Refections on 2008
Similar to the end of last year, I really don't know how 2008 went by so quickly! Our family was blessed beyond words and we had a happy year. My two boys grow stronger, healthier and most importantly much more aware of Christ and our Faith than I was at their age.
From a personal spiritual perspective, I continue to learn and my love for Orthodoxy grows .. through the lens of the Church, the teachings of Christ is truly mind-blowing. The frequency of blog entries has gone down not because I've lost enthusiasm for Christ and the Church, but only because I realize there is so much I need to learn ... and I am happy as that shows the truth and infinite depths of my Christian faith.
I am most grateful to my online friends scattered both within familiar places in the US and Kerala, but also Northern India and Malaysia. We live in an amazing time where global communications literally has been made simple, fast and free and as our Church grows this thing called the Internet will be one of the most effective tools for spreading the teachings of Christ in the years ahead.
However, the state of the living Church continues to weigh heavy in my heart. We are struggling for an identity in the western world, when in fact the saints have given us one. We continue struggling to do what is right, especially when those who "run the church" need to be confronted.
Priests and parishes such as those found in St. Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Church in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia are sadly very difficult to find. From this Church came the story that was one of the highlights of '08, where Fr. Philip lovingly and patiently helped welcome a blessing into our Church family, and this blog entry truly is a reminder of not just the potential, but the DUTY of every parish in Indian Orthodox denomination.
But, as summarized in the 2008 movie Slumdog Millionaire, the India we know and loved has changed. In the movie, the obsession for money and power in Mumbai has caused generations of Indians to act positively in-human and the hero's love for a woman was so strong it overcame all obstacles. On our summer trip to Kerala we experienced several sad and troublesome situations that clearly was the affect of greed and selfishness blinding Malayalees to do what is decent. Money, social status and other evils also blind many within our Church to the true calling of Christ, and the teachings of our Church fathers through theosis to be perfect as God was perfect.
But there is no question that we have hope for the future ... even the tragedy in an Orthodox church in Clifton, NJ gave us a story of courage and life in the form of Dennis John who not only died trying to save a fellow Church member, but his donated organs gave new life to others.
How we choose to make 2009 is in our hands, and praying that many of us get the courage to do what is right especially to help the living Church continue preaching the doctrine that we were taught by the Apostles. To this end, another thing that still has not changed is the support our American seminarians need.
If any of the seminarians have touched your lives as they did mine, please know our Church needs help to financially support and encourage their ministry. Even if it's as little as $10, please send your tax-deductible contributions with the memo of 'Seminary Fund' to the American Diocese office, and they will get distributed properly.
Address is below!
From a personal spiritual perspective, I continue to learn and my love for Orthodoxy grows .. through the lens of the Church, the teachings of Christ is truly mind-blowing. The frequency of blog entries has gone down not because I've lost enthusiasm for Christ and the Church, but only because I realize there is so much I need to learn ... and I am happy as that shows the truth and infinite depths of my Christian faith.
I am most grateful to my online friends scattered both within familiar places in the US and Kerala, but also Northern India and Malaysia. We live in an amazing time where global communications literally has been made simple, fast and free and as our Church grows this thing called the Internet will be one of the most effective tools for spreading the teachings of Christ in the years ahead.
However, the state of the living Church continues to weigh heavy in my heart. We are struggling for an identity in the western world, when in fact the saints have given us one. We continue struggling to do what is right, especially when those who "run the church" need to be confronted.
Priests and parishes such as those found in St. Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Church in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia are sadly very difficult to find. From this Church came the story that was one of the highlights of '08, where Fr. Philip lovingly and patiently helped welcome a blessing into our Church family, and this blog entry truly is a reminder of not just the potential, but the DUTY of every parish in Indian Orthodox denomination.
But, as summarized in the 2008 movie Slumdog Millionaire, the India we know and loved has changed. In the movie, the obsession for money and power in Mumbai has caused generations of Indians to act positively in-human and the hero's love for a woman was so strong it overcame all obstacles. On our summer trip to Kerala we experienced several sad and troublesome situations that clearly was the affect of greed and selfishness blinding Malayalees to do what is decent. Money, social status and other evils also blind many within our Church to the true calling of Christ, and the teachings of our Church fathers through theosis to be perfect as God was perfect.
But there is no question that we have hope for the future ... even the tragedy in an Orthodox church in Clifton, NJ gave us a story of courage and life in the form of Dennis John who not only died trying to save a fellow Church member, but his donated organs gave new life to others.
How we choose to make 2009 is in our hands, and praying that many of us get the courage to do what is right especially to help the living Church continue preaching the doctrine that we were taught by the Apostles. To this end, another thing that still has not changed is the support our American seminarians need.
If any of the seminarians have touched your lives as they did mine, please know our Church needs help to financially support and encourage their ministry. Even if it's as little as $10, please send your tax-deductible contributions with the memo of 'Seminary Fund' to the American Diocese office, and they will get distributed properly.
Address is below!
The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Inc.,
80-34 Commonwealth Blvd.,
Bellerose, NY 11426
Comments
This seems to be what happened in the U.S. about 40 years ago. And it's really hitting Catholic parishes now as the older priests retire and there are few newer priests to fill the ranks.