anj≥ MISSION Cover [email protected] March 2015 1 MISSION anj≥ COLOUR 2 March 2015 [email protected] anj≥ MISSION COLOUR [email protected] March 2015 3 MISSION anj≥ COLOUR 4 March 2015 [email protected] anj≥ MISSION Vol. XVIII No. 2 MARCH 2015 DƒØmfpIfn¬ SYRIAN ORTHODOX MISSION [email protected] Editorial.................................................................... 6 Fr. Mathew George Published by : St. Thomas JSO Church Congregation, Repentance ............................................................. 7 Mumbai Joseph Varghese (For free private circulation only) kz¿§cmPyw kao]n®ncn°bm¬ am\km¥cs∏Sphn≥ .......... 8 Patron : sj¿fn amXyp H.G. Thomas Mor Alexandrios Diocesan Metropolitan Sunday School Diocese competitions Winners .. 10 Chief Editor : am\km¥cw : Xncn®dnhv AYhm aSßnhchv .....................11 Fr. Mathew George Kallumkal H.sF. kmapth¬ Mobile : 9869856423 [email protected] am\km¥cs∏Sphn≥ ................................................. 13 Editor : _o\ kPn Joseph Varghese Mobile : 9820003784 Glory to God in the Highest ................................... 15 [email protected] Christina Mary Thomas Editorial Board : First Apostolic visit of H.H. Aphrem II ............. 21 Fr. James Abraham Joseph Varghese Fr. Mathew Thomas Bro. T.P. Paul NEWS ...................................................................... 24 P.P. Varghese N.C. Joseph Jolly Sony Sunday School Annual Competition Results ....... 28 Issac Niravath Sunday School Academics ................................ 30 Printer & Publisher : Abraham Mathew, Congregation Secretary St. Basil Sunday School, Anushaktinagar ..... 31 Passion Week Programme 2015 ....................... 32 [email protected] March 2015 5 MISSION anj≥ Editorial Fr. Mathew George Kallumkal “Why do you look for the living among the “By our baptism, then, we are buried with him dead? He is not here, but he has risen” (Luke and shared his death, in order that, just as 24:5 ). Christ was raised from death by the glorious power of the Father, so also we might live a We are going through the season of Lent in new life (Rom. 6:4). Paul tells us that we are preparation for the feast of Easter. Easter comes united to Christ in his death and in his resurrection. after elaborate fifty days of fasting, penance and Because we died in Him and shared in His reflection on the passion of Jesus Christ. resurrection power, we are to walk in newness of The spiritual richness of this season lies in fasting life. and prayer. Fasting is meant to make us repent The Church is the continuation and the presence of our sins and return to God and live in His of Christ in the world. She continues the prophetic presence. It is the most significant festival of mission of Jesus, whose life, passion, death, and the church so much so that the entire christian resurrection was to save, heal and liberate the faith is derived from it. humans. It is Jesus who continues through his If Jesus had not risen from the dead we would spirit among us, enabling us to play the prophetic never have heard of Him. “When the sabbath was role in the world. It is the Church’s role to lead all over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, people of God in the journey of faith towards God and Salome bought spices, so that they might and the creator. In this journey of faith the church go and anoint him” (Mark 16:1). The attitude of is called to nail all the oppressive forces that the women was that they had come to pay the dehumanise and exploit the people. We are not last tribute to a dead body. expected to seek the living among the dead. Simon Peter said to him “I am going fishing”. They While we must identify with and understand the said to him “We will go with you” (John 21:3). The suffering of the exploited masses, we attitude of the disciples was that everything had must continually seek to eradicate suffering. finished in tragedy. By far the best proof of Experiencing the death and resurrection of Jesus Resurrection is the existence of christian Church. in our individual and community life means that The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central fact we strive to overcome the calvaries and death like of the whole christian faith. Jesus is not a figure situations of our times. in a book but a living presence and not a memory Jesus is the resurrection and the life and the one but a presence. His resurrection gives meaning who believes in Him will never die. That was His and purpose to our faith and life. own triumphant words spoken at the tomb of his The great event of resurrection is Christ’s victory departed friend Lazarus. The message over sin, the craving for power, the forces reverberates down through the centuries and of darkness, the desires of the flesh. It is an reaches us today. What a thrilling note to sound experience through which the eternal life He on this Easter day! Christ is alive! promised is given to us. The only power in the May this Easter be an experience of renewal and world great enough to help us to overcome the a celebration of regeneration in the lives of all of onslaughts of evil is the power of Christ in the heart. us. l 6 March 2015 [email protected] anj≥ MISSION REPENTANCE Joseph Varghese, Editor As per Christian theology, repentance is change to talk different languages. Here man went of mind, it is turning to God, thus it is turning against God’s wishes thus God destructed the away from sin. Jesus began His divine mission unity of the human race, through fragmentation at Galilee by announcing the good news from and division. We have achieved phenomenal God. “The right time has come, the Kingdom of progress in science & technology. Along with God is near, turn away from your sin and believe this progress, we need to progress in our ethical the good news” (Mark 1:15). Jesus commanded formation, moral excellence, our inner growth, all of us, everywhere, to turn away from our evil otherwise it is not progress at all, but a threat ways because all of us must face the judgment to mankind and for the world, like misuse of Day. nuclear power can destroy the entire world. God sets laws and basic moral principles for As per God’s plan for us, we need to turn away us to live and the scriptures defines the from sin and to change our mindset for that. It boundaries and standards. In His teachings, is true that we humans are very weak, having Jesus Himself set the guidelines. Sin is violation hard temptations to do prohibited things and of these laws, teachings and fail to live up to eventually fall in to the pit of sin as long as we the high standard God set for us. In 1 John 3:4 are in this human form. But Jesus Christ taught & 5:17 we find a definition for sin “whoever sin is us how to overcome these temptations. Jesus guilty of breaking God’s law, sin is breaking of Christ fasted for forty days and forty nights, and law”, & “All wrong doing is sin”. when finally he felt hungry He was tempted by The wages of sin is death and it is not only the Satan. He defeated Satan and gave us the secret physical death, but the eternal separation from of the victory over Satan. God. St Paul made it clear that sin has a very serious consequence. “Do not deceive yourself, Here comes the time of the great lent. This is no one make a fool of God. A person will reap the right opportunity for us to examine our minds. exactly what he sows in the field, of his natural It is the time to avoid vice and turn to virtue. It is desirers, from it he will gather the harvest of the time to return to God in repentance. Fasting death, if he sows in the field of the sprit, from with prayers will purify our mind, strengthen our the sprit he will gather the harvest of Eternal mind, for asking God’s mercy to forgive our sins Life” Galatians 6:7-8. and receiving His grace. Sin corrupt our heart, paralyzed our intellect, Being with God, we are turning to a virtuous life. and destroy our morals. Sin also has a social Here we are attaining the faith that belief in God dimension. After the flood, people had only one and what God revealed to us, the hope that we language and they were settled at Babel. There will be saved and the glory of heaven promised they tried to build a Tower that reaches to the by God, the mindset to love God and our heaven, to make a name for themselves and not neighbours, more than ourselves. This fills our to be scattered all over the earth. After seeing heart with happiness, kindness, patience and that they are doing this against His wishes, God humility. This help us to live like what God scattered them all over the earth, and they started planned for us. l [email protected] March 2015 7 MISSION anj≥ “kz¿§cmPyw kao]n®ncn°bm¬ am\km¥cs∏Sphn≥” (amØmbn 4:17) sj¿fn amXyp tbip {InkvXphns‚ apt∂mSnbmb tbml Yaambn, Ahs\ ]nXmhmb ssZhw BI¿ ∂m≥ kv\m]It‚bpw, tbip {InkvXphn jn°Ww. tbml∂m≥ 6:44 XncphN\w C s‚bpw, {InkvXphns‚ ]n∂mse h∂ in {]Imcw ]dbp∂p. “]nXmhv BI¿jn®n´ jy∑mcpsSbpw apJy {]kwK hnjbambn √msX B¿°pw Fs‚ ASp°¬ hcphm≥ cp∂p ‘am\km¥cs∏Sphn≥’. IgnbpIbn√”. temlßfn¬ hneIpd™ ssZhØn¬ \n∂v AI∂h≥ ssZthm∑p Xpw BI¿jn°Ø° ZqcØnencn°p∂Xp Jambn XncnbpIbmWv am\km¥cw.