Quintessence of Religious Doctrines - Malankarasyriac Voice

48On the Feast of the Saints 95The theology is that frequent getting off from worldly worksis conducive to a life of inner purity and internal serenity.3. The faithful shall, besides, reflect on the acts and steadfastnessof the saint whose feast is being celebrated and try to follow hisfoot-steps.Ref: (a) Heb. 6:12 ...you would be following the example ofthose who had faith and were patient until God kepthis promise to them. (L.B.)(b) Heb. 13:7. Remember your former leaders who spokeGod’s message to you. Think back on how theylived and died and imitate their faith. (G.N.B.)CommentThis is an additional discipline to the ones prescribed above.When the feast of a particular saint is celebrated, it is quitebehoving that, the life style of that saint and his ways offighting Satan are impressed upon the minds of the faithful.Pilgrimage to the concerned shrines is also helpful to buildup a spiritual disposition among the believers. This latterexercise has an Ecclesial dimension also. It helps developcoherence and consolidation among the faithful. It is notextraneous to mention that all the Jews of the past had to goon pilgrimage to Jerusalem for celebrating different festivalsthrice an year. Along with the rabbinic instruction this exercisealso did a lot to maintain the communal integrity of the Jews,even on the face of pogroms perpetrated by Hitler and others.Theme No: 18On the Mother of God1. Following the annunciation of the Angel to the Blessed Virginthe Word of God became incarnate in her womb.Ref: Lk. 1:35. The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit willcome on you, and God’s power will rest upon you;for this reason the Holy Child will be called the Sonof God. (G.N.B.)CommentAs per Christians, the Annunciation of the angel to theBlessed Virgin is a marvel, both historically as well astheologically. In the former sense it heralds the Christ-eventsin Salvation History. Theologically it marks the inaugurationof the divine dispensation of Incarnation. The humility, selfnegation and willing co-operation of Mary in the great eventof Incarnation are all made manifest through theAnnunciation. From the standard of mortal man She couldhave avoided the ignominy cum social stigma and ostracismconsequent to the Virgin birth of Jesus, by a negative answerto the proclamation of the archangel, on the glad tidings ofIncarnation. Had it been so, She would not have been thesecond Eve, who ushered in the salvation of mankind. ButShe lowered herself. Her heart praised the Lord. She wastherefore selected by the mighty God for the grand episodeof the divine incarnation of Jesus, the second Person of theTrinity.2. As the divinity and humanity got indissolubly united even whilein the womb itself,Ref: vide Ref. 12 of Theme No: 3CommentThe Word Who incarnated in the womb of Mary was not merelyhuman or exclusively divine. But in the Incarnate Person,both humanity and divinity were united inseparably but without