Quintessence of Religious Doctrines - Malankarasyriac Voice

51On the Prayer to the Saints 101 102Quintessence of Religious Doctrinesmercy and offered in remembrance of those saints who hadshed their life blood for Christ and who had begotten us in spiritand had shown the path of life, is good and would be acceptableto God.Ref: (a) Deut. 9:27. Remember your servants, Abraham, Issacand Jacob and do not pay any attention to thestubbornness, wickedness and sin of this people.(G.N.B.)(b) Is. 37:35. I will defend this city and protect it for thesake of my own honour and because of the promiseI made to my servant David. (G.N.B.)CommentThis is an exhortation to us, the living ones, to invoke theintercession of the departed saints, who while alive, trod alongthe way of life that Jesus had shown. The logic is the following.Such saints like our spiritual fathers act as our guides alongthe spiritual path. They are, in other words, the signposts inour odyssey to the heavenly Jerusalem; again on account ofthe easy access they have to Jesus, it is natural to contendthat the saints can intercede for us.4. As death simply signifies the separation of the body and thesoul and not the annihilation of the soul as such,Ref: (a) Ps. 13:4. Don’t let my enemies say “We havedefeated him” Don’t let them gloat over my downfall.(G.N.B.)(b) Ecc. 12:7. Our bodies will return to the dust of theearth, and the breath of life will go back to God, whogave it to us. (G.N.B.)(c) Jn. 8:5, I am telling you the truth: whoever obeys myteaching will never die. (G.N.B.)CommentThe theology of the S.O.C. regarding the phenomenon ofdeath is clearly brought out. Death of course is the end ofwhat we see or experience through the senses. Thishappenens because of the separation of the soul from itstemple, the body with the senses, which the soul had obtainedat the time of birth. But the soul is not sensory. Therefore itwill continue to exist even after death. In other words, theeschatological aspect of the soul is explained. It is immortal,it lives on, awaiting the Parousia or the second coming ofChrist.5. Since the saints have the grace of the Holy Spirit, given by Godto them as a pledge,Ref: Jn. 14:16. I will ask the Father, and he will give youanother helper, who will stay with you forever.(G.N.B.)CommentHere we get the conception of the S.O.C. regarding therelation of the saints to God. They are endowed with thegrace of the Holy Spirit. This endowment is a pledge. A pledge,in the ordinary business of life, is a surety of what will betransacted in the future. So is this grace. It is an indicationas to what the saints would inherit in the Kingdom of Heaven.Therefore, intercessory prayers to the saints will facilitateour being led to the Kingdom through the prayers of thesaints.6. As they are dwelling in the place of bliss,Ref: (a) Lk. 23:43. Jesus said to him, “I promise you thattoday you will be in paradise with me.” (G.N.B.)(b) Phil. 1:21, 23. If I live, it will be for Christ and if I die,I will gain even more. I don’t know what to choose,I could keep on living and doing something useful.It is a hard choice to make. I want to die and be withChrist, because that would be much better. (L.B.)CommentThe saints are enjoying uninterrupted bliss in heaven alongwith the host of angels and the prophets of the yore.