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Why Bad Things Happen to Me?
Resolve the Conflict
The
Redeemer
Hear the words of Jesus
Trials Will Come
Saving
Grace
Perfect
Love
My Lord And My God .........and My Church
It's Fun to Know: Frankincense and Myrrh
Christmas message of Patriarch Moran Mor
Ignatius Zakka I Iwas
Christmas message from Catholicose Aboon
Mor Baselious Thomas I
Christmas Greetings from Rev. Fr. Philip
Jacob
Nativity Sermon by St. Isaac the Syrian
Christmas Meditation: ABBA
Why did Jesus squeeze himself into the womb of Mother Mary to
take birth as a baby? Couldn't He just appear in the world as a
grown up figure and execute His Works?
Thoughts for the Season
Let us see in Jesus, a role model, a significant other. Let us not
deviate from God even in our youth. Let us meditate on `CHRIST'
during this season and all through our life in this world, for there
is none other name under heaven given among men, where by we must be
saved."
Where the Mind is Without Fear
A vision for the
Christian church.
Holy Qurbana Mystery
The altar of incense is the place where saints present their
prayers and praises; and it is delightful to think of it as
sprinkled with the blood of the great sacrifice. This is which
makes all our worship acceptable with Jehovah: He sees the blood
of His own Son and therefore accepts our homage.
Prayers of the Bible
Prayers from the Old Testament, Prayers from the New Testament
The zeal for thy house has consumed me
The author takes
a critical look at the worship practices employed in Indian Orthodox
Church.
My
conversion was not a change of religion; it was a change of heart
A testimony by Anand Mahadevan, Editor of Outlook Business
The world would call me a convert to Christianity. I have no problems
with that, though I see my faith more as a relationship with God through
Jesus Christ than as a religion. And for the record, I can truthfully
claim that no one financially induced or threatened or deceived me into
converting to Christianity.
Worship the Lord with Praise
We should pray to God to communicate with Him and to open
ourselves to the profound grace and glory of God. What more can
we ever get out of it. Or what else do we need ?. After all, to
be in God is the utmost thing in our life -- something that all
saints and sinners hope for. The joy in God, overflows in praise
and worship – wherever you may be, whatever you may be doing,
God is with us. In our times of trouble or joy, try to take the
time to communicate with God.
Five Senses of Soul
From Philokalia: Volume-4, Nikita Sithatos, lesson 10
Just as in the body there are five senses so in the soul there are five senses
The Parable of the Carpenter
A great story with a great spiritual lesson.
Psalm 23 Devotional
A look at psalm
23 in the context of other passages from the bible.
Mother Is Still Here: An Interview With
Sister Nirmala
It has been a decade since Kolkata's
“Saint of Gutters”, Mother Teresa went home to God. But
Missionaries of Charity, the order established by Mother in
1950, still continues to feel her divine presence around. The
moment one enters the premises of Mother's House, one is overwhelmed by a
feeling of warmth, peace and serenity like one has never experienced
before.
Is God
Good?
Why do Christians say, "God is good"? Because He
is.
Why do people believe God is a bad God? Due to famines, wars, shootings
and violence that take place every day in this world, many assume that
God must be bad. They think He is allowing these events as punishment.
They believe we anger Him so He sends down tornadoes, hurricanes and
every bad thing to strike us.
The Obedience of Faith
You can see throughout the Bible where ordinary people did extraordinary
things. The one major difference between them and everybody else is that
they did something with what they had received from the Lord. They
heard, faith came, they acted, and out of their obedience to faith,
God's divine will was manifested upon the earth.
Grace is a Powerful Word
Grace is full of God’s love. That’s grace, amazing grace – a beautiful word.
Canonization of Sister Alphonsa: In Times
of Strife a Woman Saint Brings Cheer
Sister Alphonsa will become India's first woman saint when she is
canonised by Pope Benedict at a special ceremony at the Vatican on
Sunday, October 12, 2008
The Strange Strategy of God
In my childhood, God the Father was for me a bearded old man and
God the son, a handsome Jesus. The Holy Spirit was a mysterious
dove sending rays of light from its beak, in an upside down
position over the Father and the Son. They were up there in
heaven, watching over me and noting my actions in a book. Susan
Eapen describes her spiritual awakening in a moving article
presented here in 8 parts.
Introduction |
Part 1 |
Part 2 |
Part 3 |
Part 4 |
Part 5 |
Part 6 |
Part 7
Life and its Purpose
Even in the Bible, happiness is a transitory situation. It is when we long for
something deep in our hearts and then we get it; it is a time of
happy circumstance.
Pray and God will Help
When I’m in trouble; when I’m stressed,
emotionally drained or scared, I turn to the book of Psalms in the
Bible. Psalm 86 is David’s prayer for help. He is in a place where he
knows that he is helpless. No amount of persuading or fighting will get
him out of his problem.
Personal
Prayer
Prayer is the intimate relationship
between man and God. To be more precise, prayer happens when our spirit
interacts with the Spirit of God. Prayer can be loud, silent, occasional
or regular.
Morth
Mariam Yeldos Aloho
Multiplicity of names,
absence of clear identification to discern relationship between each of
them and translation errors have contributed lot of confusion and gave
room for many erroneous interpretations concerning blessed Mary, the
mother of God.
The Godly man who passed away like a soft cold
breeze
Article by Fr. Dr. Jacob Kurian, (Vice Principal Orthodox Theological
Seminary)about V. Rev. P.C. Yohannan Ramban (of blessed memory) of
Pampady Dayara.
Are
we loosing our Older Generation also along with our Younger Generation?
People once considered the priests as holy men. Now when we see that
the priesthood is no better than the political caucuses, are the
people to be blamed for loosing faith? When it is this kind of priest
who performs the sacraments, then how can they believe?
A divided
house cannot stand
Without Satan's involvement no family could be broken. In other words,
behind every break-up of family, husband and wife, there is Satan.
Why the exodus?
Whatever twisted arguments and reasons one can
give; in reality, aren't all these fights in the church just for a few
buildings only? Is it worth fighting for them for this length of time,
at the cost of possibly thousands of 'crores' over the years?
The Holy
Qurbana or Liturgy: Why Do We Go to Church?
Holy Qurbana is not merely a
remembrance of what Jesus did for the mankind, it is a real and live
thing in all its aspects. Jesus becomes part of the believer, the
believer becomes part of Jesus’ body.
Piety: Expressing Our Devotion to God
We, who are partaking the
Eucharist every Sunday, are expected to show the fruits of the
Spirit- Love- in our lives- Have the strength to be gentle
(compassionate) and the courage to be kind (forgiving) so that
the Peace of Christ goes with us.
Thoughts on English Qurbana
There are
traditions that are timeless and we should not disturb them,
however there are customs that were in tandem with the times and
we need to adapt these a bit.
Patriarchal Day Thoughts
That Peter had a special place among disciples is beyond doubt. That it
was he who confessed the faith is also undisputed. That
he disowned his Guru is accepted, but often we do not recall that it
happened because he did not run away like the rest except, of course,
John; his offence was one which could have been committed only by a
disciple who was loyal and "foolhardy" if not brave.
The Lenten Prayer of St Ephrem the Syrian
Why does this short
and simple prayer occupy such an important position in the entire lenten
worship? Because it enumerates all the "negative" and "positive"
elements of repentance and constitutes a "check list" for our individual
lenten effort.
Role of Husbands/Fathers in Christian Life
Our culture has spent more than two decades redefining
the roles of husband and wife. At one extreme is the Oklahoma newspaper
headline that said: "State House Repeals Law Appointing Husbands as Head
of Household." At the other extreme is the man who thinks being the head
of the house means his wife must obey his every whim without question.
Unity, Peace or Annihilation
I am deeply distressed by seeing the recent faction fights in the name
of our great church. I would like to remind all before entering into the
great lent after Shubkono.
The Significance of the Nineveh Fast for
us today
Fasting is meant to be a
sign of our giving up of our ego or `selves' for the sake of
others. They are, in other words, occasions of self-emptying or
`kenosis' of which the supreme example is Jesus Christ himself.
Beware of the Yeast
There is a great feeling
of threat among our core Malayalis (those brought up in
Kerala), when a diaspora Malayali starts talking in English / Hindi /
language of the land. They are immediately branded as an outlaw, as
someone who has lost his / her culture or as someone who cannot make
significant contribution in the largely Malayalam speaking Church.
Putting it in another way, a diaspora Malayali is easily branded as
someone who doesn’t know the faith and tradition of our Church,
mainly because he doesn’t know Malayalam.
A Message for the Feast of Nativity
Christmas is again round the corner. Around 2000 years ago, a host of angels
came down from heaven heralding the good tidings of the birth of Jesus
Christ to the humble shepherds sheltered outside in a misty night. Their
carol songs filled the air pervading fragrance of joy and their message was
so inspiring to the poor shepherds-a message that a Savior was born in
the city of David to redeem the human from the bondage of sins.
Orthodox Services Appeal to all Senses
Orthodoxy Fills the Needs of the People
By Fr. John-Brian Paprock
What do we mean by 'True Christian'?
- Orthodox Church Perspective By Peter Theodore
Paulos Mar Gregorios on Orthodox Christian Tradition
Orthodox Church Traditions - Our Marriage Ceremony
By Fr. K. K John
Conflict Resolution in Church - Pampady Thirumeni's Way
Difference
Between Orthodox and Roman Catholic Rosaries
Show me thy God
By Theophilus of Antioch
The Evolution of Jesus' Thought
By John Kunnathu
H. G. Dr. Paulos Mar Gregorios and Holistic Medicine
by President of India
Kyrie
Eleison, Lord Have Mercy By
Anthony M. Coniaris
One of the most used phrase in Christian
liturgy is "Kyrie Elaison." It comes from Greek and means Lord have
mercy. This article by Anthony M. Coniaris is one of the most beautiful
and inspiring one that explains the whole concept of mercy vs. justice.
How To Prepare for Receiving the Holy Communion
By Dr. M. S. Alexander, Leeds, England
The
Great Lent
The
Great Lent is a great milestone for Christians.
This resource has several prayers, articles and
meditations to enable us to cleanse our body, mind, and soul during the
Great Lent. |
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The Great Lent- An Opportunity for Us to Cleanse Our Mind, Body and Soul
While
confessing, repenting and seeking forgiveness, we too should prepare ourselves to forgive
others. In that way, let us get rid of all the
ill-feelings from our mind and purify it, so that the heavenly peace can enter our hearts
and stimulate us, to lead a true Christian life.
Synopsis for Sermons and Meditations During the Lenten
Period
A great tool to help us cleanse ourselves of our hurtfulness.
Covers faith, love, forgiveness, repentance, mercy, and more.
A reconciliation prayer
for the great lent
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Virgin Mary,
Mother of God
In this ground-breaking work, Cicily Sunny presents the results from her
life-long search for Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. It contains
information, that was previously not known or was not known widely. There are
detailed visions of the end of the world and the shape of the coming
Kingdom. The childhood of both Mary and Jesus, the affection of Jesus to
His mother, the assumption of Mary, detailed revelations she has given to
others, etc. are vividly captured in this work. This is a must-read for all the Christians.
Facts About The Bible (English)
Several informative facts about the Bible and bible trivia
Holy Confession
By Fr. John Kunjukunju
The days
of the great lent are very important for penance, repentance, and confession. Many people are confronted with the legitimacy
of private confession before priests. Here is a short article on the
importance of confession.
The Significance of Hosanna In Our Lives
By H.G.Geevarghese Mar Coorilos Metropolitan
A radical change could be implemented in
all spheres from the individual
level. So let us all sincerely long to have a drastic change in our
spiritual lives. May our Lord enable us to have a bright and glorious
spiritual life.
Hosannah
By Fr. M O John
During this Hosanna celebration let us
accept Christ as our Lord,
Savior and King. He is humble and meek and coming towards the New
Jerusalem or the dwelling place of the glorious King which is our
heart itself.
The Role of Simon the
Cyrenian, In Undertaking Sufferings
By Fr. Thomas Daniel
When Simon was asked to carry the cross of our Lord, he did not raise any sort of objection or counter arguments. This makes clear that he had a perfect vision of life as advised by St. Paul, all along his epistles. If we don’t keep such a vision in our lives, we will not succeed in our lives and we will reach into utter failure.
Thoughts for Good Friday
By Fr. John Thomas Alummoottil
The Sacrifice of Christ
By Fr. Dr. Eapen, Mysore
The distinctive feature of the Christian Religion, which lifts Christianity above all other
religions in the world, is the Cross of Jesus Christ.
Easter Message
By H.G. Job Mar Philoxenos
Easter is a day of Joy and Hope. Joy, because Christ is raised from death and Hope, because no
one dies in one’s sins hereafter.
Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord
By Fr. K. K. John
The doctrine of Second Advent of our Lord is our foundational
faith and blessed hope. We truly believe and confess it. It is neither a
myth nor a soothsaying but basis of Christian existence. It is not simply
a condition of mind or a wishful thinking or an illusion but a
reality on which we heavily rely on.
Supplement To Article on Ascension
Rev. Dr. P. S. Samuel Cor-Episcopa
Essay:
He Fell To The Ground
Fr. A. M. Varghese
God wishes to use us as weapons and tools for His work. He yearns for us to use our talents and
gifts in various roles to radiate His glory. However, for God’s will to materialize in our
lives, we must completely surrender and fall at His feet.
The Unpardonable Sin
If someone is not for us, then they must be against us. One cannot agree with you about the supernatural power of God one moment, and
within the next few minutes, turn their backs and disbelieve. This is, in effect, the division of an entity against itself. This is why the scriptures say that a double-minded man is not worthy of the Kingdom of God - he causes too much trouble by trying to please too many masters at one time.
Taking Qurbana for Granted?
None of us know if we will have the blessing to be back for
the Qurbana the next time, in flesh and blood - so let us not take
each experience of the Holy Qurbana for granted. Let us approach
each Qurbana as though it will be our last one on this earth - and
thank God for the innumerable blessings.
God Sees His Image in You
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep
watching you until He sees His image in you.
Sacrament of Confession
Rev. Dr. P. S. Samuel Cor-Episcopa
describes the sacrament of confession - an often confused
sacrament.
A Memorable Day at a Saintly Place
The reflections on the true experience of a teen aged girl who had visited one of the Abhaya
Bhavans/ Bal Bhavans run by the Orthodox Church in Kerala.
Feast of Transfiguration
Transfiguration of Jesus took place when he was praying. Angel
Gabriel appeared to Mary and announced the birth of Savior when
she was praying. John received revelation while he was praying.
Prayer is the best medium to communicate with God and to receive
revelation from God. Prayer transforms the inner man and that
change is evidenced in his outward expressions.
God's Elect!
Being a Sunday school teacher I constantly encounter
questions from my students and very often I
confront my own queries– time and again I am searching for logical
answers which has taken me to many exciting places both Orthodox
literature and other writings –of course which includes the holy
Bible.
Why we believe in intercession?
Our faith is truly Biblical, passed down to us from the
Apostles and we are the Church of the Apostles with a true
understanding of the faith of the Apostles and the fathers. We
are proud of our heritage and we are not apologetic about it at
all. Koodos-Eotho (Church New Year)
Church calendar begins with Koodos-Eetho followed by
Hoodos-Eetho. Koodos means to clean and Hoodos means to
consecrate. Eetho means Church. The concepts is to first sanctity and then dedicate the Church. Church is not the building but the
faithful.
I
Know Who I am
A look at who I am from a Christian perspective.
Guidelines for Pious Living
We all want to do things that would please God. But, we often fail to do that as the
worldly thoughts and passions encompass us. As a result, we lose the inner peace and tranquility that is given to those who
are in communion with God. Regular practice is needed to keep off
the evil and stay in communion with God. Here are some
practical suggestions that would help us to reach this goal.
Idol Worship
Idol worship in biblical terms is most abominable
act. An engraved image is not the only idol. Ones’
relationship or aspiration also may become idol
depending on preference. Some are obsessed
with notion that wealth is the single most importance
in life, yet others prefer certain matters of personal
choice to God. In such case that particular interest
takes the form of idol.
Seven Times Prayers of the Orthodox System
Prayer
is a golden chain which links the world in different ways to the presence of
God.” It is an essential need to maintain
the growth of our spirituality.
Use The Church Effectively
The first and the foremost activity in the Church
is the transformation of its members. The Holy Communion,
sacraments, festivals, prayers and all other rituals in the Church
are mainly for this transformation.
When One Person Ruins Your Life
Has one person ruined your joy? Is there a name of a
person, and when you hear that name you feel defeated,
worried, and ruined?
We can only be ruined if we give in to the devil and
reject the Lord's salvation, satan seeks to destroy us
forever.
How old is the Orthodox faith?
Our church is now
almost 2,000 years old and
it is for this reason, that Orthodoxy, the Church of the Apostles and
the Fathers
is considered the true "one Holy Catholic and Apostolic
Church." This is the greatest legacy that we can pass on to the
young people of the new
millennium.
Meaning of the Palm Sunday Services
Like the Virgins who waited for the Lord, the Church is also waiting with fasting and prayer for the arrival of its Lord and Savior the Kingdom of God. The present fasting, prayer and everything of the Church is to welcome Jesus as the Lord and King.
Meaning of Passion Week
What does passion week mean to us? It is more than just an annual remembrance of the passion - the pain and suffering, crucifixion, death, and resurrection of our Lord - for all of us.
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