Vicar’s Message
Dear friends in Christ,
‘It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourself be burdened again by a yoke of slavery’ Galatians 5:1.
Galatians 5:1 tells us about the freedom Christ has given us through His death and resurrection: freedom from Sin, wrath of God, the Law and the ‘desires of the flesh’. How do we experience that freedom in our daily life? We should experience that freedom through: (1) daily assurance that Christ is our Saviour who is willing to forgive our sins. It is not a license to sin, but an expression of God’s grace; (2) understanding that difficulties, sickness, and pain are not because of the wrath of God, because Jesus tells us that God is love and calls us to abide in that love; (3) reading the Holy Scripture and recognizing that it is given to us not to enslave us with the do’s and don’ts in it, but to show us the divine light in our path for a righteous living; and (4) accepting that humans live in the world not by becoming a slave to the desires of the flesh and the desires of the world. We are reminded that we belong to God and are called to be holy.
Living free enables us to take up responsibilities for all that God has given us and for becoming a source of blessing for others.We can do so only if we are willing to care and serve others with a spirit of vicarious sacrifice. It reminds us of the love of God and the need to love others. Jesus gave us a new commandment: ‘Love as I have loved you’. St. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13 that, the greatest of all is love (v.13). God loves you. When God’s love grows in us through Christ, we feel free by the guidance of the Holy Spirit to let that love flow on to others.
Parents are eager to give their children a better education than what they had and the best possible education that they can afford today. The students, when they join the Universities, select courses that are related to their career choices. As Christians, we strive to give them religious education as well. As the Bible says, “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”.
How do we understand and obtain knowledge, wisdom and insight? Knowledge is information we gain through facts and science helps us to explore and research such knowledge further. Certainly information empowers and liberates. Very recently an article and this question came to my mind “is the right to information a right to do wrong things?” King Solomon asked God to bless him with wisdom to discern the right and wrong in guiding the people according to the will of God (1st Kings 3 and 4). Wisdom takes us to the realm of ethics and helps us to understand the available knowledge and use it correctly. For example, knowledge can help us to manage our income but wisdom gives us the understanding as to how money impacts the quality of our life and guides our future. Let us not forget the parable of Jesus on the ‘Rich Fool’ who was not having insight about the future and that his riches have no meaning beyond its usefulness (Luke 12: 13). Insight is therefore an awareness of the underlying essence of truth.
Jesus is the true Guru (teacher). He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). He taught with authority and illuminated the lives of so many. He liberated so many and the people were astonished at His marvellous works. St. John says, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of truth and grace (1:14). Information technology and modern communication systems have widened our horizon of knowledge. We need the wisdom to understand God and the partnership God has given us to incarnate in life situations with a human touch and then to carry out the ministry of redemption with grace. Psalms 139:6 “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.”
The upcoming months will be full of programs. Executive committee retreat, Parish day, Diocesan Sunday and DDF collection etc. Our 69th parish day celebration is scheduled to be held on the Sunday, 4th August 2019. DDF Collection which will take place in August is meant for supporting gospel work through the Diocese. I requested your whole hearted participation and cooperation for all the programmes.
May the Lord Jesus Christ help us to continue our Journey with Him in a meaningful way.
With Love & Prayers
Binoy Achen