Vol. 04 Issue No. 12 DECEMBER 2016 ST. THOMAS ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL - DUBAI ""I\yI KÀ`nWnbmbn Hcp aIs\ {]khn¡pw. Ah¶p ssZhw \t½mSp IqsS FÀ°apÅ C½m\pth F¶p t]À hnfn¡pw.'' for members only (a¯mbn 1:22) P.O. Box : 2563, Dubai - UAE Tel : 04-337 1122, Fax : 04-335 2252 Email : [email protected] www.stthomascathedraldubai.org “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who hum- ble themselves will be exalted.” That was the humility and purpose of FR. Saju Thomas Asst. Vicar our Theotokos, the Mother of God. St. Pachomius, the noted founder HAIL ADVENT! HAIL HUMILITY of coenobitic monasticism, said, Blessed Readers, “Be humble so that God guards and It gives me immense joy in writing strengthens you, because God looks this article for our parish bulletin. to the humble. Be humble so that Shaji Achen and Lany Achen are in- God fills you with wisdom, knowl- strumental in guiding us towards the edge, and understanding, because it path to spiritual nourishment and per- is written that He guides the humble fection. While we embark for Yeldo and teaches His ways to the meek.” Lent we should imbibe mother mary’s Also St. Pachomius said, “Be humble highest quality, i.e, humility. in order to be joyful, because joy goes hand in hand with humility.” Mark Twain said, “There are two great days in a per- In this article, I would like to stress on son’s life - the day we are born and the special characteristics of St. Mary the day we discover why.” in leading a humble life. One is easier than the other. One is 1. One of the key characteristics of a date in time. That date is easy. The St. Mary is, a truly humble person is other one isn’t. It’s the moment we fi- not that they think less of themselves nally figured out why God put us on – but they think more about God. planet earth. It’s the reason we joined billion other people on this ball of dirt People who are sincerely humble do floating through space. The first day not look for favor. In fact, they love to explains our presence on earth. The be despised. That is why we note that second explains our purpose. “Humil- Mary did not show herself in Jerusa- ity,” says St. Bernard, “is the foun- lem on Palm Sunday when the people dation and guardian of virtues.” St. received Jesus with so much honor. Mary is the epitome of simplicity and On the other hand, at His death she humility. Her devotion and dedication did not hesitate to appear on Calvary. catapulted humanity to new horizons. Let us imbibe the Godliness of The- Luke 14:11 otokos and lead a chaste life. 2 2. St. Mary totally submitted and humility, patience and love to your surrendered herself to God. Humble servant. people submit their wills and goals Yes, O Lord and King, grant that I for life to God’s control because they may see realize that God’s goals for their life my own transgressions and not judge are always going to be way better than my brother; anything they can come up with. And for blessed are you unto ages of ages. living God’s goals for your life may Amen.” not necessarily make your life easier but the impact of your life will be far Finally, I would like to conclude, more powerful and effective and touch St. Mary is the glorious pearl on the people’s lives for all of eternity. crown of spirituality. Humility is often considered as an individual weakness 3. Humble people aren’t consumed by the world. But, St. Mary, through with becoming great but are deeply her life and witness, reclaimed the committed to making God great. And lost glory by her humbleness. All the they do this through acts of self-sac- sacraments especially Holy Eucharist rificing love or boasting about the stresses her importance. Let us ob- greatness of God. serve Yeldo Lent with piety and holi- A prayer of St. Ephrem : ness in our homes, in our work places “O Lord and Master of my life, and in our hearts. Come, let us wel- do not give me the spirit of sloth, de- come our savior Jesus Christ in faith spair, and truth. Wishing you all a blessed lust of power and idle talk; lent. but give rather the spirit of chastity, St Thomas the Apostle of India The Apostle Thomas (Hebrew or Aramaic for “twin”) was also called “Di- dymus” (Greek for “twin”). He was absent when the Risen Lord appeared to the other apostles on the evening of Easter Day, and refused to believe that Christ had indeed risen until he had seen him for himself, but when he had seen Him, he said to Him, “My Lord and My God.” (John 20:19-29) Because of this episode, he has been known ever since as “Doubting Thomas.” But we ought also to remember his earlier words, when Jesus announced His in- tention of going to the Jerusalem area, brushing aside the protests of His disciples that His life was in danger there, at which Thomas said to the others: “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (John 11:7,8,16) If Thomas was pessimistic, he was also sturdily loyal. continue.........(page 11) 3 \µntbmsS......... Hcp {InkvXpakv Imew IqSn hchmbn, Acpa \mY\mb {InkvXphns‚ P\\w temIsaßpw BtLmjn°s∏Sp∂p. PmXntbm aXtam h¿§ h¿W hyXymktam C√msX temIsaßpw BtLmjn°s∏Sp∂Xv {InkvXpakv am{Xamhpw. Ign™ Hcp h¿j°mew ]cnanXnIƒ Gsdbp≠mbncp∂n´pw CShIbn¬ Ht´sd Imcy߃ sNøphm≥ km[n®Xn¬ NmcnXm¿∞yap≠v. AwK߃°mbn saUn-°¬ C≥jp d≥kv. acWaSbp∂ AwK߃°mbp≈ klmbw. saUn°¬ IymºpIƒ, ^manen tIm¨^d≥kv F∂nhsbms° Ahbn¬ NeXv am{Xw. CShImwKßfpsS AI agn™ ]n¥pW C°mcyßnsems° D≠mbn. kwXr]vXntbmsS, kt¥mjtØmsS hnS]dbs´. Gh¿°pw lrZb]q¿∆w 2016 amt\PnwKv IΩn‰nbpsS t]cn¬ \µn A¿∏n°p∂p. kam[m\hpw, kt¥mjhpw \nd™ {InkvXpakpw kº¬ kar≤n bptSXmb Hcp \hh’chpw Biwkn®psIm≠v.... kvt\l]q¿∆w _m_pPn tPm¿÷v, sk{I´dn H.H. Baselios Geevarghese I Baselios Geevarghese I of the bishop at the historical Niranam Church East popularly known as Vallikkattu in February 1913 by the Syriac Ortho- Bava, was the second Catholicos of the dox Patriarch of Antioch Ignatius Ab- Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in dul Masih II assisted by the Catholicos India. He was installed in the Apostolic BaseliosePaulose I. The new bishop Throne of St. Thomas in 1925. Bava was assumed the name Geevarghese Mar born in the ancient orthodox Vallikkattu Phelexinose (or Philoxenos) and was Karuchira family in Vakathanam, Kot- given charges of Kottayam and Anga- tayam district on 11 January 1870. Af- maly dioceses. ter basic education at his native place, Vakathanam, at Kottayam he mastered Vallikkattu Bava was considered a saint in Syriac, the liturgical language of the even during his lifetime. His life style church. He opted to become a sanyasi was noted for simplicity, austerity, and priest and at a very young age of six- punctuality. Bava used to keep a per- teen he was ordained as a deacon. The sonal diary, which has become an au- bishop Kadavil Paulose Mar Athana- thentic source of history of his times. sius (Aluva) was his spiritual teacher Bava translated parts of gospels, and with whom he spent years as secretary. many liturgical works from Syriac to He was ordained as a priest and remban Malayalam. Publication of the first by Kadavil Mar Athanasius in 1896. Sabha Panchangam (calendar) goes to After the demise of his teacher in 1907, his credit. He had evinced a keen in- he moved from Aluva to Vallikkattu- terest in church architecture and many dayara at Vakathanam, where he spent churches and buildings built during his the rest of his life. He was consecrated times bear testimonies to his architec- 4 tural skills. An account of his sea trip on the northern side of VallikattuDa- to Ceylon as a part of a church delega- yara. Bava was revered as a saint by or- tion is considered a beautiful piece of thodox believers and the tomb in which Malayalam travelogues written at that his mortal remains are interred attracts time. pilgrims from all over Malankara. His death anniversary is on 17th Decem- He passed away on 17 December 1928 ber. at Neyyoor Hospital. He was laid to rest The ways of the magi and the shepherds All over the world, and not only among does not make them kings. In the Gos- Christians, the feast of Christmas stirs pel report, their “magic” knowledge of powerful emotions. It is the story of the stars is not given any negative inter- God’s intervention in the affairs of human pretation; it leads them to Christ. They life where the ordinary is transcended to bring with them the treasures of the East, the realm of the extraordinary. In the hu- gold, incense and myrrh. Significant man pursuit for peace and purity of heart, symbolism has been attributed to those Christmas appears as a forceful symbol gifts. Gold is supposed to acknowledge of what we all long for. It is a feast of the the kingship of the Child, incense - His revival of human hopes. It is a day when divinity and myrrh would portend His a materialistic world is given to glimpse redemptive death.