Wednesday, December 21, 2016

2016 Saint Thomas day thoughts

Traditionally , the Church in India and its Diaspora pride themselves as their community being the first Christians in the world , founded by none other than the St. Thomas the Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ . St. Thomas came to point the lost generation of Jews to Christ  , as commanded by our Lord.  In this tradition, through St. Thomas  the locals too turned to Christ and he  was instrumental in establishing the Church in India , speared on December 18 and suffered Martyrdom on December 21.

For me, my fascination on St. Thomas was a series of incidents in my own history not limited to my grandmother speaking of her family background to St. Thomas, my own glorious building up castles in air seeing how generations back we were members of the first parish - the  Church in Niranam founded by St. Thomas
(http://niranamchurch.com/history/) , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niranam_Church

My personal take on history , as written by Mankind  is that it is and was always written and will be rewritten and being modified at any particular time to suit any particular side or a particular position . It is my faith that in seeking this history , we will see that Truth lies in between the positions and views of the differing sides , and even as we discover a partial knowledge of this Truth in this journey, will only be humbled  that there is more to it and our time is limited . It is my hope that you will forgive any errors and  correct any short comings in this posting.  It is my prayer that  you reading this and me posting this will be inspired and seek Him the Truth whom St. Thomas declared as soon it was revealed to him by crying out ' My Lord and My God'

1. It was He that led the Church in India to defend against  subjugation by the Roman Catholics in 16th Century
2. It was He that made our forefathers to seek out help from amongst all the other historical Churches  founded by Apostles or their disciples
3. It was He that led  after 50 years the age old bishop of the Syrian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem HG Gregorios Abdul Jaleel to come to Kerala.
 3. It was  He that caused through this interaction with this West Syrian Church to introduce the Church in India to turn more fully to Orthodox Christianity as developed till 16h Century.
4. It was He that made us to chose and adopt this Liturgical practice that sustain us in Right Glory.
5. It was He that led the Church and St. Dionysius to stand up to show its independence and put trust in God to tell the West Syrian Patriarch  that Church in India is not going to under the Syrian Orthodox Church as its subdivision .
6. It was He that led yet another  West Syrian Patriarch to come to India and have the Catholicate established in 1912. (http://rightglory.blogspot.ca/2014/02/last-kalpana-of-vattasheril-tirumeni-to.html)
6. It was He who led the Church in India to not follow teachings that were known as heresy to the Church all over even though it was brought forward the British and Anglican Church
7.It was He that led the Church in India to be united though for a short time that led the aged Bishop Augen (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baselios_Augen_I) to be a part of the 1965 Oriental Orthodox Conference where the Heads of the Church could meet after 16 Centuries of separation through it brought the relics of St. Thomas to the Church even though he was martyred in India and  his remains taken to Edessa

Let us  remember today  St. Thomas and seek his intercession and prayers to God so that this history that God started in Kerala will still being written through each of us irrespective of where we are and what situation we are being placed and His Mercy upon us.


December 21, 2016

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