Blogs
Remembering St. Thomas – Patron Saint of India
Apostle Thomas, best known by the title ‘doubting Thomas’, was one of few Apostles who traveled outside the Roman Empire to spread the Gospel. But when we look at his life, it is the encounter with Christ that changed his outlook. Here are 5 lessons that we can learn from his life.
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Reading the Icon of Trinity – Finding Yourself within Trinity
The most distinct icon of the Trinity was written by Andrei Rublov. In this icon, Abraham and Sarah are completely absent. The icon only depicts the three angels leaning towards each other in mutual love, their hands held in a blessing towards the center of the table. The table is now unmistakably an altar, with even a small recess shown in which traditionally relics are placed. The various fruits, breads and meat shown on other icons are replaced with just a single chalice, representing the Holy Eucharist. Take a little while to gaze and meditate on the icon.
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Reading Icons – Icon of Resurrection
Icon of Resurrection of Jesus – A study of the whole Bible through ancient pictures. A picture coming from many stories, yet pointing to one complete story. A declaration of the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesies through His life, death and resurrection and promise of eternal life to all who follow Him.
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Knowing our Saints: St. George the Martyr
Through the many years of Christianity, there has been many saints who stood firm in their faith for Christ and proclaimed their undivided faith in the face of many trials and temptations of the world. One among those saints is St. George, the Triumphant, Trophy-bearer, Wonder-worker and Martyr.
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The Jesus Prayer – The Discipline of Repetition
In the name of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In the previous two sessions, we first understood a brief introduction about the Jesus Prayer and then we started understanding the four elements embedded within the Jesus Prayer. In the last post, we understood the first element – the cry for mercy….
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Being Christian – Baptism – Part 4
“In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh has been put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through your faith in the working of God, who…
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Being Christian – Baptism – Part 3
In the life of the baptized people, there is a constant rediscovering, re-enacting of the Father’s embrace of Jesus in the Holy Spirit. The baptized person is not only in the middle of the human suffering and muddle but also in the middle of the love and delight of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
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The Jesus Prayer – A Cry for Mercy
“Lord, have mercy”, “Kyrie eleison” or “Kurielaison” is found in the liturgical worship from at least the 4th century and it’s use in Christian prayer may well be ancient. To ask for divine mercy is not to be seen as something gloomy and exclusively penitential. While the cry for mercy certainly involves sorrow for sin, it speaks also of divine forgiveness. It affirms that God’s loving kindness and compassion are greater than my brokenness and guilt.
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Being Christian – Baptism – Part 2
Christians will be found in the neighborhood of Jesus – but Jesus is found in the neighborhood of human confusion and suffering, defenselessly alongside those in need. If baptized is being led to where Jesus is, then being baptized is being led towards the chaos and the neediness of a humanity that has forgotten its own destiny.
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The Jesus Prayer
The answer to the appeal of the disciples given by our Lord – The Lord’s Prayer, indeed the model for all our praying. Yet, next to the Lord’s Prayer, there is a further way of praying that is particularly commended within the Orthodox Church to all who seek living, inner prayer; and that is the Jesus Prayer. This is a short invocation, frequently repeated, most commonly in the form “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.”
