Shalom: Shalom: Human temptation for temporary shelters…th...

Shalom: Shalom: Human temptation for temporary shelters…th...: Shalom: Human temptation for temporary shelters…than God !... : Jonah chapter 4: 3-10 Human temptation for temporary shelters…than God !!....

MARRY MAGDALIN ...IN MASTER'S TOMB....??

                                          MARRY MAGDALIN ...IN MASTER'S TOMB....??

Praise the Lord . I greet you in the name of triune God.   

For Today’s short meditation please turn your Bible with me, Gospel according to John 20:1-18. Vs. 1, 11-13,and 16-18.    

        The central truth of this story is the fulcrum of our Christian faith and mission.                 

   Insignificant one for God’s Significant Mission

The background of the fourth gospel could be traced back in the various religious movements and philosophies like Platonism, Stoicism, of the early century. In the opening words of this gospel, John asserted full divinity and full humanity of Jesus Christ.  After three and a half years of glorious ministry, Jesus was crucified. He died on the cross and buried in the tomb. But interestingly Jesus resurrected and came out of the tomb, overcome all the human strategies made against His resurrection.

Chapter 20 talks about that great event, which is the centre of the Christian faith. Vs.1-10 talks about the Mary’s visit to the tomb of Jesus and found the open tomb. She reported to Peter and John about open tomb so they came and enter in to the tomb and see the linen cloth and napkin in the tomb. Then, Peter and John went back to their own safety zone!.

Magdala is one of the towns in the province of Galilee. Mary is from that city. Jesus had cast out seven demons from her, that time onwards she became his follower. Here I would like to draw your attention to Mary Magdalene who went to tomb early in the morning. What made her to take a risky step like this?

Mary Magdalene a woman of devotion and unparallel  love

  Verse 11-13, narrates Mary’s discovery of the empty tomb. The gospel of Jesus does not end with his death and burial. The best evidence for his resurrection is the empty tomb and his appearance to his disciples in various occasions. The word ‘But’ contrasts Mary’s behaviour with Peter and John who have left from the tomb. Only John’s gospel tells us about “weeping Mary” at the tomb. The Greek word Klaio  using for weeping means ‘expressed profound grief’, ‘violent emotion’, ‘loudly cries out’, etc. The followers of Jesus could not visit to the tomb on the Sabbath because to make the journey in Sabbath would break the law.

When male disciples were shut the door and sitting and chatting. But this Marry rush to the tomb of Jesus, she had a strong desire to see Him at any cost. She wanted to express her loyalty, gratitude and love to Jesus, her saviour. Once she was suffered by demonic possession .In Lk. Ch 8:2, we see that Jesus cast out 7 demons from her. According to Jewish culture demonic possession is the curse and they become out cast in the society. She was hopeless and isolated from the socio-religious realm. By the physical weakness, she was cut off from everywhere. But Jesus gives her hope and He made her something from nothing. He restored things what were lost in marry. Today she is not only free from the bondage of demon but also from the mental depression and socio-religious oppressions. Yes, dear beloved- these are the reasons of her love, devotion and gratitude towards her saviour. She expresses her thanks at the suitable time in an appropriate way.

‘There was a poor shepherd, who was unexpectedly elevated to the position of king. During the course of time he became prominent among surrounding nation by defeating them. Once he got a great victory. This king expressed his thanks and loyalty to his God by dancing publically with his servants. Seeing this dancing the queen got an angry and tried to stop him. Queen asked king why you are acting like a vulgar fellow shamelessly. The king answered to queen, “honey... I was not worthy to the prince of this nation and your husband, but by the grace of my God I came thus far...” Once I was nothing.. and neglected by my parents and brothers. I was a big zero before others, but my almighty lifted up me as a Hero” !!. He is none other than David, the 2^nd  king of Israel. Dear beloved in Christ I believed this is the story of most of us. This unshaken love was the driven force behind Mary’s early morning visit to tomb of Jesus.    Dear, what is our gratitude and devotion towards our loving God??

Marry magdalin symbol of courage and boldness .  Let’s see what were the things she had to fear about?.

femininity: marry was an ordinary woman .Even men are fearful to go in lonely cemetery in the early morning. No women dare to go in the early morning, even in noon time..? but here one women going a cemetery.

Darkness and Tomb also a great challenge:    No one was willing to visit tomb in this time according to scholars this dawn means 3-6 am. But she is willing to visit tomb at any time because her love and gratitude compelled her to did so.

Roman soldiers: in Mtt. 27:65.  Pilate gave a group of cruel soldiers for keeping the tomb and body of Jesus.

Big Rock and Roman imperial Seal. She overcomes all the above mentioned hindrances. She was not bothered about the consequences from the various places.  My dear believers, most of us are facing many of problems in our Christian journey. It may be economical crisis, sick, rejection from our own family or society. Let me encourage you that, only by the fearless faith and the help of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome all the stumbling blocks and problems. When we read Rom.:35-38, Apostle pictures certain things and asking.... who shall separate us from the love of Christ? We can see that, only weeping marry could talk with Jesus and angels. John and peter saw only linen cloth buy she saw the author of the universe. What is our response to God in various difficult satiations?              Prepared  by. Prasad Abraham valanjavattom

Shalom: Human temptation for temporary shelters…than God !...

Shalom: Human temptation for temporary shelters…than God !...: Jonah chapter 4: 3-10 Human temptation for temporary shelters…than God !!. Ø Temptation to temporary protections Ø Unexpected Atta...

Shalom: Human temptation for temporary shelters…than God !...

Shalom: Human temptation for temporary shelters…than God !...: Jonah chapter 4: 3-10 Human temptation for temporary shelters…than God !!. Ø Temptation to temporary protections Ø Unexpected Atta...

Human temptation for temporary shelters…than God !!.

Jonah chapter 4: 3-10

 Human temptation for temporary shelters…than God !!.

Ø Temptation to temporary protections

Ø   Unexpected Attacks by unpredicted time

Ø Self-centered life leads to self-destructions

  

Jonah could not accept that the Lord has forgiven the people of Nineveh. He finds a place outside the city and settled down and waited to see what would happen to the city. He was probably still hoping that God would change his mind and take action against the city. As he waited, Jonah made himself a temporary shelter and God graciously caused a bush to grow up around him and giving protection from burning sun. Jonah greatly cherished the shelter of this bush.

While Jonah waited for the judgment of God to fall upon Nineveh, the Lord sent a worm to eat the bush. At the same time, the Lord sent a strong wind and extreme heat. Without the shade of the bush, Jonah struck by the sun with all its intensity. He weakened under the heat. Jonah cried out to God to take his life because he was angry that the Lord had taken the bush from him.

When asked by God if it was right to be angry about the bush. Interestingly, Jonah responded by telling to the Lord that he has every right to be angry, even to the point of death. From Jonah’s perspective, things couldn’t have been any worse. He was in a foreign land .The heat was intolerable. God seemed unjust. As far as Jonah was concerned, the only thing that had gone his way in the last few weeks was that the bush grows up around him. Now God had even taken that from him.

See, how Jonah claimed this bush as his own, and how he failed to surrender all he had to the Lord. The Lord not only has the right to give, he also has the right to take away. How often do we receive the blessings from God and claim them as ours. There are days when all our plans seem to get changed, we have to admit that we get upset and become short-tempered. The fact of the matter is nothing is ours. It belongs to the Lord who can choose to do with everything as he pleases. We must learn to let him do whatever he pleases with all the blessings he has given us.

The Lord questions Jonah’s concern for the bush. Why had he shown concern for this bush and no concern ever for the eternal destiny of an entire city? The people had been held in spiritual darkness. For so long that they could not distinguish their right from their left .In other words, they did not even know the difference between right and wrong any more. In reality, the question of God to Jonah was this “why are you so concerned about your temporary comforts and completely ignore those who perish all around you?”  

The world in which we live resembles the city of Nineveh. It is filled with people who do not know their right from their left. Many people do not know the truth of God. Here what is our response to this situation? Are we like Jonah, who spent his time wrapped up in his own world, which is concerned only about our personal comfort? Our possessions are real blessing from God, but they must not take us away from the will of God.

When the children of Israel wandered through the desert, God fed them day after day with manna from heaven. One of the things the Lord told his people was that they needed for each day. Any manna left over would spoil. In this way had to rely upon the Lord on a daily basis. God knew human nature was such that it would always be grasping for more. If his people were permitted to accumulate possessions, their lusts would soon get the best of them and nothing else would matter.

The question that each of us must ask ourselves is, what is our bush when compared with that of Jonah? What is it that consumes our time, energy, talents and money and takes us away from time in the Word and service for God to account of our life? How will our priorities measure up to God’s expectations? Will they be in tune with the priorities of God?

May the Triune God Help us to surrender for His will and help to find out what would be the bush in our personal life which is leading us away from God’s expectations. Amen

If really you blessed through this message, kindly introduce this blog to other.   God bless you abundantly

JWP. edited  by   Prasad V Abraham, Valanjavattom

Shalom: God,s love,peace.

Shalom:

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit, led by the spirit of God..

Eph.4:25-32 ::: v.30 – “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption” . The grieving of the Holy Spirit of God defined as defiling one’s Holy Spirit. Paul exhorts through his epistles not to quench the Spirit (1 Thess.5:18) and not to disregard God who gives his Holy Spirit (4:8), thereby attempting to resist the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51).

However, the idea of grieving the Holy Spirit is unique to Ephesians in the New Testament, and appears to have taken up the similar thought from Isaiah 63:10 that states, “But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit”. Here the word, “to grieve” means “to hurt, to cause pain, to provoke to wrath, to irritate and so on”. In other words, the passage can be reread as “But you shall take care and be alert that you do not grieve the Spirit of the Lord” or “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit who is in you, and do not extinguish the light which has been lit in you”.

The disappointing and saddening language of “grieving the Holy Spirit” is identified with an individual’s words and deeds. It is not a question of some offense aimed directly at the Holy Spirit that causes grievousness but rather the offenses committed by an individual from the faith community that are being mentioned in the earlier verses – such as, speaking falsehood, harbouring anger against the other, stealing from the poor and needy, deity worship in any form, verity of sins and works of the flesh (Gala.5:19-21) and so on, causes grievances to the Holy Spirit. In other words, any individual within the faith community that commits sinful words and deeds cause more grievousness to the Spirit, because they have been sealed in the Spirit for the day of redemption. Sins that disrupt communal life disrupt and oppose the work of the Holy Spirit. Thus, God is hurt when an individual’s sinful action that harms their brothers and sisters. Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh but those who want to lead  pure Christian life who set his/her minds on the things of the spirit, they can only please  God (Rom.8:8)

Further, defiling one’s Holy Spirit is connected with sins of the mouth. The scripture states, “they defiled their Holy Spirit and opened their mouth with a blaspheming tongue against the law of the covenant of God. Passages from 1Thess.5:18,19 and Eph.5:18,19 & 6:17 reflects the intimate link between speech and the Spirit. Hence, the misuse of the organ of speech is accordingly a wrong done to and felt by the Spirit who claims to control it. Using the hateful words against one’s brothers and sisters within the faith community distresses the Holy Spirit who binds that community together.

It’s important to note that the language of the Holy Spirit is “reconciliation within diversity”. He does not speak the language of unanimity or uniformity but unity in diversity within the faith community. In fact, the Holy Spirit is not only the God in us but also God between us. He dwells in our midst to create a sense of social quest, thereby building bridges between people and not letting them to live in an island of isolation. Hence, this prominent function of the Holy Spirit in building social, communal and corporate dimension of our faith provides us insight as to the reason for His grievousness. That is, when the language of unity is disrupted with words that divide, then the Holy Spirit is grieved.

Indian Christian theologian like Chenchiah also understands the work of the Holy Spirit within a social dimension, over against marginalizing the work of the Spirit to an individual piety. He finds Holy Spirit being active in all sphere of life. Such an understanding leads us into a new continuing humanity based on the role of the Holy Spirit in the social dimension of the gospel. On a broad level, it accommodates both the regeneration of humanity and the renewal of the whole creation. However, when human living is flagged with corruption and self-destruction to disrupt the creative handiwork of God, the Holy Spirit is grieved.

Therefore, my beloved  let us commit this day not to grieve the Holy Spirit, who is continuously at work both in creation and in the redemptive plan of God in building the community of faith. Lets pledge to speak the language of unity in spite of diversity and not defile our mouth to sin. Lets also confess our sinful words and deeds that caused grievousness to the Holy Spirit, since they have been sealed for the day of redemption. All who are led by the spirit of God are children of God (Rom. 8:14) Who you are....?     

T Manoj edited by Prasad V Abraham, Valanjavattom  

Jesus Christ ,The Divine Healer. Jehovah Raffa !!

v  Health is the wealth by God. In an energetic person have harmony on the physical, psychological, spiritual and social realm. When there is an disproportion, healing becomes necessary.

v  Modern medicine restricts itself only to the body, neglecting the subtle dimensions of the human personality. Holistic healing by Jesus always has triple focus- on the mind, the soul and the body. Forgive led formation

v  Human body is both the living sacrifice and the temple of God. Eco-friendly life style is uphold the art, beauty and rhythms of life.

‘Manushasnehi’ a Malayalam Magazine recently published an article related the hopeless condition of modern medicines and hopeful of God’s healing power. The author says that, “If you had a disease you definitely consult a doctor, because he /she needs to live, when you got the prescription you must buy the medicine because they need to live, once you got the medicine you should put it into the waste box because you also need to live”. One of the retired professors of Kottayam medical college, kerala says that “the patient must be well aware that all the medicines are directly or indirectly poison especially in allopathic system. The intake of medicines has result in the increase of diseases”. All medicines have side effects because there are not miracles. From a chemists' point of view, designing a good medicine is difficult because you need to design a drug that binds and activates/inactivates one single type of target in a cell without binding to and affecting any of the other millions of molecules in the body.

Many meds come with documentation in the package which shows the result of double blind studies. That documentation will give you a rough idea of what the chance is of getting a side effect. Each and every treatment modalities of modern medicines causes’ lot of side effects starting from the hair falling to skin allergy, kidney failure, imbalance of B.P and Chronic diseases like cancer. Also it seriously affects the economical conditions of the family due to the extinctive and expensive treatment. These physical and economical problems may leads to some psychosomatic imbalance in human nature. In other words modern medicines and diagnostics are harmful to living self and destroy the very beauty and rhythm of the human life.

Physical health is the overall condition of a living organism at a given time, the soundness of the body, freedom from disease or abnormality and the condition of optimal well-being. Life and physical health are precious gifts entrusted to us by God. We must take reasonable care of them because health is the real wealth. Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains forever in a special relationship with the creator. Healing itself was considered one of the grounds that creative spiritual powers were working through human being. God’s healing through Christ makes the person to grow both physically, psychologically and spiritually.

Holistic healing in free of coast:-          

Jesus’ healing was a holistic journey from brokenness to wholeness and fullness of life. But modern medicines can never give the holistic healing. Holistic health is a state in which an individual is integrated at all levels of being; body, mind, spirit and emotions. It is a state of well-being; not a mere absence of disease; but a dynamic ever expanding, self motivating experience towards achieving a purposeful and vibrant life style. The strongest message of the holistic health movement is that physicians are not responsible for the quality of a patient’s health. Holistic healing knowledge systems are associated with the positive building up of body immunity, while the allopathic tradition is more interventionist and attacks disease in isolation from its context, often with further medical repercussions in terms of side-effects.

Allopathic medicine restricts itself only to the body, neglecting the subtle dimensions of the human personality. These medicines with its scientific approach have become the dominant paradigm in the 20th century. It views the world as a mechanical device and leaves out the inter relationships between the mind, body, and spirit, the psychological biochemical aspects of the disease. In the holistic healing, the cause of any disease is understood in terms of the whole person and not in terms of a particular organ or tissue. The conventional practitioners of medicine have three reasons to ignore the mind-body healing methods:1)Pharmaceutical(mafia)and insurance industry controls and commercialise the healing. 2) high-tech gadget and computers focus on organ systems of body, like parts of a machine.3) the standards of law, science, and business ethics require the medical practitioners to conform to the prevailing system. There is an ample evidences reveals that the unholy- nexus of medical-blade-Lab-Pharmacy. Unfortunately, now a day’s majority of ‘Christian mission hospitals’ are corporate profit oriented business firms than service oriented.

The ethics of medical practitioners are often questioned, as there is a medical lobby working to exaggerate the physical ailments of the patients. Often the ailments are too exaggerated and severe medications are advised by the doctors. The doctors and the representatives of medical companies work hand in hand to maximise their earnings at the cost of the patients’ lives. It has to note that the share market boom has largely supported by the pharmaceutical companies whose share alone will not go down on any bear run. They are always the bull horns that maintain the share market hype. They are largely supported by the medical practitioners who advocate their medicines receiving several perks furnished by these companies. They are mutually benefitted and the common person who becomes the patient becomes the scapegoats.

There are several proofs that these medicines are manufactured in small scale industries in the villages of India where the production cost is so minimal and at the same time the quality is at stake. Now the production, manufacturing and marketing of medicines also become a profitable and compatible business. The side effects of the medicine makes the patients further more complicated patients and this lead to a complex system of diseases where the patient becomes a dependant customer of medicines. The ethics of the medical practitioners has to be questioned with suspicion. India has become a dumping ground for many banned drugs; the business of producing banned drugs is booming. Not many people know about these banned drugs and consume those causing side effects that can damage their bodies. This problem keeps on aggravating as some of the important dangerous drugs that are globally discarded are available in India.  Here comes the importance of holistic healing practices where the side effects are nothing and the complex system of medicine lobbying is completely zero. Here the patient himself or herself can be the healer and thereby accentuating the doom of medical lobbying. 

A urgency of Eco-friendly, God cantered life style

Every medicine has some side effects or risks associated with their use, although most people take medicines and claim that our science and technologies are the gifts of God. So we use our potentiality for our sake. We are tempted with modern life style so we wanted medicines for our curing. Holistic health is not an easy way to be healthy, it is a life style. It is a difficult path, sacrifice of some of our ingrained habits, addictions, phobias, and obsessions. We must avoid our blind western imitation of food, dress, cosmetic products and habits.

  As Christians we more talk about the ecological problem and we are more concern about community healing which is not found because of not having personal healing and just basing on medical healing. If we are aware of personal healing the rest will be healed. Medical mission and hospitals have converted Healing ministry to profit mission. Unfortunately today churches also became the promoters of these centres because they want us to tempt with modern food patterns, rapacity and life style.  

 Holistic healing is not a miracle. It is a ‘way of life pattern and culture’ and everyone can experience it. I believe that Jesus never did a miracle like magicians, but the gospel writers interpreted healing as a miracle.(Gospel of John use the word ‘Sign’ of Jesus). Everyone can heal one’s body those who seek the way of life. The healing becomes effective when there is a strong faith and a concern for fellow beings.  Even secular Holistic healing centres have also scientifically proved that one. But we think that we need medicine because we get tempted. James 1:13-15 he said that God himself tempts no one but one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it. Then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. Do not be deceived, my beloved.

In nutshell, Healing is a gift of God. Healing is ‘the process of being restored to bodily wholeness, emotional well-being, mental functioning, and spiritual aliveness’. In a healthy person there is harmony on the physical, psychological, spiritual and social level. When there is an imbalance, healing becomes necessary. But allopathic medicine restricts itself only to the body, neglecting the subtle dimensions of the human personality.  Healing needs to focus on the mind, the soul and the body. It is holistic and is represented in the integral part of the gospel. Jesus heals the body, soul and spirit. Healing which is holistic should be the part of Christian mission. Church’s mission of healing calls for a holistic approach to the human person. The ultimate goal is to enable the person to assume responsible to one self, to heal oneself by modifying all type of harmful attitudes, values, and habits and prepare eco friendly, veg-oriented, simple life styles that taught by our Lord Jesus. God bless &help you to realize His way.  Amen. 

Prepared  by. Binu J. & ed. by Prasad V.Abraham. Valanjavattom.

Immense Food Harvest in the Desert. “Manna,” exclaiming for an Alternative Food System

Text: Exodus 16: 1-8; 13-27.

      In a biblical perspective, food can be viewed from a physical, social, moral and spiritual dimension. Or in other words, Food, faith and justice are inextricably bound together.

      Here Manna is an example for a ‘just food system’ that challenges the modern food structure which is only profit motives and inhuman.

      Mahatma Gandhi says, God created everything for fulfil human need not for human Greed.

      Unhealthy accumulation of wealth, earth & food by minority may lead vast majority to become poor. We need an indigenous food culture & agricultural system for self-sufficiency  

Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese agricultural scientist and a farmer who invented the natural way of farming says, “I believe that a revolution can begin from this one strand of straw. When seen at a glance, this rice straw may appear light and insignificant. No one can believe that it could start a revolution. But for me, this revolution is very real.” He envisions this farming method as an alternative to the modern agricultural practices that destroys earth and dehumanizes farmers. His farming method lies on deep ecology and deep spirituality that he doesn’t use any fertilizers, herbicides or not even plough the land. With this alternative method, he harvested about 1,300 pounds of rice from a quarter acre of his land which is one of the greatest harvests in the whole country.

The text before us also shows a great harvest in the desert. The main purpose of this tradition is to show that the people arrived at the land of cannan was entirely due to the power and care of YHWH. Later, as we seen in psalms, this tradition was inculcated into the worship of the Jewish community. 

The rabbinic Midrash finds this manna story as an endless source for homiletical reflection. The manna stories were also frequently used by early church fathers as a homiletical vehicle for a great variety of themes.  Later on, Ibn Ezra tried to identify biblical manna with our common food. According to modern scholars and scientists, manna, the heavenly bread may be the sap of some trees or an excretion from some insects in the deserts. Whatever may be this substance, the food that God given to the Israelites was considered as a gracious & divine sustenance in the wilderness. 

I.       Manna as a food that reaffirms the cosmic relationship:-

Every food that is being prepared had to undergo three phases. Firstly, the nature should bestow enough resources for the preparation of the food. Since it is processes that take place in the nature, it is dependent on many factors like time, seasons, climate and so on. In the second stage, the resources should be converted into a food which is edible for human beings. As this stage is entirely in the hands of human beings, the sharing of food must be happened here. Finally after a period of time, the food must be decomposed into its basic components. This character of the perishing enables the food to be shared with other living beings including micro organisms. In short the food cycle must include the involvement of the nature, human beings and other living organisms.

In this context, manna as a food plays an important role in maintaining the balance between nature, human and other fellow creatures. Manna is a raw material that is conditioned by the nature in such a way that it had overcome all the attempts to disturb the normal process of food production. V.27 says some persons went to gather food on the Sabbath day, which is intended to be a day of rest for the earth. Their actions reveal the human attempts of interfering into nature’s production process and breaking the relationship. Similarly V.17 says, that some people tried to gather more food and some less. The grammatical construction of the verb ‘gathered less’ in the original text signifies that the accumulation of the food by some people had caused some others to get less. This shows the early attempts by unjust power structures to disturb interpersonal relationships by the accumulation of food. Similarly, the effort for storing the food for the next day, in V. 20 shows human desire to override the perishability of the food. Manna was only available for human consumption for only a certain period of time fixed by the nature. After that it was decomposed and was available to be used by other living beings. This decomposing nature of manna had overturned all the intentions to accumulate food and hoarding it. The Moreover it has also become a provision intended for food for the other non- living beings inside the camp. In other words through manna, God’s vision to establish a cosmic relation of food with nature, fellow human beings and other living beings is accomplished.

Today’s context also explicates many attempts to disturb this cosmic relation of food. Farming, which has now become an agribusiness, forces the nature to surrender its ‘resources’, which are then manipulated to fulfil human greedy purpose. The efforts of Genetic Modification to combine the genes of animals and plants that will not normally mix in nature show intense human efforts to disturb this balance. The reports recently published by the central university of Punjab noted that there is excessive use of chemical fertilisers there and is steadily increasing even in the ground water which is assumed to be very safe. The groaning of the creation mentioned in Romans Ch. 8 can also be compared to these injustices done to the nature itself.

The modern science and technology coupled with capitalism, is now trying to extend the perishability of food by complex techniques for the benefit of human beings. The latest technology for food preservation includes gamma radiation to the foods so that it can be stored for long periods of time with out deterioration. The attempt to extend the perishabilty of food in form of food packaging, processing and preserving will cause a decline in the nutritive value of food as well as an increase in its cost.

Therefore when the nature and its resources are plundered by profit motivated interests, the manna story demands the need of an alternative food culture which reaffirms the cosmic relationship. We as a faith community are called to address and respond to this issue and to give a hope to the groaning of the creation. In addition to this cosmic relationship of manna, we can also able to find out that through Manna as a food that upholds the concerns of the community.

II. Manna as a food that uphold the concerns of the egalitarian civilization

The food that we eat is closely related to the culture of a community, they are the products of the reflections discoveries and technologies and of a community. In this passage manna can be considered as a food to the community. The name ‘manna’ itself is given by the Israelite community. The meaning of manna means ‘what is it?’ which signifies its undomesticated character. No selfish or profit motivated interests are allowed to rule over this food system. As the manna is not an end product or a ready-made food, the whole community is invited by YHWH to partake in the food gathering process. The sabbatical regulation concerning the food was given to protect the weak in the community. The fair supply of manna denoted a food security in the community level. Here a comparison of the food economy in this passage to the food economy in the Egypt at the time of Joseph, mentioned in Genesis 47 is worthwhile. Here in this passage, the supply of manna is expressed as the ‘rain of bread’ which means the universal and fair supply of food, whereas the Egyptian food system in Joseph’s time is highly exploitative. The people there are forced to sell their land, livestock, seeds, and finally themselves in order to purchase food.  In short, the overall character of manna is community oriented. It had spoiled the thoughts of at least some people who tried to commodify and privatize this food. Similarly the undomesticated character of manna signifies that the food system should not be manipulated by human interests. This ancient food system can be contrasted with the western agricultural practices that dominate over the seed, food and its processing techniques. The privatization of seeds, foods through patents and Intellectual Property Rights(IPR) and the use of food as a political weapon for bargaining among nations are clear examples of this privatising and commoditising the food. The Seed Act of our country has already resulted in stopping farmers from seed saving, seed exchange and seed reproduction. Our country needs indigenous agricultural technologies make not create a dominating attitude on food. This is similar to God’s vision of creation to be owned by all. Jesus also used food and the parables of feast as tools for build an inclusive community. The Lord’s Prayer that Jesus taught also reflects this same concern for the community. Eucharist, the feast of the church, has a community affirming character. It is a great banquet in which the faith community receives the food and drink and get nourished. It is also a promise of the eschatological fullness and inclusive human community. The breaking of bread in the Eucharist is a purposive act that symbolises the sharing of bread. It is also an act that realizes the human labour as a creative and contemplative movement with the earth to bring the earth to its fullness. The story of manna challenges us to restore food to its rightful and necessary place in the community through common labour as well as celebrations.

Finally, let us look why this manna, the alternative food culture narrative is so important for a royal community like us? The context of this passage reveals that Manna is a symbol for God’s presence and providence in the desert. It can be considered as God’s call or an invitation for those who seek new engagements in an unknown land.

Alternative foods are the rights of a community who believe that another world is possible. Being addicted to the modern food culture, which is basically built up around the logic of exploitation, we have to identify that the alternative agricultural practices are the symbol of God’s providence in our new alternative engagements. Manna for Masanbu Fukuoka may be the natural farming, for India it may be the zero-budget farming and so on.

As members of the church and responsible citizen, we are called to see the food concern as a faith issue. Church as a faith community must able to join hands with the people’s movements who address this issue in our society. It must able to resist the oppressions and take risks in the search for a new society. If so manna, the alternative food will appear revealing God’s providence in these life engagements where we are called to. May the Holy Spirit give us the boldness to recognize and chose alternative food culture. Amen

Prepared by Sudeep A O & ed. By. Prasad .V Abraham. Valanjavattom.

Shepherd's Voice

The scripture portion for today’s meditation is taken from Gospel according to Mathew,9:14-17 

This particular passage starts with a crucial question and a complaint to Jesus by the disciples of John the Baptist. Their accusation is very serious that is, the disciple of Jesus did not fast like them and the disciples of Pharisees. This same incident we can also see in gospels of Mark. 2:18-22 and Luke. 5:33-39. So the synoptic gospels give much importance in this particular question that was raised by people. But Mathean narrative only tells us that the disciples of John came to Jesus with complaints. Marken and Luken narratives says that some people came to Jesus and reported that both the disciples of Pharisees and john the Baptist ware fasting and why your disciple deny the very importent Jewish rituals like fasting?. Instead of fasting they are always feasting and resting with you. 

Let me tell a story. 

There was a pujari in a village temple. He used to do all the activities of the temple. He had pet cat with him. The cat accompanied him wherever he goes and whatever he does, including pooja’s time. The little cat used to sit silently with him when he conducted the Pooja in the temple. This became a normal practice and people thought that a cat is necessary to conduct the Pooja . After the death of this pujari and the little cat pujari’s son took charge of the temple. He believed that the cat is an essential part of the Pooja. So he tried to bring a street cat with him for the daily Puja . But the innocent cat tried to escape from him and destroyed all the elements of the pooja. He thought that the Pooja will be incomplete without the cat. Finally he tiedup the cat in a basket and kept the basket in the pooja room and continued his ritual. 

Dear friends, in our Christian life we do a lot of actions and activities without knowing the meaning and the essence of it. 

So, I would like to begin this devotion with 3 questions? 

1) Is Jesus a law breaker or anti-fasting propagator? 

2) What was the intention behind the people’s blaming? 

3) For Jesus, What was the theological base for fasting? 

There for I entitled my first point as : 

FASTING: A RITUAL OR RIGHTS. 

This pericope is a controversy passage which has two parts. First part is that, the disciple of john raised question about non-fasting. Second part is that the threefold answer of Jesus with two analogies. Jesus’s response was an invitation to the idea of Messianic Jubilation expressed specifically in the imagery of the bridegroom and his attendants. 

The bride groom imagery in the O.T refers to God the father.(Isai 54: 5-6 and 62:5). In N.T, this bridegroom imagery is applied to Christ Jesus,(11cori.11:2 and Rev.19:7). So the answer through the imagery is that, only fasting will be justifiable when ‘the days are coming, the bridegroom will be taken away from them’, ie., after the earthly ministry and death of Jesus. 

Mathew thus, advice the Church about the need of Jewish practice of fasting, but in a new perception and perspective. He instructed in new regulations for fasting and prayer, that is entirely different from their old ritualistic understanding. In Mat.6:5 &7, Jesus teaches about the attitude of prayer. Before he taught the model prayer to his disciple, he taught them about the hazardous of artificial and fake prayer. Prayer is nothing but thanksgiving, submission and supplication before God from the depth of our heart. In Mat.6:16, he taught about the rules of Fasting with new vision. Pharisees were a ritual oriented Jewish sect who was often took fasting as a ritual. But Jesus publically called them as hypocrites because of their self-boasting and self-righteousness. Their fasting and practices are for self –justification and not for a praxis oriented nature. (Lk.18:11-12). So Jesus vigorously answer that he is not the law breaker but fulfiller and re-establishes of Laws. 

Fasting is not something new that brought by Jesus but it is a custom of Jewish tradition and the commands of O.T and it was only re-introduced by Jesus. But at the same time he strongly condemns and discourages the hypocritical attitude of fasting. Our lord Jesus is the foremost and the best example and the role-model of our fasting and prayer. His earthly ministry was started with 40 days and nights of fasting. He realised the dynamic power of fasting. The supreme secret of the victory of his earthly ministry was nothing but the vibrant authority and passion that was received through the fasting. Jesus instructed his disciple that, only by the paranormal power of fasting and prayer that satanic power and all the manifestation of evil spirit will cast out (Mt.17:21). 

The Biblical notion of fasting is not the absents of feasting but seating the presence of God, and if we boasting about your fasting that did not be lasting but losteing the values and wasting the time and if we tasting the power of fasting that will be arrest our lust and correct the rest of life. The Church as the bride and the body of Christ have the bounded obligation and rights that we should obey our bridegroom’s commands. 

2). Newness of Gospel must be experienced with in new perspective. 

Vrs. 16 -17. Jesus replied to the disciple of John with two analogies vividly that the new things cannot simply be superimposed upon within the frame work of the old. The new wine is the newness of the gospel and the old wineskins are the established pattern of righteousness and conduct of the Torah. Both analogies pointed out that no one combine new with old. If they do, certain undesirable consequence will follow. Here Jesus proposes not to combine the two and preserve the two good patterns. But the new reality of the gospel requires new skins. That is the new patterns of conduct based on the ethical teaching of Jesus Christ. 

Here the view point of Mathew is crystal clear that both are preserved, that is new wine and old wineskin. In other words, the newness of the gospel and the Jesus’ new interpretation of the Torah. For Mathew, gospel and law are held together in the church but the standard of the interpretation of the law and traditional ritual should be seen only through the frame work of the teaching of Jesus. But from the Marken narrative it could be understood that both new wine and new skins should preserve and not like Mathean intention. Through the answer, Jesus attacked the attitude of wearing any kinds of traditional spiritual masks. The external practices and appearance without internal spiritual formation was condemned by him. 

Dear beloved, this is the exact time for our self-examination. We Christians are called by God as an instrument for fulfilling his mission in the world. This is our training episode and formation era for the entire realm of our life. Many times we proudly boast and highlight our bold theological vision and traditions but unfortunately and unknowingly deny and disobey the very fundamental teachings which are taught by our Lord. Fasting is not something an utopian teaching by the church but it is very profound biblical and theological oriented doctrine. Are we put on the spiritual masks like Pharisees, and then the Bible will brand us as hypocrites. We nourished and cherished by the traditions and theologies but if we perished ourselves in the basic doctrinal matters, what is the use of our Christian ministry and life.? 

This is the high time to evaluate our life. According to the church calendar the lent is coming soon. So this is the right time to prepare our mind and thoughts according to the word of God. The biblical understanding of fasting aims that not for the perishing material prosperities but a spiritual and physical nearness with God and accumulates the everlasting power that equips us for facing tomorrow. In short, “fasting is not a vacant belly but an unblemished abundant heart; it’s an experience of Breaking, melting, mourning, and moulding”. Not only for this lent season but each of the days and throughout our life we must experience the newness of the Gospel,that is new wine in new wineskin. Serve the Lord and to witness in our society with this newness. For me, “Christianity is not a religion with bundle of rituals like others but it is a precious culture and a ‘uncomplicated simple way of life’ that was taught by Jesus Christ”. Amen