Tree of Knowledge

There are many myths surrounding the creation of humans. One such myth is about the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. A common misconception is that the forbidden fruit given to Eve by the serpent was an apple. It is more likely that the fruit was from the family of the pomegranates. After Eve gave a piece of the fruit to Adam, she changed her mind and tried to stop him from eating it. A piece of the apple got stuck in his throat. The prominent ‘Adam’s apple’ on some men remains as a reminder to many of the story of how Eve prevented Adam from eating the forbidden fruit. This is not a biblical story by any accounts, and is certainly the figment of the imagination of one of our forefathers. There is a medieval Christian legend that says that the Tree of Knowledge was the source of wood for the True Cross 

According to the Bible in the story on creation, God gave clear instructions that Adam and Eve were not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden. God’s intention was for them to live forever in the garden. Eating from the Tree of Life would have brought them immortality (Genesis 3:22). It is no surprise that all through history man has desired and searched for ways to be immortal. How many of us have wished Adam and Eve had not disobeyed God? This disastrous failure eventually resulted in God having to send us a Redeemer. What humankind lost in Adam did we not regain in Christ, the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45)? Does not Revelation promise that to those who are victorious in Christ will eat of the Tree of Life in Paradise (Revelation 2:7)? 

 God told Adam and Eve that if they ate of the Tree of Knowledge they would die (Genesis 2:16–17). Was that not clear enough for them? The Tree of Knowledge can also be expanded to mean Knowledge of good and evil. Why did God say that this Tree of Knowledge is forbidden for Adam and Eve to eat? Why didn’t God tell Adam and Eve that Satan would try to tempt them to eat the fruit and that they should resist? Yet Adam probably watched Eve as she was tempted to eat the fruit and then he himself ate it, hoping that he would gain the wisdom that God had (Genesis 3:6). Can we blame only Eve for succumbing to the temptation when Adam was by her side and also ate when it was offered to him? The Bible says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7). Is it not ironic that Adam's first words to God expressed fear, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid...so I hid." Do you really think we can hide from God? 

 Why did Adam and Eve show no fear of God and eat the fruit? What made Adam blame Eve for eating the fruit, by saying to God, "The woman you put here in the garden with me was the one who gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.(Genesis 3:12)" Is it not our own selfish pride that makes us blame all our problems on one another? When God questioned Eve she said, "The serpent deceived me, and so I ate the fruit." Did God excuse them because of the serpent's deception? St. Paul says knowledge makes us puff up and feel important, but it is only love that will help build the community (1 Corinthians 8:1). 

Today, what distinguishes us from the rest of God’s creation? It is the collected knowledge that we have gained and stored from the beginning of time. Our knowledge of the good and evil that people are capable of has grown over the centuries and expanded. Further, it is our ability to link our lives with those of our ancestors for many, many, generations. Through the ancestral tree of our forebears, we see the expanding Tree of Life. We see the lives of ancestors and how they have responded to serve God or people as the case may be. The breath of God that brought life to Adam should spur us on to learn more about Him, His ways, and His plans for us each day. The wisdom of God is described as a Tree of Life to those who embrace and hold fast to her(Proverbs 3:18). 

 Why is it that in the abundance of the things to eat and enjoy in the garden, Adam and Eve were drawn to the one deed they were specifically told not to do? By eating the fruit of the Tree, Adam and Eve chose to replace their own knowledge of good and evil for God's. Do we have the freedom to do whatever we want? We all have physical and spiritual limitations. We face temptations in differing degrees. However, temptation becomes a trespass only when we commit to the evil deed. Doubt, obstacles, distractions, and loss are tools used by the devil to instigate us to succumb to temptations. We must always be vigilant of the devil’s attempts to lead us to shame and disgrace. We are all broken people, and have erred in so many ways and gone astray (Romans 3:23). Christ was victorious although He was tempted in the desert (Matthew 4:1; Luke 4:1). 

Adam and Eve led carefree and bountiful lives in the Garden of Eden, yet they were disobedient and fell to temptation. On the other hand, Christ was obedient even when He was tortured and hung to die on the cross (Philippians 2:8). Thus our immortality is in Christ alone and not within us. Adam gave mortal life to all his descendents, but in Christ we inherit eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:22).

Pride of Babel

We live in a time when many of us try to project our pride in our community in various forms. We have Euro pride, White pride, Black pride, Asian pride, and so on. The efforts of some of these organizations to promote the well being of the downtrodden should not be ignored. They work in creative ways that promote learning, give voice to others, and are empowering. They ensure that people can overcome or challenge existing power structures that shackle them to poverty and injustice. This is one of the redeeming aspects of the gospel message that Jesus spoke of; to set the captives free.

Proverbs says that pride goes before destruction (Proverbs 16:18). What gives us self worth? Our achievements or God’s role in bringing us to where we are? It is much easier to recognize pride in another person than in ourselves. What are some of the ways pride is noticeable? Some clues are big headedness, conceit, condescension, disdain, over-confidence, egoism, haughtiness, pretension, self importance, self-love, snobbery, arrogance, boasting, and so on. The proper attitude we should have toward God and one another is humility. Proud people are rarely sorry for their mistakes and never ask for forgiveness. Timothy speaks of such people in 2 Tim 3:2-7. A proud person always boasts of what they can do. However, a child of God boasts of what God has done for them, and in Jesus Christ who has called us to be like Him.

After the flood, the children of Noah slowly spread out all over the earth. They all spoke one language. They began to have an excessive belief in their own abilities. They sought to build a city whose tower would reach up into the heavens. They wanted to make a name for themselves. Could they they have achieved immortality through the Tower of Babel they left behind? They were no longer happy to be children of God; they wanted to be self-sufficient and set apart. God saw their selfish pride and wanted to rectify it. Do we goad one another toward good works or to the downward spiral of self-indulgence and deceit? Are there not times when we keep busy with or piling up material things at the cost of the needs of our community at large?

God spoke and said that the Tower of Babel was a sign that the entire race of people wanted to become equal with God. Pride, vanity, and arrogance have been seen as the source for many other sins to arise from. Hence God scattered the people over the entire face of the earth by confusing their language. God set them up against each other. If they could not understand one another they would never be able to work together. Are there not times in our own lives when we cannot seem to understand what our family members are trying to communicate to us? When do we find ourselves in this vulnerable position? Are these times when we are close to God as a family or away from God? When do we see Nations going into chaos? God created order from chaos, yet here we see the world returning to chaos. It is strange to think that a God of law and order would set the world back into a state of chaos. Yet chaos is a state of freedom with no restrictions that has in itself the ability to be creative or destructive.

Even as the story ends with chaos we see the lineage of Abraham being listed. God is a God of mercy and grace. He preserves those who are faithful to Him from generation to generation. In the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican, Jesus says that the Pharisee was proud of who he was and considered himself to be a saint in relation to the Publican who was a sinner. The Publican on the other hand was so conscious of his misdeeds that he groaned and shed tears of repentance. Jesus said, “the Publican was justified because he was humble, for the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored.” (Luke 18:9-14) Jesus warns us that pride is one of the evils that comes from within us and defiles us (Mark 7: 20-23). Paul urges us to be humble, thinking of others as better than ourselves (Philippians. 2: 1-4).

Praise the Lord, My Soul

Praise the Lord my Soul 

I love taking photographs of landscapes. One day I went out with a group of friends from church, who were taking photographs of a lake in the neighborhood. We watched a glorious sunrise. After that we went to different spots and were taking photos of cloud formations. I was praying that God would show me something amazing. I took many photos of the clouds and went home. When I loaded them on my computer, I slowly realized that the clouds were somehow speaking to me from this formation. Please do look at the attached photo with a verse from Psalm 104.

When I came across the first few verses of Psalm 104, again I felt the Spirit speak to me about the vision of the clouds I saw that beautiful morning. It was an amazing vision of a heavenly being robed in honor and majesty. Of how God makes the clouds his chariot, rides on the wings of the wind and flames of fire are his servants. I gaze at this photograph framed in my living room as a visual reminder of my faith in God our Father, Jesus our Savior and the Holy Spirit our Guide.

Psalm of Praise to God who made the whole World

1.   My whole being , praises the Lord
       Lord my God, you are very great;

2.     You wear light like a robe.
         You stretch out the skies like a tent.

3.      You build your room above the clouds,
          You make the clouds your chariot,
            And you ride on the wings of the wind.

“I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭104:33‬ ‭

Psalms are chanted by Jews and Christians, as a congregation and individually. They are sung as the need arises to praise, worship, and give thanks to God. They are also sung or said in times of crisis and need, as a form of supplication, as a source of comfort and even as a way to express regret for trespasses. Psalm 104 is a Psalm that expresses praise and thanks to the God who is our creator, preserver and provider. The Psalm is a beautiful meditation on God’s glorious creation and the glory that bursts forth from all the earth and endures forever.

The author of this Psalm is unknown.  Writing psalms and songs of praise is an art. Many songwriters find it easy to modify the words of a popular song so that people can learn to appreciate them better. Lyrics of many popular songs have been modeled on the lyrics of songs sung at barrooms and by popular music bands. This Psalm 104 written hundreds of years later for the Bible has a vague resemblance to the Egyptian hymn to Aten - a hymn sung in monotheistic worship to the Sun God 1350 BC. The famous Hymn, “Oh Worship the King” was written based on Psalm 104 by a brilliant Scottish man, Robert Grant. His hymn was influenced by the writings of William Kethe’s paraphrase of Psalm 104 in the Anglo-Geneva’s Psalter (1561). A most recent recent recreation is by Chris Tomlin who wrote a song of praise on this hymn too.

 

Psalms have been a very essential part of the spiritual formation of Christians from the time of the Apostles. Paul and Silas praised God in the prison at midnight when their feet were fastened in chains, and sang Psalms so loudly that the prisoners heard them (Acts 16:23-26). The apostles exhorted the Christians at Ephesus and Colossae to teach and caution one another with Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19).

Jesus said I am the Light of the world, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness. (John 8:12) The characteristics that the psalmist ascribes to God in the first couple of verses are honor, glory, majesty, and light. Jack Hayford served as the faculty of L.I.F.E. Bible College, and went on to become dean of students and its president. He also served as pastor at 'Church of the Way', starting in 1969; this church grew to over 7,000 members. He wrote the contemporary worship and praise song Majesty based on Psalm 104.

The psalmist goes on to say that God uses the wind and flaming fire (lightning) as His messengers and servants. The most powerful forces of nature that cause great disasters are under God’s powers. When the disciples were with Jesus one day, they were caught in the midst of a furious storm. The waves broke over the boat and they were nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" He got up, scolded the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!" (Mark 4:35-41)

The Psalmist says that it was God who set the earth on its foundations (Psalm 104:5-9). The laws and principles of the Life Sciences we learn and understand today are based on the foundations that God set when he created this world. Do you see the hand of the creator setting the rhythms to life on earth? Do we live in a world of chaos or are there boundaries which are there? Have these boundaries been broken by us?

The psalmist says that God provides for the wild animals and birds from springs in the valley and the streams in the deserts. Will not God provide for humans? Every need of a person is met, with food from the earth, bread and wine to strengthen and gladden the heart, and oil to make the face shine. Does not a human being enjoy far more of the earthly and spiritual blessings than any wild animal or bird? God is our refuge and strength is a beautiful hymn that shares the same music as "America the Beautiful".

The Psalm concludes by saying, “May my meditation be pleasing to the Lord, for I rejoice in the LORD.” Let us rejoice in the Lord with Psalms and singing in God who is our refuge and strength.

Lord when we consider our way in this world
Often its dark, winding and full of potholes
Time and again what we see ahead is the cross and the grave
Let your light shine into our souls Oh Lord
May we see you clothed in splendor and majesty
Endlessly sing of your faithfulness and love
We worship you as our glorious King
We surrender our hope and wishes at thy feet
May your flames of fire show the way for our lives today
Amen

Creator

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Genesis 1:1

The other day as my son was listening to the TV he heard one of the current evangelists say that Jerusalem is in the middle of the earth. His nine-year-old mind told him that in science he had read that since the earth's shape is a geoid (earth-like) whereever we may stand if we take a measurement we will be standing approximately at the middle of the earth. How far should science and faith be seen as one? Does Jerusalem being the center of earth still have any spiritual significance to our faith in Christ? Christ should be the center of all our lives. Jesus says in John 4:24, "God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."

The speed at which the earth is rotating around its axis is around 1000 miles per hour. The speed at which it is moving on the 940 million kilometer orbit around the sun is around 67000 miles per hour. The earth has many unique qualities, as it is the only planet with water on it which maintains temperature and atmospheric pressure. The atmosphere of the earth is unique because it has oxygen in it which is the environment for life and growth. It is mind boggling to think that God could get every detail of creation into order for the humongous task of creating the heavens and the earth. Can we ever determine His infinite understanding, authority, wisdom, and power?

Can we even try to understand the importance of a God who created heaven and earth? Do we realize, that beyond the earth, even today, we do not know for sure if any form of life exists? God had a plan, He was going to create a new world, where human beings and heavenly beings could dwell. He not only determined the speed at which the earth would rotate around its axis but also the environment that would sustain life. Some of the finest scientific minds in science such as Isaac Newton, Charles Babbage, Louis Pasteur, Blaise Pascal, Robert Boyle and so on have affirmed that God must have created the heavens and the earth. Can there ever be a real debate on creation versus science? Did the world just come into existence with a great big bang?

The Bible makes us all pause to be in awe of this God who made all of the world and humankind? Only a mystical power could possibly have been responsible for the creation of matter, energy, space, and time. In the world we live in, there is matter and energy that can be perceived with our natural senses, spirits through spiritual senses, and a large and infinite part which goes unknown. We as humans know our limitations, and know for sure that principalities and powers that are superior to us are at work. But we always want to perceive the natural reality we live in and do not want to stretch our imagination beyond to that which is impenetrable, to no purpose in the real or unknown world.

Today scientists look into their Hubble Space Telescope to explore the formation of galaxies during the first 900 million years after the Big Bang. Science is a constantly changing, and what is known today can easily be disproved tomorrow. Take for example the nine planets in the solar system. I grew up learning that there are nine planets, but today it is breaking news in the scientific world that there are only eight planets.

Our Creator is an unchanging God. His word is truth and understanding to those who are willing to believe. Is the story of creation an oral tale or the truth? It is for us to pray and reflect over these issues and come to an understanding. Moses was very clear when he said that, “It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.” (Ex. 31:17) Our lives should have a contemplative approach to Christian living. They should be based upon a commitment to a balance between work and rest. Jesus led a life with times for rest, solitude, and silence (Matthew 14:22:23). We are also called to lead lives committed to serving those in need. It is in so doing that we find strength and purpose in our fast changing cyber society. When we honor the Sabbath, we are enabled to be more in tune with our hearts and souls, more conscious of the Spirit of God, and more open to building communities of love.

Good Deeds

Faith in Action

Bridging the Gap Between Belief and Deeds

In the epistle of James, we encounter a powerful reminder of the inseparable link between faith and works. James 2:17 boldly declares, "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." These words resonate with a timeless truth that challenges us to move beyond mere belief to tangible action.

James is a fervent advocate for a faith that is not merely theoretical but is demonstrated through practical acts of love and service. He confronts the notion of a faith that remains stagnant and inactive, emphasizing the necessity of deeds that align with our professed beliefs.

As we reflect on James's exhortation, we are compelled to examine our own lives and the extent to which our faith is translated into action. Are we so consumed by our own concerns and pursuits that we neglect the needs of those around us? Do our lives reflect the transformative power of the Word of God?

It is easy to become complacent in our faith, to attend church services and recite prayers without allowing our beliefs to permeate every aspect of our lives. Yet James challenges us to break free from this spiritual lethargy and embrace a faith that is alive and active.

When our faith is manifested through works of love and compassion, we bear witness to the transformative power of the gospel. We become living testimonies to the truth of God's Word, demonstrating through our actions that we truly believe in the message we proclaim.

In a world marred by division, injustice, and suffering, the call to action is more urgent than ever. James reminds us that faith without works is incomplete, that our beliefs must be accompanied by deeds that bring about positive change in the world.

May we heed James's admonition and strive to live out our faith in practical ways, reaching out to the marginalized, serving the needy, and advocating for justice and righteousness. In doing so, may we become vessels of God's love and instruments of His peace, demonstrating to the world the transformative power of a faith that is alive and active.

A Tribute

A cardinal once said "a mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take."

When I think back on how Amachie (my mother) influenced our lives I have to start from when she taught us how to eat, to her guidance on reading and studying the Bible. Over the years we have come to love her imagination, patience, and creativity in dealing with the everyday things of life.

When I think of the times she has had to get our house cleaned up after a battalion of kids had gone through it during the day, I can imagine that she could probably only keep her sanity by having her office more organized and in order. At home we strove not for perfection, but to learn to love and care for one another.

Amachie’s a good sense of humor when things go wrong, has helped all of us to cope with life’s ups and downs. Her ability to recount our pranks and laugh about them later has helped us to stay away from trouble and grow up much faster. Another of her ways to make us relax and enjoy the little aggravations of the day is to sing and at times clap our hands. Sometimes in our journey it is good to poke fun at our peculiarities, laugh at the depressing thoughts and tease out our trivialities.

Her strong personality and her accomplished career speak volumes about the number of young minds she was able to influence. The fact that both Thoman and Ansu followed after her in their careers speaks volumes to her ability to transfer her knowledge and skills to her children.

Although her career was second to her family, she was successful in both areas because of her determination to succeed both at home and at work. She opted for a field of medicine that allowed her to keep a 9-5 day so she could be around when we got back from play in the evening. As her children, we were able to observe first-hand that it is possible to successfully run a household with dual careers.

When she was called to serve as a lay reader at St. Johns church she was not afraid of what the traditionalists thought of such a role. She fought her way through the tangled issues of traditions and culture without flinching on an issue that was vital for the future of many women lay readers. She always affirmed the best in the cultural traditions.

She is always looking for refreshing ways to approach prayer. She has a spontaneous yearning in her heart to worship, admire, praise, and exalt God. She has an earnest desire to ask for nothing but to cherish her relationship with God, to focus on nothing but God’s love. She enjoys praying, reading, and reflecting on God’s word. She believes strongly in prayer and acting upon her beliefs.

Nature speaks to our senses without words. The glory of God is revealed to us through the works of His hands. The ears that are open can hear God speaking to us through the things in nature. Amachie loves nature. Picnics at college hill, Palamathi, Kailas, or Toad were an important part of our family life. She saw the greatness and goodness of God the creator in every bird that sings, over every hill, and under every rock. She enjoys a refreshing walk through the forest, or by the lake. Bird watching and planting trees and flowers are her hobbies. Simply lying on the terrace on hot summer nights enjoying the cool nightly breeze staring up at the starry skies above was another of our past times growing up.

Appacha’s commitment to CMC enabled her to channel all her passion and hope into an institution she had grown to love as a medical student. Convinced that in serving CMC she was serving the larger vision of Christ to serve the sick, poor, and needy, she was able to put her faith into action that didn’t come merely from her academic background but more from her love for Christ. There were many times when Appacha and Amachie could have made the decision to pursue careers that would have made them more comfortable and better off financially. Yet they stayed their course, they did not turn back on their love for God and CMC. When we let God open our hearts and minds we find that we can go a long way in accomplishing much both physically and spiritually.

It is hard to explain what it means to be a loving family. A loving family is one where a strong commitment to care for one another is an unwritten commandment. It is a call to sacrifice one’s self for the betterment of others. It is the unselfish act of putting the other first over one’s own needs. It is a love that is indestructible, patient, and forgiving. It is to believe in one’s children even when the world thinks otherwise, to continue to polish them and work with them until over time the rarest and brightest jewel starts to shine forth. It is to go beyond one’s heartbreaks and still love and care for one’s own even when all others have given up all hope. A parent’s love remains a mystery even today. We understand how much God loves us when we compare their love with God’s love for us. They constantly strove to make us not to just look at the things that are seen but also at those that are unseen.

Having children of our own has led us to see and understand the price they had to pay for the years they cared for us. Yes, today is a good time to say our thanks to Amachie for the pain she had to bear when we were born to the additional years of pain that she faced over the years. No matter how much older we have grown, Appacha and Amachie still wait, watch, and hope for signs of improvement in us, their children.

Their lives reflect the humility of not having striven after the vanities of this world. They lead simple yet happy lives with not just material things but also the spiritual. This is certainly the way to grow old, to live in a community filled with family and friends who love and care for you and you can care for.

Happy! Happy! Happy! Happy Birthday Amma!!

Trinity

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:19-20 

 Often God is looked upon as the God of the Old Testament. Do we not look at Jesus as the God of the New Testament and the Holy Spirit mixed up between the Old and the New? There are some who would like to believe that the Trinity is three different stages of God. This view is rendered erroneous by the presence of God at the time of Christ’s baptism. Matthew says that when John the Baptist baptized Jesus, God spoke from heaven and declared that Jesus was His son in whom God is well pleased (Mathew 3:13-17). At that time the Holy Spirit descended upon Christ in the form of a dove (a symbol of the new creation after the flood destroyed all life on the earth Genesis 8). It is also a prophetic voice of David in Psalm 2:7, where God renews his covenant with the people and declares Jesus as his beloved son (Matthew 3:17), the chosen one, who will continue the Davidic line forever. 

As the old hymn goes, “God in three persons, blessed Trinity”. This is the understanding of the Trinity, where God is three persons and yet one in substance. Universally, to acknowledge God as the creator is easy since many people see God as the divine architect and creator of the world. The Binitarians see God as two deities and Unitarians see God as only one deity. Liberal theology tends towards the theory that Christ was fully human, while Jehovah’s Witnesses envisage Christ as a created angel. What distinguishes us as Christians is our faith that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God who came to redeem us all from our sins. We love and worship Him just as we do God the Father. The Holy Spirit is equally worshipped and glorified because we encounter Him in our daily lives. 

 John had been baptizing people with water and he prophesied that God would send someone who was far greater than John. This great man would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Here was John testifying to the fact that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit were different. The Holy Spirit was bestowed upon us by Christ to help us to preserve our commitment to God and to preserve us from the never ending fire of judgment (Matthew 3:11-12). The fire would burn away all those who are worthless because they are proud, unrepentant and do not want to change their ways. Baptism into the Christian faith symbolizes our willingness to obey Christ’s commands and to become His faithful followers. It is representative of the purging of our sins by water and the grace of God (1 Peter 3:21). It identifies us with other believers as being part of the Body of Christ. We live in a culture where we are too scared to let anyone be the center of our lives. A commitment of this intensity, to make Christ the center of our lives, could destabilize our own selfish goals and interests. The gospel of Matthew ends with the Great Commission. The gravity of these words had a tremendous impact on the lives of the disciples as these were Jesus’ last commands to them. This was to go out not only to the Jewish nations, but to all the nations of the world. Christ wanted them to teach all the nations to obey the commands that He has given us. He further expressly commanded them to baptize new believers in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

 From very early on there have been many who question the concept of the Holy Trinity (Arian Controversy). Christ clearly identified the Trinity as being three different entities, and in so doing clearly identified them as one by instructing the disciples specifically to baptize in the “name” and not “names”. We come to see a God who creates through the wonders of His creation, a God who teaches through the life, teachings, and work of Jesus, and a God who is present with us always as the Holy Spirit through our daily encounters with Him. As we live in His Spirit, walk with Christ, and celebrate the love of the Father, we grow in our understanding of the mystery of the Trinity. 

  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14

Tongues of Fire

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:3-4 

 It was during the Passover festival that Jesus was crucified. The city of Jerusalem had a gathering of the diaspora of Jewish visitors from all over the world. They all spoke diverse languages. Many believe that it was forty days following Passover that Christ ascended to heaven. It was on the fiftieth day that the Holy Spirit was given to the believers. 

Pentecost (meaning fiftieth) was the harvest festival that was held fifty days after Passover. (Exodus 23:14-17; Deuteronomy 16:16) Christians today remember this day as the Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given as a special gift from God for the entire world. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit was the fulfillment of a prophecy by Joel (Joel 2:28-32). From a spiritual dimension this was the day of spiritual harvest of 3000 believers who were touched by the Holy Spirit. 

St. Augustine says,“ Pentecost was prefigured in the Jewish Passover, for on the fiftieth day after the slaying of the lamb, Moses on the mount received the law written with the finger of God.” So for some Jews this day became more symbolic of the day when the Law was given on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19-23). It is believed that 50 days after the Israelites left Egypt the Ten Commandments were given to Moses. Just as Israelites saw clouds of smoke rising from Mount Sinai as the Lord appeared to them in flames of fire (Exodus 19:18), the disciples saw tongues of fire descend upon them and they were touched by the Holy Spirit. On that day the believers saw a powerful wind coming upon them. It signified the presence of God in their midst. Then they saw tongues of fire rest upon them as God touched their lives with the cleansing flames of His Spirit. 

Many celebrate the Church's birthday on this day. For us, Christ is the fulfillment of the Law that was given on Mount Sinai (John 1:17). The presence and power of the Holy Spirit renewed the lives of the disciples and empowered them to go and preach and teach the Word of God all over the world. Today we pray that we may be filled with the Holy Spirit that we may do ordinary and extraordinary tasks for God with fervor and dedication. Speaking in tongues has become, in some churches, a very important gift that fosters their growth and understanding of God. 

The story of the the Tower of Babel is still retold as a reminder to emphasize that people should not challenge God through pride and disobedience. It is an encounter with the Spirit of God which has an effect that is the opposite of what happened on Pentecost. It was a time when the whole earth spoke only one language. The people built the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:9) a monument to glorify their own greatness. Some believe that a powerful wind blew or a blazing fire burnt the Tower of Babel down. At that time the rebellious people were scattered all over the face of the earth, as they began to speak in different languages and could no longer understand one another. Pride and disobedience only leads to confusion. However on Pentecost God in his infinite wisdom brought people from different parts of the world to become one great movement of people glorifying God. The same we will all witness when Christ returns we will all gather together from all over the world as we glorify our Savior and Lamb of God (Revelations 7:9-10). 

A sailboat cannot go anywhere unless the sails are lifted up high so that the wind can blow upon them and push the boat onwards. We can see the Spirit of Christ working in our lives only when we are humble and obey the Word of God. It is when we allow the Spirit to work in our lives, and give to others the blessings we receive that we are filled more and more by the Spirit of God. 

Jesus said that He would not leave us alone. He promised to send the Holy Spirit to be our companion, comforter, intercessor, counselor, strengthener, and helper (John 15:26-16:15). He assures us that even when we go through the darkest days of our lives, the light of the Holy Spirit will shine through, strengthen us and enable us to endure the hatred and evil in the world. The Holy Spirit will teach and guide us to be a witness to the life of Jesus Christ and spread the gospel of his redeeming love. What is it that the Holy Spirit can do that we cannot do? By the power of the Holy Spirit our testimony will not only work in our own hearts but also convict the hearts of those who hear our message. Thus the Holy Spirit works in our hearts and minds to reach out to those who are in real need. 

As the lovely hymn goes, "It only takes a spark to get a fire going. That’s how it is with God’s love, once you have experienced it; you want to pass it on". Do you have a spiritual gift or a special gift that can be a blessing to your community? The apostles, once they were filled with the Spirit of God went through a transformation, went out to the entire world to preach the gospel message of love, peace, and grace.

Strangers

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: 

for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 

Hebrews 13:2 (King James Version)

Abraham was stunned to see three strangers standing in front of him when God came to him by the oaks of Mamre. Was Jesus, the Son of God, one of them? Did they have the disposition of travel weary ordinary men or did they have an angelic demeanor? Abraham asked his servants to wash the stangers' feet and he personally served them their food. “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,” is how Hebrews 13:2 says we should entertain itinerant Christians who depend on the support of Christian community. Is this not what Jesus reminded us would be His question on Judgment day (Mathew 25:31-46)? There is a profound spiritual dimension to our deeds of kindness and love to those in need, performed in Jesus' name. Abraham's hospitality to total strangers is the heart of the gospel message. 

 The strangers' appearance and their identity have piqued the curiosity of many of God's people for the last thousands of years. When Abraham saw them, he ran to greet them and welcome them into his home. He treated them like visiting royalty and threw them a worthy feast. When they enquired about his wife Sarah, he told them that she was around and in her tent. They then told him that in due time they would return and that Sarah would have a son. Sarah who was listening at the tent entrance, started to laugh. Here they stood, a couple well into their eighties or nineties, and these men were telling them that they would have a child very soon. 

Yet the promise of a child was the greatest blessing the couple had longed for. When the child was born, they named him Isaac, which means laughter. Yet in the midst of the good news, they also conveyed some bad news to the couple. They said that Sodom and Gomorah would be destroyed. The decadent lifestyle and inhospitability of these cities had upset God tremendously. Abraham was shocked and pleaded for the people and the cities. Knowing that his nephew lived there, he prayed to God to spare the city if there were at least 50, later 45, and finally 10 righteous people living there. Listening to God and Abraham negotiate, we are thankful that our God is compassionate and merciful. He is always waiting for us to return to Him and seek His forgiveness. We are glad that we can approach Him with our prayers and petitions. 

 Abraham's nephew, Lot, was probably the only one in the two cities who knew about God. Yet he was so in love with the city that at first he was not willing to listen to the warning of the three strangers. Sin had overrun this city. The men of the city were so far gone that they even craved for carnal relations with the three strangers. Finally as the city was being destroyed the three men had to drag Lot and his family away from the city. The family's love and attachment to the city was so intense that Lot's wife turned to look at the city as it burned down, although the three men had expressly forbidden them from doing so. She was turned into a salt statue for her disobedience. Lot and his two daughters escaped, only to go back into their sinful ways. 

 Do we, like Lot, find ourselves so absorbed in our own lives that we have no time to think and reflect on whether our attachment to our material possessions is greater than our love for God? Are we in awe of God's Word and His commands? Although Lot's behavior was far from perfect, God still delivered Lot. The judgment on the people of Sodom and Gomorrah was probably executed by completely natural means, but it is stunning that Abraham has recorded the incident as God working out His purposes. What do we understand about the nature of God from this incident? When Lot was told of the coming fiery judgment of God why did he continue to linger in the city? He had to be physically dragged away from the city. Do you think Lot feared being consumed by the punishment of God?

Christ in a Stranger’s Guise, 

I met a stranger yest’re’een;

I put food in the eating place,

Drink in the drinking place,

Music in the listening place;

And, in the sacred name of the Triune,

He blessed myself and my house,

My cattle and my dear ones,

And the lark said in her song,

Often, often, often,

Goes the Christ in the stranger’s guise;

Often, often, often,

Goes the Christ in the stranger’s guise

(A Celtic poem of hospitality)

Consuming Fire

Wherefore we receive a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:28-29 

Wildfires over a span of 15 years burned down 10,000 homes by the end of 2000 AD. Of these 860 were family homes in the year 2000. The natural vegetation that burned down in 2002, was more than 6 million acres of forests and wildlife habitat. The fires in the West are supposedly burning hotter than they did before because of misguided management practices. Just the practice of trying to suppress forest fires has prevented ecologically beneficial fires from performing their apparent purpose of clearing dense brush and ground fuels. Felling of trees for sale has removed many of the fire-resistant old-growth trees and replaced them with trees that will burn down very quickly. Last but not least, climate changes due to global warming have resulted in longer fire seasons and droughts that cause tremendous pressure on the forests leading to fires. 

 We see fires in many parts of the world that cause damage to property and wildlife. It is so easy for things of this world to burn up fast. Poor judgment and self-indulgence of some people result in irreparable harm causing people to suffer enormously. However, those who are in Christ are part of the immovable Kingdom of God. When fires burn in our lives that we cannot control, our spirits are strengthened in the knowledge and love of God. Are our lives built on the physical and material things of this world or the spiritual? 

 St. Paul is calling us to live a life of peace with our brothers and sisters in Christ. He says we should strive hard to live lives that are clean and holy. By caring for one another we will not miss out on the special blessings that God has in store for us. He is cautioning us to watch out for the bitter roots of unbelief that spring up like weeds in a lush green meadow. For these are like poison that kills and corrupts our spiritual lives. Godlessness and immorality will lead us away from God. 

 In the Old Testament, fire was associated with the presence of God (Deuteronomy 4:24). A forest fire sometimes cannot be controlled even by the most sophisticated equipment. In the same way God's flame cannot be controlled by anything from this world. In the flames of God only that which is clean and holy will be preserved. So let our prayers and supplications to God be with tears of repentance that are not a consequence of bitter disobedience but sweet obedience in the eyes of God. For it is only Christ who can save us from the flaming fires of God by His grace, a free gift from God through Christ. 

 What are some of the fire resistant immovable possessions that will stand the test of the all consuming flames of the living God? What should be our real security in the life we live in Christ? What will protect us from the hotter flames of God that will burn us up if we continue to live lives that are misguided by the false and new age teachings of this world? Are we doing anything that is preventing us from drawing closer to the all consuming flames of God? Are we living in an environment that is causing us to change and pressurizing us to live immoral and sensual lives? Paul goes on to explain, a life that is pleasing to God is:- 

1. Loving one another by doing good and sharing what we have with one another. 

2. Showing hospitality to strangers. 

3. Remembering the prisoners 

4. Remembering those being tortured. 

5. Living an honorable married life and preserving the sanctity of one's marriage vows. 

6. Freeing ourselves from the love for money and strengthening our reliance on God. 

7. Living a life of simplicity and contentment in what one has. 

8. Remembering our spiritual leaders and their lives that we may be imitators of them. 

9. Staying away from strange teachings and thoughts that may lead us astray. 

10. Keeping a clear conscious, being full of joy, and continuously offering sacrifices of praise and worship to our living God. 

 Today we live lives that are selfish, careless, and insensitive. We have lost sight of the flame of God that burns so brightly through the lives of those who love and serve God. We should strive to lead lives that are filled with awe and reverence of the presence of the living God. We should share our lives with all those in need, so much so that their problems are our own. We should never forget that when Christ comes again, all things that were created will be completely burnt up. All of God's creation is transient. A spiritual life that is continuously offering sacrifices of loving service, joyful praise, and true worship to the living God is one that will remain fire resistant, immovable, and unshakable through the consuming flames of God.

Spiritual Temple

“Coming to Him as to a Living Stone,

Rejected indeed by men, but 

Chosen by God and precious,

 

You also, as Living Stones, 

Are being built up a Spiritual House, 

A Holy Priesthood, 

To offer up Spiritual Sacrifices 

Acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

‭‭I Peter‬ ‭2:4-5‬ 

Simon was an ordinary fisherman by profession but after he was called to follow Jesus, became His disciple and joined Him in His early gospel ministry. One day when Jesus asked His disciples who He was, Simon said He was the, "Messiah, the Son of the Living God." Based on this revelation, Jesus changed the name of Simon to Peter. Jesus said, "On this rock I will build my church." Matthew 16:13-29 In an environment where everyone was looking at Jesus as a great prophet of the likes of Jeremiah, Peter called him the Messiah. If Jesus were to ask you that question in a similar situation, what would your answer have been? However it is interesting that the next story recorded by Matthew is Jesus speaking of His impending death. To which Peter said that he would never let anything deadly happen to Jesus. Jesus replies to Peter, "get behind me Satan". Why would Jesus name Peter the rock and still later call him Satan? 

How often do you think Peter thought of the time of Christ's reference to the rock? Peter had said that Jesus was the son of the living God. Thus in all likelihood Jesus referred to Peter's confession as the Messiah, as the rock on which Jesus would build the community of believers. To enshrine that moment of God's revelation to Simon on Jesus's true identity, Jesus changed Simon's name to Peter. However the meaning of the verse has been in dispute where many view St.Peter being the rock on which the early church will be built. 

In his epistle, Peter portrays Christ as the corner stone of God's Spiritual temple and each one of us are living stones (1Peter 2:4-8) . Which ties in well with the concept of Christ is the foundation of the church and we are the blocks. Thus we are described as living stones because in Christ we have a life that lasts forever (1Peter 1:23-25). It is through the enduring and unchanging Word of God that we come to hear and believe in the words of God. As Christians we are a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God. Each one of us are priests because we have Christ who is our mediator and chief priest through whom we have special access to God. As Christians we lay down our lives as living sacrifices to God to lead lives that glorify God. We glorify God when we sincerely love God and one another.

Peter wrote to encourage the struggling Christians to rejoice greatly whenever they faced trials of any kind. We have all been born again into a living hope of eternal life because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This hope is living because it is an incorruptible inheritance reserved for us in heaven (1 Peter 1:3-6). Peter wanted them to see the vision of a Spiritual Building, where we are living bricks that is in the process of being built. By ourselves we are just bricks, but when we find our niche in the temple we see the larger picture. We are all being built up brick by brick into something beautiful for God. Do we see the hands of a builder at work? If you were to watch a mason at work sometimes he chips and cracks the bricks at certain places, to make it fit appropriately into the spot that it best fits. So it is with God the master builder as he shapes and builds and forms us into the perfect position where we will fit in this Spiritual building where God himself dwells and shall be glorified. Do you see the Master Builder at work? 

Peter wrote this letter to cheer up (1 Peter 5:12) the early Christians by reminding them of the grace and presence of God that is always with them. It was a time when Doors of Faith (Acts 14:27) were being opened to people all over the world. People of different ethnicities were being drawn in. However along with this growth in the church, they were suffering through frightful persecution from the Romans. According to some historians, Emperor Nero watched Rome burn while he played his fiddle. They say he hoped to get rid of 2/3rd of Rome so he could build a larger palace. We don't know this for a fact but it was a  time of decadence. Nero blamed the Christians for the fire and he would indiscriminately crucify them and feed them to the lions. 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer called it costly grace where one is called to follow Jesus Christ at the cost of ones own life. “Grace is costly because God gave his son for us” he said. Bonhoeffer himself was executed by Hitler for his faith and has been a beacon of light to the persecuted church with his life and witness from prison. The living sacrifices made by Peter and the early Christians for their faith are amazing. Many people were killed and tortured under the Roman rule. During this period in history Peter was also executed. Peter in his letter refers to, "The end being very near." (1 Peter 4:7) The Christians during that period under went intense persecution and were fervently looking forward to the second coming of Christ. This thought continues to be on the mind of many even today. My inclination is that we not be so consumed by this thought that we are unable to do our daily tasks with equal fervor. The truth is that all of us one day will pass through the valley of the shadow of death. It is not very far away, maybe soon or after a few decades. Are we prepared? 

 Peter says that our faith is being tested to make us pure and strong. Just as fire tests and purifies gold, so do persecution and suffering's fiery trials test our faith (1 Peter 1:7). It is this faith that is more precious than pure gold to God. Peter in the midst of mass persecution was encouraging fellow believers to hold fast to the words of Jesus. He was making them see what blessings they had in store if they continued to hold fast to their faith in God. He wanted them to see themselves as part of God's great plan of being part of a Spiritual temple which is made of living stones that cannot be seen by human eyes, but spiritual eyes. Peter like Paul, is asking us to look at Christ who is the author and perfector of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). It is through the life and suffering of Christ we have the strength to endure. We are convinced that if Christ suffered, so should we as His disciples learn from His life to endure patiently. 

 He further warns us to beware of slipping back into our old ways (1Peter 1:14). He refers to that period in our life when we had not heard the gospel message as one lived in ignorance. He encourages us to stay humble and obedient children of God. As living testimonies to His message of hope. He points out some of the areas where we trip - malice, deceit, pretence to be good, hypocrisy, jealousy and backstabbing (1 Peter 2:1). Then he goes on to describe our role in the church (1 Peter 2:9, 17). He describes our raison d'etre as God's own people, a chosen people, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. He says we should love and respect everyone. He further says we should revere God and our leaders. He exemplifies a Christian life as one lived in Christian unity, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds (1Peter 3:8-9.) What does Peter mean when he says we clothe ourselves with humility toward others (1 Peter 5:5)? He emphasizes that if we have a clear mind and self control we will be able to know exactly how to pray (1 Peter 4:7-8) . He goes on to speak of the potency of love. If our zeal for our fellowbeings is ardent and sincere their faults will be drowned in our genuine love for them. 

How do you picture the church today ? Is it a fallible organization? If so why? Have you ever been hurt by the church and rejected it? How do forgiveness, reconciliation, restoration and healing affect our daily Christian lives? Who are those who are the weakest in the church today? Christ is calling us to serve the poor, homeless, mentally unstable, sick, suffering and the lost. They are the weakest in the church and the least in the world today. How much of our time do we spend with those in need? From Peter's letter we begin to see the church as a community of feeble people struggling to stay together by the power of love of Christ that is the center and dwells in us all. It is Christ the Son of the Living God who is our firm foundation, the rock on which we build our faith. 

Peter asks who can really harm us if we do good? He says even if we suffer we are blessed. Jesus said, God will bless us greatly if we were to suffer unjustly (Matthew 5:10-12). Nothing can destroy our Souls, this is what Jesus said is most dear to God (Matthew 10:28). We humble ourselves before God by casting all our cares and concerns in our life upon him. We learn to trust in him to be our Shepherd. Paul says that even if we get into squabbles with others let us do so with gentleness and respect. If we are to suffer let it be for doing good and not evil. The greatest endorsement that anyone can give to Christian living is if we can live lives worthy of our calling.(1 Peter 2:12). If we set a special place for the Living Christ in our hearts we will always be prepared to explain to people who ask us our reason for hope for the world (1 Peter 3:13-15). Peter is asking us to be shepherds of the flock not because of certain human conditions or money, but because we are willing to eagerly serve our Savior. Let us always cherish in our hearts the consciousness of the earthly life of our Chief Shepherd. The best testimony that we as Christians can give the world is lives lived according to the will of God (1 Peter 5:1-4).