Dearly Beloved,
Greetings to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
September 07, 2025, Fourth Sunday after the Feast of Assumption
Scriptural Readings:
OT: Exodus 3:1-2, 11-14, Job 1:1-5, Isaiah 1:16-20
NT: 1 Peter 2:1-5, 1 Corinthians 3:16-23, Holy Gospel St Mark 6:1-6
Holy Evangelion, St Mark 6:1-6
6 He went away from there and came to his own country; and his disciples followed him. 2 And on the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue; and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get all this? What is the wisdom given to him? What mighty works are wrought by his hands! 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense[a] at him. 4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.” 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.
Reflections:
God is the source of all wisdom and knowledge. Jesus is the Son of God, the Logos (Word) that became flesh. St John refers to His coming to the world as the coming of the eternal light who has been illumining everything. He assures that everything came through Him and without Him nothing was created. He is the light in every created entity – inbuilt and active. He is the light that glows everything.
The element carbon has light hidden within it. This light is not easily seen but is revealed in due course when carbon turns into diamond while yielding to high pressure and heat within the earth crust. Coal and diamond are different uninterchangeable forms of carbon. Coal is carbon with impurities whereas diamond is without any impurity. Coal is easily found on the earth’s surface whereas diamond is formed at a depth of several hundred miles below the earth’s surface.
Jesus is the pure diamond that comes from the core and crust of the Father. They share the same essence as the Holy Spirit. In their ‘ergos’ (work) they play different roles, as the Creator, Sustainer and Perfector though they co-work in everything. It is like a family where each member has a role and purpose, and nobody’s work is less or more. All work with one mind and heart for the survival, development, creation, sustenance, growth and perfection of the family.
To the world, Jesus was the son of Joseph and Mary, an ordinary man born to a carpenter couple. The world thus expected only minimal wisdom from Him. Joseph realized Jesus’ divine origin only through the angelic revelation. However, Mary had firsthand knowledge of this mysterious incarnation. Jesus’ words, actions, and revealing of His various miraculous powers stumbled them. They didn’t know how to receive Him, how to approach Him and how to perceive Him. Hence, they thought, He was possessed by an external force called Beelzebul – demonic and destructive in nature. They were fearful to allow Him into their vicinity with His mysterious power.
As humans are created in God’s image and likeness, they all have the divine wisdom within them. Jesus was so clear in saying, “If you believe in me and you abide in me and let me to abide in you, you will do more things than what I have been doing.” He was speaking the truth as He knew the potential of every human. With the same potential they could become a leader, guru, scientist, researcher, skilled in various works, warrior, miracle worker, carer, politician, saint, martyr, artist, or performer. If, however the skills were honed otherwise, they could impact society negatively. It depends on how one develops the talents God gave so freely if within a nurturing environment.
God is the giver of wisdom. Wisdom can be used or misused depending on one’s intention and goal. Both the leaders and members of the society failed in using their wisdom for the right reasons. It was easy for them to attribute His extraordinary knowledge and miraculous power to demonic forces rather than to understand Him closely and in person. It took less effort to taunt and crucify Him rather than to follow Him with more effort and patience when He would reveal Himself more to the world. If we observe, we will notice that Mary and Joseph used their wisdom for the right reasons, though they did not speak or act in public as Jesus did. Before anyone could even sense His potential, Mary knew of it and hence asked Him to attend to the problem at the wedding house in Cana. Jesus said, “To those who have more will be given, and they will have in abundance, but from those who have not, even what they have will be taken away.” (Mt 13:12, Lk 19:26). If God given wisdom is not used for the right purpose, it will be counted as no wisdom without value. Here the ‘those who have not’ refers to misusers or abusers of wisdom. Faith goes hand in hand with wisdom. Where faith abides, miracles thrive. But faith requires a blind belief in Christ with much persistence. The crowd lacked persistence. They relied on their own logic and reasoning, refusing to let go of their age-old beliefs, hence Jesus could work no miracle in His hometown.
Saul used his intelligence and knowledge to do many things which brought him Roman citizenship, power and authority, fame and high profile with which he tortured the early believers. His skills were about to be taken away and emptied. It was when he got a revelation from Christ that humbled him to the point that he needed an anointing to regain his sight, he started using his wisdom rightly. Then onwards he made a shift from his old views and wrote a new phase in history with his preaching and ministering the Lord. His skills, power and wisdom abounded. The closer he walked with Christ, the more he turned away from the ways of the world. Saul transformed to Paul. When we use our wisdom in accordance with God’s will; we would become rich in divine power and abilities. We get transformed and we will be able to transform the world for its best. This is our calling; to remain in His image and likeness and thus become what our Creator made us for.
FEASTS AND REMEMBRANCES:
September 02, HG Yuyakim Mar Coorilos Metropolitan, 151st anniversary, entombed at Mulanthuruthy Cathedral
September 08, Feast of the birth of St Mary
From our previous updates:
Onam-2025
Wishing everyone a happy Onam. Hope all got to spend time with family and friends on this occasion of togetherness and good food.
HH Baselios Marthoma Paulose II Memorial Food Drive: The collected food stuff in boxes were handed over to Seva Food Bank. They came to church on Thursday Aug 28th morning and picked up the boxes. We thank MMVS for organising and all our members for contributing towards this project.
UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES AND EVENTS: Please note in your calendar
- Celebrating 1700th year of the Council of Nicaea: Our parish will be organising an event including elocution competition connected to the theme and choir presentations involving the Malankara Orthodox Church parishes in Toronto Region. Probably in the Fall season. Date, time and other details shall be announced soon.
- September 01-08, Ettunompu
- September 07, Sunday: Onasadya
- September 07, Sunday School Reopening
- September 07, Sunday: Feast of Theotokos, Holy Qurbana, Intercessory Prayer, Nerchavilampu.
- September 14, Sunday: Feast of the Cross. Morning prayer at 08.30 AM followed by Holy Qurbana and liturgy of the Cross.
- October 12, Sunday: Parish Nite 2025
- October 19, Sunday: Harvest Festival – 2025
AREA PRAYER MEETINGS:
Details of upcoming meetings shall be announced later.
FOR OUR ATTENTION & TO NOTE:
Children, please occupy front benches during our Liturgical Services
Kindly avoid crowding at the back of the church. A few concerns.
- Due to safety concerns and for assuring an undistracted worship space, we request all our members to occupy the front rows except those that are reserved for children. It would be a bit difficult for our volunteers to suggest moving to the front during the service as it would cause distraction and noise. We need to avoid crowding at the entrance and stair areas as this has raised safety concerns.
- Please be considerate to our senior members to help them find seats or while they try to access the washroom. A slip or a hit should be avoided in any circumstance.
- Please be watchful at the shoe rack area which is also the entrance to both washrooms.
- We request our parents to attend our children not to pull the alarm lever at the back wall.
Hand Waving Machine & Common Absolution Prayer for all communicants
The hand waving machine has been installed at the church entrance for taking count of the communicants. Whoever wishes to take Holy Communion, upon entering the temple, please wave your hand once at the machine. Please be aware that after the Nicene Creed, the machine shall be disabled. Absolution shall be done during the morning prayer.
WEEKLY IN-PERSON MEETINGS:
September 07, Sunday –
- Onasadya at the Parish Hall after the Holy Liturgy
- Sunday School Reopening for the new Academic Year.
- Organizations: Practice and training for Parish Nite 2025 after Onasadya
LIVE streaming has been reactivated: All services’ Live Streaming is now available.
Holy Liturgical Text for this Sunday
We will be using the Taksa of St Isaac this Sunday.
May the Gracious Lord keep us from all harm and heal the entire world.
Next Week
Sept 14, Fifth Sunday after the Feast of Assumption, Feast of the Cross
Scriptural Readings:
OT: Genesis 48:13-20, Numbers 21:4-9, Joshua 10:12-15, 1 Samuel 17:37-53,
Daniel 7:21-28, Isaiah 65:1-7
NT: Acts 13:26-39, Galatians 2:17-3:14, Holy Gospel St Luke 21:5-28
Yours in Christ
Thomas John Achen
Email ID: fr.thomaspjohn@gmail.com
Mobile: (416) 570 5610