Rev. Fr. George C Varughese

Tel. 2564 5516,  Mbl. 6694 2888

          Dear blessed in Christ,

Hope all of you have prepared for the Harvest festival of our Parish.  This reminds me of my childhood days, when we visited the Church grounds on Edavaka Perunal day, holding the hands of our guardians, hopping through the stalls, seeing and savoring the taste of the village food in Kerala.  The same is going to happen this year too, but with a difference.  Cross your fingers, as we are going to be a part of the history. The date 11/11/11 will be the date of one of the biggest events we are hosting, which includes not only our Harvest festival but also a warm and hearty welcome to our Bava Thirumeni who is on his maiden visit to Kuwait after assuming the throne of Catholicose, and above all, the historic celebrations of the 100^th year of the re-establishment of the Catholicate at Malankara. 

Our elders had taught us “Don’t forget that, you shall reap what you sow, always”.  When most of us think about the concept of reaping what we sow, the positive side is a promise from the Master, of blessing for sowing that which is good as well as a warning against sowing what is bad.  Gal 6:7-8 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life”. 

We reap only what has been sown. Life is filled with choices that affect us on an everyday basis in everything we do, which means our everyday choices are not insignificant. Our choices affect us and others, in dramatic ways, sooner or later. While the earth remains, no man will mock God by changing even one time these laws of the harvest.  

Eph 5:15-18. ‘Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is, and be filled with the Spirit’. Psalm 90:12 ‘So teach us to number our days, that we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom’.

A clear question comes in “Why do we need wisdom?”  And the answer is so that we can make wise choices! Make wise choices of what was sown by man at the command of God.  This will not only help us to sustain but also to grow spiritually.  In other words, this law is the most fundamental and basic of Harvest.   We Reap Only What Has Been Sown.

In 1912, the Catholicate of the East was revived in India. The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church wanted to retain its autocephalous nature. It appealed to Patriarch Ignatius Abdul Masiha II of the Syriac Orthodox Church, who ordained Murimattathil Paulose Mar Ivanios as Baselios Paulose I, Catholicose of the East. The ceremony was held at St. Mary's Church, Niranam in 1912.   The year 2012 marks the centenary year of this re-establishment.

Note that in 1912 it was Paulose I who shepherded the church.  100 years later it is Paulose II.  Salutation to our Bava Thirumeni in my words…..

 

           Rightful for Staff which Thomas the Apostle gave

O Shepherd of the east, thou are the one who Malankara sees

Words of wisdom from our Lord which thy predecessors gave

From St. Thomas thou art the 91^st , it  we see 

Righteously modest, honoured, praised art Thou

Meek but strong in spirit, young ‘n’ alert,

Grace of thy full with wisdom; glowing face art Thou,

Yet the flowing beard, ‘white as snow’ held high. 

O beloved, ever respected Mar Paulose II,

A star in the morning bright; shone of the east,

Bless children of thy walk in Faith; True without blemishes

The shepherd whom Kuwait Maha Edavaka wishes great ’n’ best 

Fr. George C Varughese

Associate Vicar