First of all, let me just congratulate the Dallas Mavericks for winning the first franchise championship. Great job guys! That was a stunning performance! This was a team filled with guys and a coach that got so close, but could never win a championship separately, but when they were brought together, it was almost magical. Clearly, God was on the side of the Dallas Mavericks. Also, way to go Dirk Nowitzki for being a great leader, player, and now the Champion MVP! (Granted, you probably won't see this, but a guy can hope, can't he?)
Sunday, June 12, 2011 was just a spiritually enriching day. Biju Achen and I went to Long Island Mar Thoma Church where he was the Celebrant, and along with him, there were three other Achens there. I was in the midst of some of the finest Achens in our church. I've had some great conversations with them during my stay here, and they've proved to be real spiritual leaders led by God, and I felt astounded. Biju Achen also gave the sermon today, because it was his first Qurbana with the Vicar from that church (The Achen was transferred over here this past May).
Not having to run A/V really gave me a chance to sit there and evaluate the Mar Thoma Liturgy. I was able to participate in the Qurbana, not as a tech guy, but as a member of the congregation, and that just felt so surreal to me.
I met some of the youths at the Long Island MTC, and they were great folks. They are hosting this year's National Youth Conference, and that made me happy for them. To see that the conference is in great hands made me feel as though this year's conference will be really great, and I'm looking forward to it.
In the evening, we went to a prayer meeting at the residence of a member of St. John's Mar Thoma Church. The uncle of that house gave his testimony at the prayer meeting. Man, I was blown away! Back in the end of February, this uncle had eight blockages in his heart. He was on the ventilator for several days, and when he finally awoke, the doctors said he would probably be blind. Nothing of the sort happened to him, and then a few weeks later, they discovered a clot in his leg, and he was in the hospital again. Yet, throughout it all, God proved to be faithful, and he healed uncle completely. Uncle said the second day that he couldn't see his wife, son, and daughter sat in the waiting room, closed the door, and cried out to God. The next day, guess what happened? Uncle could respond and speak. They asked him for his house phone number, because they called his daughter, and she didn't answer her phone, so he gave them the house phone number, and they called his family. Listening to that testimony really got me to realize life. When we hear such testimonies, that is when we realize just how great our God is. Sometimes, we get into a routine of Christian life - church, praying, reading the Bible, and going to Bible studies/prayer meetings, and it becomes more of a routine than an experience, and we forget who exactly we are praying to, reading about, or loving. Hearing this testimony made me realize just that and fall in love with God again.
On our drive home from the prayer meeting, that was one of our points of discussion. The other point of discussion was the worship. I asked Biju Achen a question. "After going so many places, counseling so many people, interacting, preaching, and so much more, doesn't leading Qurbana just make it all worth it?" He said, "Absolutely." Then, we began talking about our favorite parts of the Service. I told him that I had a few. One was the Prayer for Pardon and Mercy. It is part of the Promeon, right before the Sedra. It goes like this; "O Lord God, who alone can make holy, who alone can pardon and remove our sins, blot out my many, great and innumerable sins and those of all your people." When I stand and hear these words being uttered by the Celebrant, my heart just melts. I close my eyes, and I pray that prayer too. In humility, I reach out to an awesome God and ask Him to forgive me. First, the Celebrant acknowledges that he is not perfect, and even though he is the shepherd of this flock that's been entrusted to him by God, he will make mistakes, and he has many sins. Second, he takes the role of a leader, and he prays for the forgiveness of his flock, and to me, both of these things show great leadership. Next is the part right before the Nicene Creed and after the Sedra. It is saying Amen when the Celebrant says, "Holy is the Holy Father, Holy is the Holy Son, and Holy is the living and Holy Spirit." Whenever I heard this in Syriac, I love it even more. The church is agreeing on the fact that our Triune God is holy, and He is. The next part in the Service that I really like is the Consecration of the Holy Elements. Back when I was a kid, I always liked this part. I don't know why, but I thought it was amazing. Then, I found out that this was straight out of I Corinthians 11:23-26. I thought that made this part even more amazing! This is strictly quoted from the Bible! It's talking about the Body and the Blood of Christ, and it really made me appreciate it even more, and I realized that I shouldn't take it for granted whenever I took part of it, but rather, I should always express my undying gratitude to the One who gave it all for me. Finally, this might be my most favorite of all the parts in the Holy Qurbana. This is how I would quote it; "The Holy Body and Blood of our Messiah, broken and shed on the cross of Calvary for the forgiveness of sins. Take, eat in remembrance that He died for you." That breaks my heart. I mean, what is more meaningful than to hear that the bread and wine you are about to partake is not just any bread and wine, but rather the body and the blood of the One who redeemed you? All the pain, the broken body, the shed blood was all for me, and that brings me down to my knees at the cross. That is why I cannot understand why people say that they do not get anything from our Holy Qurbana. I don't understand why people find Nondenominationals so fascinating (I go to the Village when I'm in Denton during the evenings, so I'm not bashing the nondenominationals), but I feel I get more here than I do there. If you are one of those people, then let me explain why you do not get anything, and you see it as a routine. It is because you do not open your heart to it. We cannot go into the Worship with an unwilling mentality because if you do, then you won't be able to experience the power of the Holy Spirit. It's not about what church you go to physically, but rather where you go spiritually. Just because you are in the church doesn't mean you're there in spirit and truth, and that's how Christ expects of us to be there worshiping Him. Don't allow your heart to be hardened, but rather allow the Spirit to move within you, and you can worship God from the sewer, and you will still feel the experience of Pentecost because the power of the Holy Spirit is definitely unmatched.
"At the cross I bow my knee,
Where your blood was shed for me.
There's no greater love than this.
You have overcome the grave;
Your glory fills the highest place.
What can separate me now/"
-Hillsong United, "At the Cross"
"How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord."
-Psalm 116:12-13 (NIV)
Probably my longest post. If you have the patience to sit through this, then I am grateful to you. :)
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