Quintessence of Religious Doctrines - Malankarasyriac Voice

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45On Fasts 89 90Quintessence of Religious Doctrinescertain fishes and flesh. During the Passover the Israeliteswere to keep away from eating leavened bread. Elijah, thegreat Jewish prophet observed fast for forty days. Joshua,the son of Nun, was able to keep the celestial bodies still, bythe power he gained through prayer and fasting.3. Was ordered, practised and taught by our Lord.Ref: (a) Mt. 4:2. And when he had fasted forty days andforty nights, he was afterward an hungered. (K.J.V.)(b) Mt. 9:15. And Jesus said unto them, Can the childrenof the bride chamber mourn, as long as thebridegroom is with them? But the days will comewhen the bridegroom shall be taken from them andthen shall they fast. (K.J.V.)CommentEven Jesus our Lord observed fast for forty days. It was thespiritual strength that He gained from this fast, which fortifiedHim to have decisive victory over the seductive strategy ofSatan. In His teachings, Jesus further emphasised that onecould cast off the evil spirits with the power of prayer andfasting.4. And was observed by the Apostles and accordingly confirmed,ordered and practised by the Church as part of Her discipline.Ref: Acts. 13:2. While they were serving the Lord andfasting, the Holy Spirit said to them, “Set apart forme, Barnabas and Saul, to do the work to which Ihave called them”. (G.N.B.)CommentFrom the book of Praxis or The Acts of the Apostles, it canbe gathered that the Holy Apostles also observed fast liketheir Master. One of the sources of their spiritual strengthwas fasting. In line with the Apostolic tradition and with thelessons that She learned from the Semitic cradle of training,the S.O.C. vouches on the efficacy of fasting and theinexorable value of it, in spiritual life.5. But physical or bodily fasting without spiritual abstinence fromevil is not enough at all.Ref: (a) Mt. 6:16. “And when you fast do not put on a sadface, as the hypocrites do, they neglect theirappearance so that everyone will see that they arefasting. I assure you, they have already been paidin full. (G.N.B.)(b) vide. Is. 58:77(c) vide. Num. 7:7CommentAbstinence from food alone, without spiritual nourishments,like prayer and meditation will emaciate both the body andthe soul equally. On the contrary physical abstinence fromfood coupled with spiritual exercises would fortify the personobserving fast.6. The intentions of fasting are the following: To instruct to valuemore of matters spiritual than worldly, to subdue bodilytemptations and foster the soul, to defend the soul from bodilydesires and to awaken and orient it to things divine. And to bea weapon to have victory over Satan. As love of the stomach isthe mother of many a sin, abstaining oneself from food is a wayto prevent the evil arising from consuming food.Ref: (a) Phil. 3:19...They worship their stomach and bragabout the disgusting things they do. (L.B.)(b) Mt. 17:21. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but byprayer and fasting. (K.J.V.)CommentThe purposes or intentions and the merits of fasting arebrought out here. Fasting, on the whole, brings in spiritualorientation and equilibrium besides victory over carnaldesires. In the prayers of the S.O.C. it is extolled thatobservance of fasting is a sure device to gain victory overSatan and his primrose ways, which lead to eternaldamnation. Fasting uplifts a person from the terrestrial realmto the celestial plane.
46On Fasts 917. The Church has therefore decreed the observance of fasting onall Wednesdays and Fridays besides during the following fiveperiods. Lent, period of Annunciation and Nativity, the feast ofAssumption of the Blessed Virgin, feast of the Apostles, Ninevehfast or fast of Rogation.Ref: Lk. 18:12. “I fast two days a week...” (G.N.B.)CommentThe Church has specified five periods of fast noted already,in the course of an Ecclesial year. Besides them, all theWednesdays and Fridays except during the weeks betweenthe Easter and the Pentecost are to be observed as days offast. Wednesdays in honour of the Blessed Virgin and Fridaysin rememberance of the Crucifixion of our Saviour.8. During fast days abstinence from marital relationship, consumingof meat, fish etc. is obligatory. Also, in accordance with one’sphysical capacity and the ordinances of the Church, keepingaway from meals till noon or having only one time food a day isalso to be observed.Ref: (a) 1Cor. 7:5... You agree not to have sex... (L.B.)(b) 2Sam. 1:12. They cried all day long and would noteat anything... (L.B.)(c) Dan. 1:8. Daniel made up his mind to eat and drinkonly what God had approved his people to eat. Andhe asked the king’s chief official for permission notto eat the food and wine served in the royal palace.(L.B.)CommentThe disciplines to be observed during the fast days are heredetailed. They are all conducive for the spiritual growth andstrength.Theme No: 16On Sundays and Feast or Obligatory Days1. The holy Apostles and Church Fathers have ruled that wecelebrate with due honour and devotion, Sundays as memorialdays of the resurrection of our Lord, His miracles andconsecration of the Church. Likewise the faithful must observethe feast days fixed by the Church as commemorative ones ofHis birth, baptism, and He being presented in the temple. Thefaithful must on these days, keep away from worldly activitiesand involve themselves in spiritual pursuits like the participationin the holy Eucharistic celebration, reading of the Scriptural texts,singing of the divine hymns etc.Ref: (a) 1Cor. 11:20. When you assemble you seem to learnand eat not befitting the day of our Lord. (V.G.)(b) Acts. 20:7-10. On Saturday evening we gatheredtogether for the fellowship meal. Paul spoke to thepeople and kept on speaking until midnight, sincehe was going to leave the next day... (G.N.B.)CommentThe Church has prescribed the observance of every Sundayas Lord’s Day. Similarly certain days are earmarked asspecially sanctified ones. Both these categories of days glorifyChrist-events from Annunciation to Ascension. The Churchhas made obligatory the observance of the fast days withthe true Christian mood and religious sentiment cum spirit.2. These sacred days must be observed in the true Christianmanner and not in the Jewish or pagan way. Nor shall the faithfulwhile away time idling without observing them devotionally.Ref: (a) 1Cor. 5:8. Let us celebrate our Passover, then, notwith bread having the old yeast of sin andwickedness but with the yeast of purity andholiness. (V.G.)(b) vide. Col. 2:16, 7
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 and 34: 32On the Holy Confession 63 64Quint
Page 35 and 36: 34On the Holy Confession 67Ref.: (a
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: 44On Prayer 87CommentThe prayers ar
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

Quintessence of Religious Doctrines - Malankarasyriac Voice

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