A PERUSAL OF KALPANA (17/03/2011)
FROM OUR METROPOLITAN H.G. JOSEPH MARTHOMA
An excerpt of the said Kalpana, with regard to Prevailing Kuwait Marthoma Parish Dispute, is given below for our understanding:-
“Delegates of protestors have met me at Thiruvalla to discuss the possibility of an amicable settlement of the issue:-
The Delegates have agreed :-
· That, the Court case, rejecting the temporal, while accepting the spiritual ownership of The Mar Thoma Metropolitan and the Synod over Kuwait Parish shall be withdrawn.
· That, the incident of disrupting the worship service on 1st January 2011 is regretted and each concerned shall request for an official pardon for the same from the Metropolitan.
· That, incident of preventing the announcement of the Kalpana on 6th December 2010 is regretted and each concerned shall request an official pardon for the same from the Diocesan Bishop.
Against, which, the Metropolitan has responded that, once the above conditions are fulfilled by the protestors subject to conditions per the Kalapana dated 29/12/2010.
o The issue of the names of the Parish may be considered at a later stage.
o But, if the above conditions are not fulfilled on or before 1st April 2011,futher action will be taken subject to the Court Verdict
o Stated that as per Clause No. 57 of the Sabha Constitution, the Episcopal Synod has the right to divide or dissolve the existing parish and create new parishes and to abrogate/ change existing name.
o Advised that each will have the invocation to co-operate with the existing situation by relinquishing adamant attitude.”
Is it addressing The Core of our demands/stand which are :-
o No objection to creation of new parishes in addition to existing Parish.
o Objection in the Dissolution of the Parish
o Need to Re-Establish the Parish with its name and Seniority
o Ready to worship as True Marthoma Believers accepting patriarchal supremacy of Bishops and its systems
The said Kalpana is very vague in its response to reconciliation attempt initiated by us. It is simply stating that re-naming of parish may be considered. It is also an indirect threat of further action if the deadline is crossed. Core issues are ignored.
Can we treat the clauses in The Kalpana as a reasonable settlement of the issue? The above conditions imposed by the Metropolitan to resolve the situation is purely one sided which is degrading the parishioners to the status of slaves, who has no dignity of their own. First the protestors have to beg for the pardon. Then accept the conditions set by the Church leadership within a deadline. For the humiliating submission of the parish members, the response from the leadership is indefinite and vague. There is no commitment of any real solution. This FATWA is for unconditional surrender of one’s right in front of the All Powerful. This reminds the attitude of the erstwhile “MAADAMBI”- “JENMI” or “THMBRAN” (landlord) to his ADIYAAN (slave).
Above suggestions will raise the following questions to the leadership:
· The Metropolitan is referring Clause 57 to justify his action and advising the laity to relinquish their ADAMANT attitude.
o Can the Metroplitan list the number of Churches dissolved under the above clause in the history of Mar Thoma Church? How many dissolutions? & Why?
o Is our relation with our Metropolitan/Bishops/Clergy based on the constitution of a Religious System? Is it not a relation between a father to son /to a brother or a spiritual leader to his followers on the basis of love of the Lord Jesus Christ? Is it only a pure Administrative relation?
o What is the reason for the rebellion? How the community who were obedient to the Church and leadership for the last 47 long years now became disobedient? Any solid rethinking made on the cause of it?
o What is the reason for DISSOLUTION of an existing church since 47 years? Any democratic or parental consideration is given to the parish members, while imposing a verdict on them, without taking their consent?
o On the part of the Church leadership, any constructive measures taken to evaluate the magnitude of the situation which is unresolved since last 4 months?
o Why the leadership is provoking the majority by delaying a reasonable solution or an attempt to listen their grievances?
o What is the problem, if one of the Church maintain its status as the Kuwait Marthoma Parish, with its seniority for those who value it. Separate churches be created for those who are not valuing their tradition or seniority? Here is an amicable settlement satisfying the interest of both parties.
o Here who is adamant? Is it the Church Leadership or the Protestors?
The attempt by the protestors for a negotiated settlement submitting themselves wholeheartedly, prove that, it is not the Protestors who are adamant. The common man has shown the magnanimity to relinquish their pride and to settle the matter. What is the response to them from the Church leadership? Leadership is adamant in their stand of no compromise in re-establishing a church. Instead they are trying to intimidate ordinary believers with a tone of threat of further action if conditions are not fulfilled in a time frame.
Are We practicing what we talk?
We feel that the Maramon Convention has now degraded to the status of a Grand Mela. A stage for our hypocrisy. We talk something and do something different.
The Theme of Maramon Convention 2011 was :
§ God Asked Adam : “Where are You?
§ God Asked Cain : “ Where is your brother?”
Our Metropolitan asked the audience during his inaugural speech:
§ Where are you?
§ Where is your brother?
§ Where are your children?
§ Where are your aged parents?
The core of the message is HOW FAR YOU ARE AWAY FROM YOUR GOD AND FROM YOUR FELLOW BEING.
A benign question to the Metropolitan : Where are you? Where is your brother? Where are your people? Are you concerned about them or you? Where do you place yourself in the sight of God?.... Are you demonstrating the virtue of the Carpenter of Nazareth who was willing to wash the feet of the fishermen…. Or are you degrading to the status of the despotic religious leaders….. commanding exclusive authority and feudal power.
The Metropolitan should not forget that he is the spiritual father of the believers of Marthoma traditions and practices. Once he is elevated to the status of The Metropolitan, his personal identity is lost. He is Marthoma Church in the true sense. He has to forego his SELF. There should not be any room for EGO in his actions. His failure or success shall affect the church as a whole. His decisions should be purely impartial and reasonable based on the love of Jesus Christ.
The Missing Cross
The common man feels that, THE CROSS IS MISSING in our church. Christ has no place here. Church, despite its supposed role of Christian love has evolved to the polity of power. It is busy in building up worldly treasures deviating from its purpose and role. The leaders cannot forego their SELF, against which Jesus fought and got crucified.
The current plight of church reminds us of the story of :
A man who, in the search of God, being fed up of the worldly life:
Went to the forest for MEDITATION in the search of God.
He started his meditation in the solitude.
But a rat started to disturb his peace.
To eliminate the rat he kept a cat.
To feed the cat he kept a cow.
To feed and care the cow, he got married.
Through marriage he got children.
To feed children he had to go back to the worldly life again.
Since he could not co-exist with the rat, the whole purpose is lost. Here the rat is the personification of reality and his fellow being. He failed to co-exist with reality.
The same thing is happening with the church. Leaders are reluctant to co-exist with own people, whom they make as enemies instead of accommodating their needs. We have become name sake Christians. Many of the current incidents make us to think that at least a few of our Leaders are gradually losing their credibility as true models of Christ. The lust for luxury and power makes them blind and have lost the power to love their own fellow beings. They forget that they are for the people by the people. They are not emanated from heaven to their current position. Their root is from ordinary people who made them powerful. Once they attain their position, they forget their roots. Let them try to wake up from their dreams of false prestige and live with the common man identifying with them as Jesus did. Otherwise it will be too late for a rectification, which will be detrimental for the whole church.
This Church is the culmination of the efforts of our forefathers. We have the history a long line of credible and pious leaders. We should pass on their legacy to the coming generations. History will not pardon for any deviation from the principles of Jesus Christ. None of us will live for ever in this world. All are answerable to the next generation and God. Whenever ordinary people are fed up of continuous injustices, revolutions were ignited, which rooted out the rules of unchallengeable Powerful regimes. All Tyrants thought that they were formidable. History is our lesson. Please do not ignore it. Try to learn from it.
Bible Says : (Luke 15: 3-7)
“Then Jesus told them this parable: ‘Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.” I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent’”
How far our leaders are true to this teaching? Let it be a lesson for them before it is too late. God Bless all of us.
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
A true well wisher of Mar Thoma Church