of technology and harnessing the resources of our people within our church to do that. What we hope to do with Malankara World is to strengthen our families. First, we want to teach them about our faith. What is different about Orthodoxy? We want to start bible and Sunday school classes for all ages through Malankara World and a series on our qurbana. Later we will have support groups for different age and interest groups. So, please tell your friends about us and ask them to sign up. Since we need a minimum number of people in a geographic region to start a support group and local events, we need to have a large involvement. The only way to make that happen is by your telling us about your friends or asking your friends to register with us. We do not send spam or sell the list. (We hate spam than you do!). Again, to register, Please click here: http://www.MalankaraWorld.com/Library/Register/news_regn.asp You can contact us via email at mail@malankaraworld.com Thank you for your help and support. |
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