Quintessence of Religious Doctrines - Malankarasyriac Voice

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33On the Holy Confession 65 66Quintessence of Religious Doctrinessince the latest confession was made. They must do so freely,frankly and fearlessly. Technically speaking, they must tellthe priest only the truth and all the truth without anyreservation. This must be done with a contrite heart and witha resolution not to repeat them. No faithful shall take umbrageon the plea that some extraneous force led them to committhe sins. It is because the S.O.C. does not believe in predetermination,as some of the Western Churches preach.For the S.O.C. the onus or the burden of every sin is on theindividual himself or herself. Therefore the instruction to thefaithful to speak out their hearts to the priests. Only thencan the priests intercede for the sinners.4. The priest shall not divulge the confessional secrets. If he doesso, he will incur the divine judgment.Ref: (a) Prov. 11:13. A gossip tells everything; but a truefriend will keep a secret. (L.B.)(b) Prov. 25:9.... Do not reveal any secrets. (G.N.B.)CommentThis is a very serious instruction to the priests. Even on thepenalty of death, the priests shall not let know anybody else,the secrets confided in confession. This provision is to makethe candidate for confession free from the fear of Ecclesialshame or ignominy or social stigma. If a priest behavescontrarily he can be subjected to the severest of thepunishments, prescribed on this score, by the Canon Law.5. Sins are forgiven by the priest not because of any merit orauthority inherent in them.Ref: Acts. 3:13. When Peter saw the people he said tothem, “Fellow, Israelites, why are you surprised atthis and why do you stare at us? Do you think thatit was by means of our own power or godliness thatwe made this man walk?” (G.N.B.)CommentIt is reiterated that the authority of the priest to grant remissionof sins is not personal but vicarious or in the capacity as herepresents Jesus. In other words, it is a right that he obtainsthrough ordination. The implication here is that the principalactor in the remission of sins is Jesus Himself.6. It is rather due to the moral instruction of the priest to the sinners;Ref: Jas. 5:19, 20. My brothers if one of you wandersaway from the truth and another one brings himback again remember this: whoever turns a sinnerback from his wrong way will save that sinner’s soulfrom death and bring about the forgiveness of manysins. (G.N.B.)CommentIt is said again that remission of sins is effected also on thebasis of the moral and ethical instructions imparted to theconfessing souls. In their instructions the priests shall notcreate scare among the confessing faithful. The priests,rather, must handle every case with the milk of humankindness and even handed justice.7. Their prayers,Ref.: 1Tim 2:1. First of all, then, I urge that petitions,prayers, requests and thanks-giving be offered toGod for all people. (G.N.B.)CommentThe duties of the priests do not end with the formal confessionceremony. The priests have to intercede for the erred soulsindividually and generally as occasion warrants.8. And due to the grace they have received from Lord Jesus. Ifthe raising of the dead woman to life by St. Peter is attributed tohim without considering that Jesus worked through Peter, theassertion that the priest brings out the remission of sins throughconfession is not at all erroneous. More over, as the priests doso in accordance with the decree of Jesus that, ‘if you forgivepeople’s sins, they are forgiven’, there is nothing blasphemousin saying that the priests brought it out.
34On the Holy Confession 67Ref.: (a) Jn. 20: 22, 23. Then he breathed on them and said,“Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive people’ssins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them,they are not forgiven.” (G.N.B.)(b) 1Tim. 4:14. Do not neglect the spiritual gift that is inyou, which was given to you when the prophetsspoke and the elders laid their hands on you. (G.N.B.)CommentAs the priests are effecting confessions in the true capacityas the Vicars of Jesus, there is no irregularity or anomalyand much less blasphemy in stating that the prieststhemselves have brought out the remission. It is after all, aeuphemistic or courteous way of confiding an apparent event.Theme No: 9On the Holy Oil1. Through baptism we put on Christ.Ref.: Gal. 3:27. And when you were baptised, it was asthough you had put on Christ in the same way youput on new clothes. (L.B.)CommentOne of the effects of baptism is that through the ceremonywe put on Christ. For St. Paul the imagery of ‘putting on Christ’was a favorite one. It is by likening baptism to bathing inwater that this imagery is drawn. As we put on clothes after abath so do we wear Christ after baptism.2. We are born again not only from water but from the Holy Spiritalso.Ref.: Jn. 3:5. I tell you for certain that before you can getinto God’s kingdom, you must be born not only bywater but by spirit. (L.B.)CommentBaptism, however, is not a watery bath only. It is also a rebirthin the Holy Spirit. The symbol of the Holy Spirit in the baptismalceremony is the Holy Myron; the Holy Oil is the cleansingmedium. It signifies exorcism.3. As it is a must that one be rubbed with oil and led to eternal lifeby sealing, it is essential that a believer ought be anointed byHoly Myron and consecrated oil.Ref.: Eph. 1:13... You believed in Christ and God put hisstamp of ownership on you by giving you the HolySpirit he had promised. (G.N.B.)CommentIn order to obtain eternal life we must receive the grace ofthe Holy Spirit. For this, the Holy Myron which represent theHoly Spirit is to be rubbed, as specified, on the body of thebaptismal candidate.
Page 2 and 3: 1Quintessence of Religious Doctrine
Page 5 and 6: published in 1964. Since then we ha
Page 7 and 8: 6ThadathilMuttambalamKottayam - 686
Page 9 and 10: 8Translator’s NoteAs I sat down t
Page 11 and 12: 10Abbreviations19 20Quintessence of
Page 13 and 14: 1224Quintessence of Religious Doctr
Page 15 and 16: 14On the Blessed Trinity 27 28Quint
Page 17 and 18: 16On the Son 3132Quintessence of Re
Page 19 and 20: 18On the Son3536Quintessence of Rel
Page 21 and 22: 20On the Holy Spirit 39to be the di
Page 23 and 24: 22On the Holy Sacraments 43 44Quint
Page 25 and 26: 24On the Holy Baptism 47 48Quintess
Page 27 and 28: 26On the Holy Baptism 51can fulfil
Page 29 and 30: CommentThe results of receiving the
Page 31 and 32: 30On the Holy Eucharist 59 60Quinte
Page 33: 32On the Holy Confession 63 64Quint
Page 37 and 38: 36On the Holy Orders 71 72Quintesse
Page 39 and 40: 38On the Holy Orders 75Ref: (a) Mt.
Page 41 and 42: 40On the Holy Matrimony 79CommentIt
Page 43 and 44: 42On Burial 833. Bishops, Priests,
Page 45 and 46: 44On Prayer 87CommentThe prayers ar
Page 47 and 48: 46On Fasts 917. The Church has ther
Page 49 and 50: 48On the Feast of the Saints 95The
Page 51 and 52: 50On the Mother of God 99of the arc
Page 53 and 54: 52On the Prayer to the Saints 103 1
Page 55 and 56: 54On the Prayer to the Saints 107Co
Page 57 and 58: 56On the Prayer for the Departed 11
Page 59 and 60: 58On the Prayer for the Departed 11
Page 61 and 62: 60120Quintessence of Religious Doct
Page 63 and 64: 62On Signing oneself with the mark
Page 65 and 66: 64On Chastity 127way; others, becau
Page 67 and 68: 66On Human Soul 131CommentThe S.O.C
Page 69 and 70: 68On Sin 135 136Quintessence of Rel
Page 71 and 72: 70On Repentance 139140Quintessence
Page 77 and 78: 76On Independent Creation, Free wil
Page 79 and 80: 78On Independent Creation, Free wil
Page 83 and 84: 82AppendixNames of the Heritics who
Page 85 and 86:
84Heresies 167 168Quintessence of R
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