The Journey 38
Wednesday, February 8
Read; John 6: 1-
Key Verse: “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead”. [ James 2: 17]
              The Diocese of North America and Europe of the Marthoma Church organizes yearly, a mission trip to Oklahoma which is called as The Native American Mission Project. A number of youths from different parts of the diocese regularly involve in this mission activity. A few years back one of the youth members of the Philadelphia Marthoma Church, Sheeba Kuruvilla got involved in this mission activity and in the course of her involvement, she got to know of a particular family who was in dire need of help and support in the mission activity that they were doing in that area. She regularly became a part of the mission trip and slowly established relationship with this family. As her involvement became stronger,  she realized that she needed to do something as a part of her witness of serving the Lord. Because of her initiative and because of the commitment of her friends in the church, the Philadelphia Marthoma Youths have embarked on a wonderful event called as “ The Coffee house” to raise funds to support a family who has been instrumental in doing mission activity in their own small way.  Here is a model of a youth member who decides to contribute in her own way,  so that she becomes an instrument of transformation in the community.
               On Wednesday’s we meditate on how we can become agents in the transformation of our community. The portion that we are  meditating is taken from the Gospel of John chapter 6 which mentions the miracle of feeding the five thousand. Here is an incident where Jesus shows that He is not only interested in feeding the needs of ones soul but also the needs of ones body. To teach this important lesson to his disciples he puts them to test, by asking them to find resources to feed the hungry crowd. Philip is not ready to toe the line of Jesus and he tells Jesus that it is almost next to impossible to feed the multitude. But one of his disciples Andrew, goes into the crowd and finds a boy who has five loaves of bread and two fish. Andrew knows that this resource is not enough at all to feed the multitude yet he is optimistic and brings the boy to the presence of Jesus. Here are two disciples who take entirely contradicting stand to address the needs of the community. One wants to wash his hands off while the other tries to organize something at least for the sake of the community. Philip washes his hands off because he just does not want to go deeper into involving himself with the needs of the community, on the contrary Andrew feels he needs to at least try and organize something that could be beneficial to the community. I believe we have also have these two kinds of people in our church too. One group who is not interested at all in involving with the needs of the community because they feel that they themselves need help or they have better things to do. But there are also individuals in the church, just as I mentioned about the youth  member of the  Philly church, who are also going through different challenges in life yet is willing to play a small role of doing something for the sake of the community. It is because of such people who are ready to sacrifice their self interest for the sake of others, that our neighborhood and our community is able to move forward with a sense of hope even in times of despair.
Which group do you belong to…….The group that thinks that they have better things to do or to the group which thinks we need to better the lives of others.
For Further Study: Acts 6, Amos 3
Let us Pray: O Lord we live in a world where most of us think that we are supposed to be concerned only of our benefits. Help us also to think of others and how we can help in our own way so as to bring transformation in the life of others. Amen

 

The Journey 37
Tuesday, February 7
Read: Daniel 1
Key Verse: “To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. [Proverbs 21: 3]
              Robyn Johnson in his “matador community” web page mentions an incident related to Lt. Ehren Watada. He was the first commissioned officer of the U.S. armed forces to refuse deployment to Iraq. Moreover he also created a furor with his objection and public denunciation of the war in January 2006. Watada entered into the army fully believing the official justifications for the invasion. However, after researching the history of Iraq and the events leading to the American invasion, he concluded that the war was based on false evidence presented to Congress-specifically the existence of the elusive weapons of mass destruction. Watada therefore believed his own involvement would be constituted as crimes against peace under command responsibility. He asked to be deployed to Afghanistan, where he felt there was a true moral imperative to defend the United States, but when the army refused his request or his resignation, Watada did not board the plane with his unit. Military authorities subjected Watada to a court martial in February 2007. His crime was because he was  speaking the truth and standing what he felt was right. On Tuesday’s we meditate on how we can bring transformation in our workplace or school
                God has placed all of us in different position and responsibilities. Some are in academics while some are in position of power. But wherever we are placed I believe God want us to be channels of transformation. Transformation in our work place is all about taking your faith in to the corporate world.  Today we start meditating on a new  portion from the Word and also a new character who was channel of transformation in the workplace. The character is a well known character-Daniel. Daniel and his friends are chosen for the service of the King. A huge boost for their career. People who are chosen for the kings service are people who are young men without physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude of every kind of learning, well informed and quick to understand. [ Daniel 1: 4]. All these qualities were present in Daniel and his friends. The problem begins when they are under training and are under close scrutiny especially in terms of their diet because the king wanted the people who were being absorbed into his service, people who would be strong and wise as mentioned in verse 4.  I believe Daniel had justification to go along with the orders of the King. But he chose otherwise. For him faith and relationship with God was not something that one does in the confines of his home, faith was to practiced and also exercised even in the context of his work. According to Daniel, the exercising and practicing of ones faith means to stand for your faith principles, which can be very costly at times and where you may have to pay an enormous price for standing for your faith principle. Here in this context there is chance that Daniel and his friend might loose the job of serving in the Kings palace. But Daniel I believe, is resolute that if one stand for the Lord, He will stand for us and if the position and privilege is something that God desired for him, no power on the earth can take away the career, or the position or the privilege that God has set apart for him. We also need to be like Daniel exercising our faith wherever we are placed with the firm belief that God expects us to stand for our faith principle even if it means to pay a price. What has been set apart for us by God will be ours, only if we stand for the Lord.
Ready to exercise your faith in your work place or school?
For Further Study: Jeremiah 17, Jeremiah 19
Let us Pray: Dear Lord we forget that it is you who has placed in different position in our work place and in our school. Help us to always stand for you and for what is right thus paving way for transformation to take place. Amen

The Journey 36
Monday, February 6
Read. Luke 19:1-10
Key Verse: “My son do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity” [Proverbs 3:1].
               A man had a passion for raising lawns in  front of his house. He used to take a lot of pain to raise the lawns.  He would carefully water the lawn himself, and will also take pain to use a lawn mover to crop the grass and make it look beautiful. One day his young son came out and started playing in the lawn which his father took pain to lay out. Seeing the young son playing on the lawn, the mother came running to stop the son from playing on the lawn and thus ruining the beauty of the lawn. When the man saw his wife admonishing his little son for trying to ruin the lawn, the man told his wife to allow their son to play on the lawn. “ But he is going to ruin your lawn, he does not know how hard you work to keep this lawn in this shape” the wife remarked. But the man smiled and said to his wife, “ I am not rearing lawn, I am rearing my child”. There are times in life when we do not what is precious in life and what are those things in life that is of no value. It is when we are able to make a discernment of the precious things that we have life becomes transforming.
                  On Monday’s we meditate on how we can bring about transformation in our personal life. It is the life of Zacheus that we are meditating on. A man who was a recluse suddenly finds that Jesus Christ chose to come to his house and have meals with him. Suddenly his house filled with loud talks, discussion, laughter and what not. A house that hardly had any guest suddenly is filled with people. Zacheus is astounded at the joy the that he seems to experience at the presence of Jesus in his house and host of other people. He realizes that all these years his concept of life was to hoard more and more money,  more and more material things, and enjoy these things all alone or only in the company of his family. He also enjoyed a sadistic happiness derived by cheating other people. But now he is experiencing a different joy all together. Here is life and an experience which he knows that money cannot buy experiences and memories that cannot be taken away by anyone. This brings him to a realization that he needs to get rid of all the useless things in his house and try to bring into his home and his life things that are more valuable than money and gold. It is this inner conviction that forces Zacheus to say that “ Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount”. Zacheus now realized that he has  the most valuable possession in his life– relationship with Jesus Christ. It is this relationship that has also given him the joy of human relationships. A man who lived lonely life, realizes the beauty of relating to others, the beauty of human relationship. A joy that cannot be expressed in words. Thus the new found relationship that Zacheus finds in Jesus Christ that brings a new dimension in his life. He now knows that the joy that he enjoyed in possessing all the material things and counting himself as rich was nothing compared to being poor, having no material blessing but having Jesus Christ in his life and the beauty of human relationships.
Transformation is all about discerning what are your true riches in life are and also throwing out from our life that which are useless.
Do you know what are the true riches that you possess or that which God has given to you?
For Further Study: Genesis 13, Proverbs 2
Let us Pray: Lord help us to always discern what is precious and what is not precious in life. Thank you for your Son through whom we experience the gift of divine relationship. Amen

The Journey 35
Saturday, February 4
Read; Genesis 2,3
Key Verse: “Search me  O God, and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting [ Psalms 139: 23-24
                         A couple married for 15 years began having some disagreements and conflicts . They wanted to overcome these conflicts because they wanted to make their marriage enriching. But how to go about it was an issue. Finally the both agreed to do something that the wife planned. For one month they decided to drop a slip in a "Fault" box. The boxes would provide a place to let the other know about how the other person has brought about disharmony in marriage. The wife was diligent in her efforts and approach. She started putting slips n the box stating: "did not tidy the bed," "wet towels on the shower floor," "did not wash the clothes," on and on until the end of the month. After dinner, at the end of the month, they exchanged boxes. The husband reflected on what he had done wrong so that he could correct himself. He found a number of complaints against him. Then the wife opened her box and began reading. They were all the same, the message on each slip read , "I love you!" . One looking at the faults the other just complimenting.
                 On Saturday’s our theme for meditation is “transformation in our family life”. From this Saturday we shall  meditate on the life of the first family: “ Adam and Eve”. The first family is mentioned in the book of Genesis 1-3. Both Adam and Eve had a meaningful marital life till sin came to their life. How sin came into their life is something that we will meditate later. When Eve was given to Adam as his suitable partner look at the response that Adam made when he first saw Eve: “ This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man” [Genesis 2:23]. Here is Adam singing his first love song to his wife since there was no romantic songs penned down before by anyone which he could have sung nor he had the services of the “I Tunes” library which would have given him the best selection of romantic songs to be dedicated to his wife. But later their marriage is on the rocks because of “sin” that they both committed. When God confronts both Adam and Eve, look at the response of Adam. Adam tells God “ The woman you put here with me– she gave some fruit from the tree and I ate it”[ Genesis 3: 12]. Here are both person pointing fingers at each other and at God. One of the serious issues that hampers and fragments family life is when spouses point fingers at each other. The more you point fingers at each other, we need to remember that we are causing disharmony in our family life. When you point fingers you are telling that whatever has happened in my family life is because of the spouse that God has given to  me. Transformation in our family life can happen only if each member of the family starts taking a stock of their own life, their dealings and unhealthy responses that they make and see how they have caused problems in the family rather than becoming very defensive and pointing fingers at your spouse or your children stating that whatever happens in our family life is because of them. If we are ready to examine our lives so as to make necessary corrections, Holy Spirit will help us in that effort, to make an evaluation of our lives and bring about change in our family life [ Psalms 139: 23-24].
Think “How often do you point fingers”?
For Further Study:   Ruth 1,2;   Ephesians 5,6
Let us Pray: Lord you want us to make our family life a blessed and an meaningful experience. But we often tend to blame each other and pointing fingers at each other. Forgive our sins of being self righteous. Help us to evaluate our lives . Amen

The Journey 34
Friday, February  3
Read: Mark 2: 1-12
Key Verse: I waited patiently for the Lord, he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of slimly pit, out of the mud and  mire, he set my feet on rock” [ Psalms 40:1-2]
                  A young boy along with his father was walking along the road. Suddenly they saw a shop that was selling small puppies. The boy who had a fascination for dogs, asked his dad whether he could buy a puppy for him. The dad agreed and they came to the shop to make the selection. All the puppies that the shopkeeper had was very young, hardly a month old. Looking at all the puppies, the boy finally selected one of the puppies that he wanted. But when he told the shopkeeper about his choice, the shopkeeper told the boy that he cannot buy that particular puppy and that was not for sale. On enquiring the shopkeeper said to the boy that the puppy was lame in one leg and hence it would not be a good pet for him. But the boy was persistent at his choice and wanted the same puppy that he selected. The shopkeeper tried to reason out with the young kid, but the boy would not reason out. Finally the young lad lifted up his short pants and showed the shopkeeper the braces that he wore in his legs. He said “ Sir I  am  also a physically challenged person and, and hence I know the  pain that of another physically challenged person or be it an animal”. Have you ever understood or try to understand the intensity of pain that another person goes through?
                      On Friday’s we meditate on how we can bring transformation in the life of the sick and the suffering people. This week we start on a new passage for our devotion. The passage is taken from the gospel of Mark 2. There are many aspects of life that has been dealt in this particular incident. The aspect of suffering, the aspect of redemption, the beauty of fellowship everything brought out in one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible. But what is most striking is the role played by the friends of the sick person who is lying on the mat, totally challenged physically. One of the aspects that Jesus commended the friends of this physically challenged person is the faith that they show [ Mark 2:5].  What makes them to take this desperate step of faith?. I presume that they all have been very close and would have observed from close corners, the suffering  of their  friend. They might have taken turns to be with him and help him out in his daily duties. When you experience pain from such a close quarters, it is then you want to help that person to alleviate his pain. It is here that they become the channels of transformation in the life of the paralyzed person. What the society and the church needs are  people who are not bystanders and be mute witness to the suffering of others, on the contrary get down to life of the suffering people so that we experience first hand the pain and the suffering of these people. That is what Jesus has taught us also. Let us take a decision that from today onward, we shall do whatever we can so that we also become a part and parcel in the lives of the people who suffer, so that their life is transformed by our presence and God’s grace that will flow through our lives to them, thus paving way for helping them to overcome the suffering that they are experiencing in their life.
A bystander in the suffering of others or dynamic, redemptive  presence in their midst?
For Further Study:  Exodus 3,Isaiah 56
Let us Pray: Dear God you taught us to be with the people who suffer so that our presence gives them peace and comfort. Give us your grace and strength to do the same. Amen

The Journey 33
Thursday, February 2,
Read;Nehemiah 1
Key Verse: “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked”.[Psalms 84:10 ].
          Every parish has two kinds of members in its roll. The active  members and the passive members. The active members are those members who are concerned at the day to day affairs of the parish. They try to create a relationship with the fellow parishioners, their parish priest, and is actively involved in the activities of the parish.  These members can sometimes become critical of the functioning of the parish, which may be out of their concern for the parish. The other group of members are the passive members. These are members who always want to play safe. They try to keep good distance from the active functioning of the parish. For them, relationship with other members of the parish exist only when they face a need, they may or may not attend worship regularly. Even if they attend worship, they will try to get out of the worship service as early as  possible so that they are not  forced to involve in any responsibility of the parish.  For these type of members whatever happens to their parish is not their concern, or issues like what are the needs of the parish or how can the parish move forward meaningfully is of least concern to them. Today most of the parish is plunging downward in its mission and vision is because the members do not have a burden for the parish. It is in such  a context Nehemiah becomes a model for the members of the parish.
                   He is a good model on how we can bring transformation in the parish. Who is Nehemiah?. Nehemiah means “ comforted by Jehovah”. He was among the Jews of the exile to Babylon. After the Babylon empire fell to the Persians, he found himself in the palace of the King Artaxerxes, as the royal cup bearer. This was a role that involved a lot of responsibility, trust and position. It is when he was in this position that he hears the news of that the walls of Jerusalem has been broken down and the gates are destroyed by fire. Nehemiah is heart broken at the news and he spend time in fasting and prayer. [ Nehemiah 1:1-4]. Jerusalem was the centre of the life of the people of Israel and is also known as a symbolic city where God desires to dwell. But now that symbolic city and the historic city is in ruins. Nehemiah is burdened by the state of ruins of Jerusalem. I think what we need today in our parish are members who have a burden for their parish. If only every member of our parishes have a concern on how each parish should function in its mission and vision, our parish life could have been more dynamic. But the truth is that whatever happens in our parish, we are not concerned and hence the result is that sometimes people who do not have any vision are the ones who decide how the parish functions.
What the Lord requires us is to be serious about our role in our parish and have a burden for the local body of Christ which is our parish and when that happens I believe we can direct our parish in the ways of the Lord.
An active member of the parish or a passive member?
For Further Study: 2 Kings 23, 1 Corinthians 12
 Let us Pray: Dear Lord we thank you for the gift of being members of your body which is the church, our local parish. Help us to have burden for our parish so that our parish is a witness to your love and grace. Amen

 

The Journey 32
Wednesday, February 1
Read: John 6: 1-14
Key Verse:“ In the same way let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven [ Mathew 5: 16]”.
         As a subscribing member of your parish, have you ever gone through the annual report and the accounts of your parish for current financial year?. This is the time when most of the parishes are going to present their annual reports and accounts for the year 2011. If we closely observe our reports and accounts one of the major aspects that we may see in our reports and accounts is that everything that was done in the last  year was basically done for the maintenance of the parish. Just examine how we give for the empowering or the maintenance of the community that we live?. This is a growing concern that each one of us should have. The community of faith is in a particular place not only for reasons of sustenance of itself but also for the sustenance of the community. This is one area where most of the parishioners are not aware of and hence it our duty as Christians to consentize our people on the need to also look outside the needs of our parish to the needs of the community.   
                   Today we start meditating on  a new portion from the Bible for our theme on transformation in my community. This portion is a very familiar portion which is found in the gospel of John chapter 6. This is the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, the only  miracle that Jesus did which has been mentioned by all the gospel writers. The ministry of Jesus Christ can be divided into two categories. 1. The words that He spoke and 2. The deeds that He did. Both the word and the deeds were complimentary. His words led to deeds or his deeds led Him to speak words of deep spiritual truths. In the passage that we have used for meditation we find that after he finished speaking to the crowd he realized that the crowds were hungry and seeing their need for hunger, Jesus had compassion [ John 6:1]. He directs his disciples to find food for the hungry people which was about 5000 men excluding woman and children. When the  demand of arranging the food is made to the disciples,  there are varied response from them. Philip says that they would need almost eight months of wages to buy food for them.  Basically the disciples are telling Jesus that our duty is only to speak or give them the words of eternal life and not doing the deeds that shows that we have tasted the water of eternal life. Today I think we all live our Christian lives by compartmentalizing into words and action or by faith and action.  We want to have the word that lead us to eternal life, we would also only want to speak about eternal life, but for most of us to get into action of doing the deeds that support the words of eternal life, we are very far away. Hence what happens is that, our faith and our growth as a Christian is all relegated to very private domain of our lives where nobody can enter, or then making our faith living as something of being attached and relating to only those friends whom we label as believers, forgetting that our faith expression has to transcend all these boundaries to the community where the “ sinners” and “non believers” live. It is only when we are able to transcend our narrow boundaries of only “ words” to the world of “ deeds” do we  make our faith relevant to others and thus becoming channels of transformation in our community.
Which do you emphasize more?– The Words of Jesus or The Deeds of Jesus?. Or does both of these go together?
For Further Study: Acts 6, Amos 3
Let us Pray: O Lord thank you for enlightening us with your words that leads us to do deeds of compassion. Forgive us for alienating and separating your word from the deeds and deeds from the words. Amen