We live in a world of material possessions and values. Our priorities have been redefined by the stuff we gather and own in life. Ones worth is now measured by the value of the car, the home, the smart phones, the apps for those phones and the social networks he or she is member of.

Are we unique to this behavior? Not at all. When did this all begin? From the day of creation. It has nothing to do with us here in America. This is human nature, namely to amass wealth and worth from the things we own.

I am sure you all read the sweatbox tragedy of yesterday (10/09/2009) in Sedona, AZ. It is about gathering wealth and all that is to posses here on earth by channeling the energies of the angels, the earth and all the powers of the universe. Of course all of it comes with a touch of spirituality that misleads people to believe it is about spiritual abundance.

People of this world, for some reason or another, mix up spiritual abundance with material wealth, indulgence, and financial security.

Because we are so prone to fall prey into such scams about life, and definitions for life, the Lord shows us what true discipleship means and costs. To many Christian’s in the world it is about Ten Commandments. It helps them shift their responsibility of life to the tablet of the mountain written for a tribal people Before Christ. Don’t get me wrong. They are absolutely meaningful and truthful and surely prescribed and basic to spiritual living.

But then comes Christ with a simplified version of the Commandments for a new generation summarizing them into two: 1) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, your soul and your mind and 2) love your neighbor as yourself, which gave the responsibility for living true spiritual life – a movement from stone tablets to human hearts – into the hands of people.

If you have lived the 10 commandments, great and wonderful. Now take step two, is what the Lord says. Let go of that which nails you down to living the commandments without fear, the wealth of this world and all that it holds you down.

I read somewhere. “Fear of death increases in exact proportion to increase in wealth.”

I like what Princes Diana had to say. “They say it is better to be poor and happy than rich and miserable, but how about a compromise like moderately rich and just moody?”

When we are rich we think we possess a lot. But in reality we are possessed by a lot of things.

Jesus is telling the young man that wealth is an illusion for the void that we experience in our hearts without God. Wealth that belongs to God and that we are unable to part with is what owns us and subdues us eventually.

We are crippled by what we own and we are liberated by what we let go.

We all sometime or another suffer from Success Syndrome. Success Syndrome is that which desires more power, more money and more attention to make us happier in life. What is needed to be cured of it? Simply have a deep commitment that goes beyond writing a check.

This month we celebrate the feast of St. Francis, a man who walked naked when all the possessions and wealth of the world invited him to do otherwise and be nailed down to the earth beneath his feet.

I heard this story of a man who was an expert in diamonds. He was traveling in a plane and he happened to sit next to a lady who was wearing a beautiful and large diamond. After a few minutes of curiosity filled silence he asked her, I can’t but notice the beautiful and big diamond you have on your fingers. May I ask what is it called? Surely the lady answered. It is called “Klopman Diamond”, one of the largest in the world. There is a curse that comes with it though” The man became very curious and asked her what it was and she said, “Mr. Klopman”.

I hope none of us have Mr. Koapmans around our neck to drown us in this world.

Let us walk away naked from the possessions of this world to the riches of Christ given in each other- Thus living the commandments.

We live in a world of material possessions and values. Our priorities have been redefined by the stuff we gather and own in life. Ones worth is now measured by the value of the car, the home, the smart phones, the apps for those phones and the social networks he or she is member of.

Are we unique to this behavior? Not at all. When did this all begin? From the day of creation. It has nothing to do with us here in America. This is human nature, namely to amass wealth and worth from the things we own.

I am sure you all read the sweatbox tragedy of yesterday (10/09/2009) in Sedona, AZ. It is about gathering wealth and all that is to posses here on earth by channeling the energies of the angels, the earth and all the powers of the universe. Of course all of it comes with a touch of spirituality that misleads people to believe it is about spiritual abundance.

People of this world, for some reason or another, mix up spiritual abundance with material wealth, indulgence, and financial security.

Because we are so prone to fall prey into such scams about life, and definitions for life, the Lord shows us what true discipleship means and costs. To many Christian’s in the world it is about Ten Commandments. It helps them shift their responsibility of life to the tablet of the mountain written for a tribal people Before Christ. Don’t get me wrong. They are absolutely meaningful and truthful and surely prescribed and basic to spiritual living.

But then comes Christ with a simplified version of the Commandments for a new generation summarizing them into two: 1) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, your soul and your mind and 2) love your neighbor as yourself, which gave the responsibility for living true spiritual life – a movement from stone tablets to human hearts – into the hands of people.

If you have lived the 10 commandments, great and wonderful. Now take step two, is what the Lord says. Let go of that which nails you down to living the commandments without fear, the wealth of this world and all that it holds you down.

I read somewhere. “Fear of death increases in exact proportion to increase in wealth.”

I like what Princes Diana had to say. “They say it is better to be poor and happy than rich and miserable, but how about a compromise like moderately rich and just moody?”

When we are rich we think we possess a lot. But in reality we are possessed by a lot of things.

Jesus is telling the young man that wealth is an illusion for the void that we experience in our hearts without God. Wealth that belongs to God and that we are unable to part with is what owns us and subdues us eventually.

We are crippled by what we own and we are liberated by what we let go.

We all sometime or another suffer from Success Syndrome. Success Syndrome is that which desires more power, more money and more attention to make us happier in life. What is needed to be cured of it? Simply have a deep commitment that goes beyond writing a check.

This month we celebrate the feast of St. Francis, a man who walked naked when all the possessions and wealth of the world invited him to do otherwise and be nailed down to the earth beneath his feet.

I heard this story of a man who was an expert in diamonds. He was traveling in a plane and he happened to sit next to a lady who was wearing a beautiful and large diamond. After a few minutes of curiosity filled silence he asked her, I can’t but notice the beautiful and big diamond you have on your fingers. May I ask what is it called? Surely the lady answered. It is called “Klopman Diamond”, one of the largest in the world. There is a curse that comes with it though” The man became very curious and asked her what it was and she said, “Mr. Klopman”.

I hope none of us have Mr. Koapmans around our neck to drown us in this world.

Let us walk away naked from the possessions of this world to the riches of Christ given in each other- Thus living the commandments.

James 1:17-27

Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act-they will be blessed in their doing.

If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

” Song of Solomon 2:8-13
” Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
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Twelve years ago around this time there were two significant deaths in this world. Both of them were known for their acts of faith, one from a place of splendor and honor and the other from a place of humility and simplicity. Nevertheless both grew wings by their life, to fly away in the midst of the dirt they lived in and was made of, Princes Diana and Mother Theresa.
Today therefore when we reflect on the ideal prayer and perfect answer part three, let us remind ourselves of faith that comes alive in actions of our daily living.

The Seasons of grace are moments of life when it is filled with acts of kindness and compassion. Seasons of grace are seasons of life when from a place of splendor and honor and from a place of humility and simplicity we reach out to those who are in need of God.
One Sunday school teacher came to the pastor one day and said, Pastor do you know what your son told us today in the Sunday school? And of course you can imagine the thought process of a pastor. Oh, my… here we go with another embarrassing moment. But then he said, ok. Tell me. The teacher continued. She told the children how Adam and Eve was made and on and on.
Pastor’s son then asked, “you mean I am made of dirt?”
She said, Yes.

Pastor’s son responded, “hmm… my mom is not going to be happy about that”.

This is where I want to begin today. We are all made of dirt and therefore the potential to bring forth all that is beautiful and alive is so great in us. Why? Because when there is good dirt it can produce more.
The spring time gets its meaning from the flowers that spring up and the fruits that are brought forth in the dirt that is fertile and ready. Spring time is pleasant to the eyes and the heart because it is all about life and all its colors sprung forth from the ground below.
A little dirt is good for your health is what doctors would say and a knowledge of it is even better so that we are not paranoid about the dirt we all carry or made out of. It keeps us on the grounded in reality rather than above ground. What lifts us up are actions here below.
“Magic mirror, magic mirror who is the fairest one of all: the queen of the land or the Snow White?” Of course it is Snow White, the one who cooks for the dwarfs, the one who plays with the creatures of the world, the one who cares for the least and the lost and the one who is innocent and pure.

We are little wingless birds hopping on the ground without the actions of faith. When we begin to act on our faith then we will grow wings to fly into the heavens and hover over the rest of the world. Faith in action is the wing that takes us to eternity. Hoping on the dirty ground with actions of love and compassion will grow us our wings to fly away. Some churches and individuals have claimed a song to be their personal property. I want to claim that for myself and you know it.

Some bright morning when this life is over I’ll fly away
To that home on God’s celestial shore I’ll fly away
I’ll fly away oh glory I’ll fly away (in the morning)
When I die hallelujah by and by I’ll fly away

What gives us power to fly around and away are actions of faith pre-redeemed by Christ. But it has to happen here and now. What makes spring time of spiritual life is the knowledge of the dirt we are made of and the possibility of the dirt we are made of to bring forth life and all its colors. None of us will fly away alone. None of us will fly away without those we care for. Some bright morning we will fly away with a few more people in our hearts.

According to the wisdom of Blessed Mother Theresa “Keep in mind that our community is not composed of those who are already saints, but of those who are trying to become saints. Therefore let us be extremely patient with each other’s faults and failures.” We are made up of human elements of failures. But what we are blessed with human capacity to bring about life from it.

Spring time of Spiritual Life is when we absorb God’s words like the earth that absorbs all the water that is poured on to her. This is what James is talking about, “Let everyone be quick to listen” quick to absorb, listen carefully and allow life to germinate and regenerate slowly. It produces patience in the midst of needing to establish our point of view and our ideas about life. It stops our anger from getting beyond ourselves. It slows us down so that God can be the righteous judge and our merciful father.

Grace is measured by the life that it generates around us. When grace abounds in us, life in all its forms will be plentiful. It is life when we are able to convey to everyone that we all share from the gene pool of God and therefore part of one divine family, with a history and a future. This was the story of Mother Theresa who died on September 5th 1997.

Do we hear the voice of God when troubles in life set in? Yes, we can. If only we can be “quick to listen” as St. James would say. The more we hear, the less we talk instead let God talk.

The rituals for rituals sake Jesus is talking against, challenging people to live what the rituals call for, the song that Solomon is singing to celebrate the love that he found and the instructions for Christian life given by St. James all speak of one thing, the need for truthfulness in actions and belief. True prayer is the true expression of what is going on in our hearts through actions to prove it. True prayer generates life rather than defiles the self or others.

We have God’s response to such a state of in prayer we hear in the Song of Solomon. Here is the union of the bride and the groom. We hear in the song of Solomon the oneness of the soul that has reached the peak of such relationship. Life becomes meaningful and fruitful. Every action in life brings forth fruits and flowers to adorn the earth. There is a fragrance of holiness around them. There springs forth new life and new energy. God’s answer is new life like the spring time around you and new possibilities like the moment of resurrection.

———————————–
Fr. Jos Tharakan

Rector/ All Saints’ Episcopal Church

James 1:17-27

Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act-they will be blessed in their doing.

If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

· Song of Solomon 2:8-13

· Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

—————————————————

Twelve years ago around this time there were two significant deaths in this world. Both of them were known for their acts of faith, one from a place of splendor and honor and the other from a place of humility and simplicity. Nevertheless both grew wings by their life, to fly away in the midst of the dirt they lived in and was made of, Princes Diana and Mother Theresa.

Today therefore when we reflect on the ideal prayer and perfect answer part three, let us remind ourselves of faith that comes alive in actions of our daily living.

The Seasons of grace are moments of life when it is filled with acts of kindness and compassion. Seasons of grace are seasons of life when from a place of splendor and honor and from a place of humility and simplicity we reach out to those who are in need of God.

One Sunday school teacher came to the pastor one day and said, Pastor do you know what your son told us today in the Sunday school? And of course you can imagine the thought process of a pastor. Oh, my… here we go with another embarrassing moment. But then he said, ok. Tell me. The teacher continued. She told the children how Adam and Eve was made and on and on.

Pastor’s son then asked, “you mean I am made of dirt?”

She said, Yes.

Pastor’s son responded, “hmm… my mom is not going to be happy about that”.

This is where I want to begin today. We are all made of dirt and therefore the potential to bring forth all that is beautiful and alive is so great in us. Why? Because when there is good dirt it can produce more.

The spring time gets its meaning from the flowers that spring up and the fruits that are brought forth in the dirt that is fertile and ready. Spring time is pleasant to the eyes and the heart because it is all about life and all its colors sprung forth from the ground below.

A little dirt is good for your health is what doctors would say and a knowledge of it is even better so that we are not paranoid about the dirt we all carry or made out of. It keeps us on the grounded in reality rather than above ground. What lifts us up are actions here below.

“Magic mirror, magic mirror who is the fairest one of all: the queen of the land or the Snow White?” Of course it is Snow White, the one who cooks for the dwarfs, the one who plays with the creatures of the world, the one who cares for the least and the lost and the one who is innocent and pure.

We are little wingless birds hopping on the ground without the actions of faith. When we begin to act on our faith then we will grow wings to fly into the heavens and hover over the rest of the world. Faith in action is the wing that takes us to eternity. Hoping on the dirty ground with actions of love and compassion will grow us our wings to fly away. Some churches and individuals have claimed a song to be their personal property. I want to claim that for myself and you know it.

Some bright morning when this life is over I’ll fly away
To that home on God’s celestial shore I’ll fly away
I’ll fly away oh glory I’ll fly away (in the morning)
When I die hallelujah by and by I’ll fly away

What gives us power to fly around and away are actions of faith pre-redeemed by Christ. But it has to happen here and now. What makes spring time of spiritual life is the knowledge of the dirt we are made of and the possibility of the dirt we are made of to bring forth life and all its colors. None of us will fly away alone. None of us will fly away without those we care for. Some bright morning we will fly away with a few more people in our hearts.

According to the wisdom of Blessed Mother Theresa “Keep in mind that our community is not composed of those who are already saints, but of those who are trying to become saints. Therefore let us be extremely patient with each other’s faults and failures.” We are made up of human elements of failures. But what we are blessed with human capacity to bring about life from it.

Spring time of Spiritual Life is when we absorb God’s words like the earth that absorbs all the water that is poured on to her. This is what James is talking about, “Let everyone be quick to listen” quick to absorb, listen carefully and allow life to germinate and regenerate slowly. It produces patience in the midst of needing to establish our point of view and our ideas about life. It stops our anger from getting beyond ourselves. It slows us down so that God can be the righteous judge and our merciful father.

Grace is measured by the life that it generates around us. When grace abounds in us, life in all its forms will be plentiful. It is life when we are able to convey to everyone that we all share from the gene pool of God and therefore part of one divine family, with a history and a future. This was the story of Mother Theresa who died on September 5^th 1997.

Do we hear the voice of God when troubles in life set in? Yes, we can. If only we can be “quick to listen” as St. James would say. The more we hear, the less we talk instead let God talk.

The rituals for rituals sake Jesus is talking against, challenging people to live what the rituals call for, the song that Solomon is singing to celebrate the love that he found and the instructions for Christian life given by St. James all speak of one thing, the need for truthfulness in actions and belief. True prayer is the true expression of what is going on in our hearts through actions to prove it. True prayer generates life rather than defiles the self or others.

We have God’s response to such a state of in prayer we hear in the Song of Solomon. Here is the union of the bride and the groom. We hear in the song of Solomon the oneness of the soul that has reached the peak of such relationship. Life becomes meaningful and fruitful. Every action in life brings forth fruits and flowers to adorn the earth. There is a fragrance of holiness around them. There springs forth new life and new energy. God’s answer is new life like the spring time around you and new possibilities like the moment of resurrection.

 

© (P) Jos Tharakan

For years I have heard people say that you age in your mind before you age in your body. I thought I knew what that meant and I could imagine what it would be like, that is, until I went to India a few weeks ago. Then I experienced it for real. As you all know all my vacation plans were interrupted. I landed into a host of problems starting with arriving on the wrong date and not finding anyone at the airport to take me home or to welcome my friends to India. Whose mistake was it? Mine; no one else’s. I told them the wrong date of our arrival! You might ask, “How could you do that?” That is a long story for another time.

But it was a blessing in disguise because had I arrived a day later I would not have been able to support my family at the death of my niece’s husband, at the time I was scheduled to arrive! His death was a tragic accident and then from there it went downhill with one thing after another. Stress! All around stress! After the first two days I felt like I was 75! I felt like it, I acted like it, and of course it was not a bad thing, but I was there for vacation. On the plus side, I was respected more, listened to, and my words carried heavy weight. I felt good about that but I was very tired both internally and externally.

Then I realized one thing that I enjoyed―being respected and listened to. But I surely did not want every word I said to weigh a ton. I wanted to be light in every way. I just wanted to see the sunrise and sunset, hear the birds, and listen to the gentle wind. I wanted to enjoy the rain and listen to the crickets and frogs. I just wanted to live life every day without the weight of the problems that bogged me down. I did not want to be responsible for too many things other than those that were fun for my babies and family.

I have had problems in life in the past and I am sure I will have problems in the future but I did not want God to exhaust them all in one month while I was on vacation! (Am I supposed to knock on wood here or what? All we have is plywood.) Problems and difficulties, stress and stress again make us feel like we are aging faster than we actually are.

Now that was just a glimpse of my life’s problems during my vacation. How about problems and struggles for you? I am sure with all the problems going on in the world of dollars and Euros, many of you are anxious. I know for a fact that some of you have lost tens of thousands from your retirement accounts and other investments. All of a sudden we are aware that life becomes hard to live happily every day. Anxieties take over and stay for the night.

So, stop for a minute. I do not want you to age like I did while I was in India. Aging is not bad; actually it is a wonderful blessing. But let us not carry a ton of weight in our hearts with the fears of life that drag us down. In every stressful situation we face, sweating blood, there is a shade that brings coolness. Begin to enjoy those things that do not require money―our children, families, church, parks, gardens, walks, community, and how about God?

How about enjoying God for a change? How about being with the people of God? How about letting our fears reach toward the hands and heart of God like the woman in the crowd? For now let us not worry about faith. As I said on Sunday, God will interrupt his journey for you, if only you will reach out for God.

I feel young again and my body feels young again. Now I know what it feels like being old and being young! I am young with God and old without. There is still life out there and life in abundance if only I can open my eyes. Life around us is vibrant and ever new.

We are only young as long as we are able to see and change along with the changing life around us. God is in the midst of all that is changing but not change itself. Therefore let us remain young at heart, vibrant in mind and ever new in spirit with that is unchanging and eternal – God.

Blessings in abundance as you read this.

(C) Fr. Jos Tharakan

Everyday we experience Christ in our lives. For some Christ comes in the form of a friend or a family and for others it is in the form of a surprise such as a gift, a flower, a card or a call. That means all of us have the potential to be Christ without going anywhere but being simply caring. That care can be expressed by may be a phone call, or may be a personal email or may be a simple ecard or may be a thought.

Now about you. Can you be Christ to someone today?

Blessings

Fr. Jos

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness. Genesis: 1: 26

The sixth day must have been the proudest day in creation when God decided finally to create mankind in his/her own image, in his/her own character, and likeness and most of all love.

I am still ecstatic of the day and will be forever when I saw my daughter’s face as she was taken out of the womb of my wife and her mother. She looked like me, am sure and she will all her life. My wife proudly says she looks like her and all her life she is going to. When all the doctors and government officials were busy looking for an identifying mark for my daughter, I did not care a whole lot about it. For I knew without a shadow of doubt she is mine and she looks like mine and will be forever and different enough to spot her in any crowd. I want her to be able to love and care for the world like me, but better than me and greater than me at the least. I can go on and on, and my wife will too.

If this is what I feel it must have been the proudest feeling for God after we were born through God. For God knew in his or her heart that we looked just like him or her and that too for ages to come requiring no identifying marks to distinguish one from another. I am also sure God must have certainly hoped that we love and care for the world as much as God did. For we were created in the image and likeness of God and God alone! and all others who claim it are really faking it to claim what is God’s. So, rejoice you have the greatest inheritance you can ever imagine. Let us also behave like we are the children of God!

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© 2007: Rev. Jos Tharakan. Requires permission to reproduce. Email: fathersjos at gmail.com

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