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PETHRATHA SUNDAY AND SHUBKHONO (ALSO CALLED KOTHANAE SUNDAY- MARRIAGE AT CANA) MARCH 3, 2019
The Sunday before the Great lent is called the PETHRATHA Sunday. The Syriac word, ‘Peturta’ means “looking back” or “reconciliation”. The Liturgical Season of Great Lent is one of the kinds of introspection- looking back to one’s own life, and of real reconciliation. As a reminder one of the hymns in the Shubquono (Liturgy of Reconciliation) liturgy says, “Brethren, let us love one another, for it is the completion of the commandments.” The reading is from St. John 2: 1-11; which depicts the Marriage at Cana, where we can see the first sign of the Son of Human. Jesus and his friends were invited to a wedding feast in the…
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ANEEDE SUNDAY (REMEMBERING ALL THE DEPARTED): FEB 24, 2019
The Sunday specifically to remember all the departed believers is called the ‘Aneede’ Sunday. The Syriac word ‘Aneede’ means the departed. How blessed are we! How unique our faith is! This may be the only Christian faith where you are a part of the continuum of life; a continuum of life that begins with the birth to the second coming of our savior Lord Jesus Christ and beyond. Physical death is not a separation from the continuum of life: the departed believers are continuing their journey of salvation until the day of last judgment. We are indeed blessed because we are also on this journey! Neither life or death,…