ECHO October 2016 by The Mar Thoma ECHO

October Edition 2016 Volume 3(4)

Table of Contents Message from Diocesan Episcopa......................... 3 Editorial ................................................................ 5 Preserving the Timeless while Adapting to the Times..................................................................... 7 Onam ripples .......................................................11 Eucharistic Life: An Invitation to Preserve the TIMELESS .......................................................... 12 Young Mowglis of the Pack ................................. 15 Book Review........................................................ 16

The COMPE Executive Committee President: The Rt. Revd. Dr. Issac Mar Philoxenos Vice President: Very Revd. V. T. John Secretary: Mr.P.M.Mathew Treasurer: Mr.Jaffey Chacko

The Lives around us ........................................ 16 Mar Chrysostom: A Book Review.................... 17 Reports ................................................................ 18 The Second Mar Thoma Youth Conference .... 18 Mar Thoma Family Conference 26th-28th August 2016 ................................................................. 19 Career Advice ..................................................... 20

Editorial Board of the Mar Thoma Echo Editorial Director: Dr. Zac Varghese Chief Editor: Very. Revd. V. T. John Mr. Sherry Mathews Mr. Oommen Abraham Mrs. Geena Ajay

Photo Gallery ......................................................23

For private circulation only Disclaimer: The views published in this journal are those of its authors. Editors or the COMPE do not endorse the contents or views expressed and they are not liable for the contents or views in any form. Send your articles- compe.echo@gmail.com

Message from Diocesan Episcopa

‘O Give thanks to God for His mercy endures for ever’. With thankful hearts, we go forward as a faith community, in our witness and service to the Lord Jesus Christ. Often we ask the question, How far we use the enormous gifts that God has bestowed on us in a proper manner for the benefit of all with whom we associate in our living context. The recently held Mar Thoma family conference of UK and Europe was another expression of the oneness of the Mar Thoma community in this region. It also provided an opportunity to reflect on the God given gifts and possibilities, to promote life in keeping the richness that we received through the Word of God, and the inspiration to involve in mission with an openness to receive the guidance of the Holy Spirit to broaden our understanding of the ‘other’ and to bring changes in our perspectives. We are very happy that those who participated in the conference including children and youths have experienced the joy of fellowship and felt the need to continue our coming together in order to regain spiritual strength and develop personal relationship as a community. I appreciate the efforts taken by the Sinai Mar Thoma church and the support and contributions of the members of various Mar Thoma parishes in the U.K. The participation of all priests of the Mar Thoma Parishes in this region, along with their parish members made a difference in the conference. The speakers of the Conference Rev. Dr. Lord Leslie Griffiths, Rev. Dr. John Perumbalath, and

Mr. Rod Gilbert, could keep the gatherings alive with their insightful messages. The theme of the conference ‘Preserving the Timeless while adapting to the Times’ was relevant in today’s fast moving world. It calls for the understanding of the present and our concerted efforts to keep what is vital for the beauty of life. Yes, we are living in ‘revolutionary’ times. We all know the changes happening in the world. It has been noted that over the past 100 years, technological innovation in the developed world has dramatically changed the way the human community interacts. Previous to the era, geographical isolation and simple distance enabled cultures to retain unique languages and cultural norms that had developed over millennia. The development that humanity achieved through modes of transportation like ships, railroads, cars and airplanes brought us closer together. In the modern age, the technological innovations associated with the internet have made it possible to join our cultures and communities in the virtual space so that very few cultures remain isolated from the impact of outside social forces. The Word of God and the Christian faith based on the word is timeless and God-given. However, its theological and contextual relevance changes through new interpretation, taking into consideration the change in time and social as well as cultural settings of the people. The truth remains the same while the virtues as well as Divine nature are unchanging. The challenge we face today is, how as a faith community we can adapt the richness of our spiritual heritage in a changing world. It is our task to interpret the Gospel to make it more relevant to all generations and to make the tradition that we follow alive in the given context.

The Council of Mar Thoma parishes in Europe, is given the responsibility to organize the family conference in 2017. During the year, we will be celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of the Mar Thoma Community in the UK and Europe. Various programmes are planned, and I hope with the collective wisdom of our members from all parishes, the celebrations can be a time to renew our commitment to the expansion of our mission in concrete forms. It is my prayer that God may continue to guide the Mar Thoma Parishes in Europe region to live and serve the Lord meaningfully with renewed vision. Prayers and regards, Rt. Rev. Dr. Isaac Mar Philoxenos

Editorial Preserving the Timeless while adapting to the Times “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, New International Version, NIV). Lord Griffiths told us at the 34th Mar Thoma Family Conference that the above biblical verse was one the favourite verses of his congregation at the Wesley Chapel when he was selecting a theme for a sermon on the Pentecost. He asked his congregation to repeat this verse from their memory in different native languages, and it was Pentecost once again with different tongues. In the King James Version (KJV) we see the phrase ‘everlasting life’ and this phrase is commonly used in our worship services. What does eternal or everlasting mean? Ravi Ravindra, a professor of Physics, Philosophy and Comparative Religion, who wrote a significant commentary on St. John ’s Gospel (The Yoga of Christ), says: “Eternity does not refer to an extension of time or an everlasting continuation of time; it pertains to timelessness, to a dimension of being, of consciousness and perception, which is outside time. Everything that can be specified and defined belongs to dimensions of time and space.” In TS Elliot’s poetical imagination this timelessness is an occupation for saints: “Men’s curiosity searches past and future And clings to that dimension, But to apprehend The point of intersection of the timeless With time, is an occupation for the saint?”

Thus the point of intersection of the timeless with time is eternity. The search in time for a state that

is a free of time is a mystery and the saint, who searches for this mystery–God–is the one who enjoys the timeless eternity. The point of intersection of timeless eternity with time is in the now; it is in the now we live and have our being and it is in the now we live and love (Eckhart Tolle). The timeless truth or wisdom itself has been at the point of intersection with time. We often search for eternity without knowing that we live in the timelessness of that truth. Therefore, the awareness of eternity does not have to be an after death experience. God so loved the world and he sent his only Son so that we have eternal life. We need to live in that reality, preserve that truth at all times. The experiential reality of the Christian faith is timeless, but its intellectual expressions may change with the passage of time and cultural contexts because thought forms, expressions, presuppositions and suppositions of one age may be different from that of another. The fundamental truth of the Christian faith has survived after two thousand years of living and testing. Certain aspects and emphasis of Christianity need to be reformed in order that Christianity is meaningful and credible today. Reformation is a continuous process in the flow of time and it must not be assumed that one aspect of reformation or one emphasis is meant to be the ultimate word in our faith journey and the experiential understanding of the mystery of God. We should be open to God’s revelations to us in our time and also should have the humility to admit that the human expressions of that may vary and we should be willing to accommodate and respect such possible variations. What Hans Kung had to say about this in his book, ‘On being a Christian’, which Lord Griffiths thought as one of the top ten books, is very significant: “ Every formulation of faith, whether made by an individual or the whole Church, remains imperfect, incomplete, unclear, partial and fragmentary,” This was also St. Paul’s experience of looking through a ‘glass, darkly’: “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (I Cor 13:12). We cannot verbalise or write the whole truth of our experience of God. We must have the humility to realise this because when we live in a particular 5

country we inevitably see a certain cultural expression of the truth and miss others. Later generations may correct our vision in some respects, but could even be mistaken in some other aspects. However, despite the limitations of any attempt to re-state the Christian doctrine, there is an urgent need for this to be done for our own intellectual integrity as well as to explain our Christian faith to others in the society without hurting their religious sensitivities. It is important to remember that all our formulations and understanding of doctrines are partial and provisional and it is not by these our neighbours will know that we are Christians. It is by our life that we make our ultimate statement about our creator, reconciler and redeemer. Gary Grant’s testimony was moving and he showed how he could live out his Christian faith at the cutting edge of the business world and help may unfortunate people in the community. Rt. Revd Dr. Isaac Mar Philoxenos Episcopa addressed the conference with the following four questions. 1. How do we connect ourselves with the given situations of the world? 2. Why are we here? 3. How do we understand God? 4. How do we see God in our lives? Thirumeni spoke of a life in relationships, a life worthy in the sight of God. Abraham was challenged to go from the known to the unknown; he took the challenge with faith and he was blessed and he brought blessing to others. Abraham built altars wherever he went; he thanked, worshipped, and gave glory to God. Giving glory to God should be our ultimate concern in all our affairs. Living with the Kingdom values is the challenge, along with a longing for justice and love. We should be people who journey together for justice and peace. The Church is a pilgrim community. Accompanying the other is a process of pilgrimage. Scripture and tradition should help us on our way, but each one of us is conditioned by our religious and cultural backgrounds. We will be celebrating the 180th anniversary of the reformation. Reformation is a painful process of preserving the timeless while adapting to the times. We are a reformed and reforming church. Lord Griffiths told us many stories relating to his early life, his life as a Methodist missionary in Haiti, his work as a Methodist Minister at the Wesley’s Chapel in London and in the socio-

political arena, which showed us a living faith with hope and charity. He intuitively picked up three words, Faith, Hope and Love, from the back of a T-Shirt of a young man and related it to the theme of the conference. He spoke of having hope, the feeling of empathy and compassion, in the suffering of others. He said that we should get a kick in our stomach when we see the suffering of others. Internalising the pain of others is important in our Christian living. He could feel God’s amazing grace working in the everyday interactions with the poor peasants of Haiti during his pastoral ministry there in the Seventies. He learnt from them and this helped to make or reformulate him as the man he is today. How could we ever forget the new life of grace given to Colbair, the boy born with a congenital cataract or the escape and transformation of Loui from gang violence of the inner city life of London, and in his work in the field of education for uplifting the under privileged children of the East End of London or in the House of Lords to represent people and speak on their behalf with a Christian understanding and spirituality? Here we see a priest who is a minister in the church for 50% of his time and an advocate for social justice outside the church, as an educator, and in the political arena with the other 50%. He shows us a way of refocusing our transforming relationship with God and with one another in the community. Lord Griffiths took us on a journey of faith, hope and love and his journey thus far was grounded in humility and radical love. This is indeed a way of preserving the timeless, while adapting to the times. Certainly, ‘God is not a noun, but a verb.’

The organisers of the conference deserve or thanks and praise; they young people of the Sinai Mar Thoma Church with no previous experience in organising such a conference did well through the grace of God; we are very proud of them and thank them. It will be the last time a single parish would be expected to bear such a huge responsibility, from next year the responsibility would be with all of our parishes and congregations through the Council of the Mar Thoma Parishes in Europe (COMPE). 6

Preserving the Timeless while Adapting to the Times Revd Dr. Lord Leslie Griffiths* [The following is a sincere effort in putting together my understanding and appreciation of some of the important aspects of Lord Griffiths’ three talks at the 34th Mar Thoma Family conference. This is not exact transcripts of his talks, but this is what I thought I heard. Lord Griffiths should not be blamed in any way for any unintentional inaccuracies occurred in my reporting of his talks. I very much hope that this would help to reignite the memories of those who were at the conference and also of help to those who could not attend. Lord Griffiths’ ministry over the last fifty years, in the postmodern era, shows how to face the postmodern challenges; he adapted his ministry to fit the needs of different cultural contexts and times. His ministry is also an example of keeping the church and the affairs of the state in the right balance and not separating them into watertight compartments. The theme of the Conference is of special interest because it was the theme of the first FOCUS seminar at Santhigiri, in 1999 under the leadership of all the Bishops of the Mar Thoma Church. I offer this transcript in memory of Rt. Revd Dr. Zacharias Mar Theophilus Suffragan Metropolitan. Dr. Zac Varghese] Lord Griffiths opened his talk on the above theme on the morning of 27th August by describing how he met one of our young people, Ray Koshy, at the breakfast that morning. Ray was a member of the Boy’s Brigade, Lord Griffiths is its president, and as such they have an oblique connection. Ray gave Lord Griffiths a copy of a daily Bible study that his grandfather had owned. Lord Griffiths referred to the meditation assigned for 27th August in that spiritual guide, which said, “What meanest thou, O sleeper? Wake up.” With that he asked the audience to wake up and listen, which they did quite attentively. He then described how he came across a few members of the Mar Thoma Church at an ecumenical gathering, for Lent talks, at Harrow in 2014 and another member in a meeting at Chesham.

From that he went on to describe the young reception committee that he had met at the conference when he arrived, and about another young man who guided him to his bedroom at the centre. This was none other than our brilliant Tarun Alexander, who was walking in front of them with their luggage and talking continuously; therefore, Lord Griffiths and Lady Margaret could not see Tarun’s face but noticed the three words on his Tee-shirt, ‘Faith, Hope and Love.’ This amazing speaker organised his discourse around these three words and opened up the theme: ‘Preserving the timeless while adapting to the times.’ He spoke about the Wesley’s Chapel, built by John Wesley, where he works as a minister and the congregation, which is made up people from 55 national backgrounds with 24 languages. His work at the Chapel demonstrates that multiculturalism is possible, and there is an abundant opportunity to share the culturalspiritual-capital available there. It is also a place of pilgrimage for 70 million Methodists worldwide. He talked about his early life in a Welsh village in a single parent family with his mother and younger brother. His mother was not a chapel goer, but she sent her two children to Sunday school. His mother said, ‘she is not going to be the reason for the preacher to preach.’ She was the best mother and the best person in the world for Leslie and his younger brother. She cared for an Irish lady, Mrs. Readie, who was a widow and poorer than her, and invited her for Sunday tea every week; in that hospitable gesture she used up the entire butter ration available for the week; Mrs. Readie was treated like a princess. He recited William Blake’s poem on ‘Garden of love’ to show how churches have done well in controlling people, it also depicted the chapel life in which he grew up. “I went to the Garden of Love, And saw what I never had seen: A Chapel was built in the midst, Where I used to play on the green. And the gates of this Chapel were shut, And Thou shalt not. writ over the door; So I turn'd to the Garden of Love, That so many sweet flowers bore. 7

And I saw it was filled with graves, And tomb-stones where flowers should be: And Priests in black gowns, were walking their rounds, And binding with briars, my joys & desires. Blake’s protest to the repression of desires as operated by conventional Christianity meant that chapel doors are shut to their real needs, and people are not free to act. The images of graves and priests wearing black dress patrolling the chapel yard provided an image of prison and the lack of freedom. It is now time to wake up from this oppression. When Leslie passed his Eleven Plus exam, not a mean task, thirty poor working class mothers of the chapel community decided to put away one penny a week each to support the young Leslie for his Grammar school education. From there he went to Cambridge and to Haiti, ‘a wretched nation on the earth’, as a Methodist missionary, then a Methodist minister and became its president and then a member of the House of Lords. He mentioned so many fascinating stories during this journey, which had a bearing on the theme and how Faith, hope and love sustained him from the beginning.

Faith: He spoke of the meaning, qualities, and necessities of faith hope and love in a bewildering world of no faith; we live in a world of no faith. We live in a secular and materialistic world. Materialism is like a drug. Flight from faith is quite considerable. As faith is declining, it is

important to reclaim faith. This is a moment of challenge for the faith community to show what it means to have faith. Faith is the risk that you take in your life. He gratefully remembered how his wife helped him in his faith journey. Hope: What is hope in a world which is despairing? What is hope in a world of despair? How can we watch this? Is there any hope for human existence? The killings in the city of Aleppo and other Syrian cities and Iraq are horrible. The resultant refugee crisis in Italy and other Mediterranean countries are difficult to sustain. He then talked about a Greek word used in the New Testament, which describes hope in terms of pity, empathy or compassion, which is used 12 times in the New Testament; we see this in connection with the story of the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son. Jesus had this compassion. We use the expression: ‘you are bowels of mercy’ when you feel someone’s pain. You feel that you are kicked on your stomach; it is a physical pain that you feel when you see someone in distress. We should feel in our guts the pain of others and have compassion. Let there be no compassion fatigue. The doctrine of hope is this compassion. Love: ‘Love is like a penny if you spend it, you end up having more.’ Today, love has become a romantic fantasy; it is self-gratification, people meet in the internet and immediately develop a sexual relationship without really knowing the other person. Real love is rooted in the interest of the beloved. Prioritising the interest of the beloved is at the heart of a loving relationship. Love that comes your way when you love others is amazing. This is the programme of what it is to be a Christian. God did not love one particular group of people, he loved the whole world. Gospel imperative is love and that is what the faith all about. Hans Kung’s book ‘On Being a Christian; was one of the books that he read when he returned from Haiti. This led him to speak about his experience of Haiti. The 2010 earthquake in Haiti killed 274,000 people; it is one of the poorest countries of the western hemisphere. Although it got independence in 1804, other countries rejected them and it never developed; yes, the People of Haiti were poor, but not poor in Spirit. They had 8

humour, resilience and courage. Roman Catholics in Haiti had a version of the Liberation theology. It was not the polished theology sent from Rome. Liberation theology starts with the Bible, people and priests; it is the theology of the people and not of the church. It empowers people in theological understanding: it is a ‘bottom up theology.’ Cambridge theology that he learnt was different; it was about methodology, original texts, interpretations, and philosophy. The Liberation theology is about giving people tools to sort out their day to day problems. It is doing the gospel and not theorising. Hans Kung in ‘On Being Christian’ talks about the theology for educated people. Educated people go out on an intellectual search for building truth foundations and formulae. We should not be treated like children, but as adults, not to impose beliefs and punishments. Theology is about doing things and doing the things the right way and with right kind of tools. People should behave as grown up and have a grown up faith. Faith is about achieving the best from the information that you have. Faith is the risk you take in your life. Faith is an empowering agent. Faith is a way of life leading to and eternal existence. The Second Talk: He started his second talks by stating the circumstances of his appointment as a lecturer at Lampeter, a new college under the University of Wales, in Medieval English. Inadvertently, he became a mentor to students and a sort of unofficial university chaplain for their spiritual needs, which led him later to Methodist ministry. But he was not an ordinary domestic chaplain; he spent of 50% of his time as a conventional parish priest and the other 50% representing people as their spokesperson in the outside world for highlighting and assisting them to achieve social justice. At this time, he became a colleague of Revd Dr. Donald Soper who used to speak regularly at the Speaker’s corner at Hyde Park. His advice was, ‘when you are out there making it look like as if you are enjoying it, otherwise the English people will have the decency to make you suffer.’ Lord Soper also told him that that the job of a preacher is to keep the Bible in one hand and the daily newspaper on the other, and relate what is in the newspaper to the Bible and what is in the Bible to the newspaper.

Then he talked about his outward facing ministry, political involvements and how he managed to sit on the labour benches in the House of Lords. Politics is too important to leave to the politicians. He talked about the importance of the voluntary work in the UK, but governments should not take advantage of them. He facilitates people to understand how democracy works by inviting people to meet him at the Lords. Politics and religion are not separate entities. He explained how he engages people through radio through religious programmes. It allows him to offer a spiritual view through Radio 4 and Radio2. He presented the ‘Thought for the Day’ for seventeen years, ‘Daily Service,’ and such programmes. Brian Redhead of the ‘Today Programme’ fame once told him that he is reaching out to more people in one broadcast than John Wesley did throughout his life. You need different voices to reach out to people because the audiences and their tastes are different. Education: He spoke about his role as the chairman of Central Foundation School for boys and girls in Islington and Tower Hamlet; Islington had a very poor record for GCSE examination results, but pass rates continued to increase over the last three years; in 2016 it was almost equal to Eaton and Harrow, but it is a local state school. In the Tower Hamlet schools for girls he has taken steps to avoid, Islamic radicalisation. Haiti experience: He and his wife, Margaret, went to Haiti in August 1970. They worked initially in Hong Kong for few months. Then the call came for them to work in Haiti, he thought his French may help him, but later found out that the peasants in villages did not speak French. He had to learn their lingo. The experience he gained over ten years in higher education in England did not help him much. He had talents and abilities, but the job in Haiti disempowered him, but this disempowerment was the secret of his success in subsequent life; it helped him to build a new way of relating to people. Initially, he was clever and arrogant, but was not able to do anything. The poor people in Haiti taught him humour, their culture and their way of doing things. They put him together and made him whole again. He said in utter humility that Haitian peasants showed him the way; they reunited him with the poor boy that he had been in the beginning of his life in 9

that Welsh village. He continues to help people of Haiti in many ways because of his position in the House of Lords, re-establishing diplomatic relations and so forth. Youth Work: He also helps young people because the post war generation have done away with many opportunities for the young people, and disinherited them, particularly with the Brexit success. Brexit was a kick in the stomach of the young people. He became the voice of the marginalised people; his words are heard in places where others cannot reach. He spent 50% of his time representing his people in the outside world, the other he spent for the routine parish work as expected of a priest. We are not listening to the young people. There is a wedge between socio-political and the religious world, we must get in there and engage them. Wesley’s Chapel: He ended the talk by describing the stories of Joseph from Sierra Leon and Christine from Rwanda. These two young people were caught up in tribal wars and genocide. Christine lost all her family including her infant son. They became peace workers for the United Nations and they met in London became members of the Wesley’s chapel. They decided to get married; then they visited Christina’s home town in Rwanda and by a miracle she was able to get united with her ten year old son, whom she thought had died. He was brought to London and baptised in the Wesley’s Chapel. The whole world is indeed his parish at Wesley’s Chapel; these rich and varied experiences demonstrate how a personal faith helped him to help a little bit in making this world a better place. The Third Talk: Our young people also joined for his 3rd talk on Sunday and he told many more stories. In January 2013 he went to Haiti for the 40th anniversary of his ordination. He spoke about his ordination on 21st January 1973. His experiences brought our attention to those things that you believe in matters. He talked about the events of his ordination in Haiti. Many people blessed him by ‘laying-on-of- hands’ from many countries and many rites. It was the week of prayer for Christian Unity. Secretary to Papal Nuncios was there too. He jokingly established that his ordination is valid and possibly more valid than many others, including the Mar Thoma

Church. The two leading clerics who recommissioned him were his students, it gave him great pleasure. Then he explained his joy in meeting Colbair; he was a little boy that he picked up from the street, when the boy’s mother died, he was blind with congenital cataract. He arranged surgery and then he gained eyesight. This boy lived with Griffiths’ family for a while. He is now a successful business man with a family and he came to pay his respect and gratitude for the new life they gave him. The talk ended with another memorable story about inner city black boys from East London. He talked about educational programmes and scholarships for inner city boys, who always exchanged expletives because of limitations in language skills, to go to posh public school. He talked about philanthropists who are truly men of God whose right hand does not know what the left hand is doing. He described the educational problems of black inner city kids. Then he talked about Loui, who had witnessed murders and gang fights. One night Loui and his friend were attacked; Loui escaped, but his friend, Esai, died. Loui had to identify the perpetrators of this crime to the police and also in the court, he was frightened. Lord Griffiths visited Loui the next day. Lord Griffiths was about to leave after exchanging few comforting pastoral words, then the telephone rang. Loui said to his friend on the other end of the phone, “ye man, call me later. I got my reverend with me now; he is the man I need now.” That was an amazing moment; sometimes, it is the young person who teaches an older person manner. Loui said, “You are going to say prayers with me aren’t you?” After three weeks Loui came back to the chapel, marching down, with 30 young people singing the gospel songs all the way. He read Psalm 121: “Lift up my eyes to hills–where does my help come from? The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and for ever more.” There were tears all around when he finished, but through the tears they could see the rainbow. How can we see the Lord when we cannot see our neighbour? Lord Griffith’s talks and stories have timelessness and it will stay with us for ever. It was a joy to share his fellowship, kindness and humility. The Mar Thoma community is grateful to Lord Griffiths and Lady Margaret for all they have done 10

for us. May God empower them more and more for their very special kind of ministry. LORD LESLIE GRIFFITHS

Lord Leslie Griffiths, Baron Griffiths of Burry Port, (born 15 February 1942) is a Methodist minister and life peer in the House of Lords, where he sits with the Labour Party. Griffiths became a local preacher in the Methodist Church of Great Britain in 1963. He completed a Master of Arts in Theology at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge in 1969, while training for the ministry at Wesley House. He spent most of the 1970s serving the Methodist Church of Haiti, where he was ordained, before returning to Britain to serve in ministries in Essex and Golders Green. In 1987 Griffiths completed a PhD from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He served as President of the Methodist Conference from 1994 to 1995. Since 1996 he has been Superintendent Minister at Wesley’s Chapel, London.

Onam ripples Rev. Dr. M. J. Joseph, Devalokam, Kottayam

Onam is not a religious festival. So it does not divide people in the name of religion. Onam is a social event rooted in the Mahabali myth Onam is an eco-friendly celebration of God’s own country. Onam is my grand Pa’s and grand Ma’s seasonal game for longevity. It takes them every year to a swing to learn the rhythm of life. Onam is the time to make merry with all people on earth. It does not take the life of any creature for feasting. The Pampa and the Vembanad boat races are symbols of social amity. The Pulikali (Leopard’s play) at Trichur is nothing but the fulfillment of Is.11:6. The arrival of Maveli echoes the coming of Christmas Father to the crowd. It is the time to transcend the barriers of creed, code and cult. To sing and dance with the festive greetings of love and justice. Onam is the time to meet the dear and the near ones in gorgeous attires. It is the time to garland them with the message of unity. Onam is the season for festivity for the old and the young alike. It embarks upon a divine call to forget our birth tags. In a plural world, Onam speaks aloud from the sky above. It is a call from the cave of the heart to live in fraternity. It beckons us to join the chorus for a life before death. It holds the baton for meeting and eating on plantain leaves. It is a call from the Garden of Eden to lead an eco-friendly life. 11

Eucharistic Life: An Invitation to Preserve the TIMELESS Rev. K. Jameson, Ireland “I Am the Living Bread which came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this Bread, he will live forever……. He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood abides in me, and I in him.”(St. John 6:5158).

E.H Carr, one of the eminent historians of the last century, in his notable book “What is History” defines history as “a continuous process of interaction between the historian and his facts, an unending dialogue between the past and the present.” As we are reflecting on the theme ‘Preserving the timeless while adapting to the time,’ it is important to consider the role of history in the affairs of human life. History is all about facts or incidents of the past in which persons and consequences connected to it may be considered. Approaching facts of the past with right perspective and interpreting it with possible evidence determines the reliability of historical facts. It is the attentiveness and perception of the historian that makes facts in history into ‘historical facts.’ As we all know, Jesus is a historical figure. His life, words and deeds became the centre of attraction throughout the centuries, which still motivate and give hope to millions of people. The whole Church, including preachers, teachers and the faithful Christian community celebrate and interpret the life of Christ unceasingly from generation to generation.

Although, when we admit the historical importance of the ‘person of Jesus,’ the aspect of ‘faith in Christ’ is a matter of discussion. There is a big gap between the person of ‘Jesus in History’ and the person of ‘Christ in faith.’ Only through the prism of faith one can affirm and proclaim the divinity of Jesus. Jesus in history and Christ in faith is an appealing slogan for New Testament theologians but ‘experiencing Christ’ every day is the task of Christians in the midst of their ongoing daily struggles. The Church interprets and proclaims the life of Christ through the prism of faith. Without faith one cannot comprehend the divine mission of Jesus Christ.

Immediate Context This passage reminds the importance of faith in understanding the life and mission of Jesus Christ. This discourse happens when Jesus was in a synagogue in Capernaum, in the settings of a Jewish worship centre under the background of the discourse of Jewish Passover tradition. The Gospel writers, especially John considerably uses signs and symbols like door, sheep, light, salt, etc. to describe the life and mission of Jesus. In this passage, Jesus himself helps us to understand his identity through symbolic representations. In one sense, with the help of signs and symbols the Church preserves the timeless truth about Christ and continues to adapt to the teachings of Christ through the very act of faith every day – especially through the celebration of Eucharist. In this Eucharistic passage, the author is working at two levels. The main thrust of the dialogue is to point Jesus as the revelation of God, the true bread from heaven, the bread of the manna. As the ancestors of Israel were nourished by the heavenly manna, Jesus nourishes the whole world with the gift of his body and blood. In this passage Christ offers himself as spiritual food through the symbols of bread and wine. Bread is an essential thing in the physical world in the same way as a spiritual food. Jesus gave himself to the whole world as the spiritual food and exhorts us to experience him in our daily lives. Christ offers himself as life giving bread. Christ became bread in order to give us life and life in its fullness.

Secondly, the writer points out that the Eucharist is a place where one comes to eternal life. “But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.” Through his body and blood he offers us eternal life from within us. Through this spiritual food, the faithful enters into a life which is transformative and qualitative. They experience a mystical fellowship which is salvific and eternal. They enter into a relationship which is fruitful and motivating. Here the term ‘unless’ has a specific meaning. It is something conditional. A strong Greek term ‘ean’ (Ean mē phagēte) – if not you shall have eaten- is used here to assert the specificity. It is a conditional act which refers to a real experience of eating. As Jesus lives because of the Father, the believer lives and will live because of Jesus.

To eat living bread means to accept Christ into our lives and become united with him. We are united with Christ in two ways: 1. by believing in his death and resurrection; 2. by leading a Eucharistic life everyday (liturgy after the liturgy) by the power of Holy Spirit. 1. By believing in Christ’s death and resurrection, we enter into a deep relation with him in faith. Faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus is the perfect core of our relationship with God and each other. We accept Christ as our personal saviour and affirm our intimate relationship with him. By believing in his death and resurrection we experience Christ through our participation in the holy mysteries. This belief is a life changing experience which helps us to grow in the nature of Christ. This belief enriches us with spiritual strength and cultivates new hope and courage. Nevertheless, faith in the death and resurrection of Christ is not the answer for all our problems of the present. It may not change our

present pathetic condition, but it can change our attitude towards the problems. Faith in Christ enables us to live with hope in the midst of our struggles and sufferings. This faith gives us the strength to accept the realities of the present and motivates us to look beyond the challenges of the present age. This faith helps us to be vulnerable towards the needs of others. Faith in the death and resurrection of Christ may not solve the present pain and pathos. But it helps us to face it courageously. It strengthens us to encounter the challenges of the present with the spirit of Christ. Faith in Christ helps us to understand the clutches of sin and death and sustains us to be brave in our spiritual battle. Faith in Christ is not an easy task. It demands a lot. It does not guarantee everything, but gives assurance in his overflowing, abundant grace. As Bonhoeffer says, it is a costly matter. It reminds us that the presence and grace of Christ is sufficient in all our situations. 2. We are united with Christ by leading a Eucharistic life with the power of the Holy Spirit. Eucharistic life means a life centred on the experience of Eucharist. This experience is a mystical reality which is very subjective. The effectiveness of this experience is expressed through our fruitfulness and productivity. When we lead a Eucharistic life we enter into a communal relationship with the Triune God by the power of the Holy Spirit. The following points are important when we consider the term Eucharistic living.

A) Eucharistic living means a life lived with gratitude and praise. It is a life lived with utmost gratitude to the Triune God for the fullness of life through Christ. The term Eucharist refers to an act of thanksgiving. When we participate in Holy Qurbana we thank God almighty for the gift of Jesus Christ and his 13

salvific life. It is an attitude of adoration and praise with the heart of gratitude. Here thankfulness is the deep, contented breath of peacefulness. Eucharistic living means a life lived with contentment and hope. We find peace and joy in the presence of Christ. It is not temporary, but an eternal reality. A heart of gratitude strengthens us to lead a hopeful life which motivates us to be channels of peace and justice.

B) Eucharistic living means a life lived with compassion and hospitality. Without a compassionate heart one cannot become a true Christian. Christ moved with compassion throughout his life. Today the church is a wounded community. Our wounded healer – Christ is the model in this situation. Only a wounded community can know the wounds of others and participate in the healing process. The ‘Year of Mercy’ proclaimed by Pope Francis is relevant in the current situations of refugee crisis and religious intolerance. As a Eucharistic community our wounded world expects more kindness and mercy from us. Where there is no justice, there won’t be peace. If there is no peace, we cannot experience the kingdom of God. C) Eucharistic living means a life centred on sacrifice and self-abasement. Eucharist is all about the other which means it is a willingness to break, willingness to share, willingness to be part of the life of others as a bread. Without breaking there is no sharing at all. But breaking is a painful experience. Eucharistic living challenge us to give life for others, help others to find the fullness of their life. Communion is about the sharing of life. It is about knowing others and about caring and being cared for on a deep and personal level. And, when we participate in the Lord’s Supper, we should reflect the life we share with one another because the life of Christ is active in our hearts. Our

communion with Christ should compel us into communion with each other. By offering himself to us he teaches the message of sacrifice and selfabasement. It is only through an act of selfsacrifice, one can lead a Eucharistic life. Very often in the midst of our abundance we are satisfied in our own comfort zones. We conveniently forget or ignore the real needs of our brothers and sisters. We are reluctant to express our Christian identity and responsibility. The phrase ‘Frozen Christians’ is sometimes very apt to describe us. Situational theology and an attitude of compromise and justification makes us irrelevant. We despise our Christian identity by our own selfish agendas and actions. If our faith in Christ is not challenging us to lead a responsible Christian life, it is meaningless. If our faith in Christ is not helping us to extend our hands to neighbours in their needs, it is in vain. If our Christian identity is not helping us to understand the plight of others, it is futile and extraneous.

In this passage, Christ teaches us to cling on to him every day and to be nurtured through our active participation in his holy body and blood. When we participate in this spiritual act we submit ourselves to grow in his nature. It is an expression of our faith and affirmation of our identity in Christ. Through this great act we are united with Christ and experience him mystically. It is an invitation to preserve the timeless truth for the salvation of all.

Young Mowglis of the Pack Rod Gilbert* Young Mowglis of the Pack I’m writing this on a plane over the middle of Central Asia somewhere, and have just ﬁnished watching the new Jungle Book ﬁlm, based on the Rudyard Kipling book of the same name written about a young Indian boy, Mowgli, brought up by a pack of wolves. I feel a bit like Baloo the Bear! How could he ever understand that the so called “tricks” Mowgli was up to, were the signs of his natural humanness; the signs that marked him out as an essentially unique creation from all the other animals in the jungle. And that’s just about how I felt at the Swanick Mar Thoma Conference, amongst the youth! An old bear amongst a pack of young man/girl cubs on the cusp of adulthood! What a privilege to sense the potential uniqueness of each one. And to sense that, like Mowgli, they were discovering the joys and pains of living meaningful Christian lives in the new worlds they were growing into. Also like Mowgli they are young people from one world, living in another and neither fully from either. We talked about this together and I felt a great empathy with all of them as I also had moved from India as a young 13 year old to live in Britain feeling like neither an Indian nor a Brit! A tough world to face as a teenager! We took the lives of Daniel and Malachi from the Bible, and Ande in a video clip, and the real life of Gary Grant from his unscheduled evening with us, to discover together some of the essential life skills we had to learn. One particular life skill that came out several times and also in the informal chats we had together, was the importance of being accountable to other friends and family. It is all too easy to try and go it alone in the wild jungle of life out there. Like Mowgli, we can survive by our own wits up to a point, but the jungle of life will soon consume us, if we do not have the Baloo’s and Bhagera’s who can stand by us at the crucial times of life. Another life skill we learnt was that of being committed. Not only committed to each other and to the fellowship of others in our churches and youth groups, but also committed to our one true Friend - the Lord Jesus. Gary Grant’s testimony showed us how his own hugely successful life, took on a whole new dimension when he committed himself and his business and family life, totally to the Lord Jesus.

It was awesome to watch scores of the young people staying until 2.00am on the last night to pray with Gary and recommit their lives to Jesus. As I talked and interacted with most of these young people over the weekend, I was excited to discover the unique gifting and opportunities these TCK’s (and if you don’t know what that stands for, ask your teenager!) had to offer to a world opened up by a life committed to Jesus. The sky is truly their limit, and us who might feel we are the “old Baloo bears”, need to remember - as the Bishop reminded them - “our ceiling is their ﬂoor”. It is our constant prayer, that all these young ‘mowglis’ pictured below, will experience a year of amazing surprises and miracles as they discover the new world of living for Jesus in the unique way they have been made to be. * ROD AND RUTHIE GILBERT

Rod and Ruthie Gilbert or Steve & Christie Rod was the leader for the Youth group at the 34th family Conference. Rod and Ruthie Gilbert have a wealth of experiences and adventures in mission for over 30 years. In 1995 they established Scripture Union Family Life CentreCornerstone House, at Mahabalipuram, South India, and the Avalanche Adventure Camp Centre. They brought up their 5 children in India, now ranging in age from 32 to 16. They have four lively grandchildren. Rod was Principal of Hebron School, Ooty, India, and latterly Trinity College in Sri Lanka. Ruthie is a qualified counsellor and together they worked with Bethany Ministries, Hong Kong, as the Pastoral Couple for Mission Life Coaching.

Book Review The Lives around us (Daily Meditation for Nature Connection) By Dan Papworth, Published by Christian Alternative, Winchester, UK, 2015

‘The Lives Around Us’ by Dan Papworth, Published by Christian Alternatives, (2015), £12.99, pp214, ISBN 978 1 7835 256 0 is a series of daily meditations; this book covers a variety important living issues and connecting human lives to other living life forms around us. The basic proposition is that God has given us two books: one is the Bible and the second is Nature, the created world of animal and plants, which is God’s green book. We may learn about God from both. The living world around has the ability to express gratitude and a sense of profound respect for what God has done for this earth and all who live in it. These reflections remind me of Charles Kingsley’s words that he expressed during his nature walks: “I am immersed in the infinite

ocean of God.” Jesus taught in parables, which reached people in different ways, and these methods of parables and story-telling are still highly effective even today. These meditations are a kind of parables and the readers are drawn to concrete examples of animals and plants forms they meet everyday life with which they can identify. This book highlights that human existence is a gift from God and stewardship entrusted to mankind of the created world is a privilege and hence it is important to respect the fact that all created things have their rightful place in maintaining bio-diversity and ecological balance. Sometimes, a feeling of superiority over other creatures around us whether they are wildlife, pets, trees, or weeds can easily get out of control. Subjugation of others may be deep within our psyche; a restless spirit needs self-control, but it is not easily attained when the surge of activity springs from within. These mediations would help us to calm down and find our rightful place in the created order. Each chapter starts with the description of a specific animal, plant, fungus or mineral followed by thoughts about how we can help them. This is followed by a relevant Bible reading, reflections and prayer. I have come across many living forms, which I did not know existed. It is a helpful book to create an ecological awareness; practical suggestions for conservation and what we can do maintain the bio-diversity which is so important for maintaining the ecological balance. I recommend this book for personal mediations and group studies. Dr. Zac Varghese, Sinai, Mar Thoma Church, North London. 14 September, 2016.

Mar Chrysostom: A Book Review Dr. Zac Varghese, Sinai, MTC On 16th July 2016, I had an amazing opportunity to visit Emeritus Metropolitan Mar Chrysostom at his retirement residence at Maramon, overlooking the fast flowing and very beautiful Pampa River. I am very grateful to Rev Saju Papachen who arranged this meeting. There were three other people, one lady from Houston and two others from Bangalore. Thirumeni recollected the time he spent at Canterbury in 1954 for studies immediately after his consecration. He also reminded of the need for a Mar Thoma Centre in London for greater exposure of our Church in Europe.

At the end of this meeting Thirumeni very kindly gave me a copy of his book on his life story, ‘Athmakatha.’ The following is my immediate, inadequate, short reflection on this book. I finished reading this book at one stretch in one day, often with tears in my eyes. My immediate reaction was that the book should be translated and made available to a wider readership because it is not like any other autobiography. In this book Thirumeni is giving us a guided tour of his spiritual journey so far. He describes amazing people that he met thus far and how through various incidents he was able to experience the presence of God in his interactions with people and nature. One amazing reflection on Mar Chrysostom by Rev VP Mammen summarised the life of this great bishop for me. Rev Mammen was interviewing him for the missionary work in Karnataka in 1939 (Page 95). He was not very well because a fever on the day before the interview; therefore, his father informed the interview panel

that he is not physically fit to attend the interview. Then he was challenged by an experience (from a newspaper report) of Subash Chandra Bose (a national hero of Indian Independence) attending a crucial public rally against doctors’ advice. Mar Chrysostom’s thinking simply was that if Subash Bose could do it then young Philip Oommen (his given name before becoming a bishop) also could face the interview panel with his fever. Rev V. P. Mammen during the interview made the following comment on Mr. Philip Oommen, “When we see God of the Church, Philip Oommen sees God through ordinary people and their day to day existence.” At such a young age Thirumeni could see the difference between the God of the Church and the God he saw in human situations and interactions. This is the man who became a bishop of the Mar Thoma Church in 1953 with the name Mar Chrysostom. This is the measure of the man who has been ordained as a priest on 3rd June 1944 and a bishop of the Mar Thoma Church on 23rd May 1953. By the grace of God Thirumeni is continuing his priestly ministry actively in his 99th year. This is indeed an amazing life, and I once wrote an article on him entitled ‘People’s Bishop.’ He experiences God in everyday interactions with people from all walks of life: intellectuals, illiterates, theologians, politicians, porters, field workers, social workers and reformers, priests and missionaries, rich and poor people. He is not the bishop of an institutionalised Church and transcended all those restrictions and he is an amazing free spirit. It is this free spirit that we meet in this book. On seeing a photo of Gandhiji with CF Andrew, he told a friend in Karnataka that CF Andrew loved people first and then preached the Gospel. Thirumeni is very critical of our mission strategies of preaching the Gospel and then trying to love those people after their conversion. Thirumeni throws many such challenges. He sees humour in many situations in life and he has the amazing ability to express them with deep reaching theological insights. People often get carried away with his jokes, but here is a very serious man behind those jokes who studied human nature and it vulnerabilities. There is an urgent need to translate this book into English and I very much hope that Thirumeni would take necessary steps to do so.

Reports The Second Mar Thoma Youth Conference "Remember your creator in the days of your youth.” Subin Mathew Parayil (Secretary of the Youth Fellowship)

and Worship, Devotion, talk for younger youths (13-under18) and Talk for older youths (18-35); we also had group discussion, games, testimony and Camp fire. On the third day we had the Holy Communion Service lead by Rev Jaisen Thomas achen; then we had singing, Inbox and Outbox (Q and A), talk on Mar Thoma Identity, Reflection and Conclusion Session. With the grace of Almighty the conference was a blessing and we would like to thank our previous Diocesan Bishop and present Diocesan Bishop for their support and prayers. Thanks to the President and the committee members and the host parish.

It gives me immense pleasure to inform you that the 2nd UK and Europe Region Mar ThomaYouth Conference was a blessed conference for all the youth participants. We had participation from 11 parishes and 2 congregations out of which there was participation from 2 youth Fellowship outside UK namely Nazareth MTC Dublin Ireland (1st time participation) and Switzerland congregation. WE had participation from Vicars and families from most of the parishes and had almost 170 delegates for this conference. The venue for the conference was Ashburnham Christian Trust, Ashburnham Place, Battle, East Sussex, TN33 9NF, United Kingdom and was held from 1-3 July 2016. The host of this year’s conference was St. James MTC, London. The theme of the conference was "Remember your creator in the days of your youth” Ecclesiastes 12:1. The speakers for the conference was Rev Jaisen Thomas vicar St. Thomas MTC, New York and Mr Daniel Kalta a youth missionary with Youth with a Mission (YWAM). The conference was inaugurated by Very Rev V T John, who also addressed the gathering. The first day consisted of the inauguration, ice breaker session and Talent night for all the youth participants. On the second day we had praise 18

Mar Thoma Family Conference 26th-28th August 2016 The 34th mar Thoma Family Conference was held during 26th-28th August 2016 at Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 1AU. In 2012 the challenge was for Sinai MTC to host the 2016 Conference. At that time we were a budding Mar Thoma parish and had doubts and anxieties in our ability to rise to the occasion. The theme that we selected for the conference was “Preserving the Timeless while adapting to the Times”. The topic was a result of our observations that man’s reliance and commitment to God Almighty was on the decline in the ‘institutionalised-Churches’ all around the world. However, there were occasional spurts of growth in newer Churches. We wanted to find out what needed to be done to revive the dedication and devotion of our parents and forefathers. We started to look into ways of making the Church Services and activities more meaningful for the new generation to motivate them to return to the Church. Approximately 400 delegates from across Europe attended the Conference. Our Diocesan Bishop, Rt. Rev Dr. Isaac Mar Philoxenos, led the conference. It was his first conference in Europe after taking charge of North America and Europe diocese. The Adult group was led by Lord Rev Dr Leslie Griffiths, the superintendent Minister at Wesley’s Chapel, London and a lifetime peer of the House of Lords. He captured the attention of the group and inspired them in an amazing way revealing the Divine truth. His own testimony was an inspiration and instilled hope with the choice that one makes in testing times. The post conference responses from all the delegates were that they wished he never stopped telling those amazing stories. They were in absolute admiration of the messages and his delivery with plenty of humour. He was indeed a blessing!

The Youth group was led by Rob Gilbert who has had a wealth of experience in his mission for over 30 years, which was mainly in India. Having been the principal of Hebron School, Ooty, also a qualified councillor, and having heavy involvement with Maramon in the Youth Couples fellowship, he turned out to be the most suitable person to talk to the youth. He inspired the youth with practical and contemporary life situations and many were touched and they dedicated their lives to Christ. The Sunday school children were split into two groups – under 6’s and 5-12. They were ably led by group of volunteers from our parishes. They had a marvellous time which reflected in their presentation on the final day. There was so much of energy and enthusiasm in their presentation. We believe that they will cherish the memory and experience for years to come. The Venerable Rev Dr. John Perumbalath, who is one of Arch Deacons of the Anglican Church, led the Bible Study. The fluency and delivery of his talk was admirable. There was lateral thinking and he revealed the Bible with a new perspective with absolute conviction. His talk was very rich in material and thought. People wished he would not stop. What a blessing! Gary Grant, a very successful business person and the proprietor of the biggest independent toy retailer in UK, ‘The Entertainer’, was the speaker at the testimony session. He does not just talk the talk, but walks the walk. He does not open his stores for trading on Sunday in spite of it being the busiest day of the week when he can rake in a fortune. He is a man of true conviction. His talk gave hope to one and all that a hard and difficult start in life can be turned around to realise the Glory of God. From virtually being an atheist he rose to be a ‘Fisher of Men’ after his ‘Damascus Road Experience’. He touched the youth in a mighty way and prayed for them on an individual basis. Many went forward for his personal prayers for them. They were emotionally moved and gave their life to Christ. It was a transforming experience for many young people. Next year, 2017, is the Diamond Jubilee year of the Mar Thoma Church in the UK and Europe. At the Conference there was the inaugural launching 19

ceremony conducted by our Philoxenos Thirumeni in the presence of the Organising Committee. The venue was extremely convenient and comfortable. The choice of food was varied and catered for all special needs too. The staffs at the venue were superb. From the onset our apprehension and anxieties were put to rest by the assurance from all the Mar Thoma parishes in the UK that any help we needed, we just only had to ask. Sinai Mar Thoma Church realised that we were strong now because we were being carried on their shoulders. For us it was no more a Sinai MTC event, but a total Mar Thoma Church event. We were inundated with help and suggestions, and we saw Christian brotherhood in action. We were a divinely inspired Team. The Choir was amazing with the support and leadership from several of our parishes. Overall it was a blessed Conference and there was untold Guidance and Grace from Heaven above. Sinai MTC will eternally be indebted to all the Mar Thoma parishes and Congregations in Europe for blessing us to conduct a very successful Conference for the year 2016. May All Glory be to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We were certainly blessed! With Prayers, From the Conference Committee

Career Advice

Abraham Varghese, Hermon Mar Thoma Church “ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. “ “What do you want to be?” is probably the most frequent and common question you would have faced if you are a high school student, and you are in conversation with an adult. And you are forced to make a response; the first thing that used to come to my mind (and this was many decades ago, mind you) was to say I wanted to be an engineer. When I was growing up in Kerala, there were three professions I knew something about: a doctor, and engineer or a teacher. I chose the second, because my father was one, and engineering sounded like something interesting. And also because many of the figures in the news back then seemed to have something to do with engineering: the Tatas (iron and steel), Neil Armstrong (Appolo 11), the Iyengars (of TVS Group) and so on. It didn’t occur to me then that an engineer could end up spending hours making ‘Power Points’ for the management and shareholders of a company, many of whom haven’t the remotest idea what engineering is. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy what I do; there’s plenty more to engineering than ‘power point’ presentations. So what DO you want to be? It is a question you will (and should) spend time mulling over and reading up. It’s a question you should be discussing with your parents, school authorities and others who can guide you. And above all, it’s a question you must pray about. I’m sure that is the case with most, if not all, of you. The Bible has many striking verses that come alive in the context of this question; I have chosen one 20

Philippians 4:8, written above. What should one do with one’s life? What better answer can you think of, than these words: “..whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise..”, that’s what you should do with your life. So what’s the Bible trying to tell us about careers here? There is no help here to choose between being a pilot or a chef, an actor or a scientist. This is very much a matter of your education, your skills and talents, the opportunities available to you and your inclinations (and in some cases, those of your parents as well!) and your capability for perseverance. Remember, Jesus was a carpenter; he chose for his companions people from varied walks of the society of his time – fishermen, tax collectors, zealots etc. Jesus was equally at ease with the typical homemaker (Martha of Martha – Mary sisters) as well as the educated elite (Pharisees and Sadducees) in his society. In the 1st Century AD, one’s station in life was pretty much determined by the family into which one was born. And Jesus, the Son of God, respected each of them for what they were. Today, most of you enjoy a lot more choice than the people in Jesus’ time; and I believe God will respect the choices you make, provided they are genuine choices. By that I mean a wilful choice, keeping in mind your talents and possibilities, and not something chosen to rebel against society, or your family. How do you ‘weigh up’ a career choice? This is where the Bible verse above shines light into the dark, often forgotten, overlooked corners of career guidance. Liverpool and Tiruvalla are places known to us; how many of us are aware that there is a connection between the two? The Nicholson Syrian Girls’ School, which has been part of Tiruvalla’s educational scene for more than 100 years, was founded and nurtured by two ladies from Liverpool, a city in the north-west region of England. Generations of girls from central Travancore and beyond have been educated there – intellectually, spiritually and culturally. The founders, Mrs. Nicholson and Ms. McKibbin, were not interested in becoming wealthy or

making waves in social circles with the institution; their aim was “to provide education without the practice of segregation and privilege but with social equality in all possible aspects of living” in a residential environment. A true and honourable aim for one’s life -one that God blessed abundantly, one that has been a blessing for a society far away from where the founders came. Ask yourself - what is your motivation for the career you are interested in? Is it true and honourable, one that will contribute to society or one that will exploit those around you? Let’s explore the verse further. What kind of decisions will you make while doing your job and progressing in your career ? Decisions are important, and as you grow up, you will have to make decisions of more and more significance. In positions of large responsibility and accountability, the decisions you make will affect the lives of many others. It is true whether you turn into a civil servant, an entrepreneur or a scientist. Decisions must be fair and just, taking into account all aspects and everyone involved, says the Bible verse; you must be able to look at your face in the mirror the next day without regret or stress. Decisions must be commendable, as the verse says – praiseworthy, exemplary – they must stand the test of time. For me, the prime example of decision making is what goes on in the Courts of Law across our nations, what the judges and juries strive to achieve every day. Earl Warren was the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1953 to 1969, and was the author of many landmark decisions in the history of the country. Three of the most well-known ones are Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which banned segregation in public schools; Miranda v. Arizona (1966), which required that criminal defendants be informed of their rights to remain silent and to be represented by a lawyer; Loving v. Virginia (1967), which struck down prohibitions on interracial marriage. The decisions, which affected the lives of millions in the U.S. have stood the test of time, and have proved to be a positive force in society. Not all of us will have the privilege of such a role in society; but every role in society is important, big or small. Furthermore, a just society requires justice every day, in every place, in every interaction however small or large. Respect the job and the context

that God places you in and make graceful, fair and commendable decisions. The verse mentions the word ‘excellence’ and I think a very significant aspect in weighing up one’s career. Lego toys are commonplace today in most homes with children; it is a safe and sure hit with most kids and even older teenagers as presents – birthday, Christmas, anytime! Have you wondered why Lego is so popular? For this you don’t need to look any farther than the company motto, which they follow in spirit and in letter: “only the best is good enough”. There is a story behind the motto, and it goes like this: Lego started its life in 1932, when a Danish carpenterentrepreneur, Ole Kirk Christiansen, started making and selling wooden ducks as toys. Needless to say, Ole was a very clever man with skilled hands, and the toys were the visible expression of his love for children and his belief in the value of play. He soon turned his tools from making ducks to wooden bricks when he decided that the best kinds of toys are those that can be built, and then rebuilt again and again. Stimulating creativity and imagination, they help develop character, he believed. One day, Ole's son and employee Godtfred proudly announced he had cut costs for the company by dispatching a consignment of wooden toys he had painted with only two coats of varnish, rather than the usual three. Far from pleased, Ole sent his son back to the train station to retrieve the toys and finish the job. The motto that now formed in Ole's mind was wholeheartedly accepted by Godtfred when he inherited the company's helm, and it is still used as the Lego Group's slogan: 'only the best is good enough'. The same guidance comes to us in the Bible verse: ‘if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise..’. In every job, in the various tasks and responsibilities that will come your way in life, there will be plenty of opportunities to cut corners, to take the easy way out. As Christians however, we are expected to do our best, whether there is anyone to watch over us or not – because we do everything as if we are doing it for God. When you go to the hospital for a surgery, what do you expect from the surgical team? Will you be happy with anything less than the best from each member of the team, from start to finish? Well, the world – and God – expects the same from you, says the Bible verse.

So there you are, at the gates of your career, armed with the best guidance the world can provide, because it comes from the Bible. The world is in dire need of young women and men of character – those who will aim for something true and honourable, who will fight for justice and will pursue excellence every step of the way. Are you ready?

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