On the feast of Pentecost- Excerpts from a sermon by Malankara Sabha Bhasuran -St Dionysius of Vattasseril.

Dearly beloved,

We should be pure in our hearts. The disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ were very sad when the Lord, after the Resurrection, proclaimed to them about His ascension. The disciples were together because of the Lord- He reigned over them like a king, He taught and counselled them like a teacher, He cared for them like a father would. He was the Perfect Man who guided and protected their ways. The disciples had pinned the hopes of their future onto the Lord and hence they were grieved to hear that the Lord was leaving, and they will no longer be able to see Him in this world.

There was no need for the disciples to be saddened if only they had the faith in their hearts about what their beloved Teacher taught-that He is the Lord and God and those who are pure in their hearts shall see God.

However, the disciples were comforted in many ways. Through the miraculous signs shown by the Risen Lord, and the knowledge that He was going to heaven- a glorious dwelling unlike earth or any other place laden with trials and tribulations, offered consolation to the disciples.

Our Lord can see His children from the great heights of heaven. (Citing an example from nature) The higher an eagle soars the better it can see its target. Our Lord is invisible to the worldly eye, but the world is not invisible to Him, He looks after us always.

The disciples were comforted by the message of the angels during the Ascension of our Lord- "This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11 NKJV) and noting how the Lord was ascending to heaven. With His eyes fixated on the disciples and the hands outstretched as giving them blessings, the onlookers had hope that He will continue to bless them from heaven.

Lord Jesus Christ had promised a greater consolation to the disciples- "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;" (St John 14:16, KJV). Our Lord comforted the disciples further- Through the Holy Spirit you shall have joy; the grief due to My separation shall wither away. The Holy Spirit is equal to Me and shall remain with you forever. He will manifest on the day of Pentecost- The Holy Spirit will comfort, protect and bless you with the gift of grace.

On the day of Pentecost, when the disciples were together in one place, tongues of fire appeared to them.  "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4). The disciples believed and received the gift to perform many miracles.

Peter, who denied Christ when questioned by a girl, upon being anointed with Holy Spirit, boldly proclaimed Christ in front of thousands. The chosen disciples who ran away in fear during the crucifixion of the Lord, upon being anointed with the Holy Spirit, received strength, faith, joy and were comforted.

The question may arise as to why these things don't happen now as it did during those times?

Generations, time and place are no roadblocks for receiving the Holy Spirit for those who desire, have faith, and who are willing to patiently wait to receive the gift of Holy Spirit. This is the fulfillment of the prophetic words.

Don't be troubled thinking that only the disciples could receive the Holy Spirit and you cannot because of your sinful life. Think of God as a loving Father; wouldn't an earthly father love and have mercy on his children no matter how they are. He pours the Holy Spirit not only to the pure and willing but also on the poor and undeserving beings. Our Mighty Lord can cleanse our sins and make us worthy again. Take refuge in the Lord- do not be disheartened. The Holy Spirit abides in us though we may not be deserving. The Holy Spirit cleanses us. We should plead to the Lord to make us pure and worthy to receive the Spirit. Jesus will ask the Father for us.

How can we think of committing a sin if we truly believe that the Holy Spirit dwells in us!? We will refrain from iniquities if we really believe that Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven and He beholds and blesses us. May the grace of the Lord help us that our hearts be made pure, so that we become worthy temples for Holy Spirit to dwell in us forever, and thus also become the heirs to kingdom of heaven.

By the prayers of our father among the saints-St Dionysius of Vattasseril, Lord have mercy upon us.

In Christ,

Rincy John

Ref: This is an English translation of the sermon which appeared in the Malankara Sabha magazine, May 1955, Volume 9, Issue 7, Pg-7,8 (Notes in Malayalam taken by Ramban Fr Thomas Marett).

Namaste Barnabas.

Wishing all a (belated) feast of Pentecost.

This Sunday-June 09th, we were witness to one of the Great Feasts of our church- the feast of

Icon of St Barnabas

Pentecost which commemorated the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles and the followers of Christ after the ascension of our Lord. 

One of the striking features that a person encounters in an Orthodox liturgy is the smell of incense. During the liturgy, the Holy Altar, Evangelion Table, the Baptismal font etc are censed (clearly, they are ‘set apart’ for liturgical worship). Along with the above, the people are censed as well by the celebrant priest, as an acknowledgement of them being created in the image and likeness of their Creator. And while they are being censed, the faithful make a sign of cross upon themselves, remembering and pondering the great love of the Creator and to imitate the incarnate Son- our Lord and Saviour Jesus in our earthly sojourn.

This concept of acknowledging people in having been created in the image and likeness of the Creator is so profoundly seen in our Indian traditions and customs when we greet each other with ‘Namaste’. (meaning, ‘I bow before you’). When we greet with a Namaste with folded hands we acknowledge the divine in the other person.

For us, this is easier said than done. In our day to day life we do face difficulty in acknowledging the scope and potential of other person, and factors like his/her surroundings, their past life, may cloud our opinion.

I do not recollect the exact words, but I had read a quote as to how the packets of flower seeds have pictures of flowers on the cover, meaning we should not be disheartened if our present is inconsequential but ought to focus on what one can become- what potential can one reach. Such also is the quality exhibited by men of God and the infant church witnessed such was a man- St. Barnabas.

We read about St. Barnabas in the Holy Scripture as a man called Joses who was named by Apostles themselves as ‘Barnabas’ translated as Son of Encouragement (Acts 4:36). Further, the qualities about St Barnabas as attested by the Scripture is that he was ‘a good man, full of Holy Spirit and of faith’ (Acts 11:24). St. Barnabas could see the good in others, he could encourage them and not let them slip through hopelessness if the society/community judged such people thus. After Saul’s conversion, we read that the disciples were sceptical of him (since Saul was infamous for persecuting the church). However, the Holy Scripture points us that ‘Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles” (Acts 9:27). When everyone else disbelieved, Barnabas trusted Saul and believed that he could definitely reform for good.

Further in Acts 11, verse 20 onward, we see some nameless pioneers of Christ who preached Him in the city of Antioch. And who was sent to encourage these people? The answer is Barnabas- the ‘good man’. The little things we do for God may look ‘small’ for the world but not for Him. And He sends Barnabases to encourage these simple hearted!

In these verses we further read that Barnabas had departed to Tarsus to find Saul. Where had Saul gone? Going back to Acts chapter 9 we see that after St. Barnabas had brought Saul to the Apostles, Saul (later St Paul) was boldly speaking about Lord Jesus Christ against the Hellenist and there was a danger to his life. Hence, he was sent to Tarsus. Had Barnabas been one of those who crave worldly honours, he would have gladly loved to be the ‘lone hero’ at Antioch by being the spiritual guide to these evangelists. But it wasn’t so- he sought for Saul and brought him to Antioch!

The church owes it to St. Barnabas for utilizing St Paul and bringing him to forefront.

The story of St. Barnabas doesn’t end there. In Acts 15:37 onward we see St Barnabas and St Paul having a sharp argument over John called Mark, who had deserted them in Pamphylia. St. Paul didn’t want to take a deserter with him; however, St Barnabas recognizing that Mark has returned for good, was quick to accept him back. If St Barnabas like St.  Paul, would have been judgmental of Mark, perhaps the history of the Coptic Church in Alexandria (whose founder was St Mark) would have been entirely different!

We see in Colossians 4:10, as to how later St Mark became St Paul’s trusted aide.

The Church owes to it to the good man- St Barnabas who recognized the good in these men when others lost hope on them!

St Barnabas’s life teaches us to look at the core aspect of the person- that he/she is created in the image and likeness of the Creator- that they might have fallen today but they do have a potential to rise. This surely would help us to forgive those who wronged us, persist in hope that those who have gone astray will return, encourage those are discouraged, welcome the one ‘who comes in the name of the Lord’.

Namaste!

By the prayers of our holy father among the saints- St Barnabas, may the Lord have mercy upon us.

In Christ,

Rincy