Quintessence of Religious Doctrines - Malankarasyriac Voice

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49On the Mother of God 97 98Quintessence of Religious Doctrinesfusion. The modus operandi or the mode of effecting of thisunion, the S.O.C. opines, is a mystery because it cannot beexplained by human logic, despite many a theory. It is in theattempt to unravel this mystery that the Christian Church gotsplit up into sects like, Miaphysites as the Jacobites andDyphysites like the Byzantines and the Roman Catholics.The Syrian Antiochaean Patriarch Severius, Bishop JacobBurdaeus, Philoxinose Mabugg were the notable Miaphysiteswho were mistakenly accused of Monophysitism. The councilsof Ephesus and Chalcedon witnessed the internecine fightsof these sects and the consequent mutual anathema. It is asorry and sad plight that the wounds so inflicted have notyet been healed. After all, every Christian shall rememberthat dividing is easy while unification is pretty difficult.3. As this virgin gave birth to Immanuel, the full God and full man,Ref: Is. 7:14... Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear ason, and shall call his name Immanuel. (K.J.V.)CommentThe child that Mary gave birth was Immanuel, which in Hebrewmeans ‘God is with us’. This name was given to Lord Jesusin fulfillment of the prophesy of the great Jewish prophetIsaiah, who lived in Jerusalem in the 8 th century B.C.E. Theterm Immanuel has the following deep theologicalconnotation. It means the immanence of God as distinct fromHis transcendence. This immanent Immanuel or Jesus wasfully God and fully man simultaneously4. The Blessed Virgin is hailed Mother of God. Since Her wombbecame quite suitable to be the throne of the Son of God, andas the Holy Virgin,Ref: Lk. 1:43. Why should this great thing happen to me,that my Lord’s mother comes to visit me? (G.N.B.)CommentThe S.O.C. avows that as the child born of the Blessed Virginhad the full divinity, indissolubly mixed with full humanity in amysterious manner, She is the Mother of God. This is thepoint of distinction from the Nestorians who hail Mary, as theMother of Jesus but not of God. On account of Her humilityand willingness to co-operate with the divine dispensation ofIncarnation, God selected Her womb to be His Throne.5. Never knew man; She remained ever a Virgin.Ref: (a) Jn. 19:26, 27. Jesus saw his mother and the disciplehe loved standing there, so he said to his mother,“He is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Sheis your mother.” From that time the disciple took herto live in his home. (G.N.B.)(b) Ezek. 44:1-3. The man led me to the outer gate at theeast side of the temple area; the gate was closedand the Lord said to me, “this gate will stay closedand will never be opened. No human being is allowedto use it because I the Lord God of Israel, haveentered through it. It is to remain closed...” (G.N.B.)CommentAs St. Mary never knew any man including St. Joseph, thefoster father of Jesus, the S.O.C. asserts that she remainedall throughout Her life a Virgin. She is therefore hailed theever Virgin or technically ‘Sompre Virgo’. She is ever hailedby the S.O.C. as the one filled with divine grace and theVirgin Mother. The latter term sounds paradoxical but forGod everything is possible.6. We shall, in accordance with the annunciation of the Angel giveevery honour to this Holy Mother and desire of her solicitationsfor us.Ref: (a) Lk. 1:28. The angel came to her and said, “Peace bewith you! The Lord is with you and has greatlyblessed you!” (G.N.B.)(b) Lk. 1:48. For he has remembered me his lovelyservant! (G.N.B.)CommentThe justification of the honour or dulia accorded to MotherMary is no mere accident. It is, rather in line with the hailing
50On the Mother of God 99of the archangel Gabriel. If an archangel can honour Herwhy should not ordinary mortals do so? Moreover, myriadsof men and women vouch on the efficacy of Her intercession.S.O.C., however, is cautions to see that the dulia that Sheaccords to the Divine Mother does not verge on hyperduliaor over veneration. It is true that the S.O.C. hails St. Mary asthe gate of Heaven. But She is not hailed the Lady ofImmaculate Conception as the Roman Catholic Churchpredicates Her.Theme No: 19On the Prayer to the Saints1. As the Saints who have departed from the mortal body are stillalive in the spirit,Ref: (a) Lk. 20:38. “He is the God of the living, not of thedead, for to him all are alive.” (G.N.B.)(b) 1 Pet. 3:19. And in his spiritual existence he wentand preached to the imprisoned spirits. (G.N.B.)CommentPersons who had led a pious and saintly life and haveapparently departed from us are still alive. On the authorityof the dominical words, deeds, the Bible and Tradition, theS.O.C. contends that such people are alive in spirit. True,they are not visible to mortal eyes. It is because they arespirits without sensory faculties.2. It is quite behoving that affection and honour are accorded tothem in the name of Christ. As they are the loved ones of ourLord, respecting and loving them are like giving the same toHim.Ref: Mt. 10:40, 41. “Whoever welcomes you welcomesme; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes the onewho sent me.” (G.N.B.)CommentAs the saints are still alive, of course, in the spiritual planeand as they have won the love of Christ, it is only fit that, werevere them and commemorate their feasts; on the basis ofthe utterance of Jesus, that whatever has been done to Hisservant will be deemed as a service to He Himself. So, whatwe do to the saints are offerings to Him.3. As the prayer offered by the children of the ancient PatriarchsAbraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David in grateful memory of them,was heard and answered by God, so our prayers beseeching
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 and 46: 44On Prayer 87CommentThe prayers ar
Page 47 and 48: 46On Fasts 917. The Church has ther
Page 49: 48On the Feast of the Saints 95The
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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