Reflections

  Sharing God’s Gift with Joy Bible Reading: St. Luke 16:19-31 Key verse :   31 He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead. ( St Luke 16:31, NLT) DEVOTION Our Scripture Reading today is from  familiar passage in the Gospel of St. Luke of the parable of Rich Man and Lazarus. As we read the passage we observe  two contrasting lifestyles of the wealthy man and the abject poverty of Lazarus. The wealthy man lives in the lap of luxury and pomp while poor Lazarus lives on the crumps of food that fall from the table of the wealthy man and having stray dogs lick his wounds. Now both men die and that is when we read about complete reversal in the situation of both men. We are offered a glimpse in what is in store for whom justice has been denied in this earthly life and the hope that awaits those who have been leading life of oppression and misery.  I have selected St. Luke 16.31 a...

  Lordship of Jesus Christ - St Thomas Day Bible Reading: John 20: 24 - 29 Key verse :   28 John 20:28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” DEVOTION Apostle Thomas helps us believe in Christ by giving us the most exalted personal testimony of Jesus’s deity: “My Lord and my God!” . In verse 27, after saying to the eleven, including Thomas, “Peace be with you,” Jesus says to Thomas directly, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Besides the grace of Jesus in giving Thomas more evidence than he deserved, two things are striking. The first and most obvious is the height to which Thomas soared in his believing. Nobody else in this Gospel said, “Jesus, you are my Lord and my God.” The greatest personal testimony spoken in this Gospel belongs to Thomas. Surely “my Lord” paired with “my God” does not mean a polite “sir” or a mere earthly “master.” Th...

  Sharing God’s gift with glory Bible Reading:  1 Timothy 6: 17 - 21 Key verse :   17 “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” 1 Timothy‬ ‭6‬:‭17‬ ‭ DEVOTION In Paul’s letter to Timothy, instructions were given to guide rich believers in the early church to be good stewards of the wealth entrusted to them. There is a responsibility attached to the gift God gives us, to share with the needy. We will be held accountable for our stewardship. This passage handles the spiritual dangers of hoarding wealth; arrogance, reliance on wealth than God, hope in the temporal, condescending attitude towards the poor, our love for money becomes our idol etc…The Lord is not against acquiring wealth but our attitude towards it matters, we must not make it our idol, giving it priority more than the Giver. All the wea...

  Sharing God’s gift with Joy Bible Reading: :1 Chronicles 29:10-18 Key verse :  14 “Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.” DEVOTION The historical context of this passage is Israel’s preparation for the construction of the Temple under Solomon, during the final days of David’s reign. It records David’s acknowledgement that God’s people can only give back what God has first given them, making it one of the Bible’s clearest expressions of stewardship, gratitude and worship. David gathered the leaders of Israel and encouraged them to contribute resources like gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood and precious stones for the future temple. People responded to David’s request generously. Generosity begins with the leader as David did not just ask the people for donations, he gave sacrificially from his own personal wealth first. These demonstrate that true leaders inspire others by setting a proactive model. Giving should be joyful and willing...

  Sharing God’s Gift with Joy Bible Reading: : Malachi 3:6–10 Key verse :   10 “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house… and see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.” — Malachi 3:10 (NRSV) DEVOTION Malachi reminds God’s people that faithful giving is an act of worship rooted in gratitude. The call to bring the tithe was not merely about supporting the temple; it was about recognizing that everything belongs to God. Through this passage, God invites His people to trust Him wholeheartedly and to participate in His mission by sharing His gifts with joy. In the Mar Thoma tradition, stewardship is understood as a faithful response to God’s grace. We do not give to earn God’s favor; rather, we give because we have already received His abundant love and mercy through Christ. As the Apostle Paul teaches, “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). Joyful giving reflects a...

  The Day of Apostles St. Peter & St. Paul Bible Reading: :Matthew 20:25–28 Key verse :   20 "Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave." (vv. 26–27) DEVOTION When we look at Christ, we see a leader who is completely different from the leaders of this world. Though He was the Son of God, He chose to be born in a manger. He lived as the son of a carpenter and associated with those whom society often overlooked - the poor, fishermen, and even those considered sinners, such as tax collectors. At the age of thirty-three, He died the death of a criminal on a cross. When false accusations were brought against Him, He did not open His mouth in defense. He endured mocking, spitting, beating, and persecution at the hands of His own creation, even though all authority in heaven and on earth belonged to Him. Christ deliberately chose a path that was completely different from what the w...