November 29, 2009. 1st Sunday in Advent, Year C

Luke 21:25-36

Jesus said, "There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

Then he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

"Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."

The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Today is the first Sunday of Advent in Year C, a new Liturgical Year. When a new baby arrives, when a child graduates and when a young man finds a job and a young woman falls in love, we are excited. New life brings in possibilities for a new world and continuation of our own legacy.

We love the beginnings and we love the endings. Beginnings we love because it gives hope. We love good endings because it proves our hopes meaningful and right.

Today we hear again Jesus talking about an apocalyptic ending to the world. How can this be a joyful event at the beginning of a new season?

Don’t you like when your teenager decides to go to college and has learned all that are necessary for such a journey responsibly? What a joy at that very beginning of a success story and the hope of a great career. However when the child begins to change as a result of growth and maturation, it is hard for us to take. She is no more daddy’s little girl. He is no more Mom’s cute boy. Sometimes our stomachs churn with fear and our hearts pound harder than we can take. Parents become gray faster.

Where does it all come from? When we become powerless with all that happens around us we want someone to fix the problem for us. When we were children our toy trucks and toy kitchens broke down. We made a mess of our stuff. It was too much for us to put together. Too much stuff and too many parts. We needed help to bring order to the chaos we made. Where did we find it? We called our Daddies and mommies. We called people bigger than us to take care of our problems. In those powerless moments we needed powerful people to help us.

There are three types of people in the world; ones that want someone else to fix the problems and the second that does it on their own until they cannot and the third that does on their own and seeks help when they cannot. Those who want someone else to fix it grow to be a spoiled big kid in life. A spoiled big person waits for someone else to show up at the door step, waiting for the powerful to fix all the problems.

It is powerlessness that causes people to speculate. It comes from our inability to accept that we are primarily powerless people on our own. Left to ourselves without the grace of God, we can make a mess of our lives.

This is where the Gospel of today becomes meaningful. ‘Don’t wait around’ the Lord says. Drunkenness, dissipation, speculation, anxiety, worry and such only makes us even more powerless.

End times prophecy is a reminder for all to pay attention to what is going on around them.

There is a famous saying by C.S Lewis. When the author comes on stage you know the drama ended.

The drama will end and the earth in its present form will be desolate. Our lives will end and the author of our lives will be on stage one day to ask each of us how did you play your life? It won’t be “how did you anticipate the end”?

If my father is at the point of death and wants me to do something for him I am going to do it. He calls me aside and asks, “Jos, do you love me”. Sure dad. I do, I will say. He then tells me take care of your brother and sister. And I will say “sure dad” and even roll my eyes in disbelief as if why would he say that. Doesn’t he know that?

This is what makes us powerful. Because this is what Jesus said to Simeon Peter. “Peter, do you love me” and Peter whispered in his ears, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you”. And the Lord says, “Feed my sheep” and asks again and again, responding to him “tend my flock” and “feed my sheep”. Leave the rest to God.

Power comes from our willingness to grow up and be responsible. Power is not a result of speculation, but living. Living life daily is a sign of maturity. Living life spiritually faithful is a sign of spiritual maturity.

Therefore my dear brothers and sisters, Advent is a season calling for change in our attitude, and our actions. As like the beginnings of new life and endings with a great climax, we are called to act it out in the middle.

Now let us ask ourselves three questions.

1. Will I be afraid to meet God today?

2. If I am, what can I do to change it?

3. If not, what will you do next?

Fr. Jos Tharakan

A test note to see if this is RSS feed.

We recently celebrated Community Thanksgiving Worship at Central Presbyterian Church. In the service, Rev. Wayne Drain spoke about how we rush into Black Friday shopping right after the beautiful celebration of Thanksgiving.

This crazy buying frenzy ironically goes against what Advent is all about―waiting in patience, not instant gratification. It always fascinates me to see how people are up early in the morning anytime there is a sale. Some wait in line for hours. They cause accidents and physical injury that they don’t even see, all for the “stuff” that will soon clutter their closets. I was told on Monday that I can save more when I spend more, a lie many have chosen to live by.

This season when you are out, I invite you to be thinking about this word―“impulse”. As a spiritual practice, let us ask ourselves this question: What am I buying on impulse right now? Candy? A box of cigarettes? Gum? A magazine? Batteries? A picture? A card? Mints? The list goes on and on. Am I an impulse buyer?

What is the gift that I encourage you to buy this season? Buy a candle and light it every morning for a few seconds before you head out on your busy schedule. Buy something for yourself and your children that will constantly remind you of the coming of the Lord. Or how about getting something that will give your heart such an urge that you want to wake up in the early morning hours to praise God over a cup of coffee or tea with those you love?

Advent is a season for the renewal of love. It is a time of waiting for the best to happen in life with the best you care about. If our “best” comes to us on Black Friday, giving no chance for God to incarnate every morning, all that we gather and garner is of no value.

Stress is the result of our inability to wait. There are more and more people and cultures across the world growing stressful in an age of speed, instant gratification, and technology. Christ is an antidote to all this rushing through life. Waiting for Christ and waiting with Christ is what makes us Advent people.

I hope this Advent will be a time for you to relax and enjoy. I pray that this Advent will be a time for you to give up impulse buying and gathering. I pray that during this Advent season you will begin a new discipline of life that wakes you up early each morning to get a glimpse of Christ who walks by your door every day. When he passes by, the shadow that falls on you and your household will bring the healing and redemption that you long for. Christmas will then once again become a celebration of life.

Jos+

Fr. Jos Tharakan
Rector
All Saints’ Episcopal Church
501 South Phoenix Ave
Russellville, AR 72801
Phone: 479-968-3622
Web: http://www.allsaintsrussellville.net

Year after year we celebrate Thanksgiving. We know the history, stories, and all that goes into the celebration of this great feast. Certainly the name of the feast tells it all. Here is a day set aside to thank God for all the blessings of life, known and unknown, big and small. However, sometimes in the midst of all that goes on in our lives, in the days of crisis and fear, sickness and poverty, it is hard to say, “Thank you, Lord.”

In the Book of Joel we read that the chosen people of God went through tough times. Everything around them fell apart. Crops were destroyed, leading to famine. Their land was invaded and they were displaced. The vines and the fig trees did not produce. The cattle in the land died. Families suffered great poverty and illness. It seemed that the blessings of life had disappeared, one after another.

This caused people to become more and more selfish and melancholic. God’s chosen people began living like abandoned people. Their faith gave way to fear. There was a breakdown of law and order. It seemed as if there was nothing to thank God for.

However, God’s response to their selfish behavior is noteworthy. God called them to comfort and promise in spite of their attitude, their need to own and hoard. God shared their pain and walked with them in their suffering. God did not stand afar and watch, challenging them to make it on their own. God promised to help and kept His word. God called them to be grateful in their hearts for the blessings of everyday life.

Small, unseen blessings, when seen, have the power to transform lives. Small graces of everyday life may grow into bigger ones, eventually. The person who is waiting to thank God until the huge, huge, blessings appear may have a long wait because there just are not too many big-ticket items waiting out there for you and me. Our lives are more like the lives of the saints who had small-ticket blessings in abundance every moment of their lives. Ours are more like the lives of the apostles and martyrs who saw God’s hand at every turn in life.

This thanksgiving I want to invite you to find the small blessings that fill our lives. Let us take to heart that our nation will recover from its crisis. Our land will prosper and grow. Our people will have plenty to eat and our cattle will survive. Our banks will grow and our economic systems will be stable again, if only we have the will to live and can live like a nation under God.

As He said to the people of Israel, the Lord says to us, “Be not afraid.” God says it over and over, be not afraid. Be faithful and be grateful. Do not let fear cripple you and cause you to become selfish and ungrateful in the midst of crisis and poverty. God will pour out His Spirit upon the young and the old when they grow in gratitude and praise. The men and women in our community will be led by the Holy Spirit to create a better society filled with justice and mercy―the two greatest attributes of God. We should not replace justice and mercy with self-righteousness.

By the time you read this, many of you will have gone through the frantic black-Friday syndrome and now you own more stuff. Or does it own you? Let us not be like those people mentioned above who lost their trust in God. Let us, instead, turn our culture and our character toward becoming a people who have plenty―having plenty with God who is everywhere, even in the gentle breeze through our front door― rather than letting our “plenty” be all the stuff that clutters our minds, hearts and homes.

It is gratefulness that makes a people viable and valuable. It is the space given to God in our hearts, minds, homes and systems that makes us a grateful people. What we own owns us in return. If what we own is God, then there is plenty to be thankful for, because then God owns us. What other thing do we need to be thankful about and joyful for?

Jos+

Fr. Jos Tharakan

Rector
All Saints’ Episcopal Church
501 South Phoenix Ave
Russellville, AR 72801
Phone: 479-968-3622
Web: http://www.allsaintsrussellville.net

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.

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Fr. Jos Tharakan

Rector/ All Saints’ Episcopal Church

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