-
Healing the Paralytic/ M’Saryo Sunday
In the story of healing the paralytic, there were two categories of people around Jesus; those who were ‘hearing God’s words’ (they think they are close to God and listening to the Word!) but indirectly ‘blocking’ the needy from reaching God. The second category is those who helped the paralytic to reach God; those who are helping the needy to reach God. Who are we? Are we blocking (directly or indirectly) the needy from reaching God? or Are we helping the ‘needy’ to reach God to receive healing and blessings?
-
PETHRATHA SUNDAY (Also called Kothanae Sunday- Marriage at Cana)
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 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. We all know the episode at the marriage house in Cana; Jesus and his…
-
Various Classifications of periods in the Lectionary in Malankara tradition
Reviewing the available literature, there are at least four to five different classifications of the periods in the Church Lectionary in the Malankara tradition. All of them have the same arrangement of Sundays, order, and themes with minor differences in the gospel readings and other readings from Old Testament and New Testament. Over the years, liturgical calendars were published in two forms- the tables of Easter and related movable feasts; and a calendar of saints. The two have separate origins. The former were a matter of controversy in the ancient church. Eventually, a single one of 532 years (taqlab in Syriac sources) was adopted as the norm. They again differed…
-
Seven Periods in the Church Calendar
The 52/ 53 Sundays in a calendar year has been divided to Seven Cycles in the Church Calendar. The first Sunday according to the Church Calendar is the Koodosh Eetho Sunday (Sanctification of the Church). Koodosh Eetho is the Sunday that falls between October 30th and November 5th. Again, the entire church calendar is divided into 7 cycles. I. Sanctification of the Church* to Christmas (Yeldho) II. Yeldho to Epiphany (Dan’ho) III. Dan’ho to the Beginning Sunday of Great Lent (Kothine) IV. Kothine to Easter Sunday (Kymtha) V. Kymtha to Pentecost VI. Pentecost to the Transfiguration VII. Sleebo to Sanctification of Church (Koodosh Eetho) Knowing this arrangement will help us…
-
Sermon on the Koodosh Eetho Sunday (Sanctification of the Church): Mark 8:27-33
Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Happy New Year! Am I nuts! Greeting Happy New Year on the first Sunday of November, then really I must be crazy. But some of you may know why we wished happy New Year today. Because today is the first Sunday of the Church Calendar year; we call this Sunday Koodosh Eetho, which means sanctification of the church. We are also commemorating the perunnal of St. Gregorios of Parumala. Unfortunately we do not realize the purpose and meaning of many of the arrangements, many of the important days, rituals, feasts that are important for us. And that’s the unfortunate part; we…