Greetings.
Thanks to Director, Principal and Faculty and my student friends….
Ecumenical Dimensions of Gurukul....
26th January 1950 is one of the most important days in Indian history as it was on this day the constitution of India came into force and India became a truly sovereign state. In this day India became a totally republican unit. The country finally realized the dream of Mahatma Gandhi and the numerous freedom fighters who, fought for and sacrificed their lives for the Independence of their country. Although India obtained its independence on August 15, 1947, the Constitution of India came into effect only on January 26, 1950. We should remember the role of Ambedkar, the great architect of our constitution and the champion of the subaltern, which affirm the democratic, secular, social and republic nature of our contribution.
Acts of Apostles 16:11-40 talks about Paul’s a new journey towards Philippi, a colony of Rome. An imperialistic and colonized power relationship was existed in the Philippi. Paul’s journey towards that city is an entry to decolonize the colonized religion and politics. It was a journey of decolonization through confronting the colonized powers. Two things have to be taken care of with this passage. One, there was no synagogue and worship and, two, the spirituality was intertwined with the market.
1. Girl symbolizes the spirituality of the colonized world. A spirituality of profit, which was going on in the market with the permission of the colonial powers. A kind of market driven spirituality was existed and it never challenged the existing structures which nurtures the market driven spirituality. If we read the previous verses we could see another spirituality which was a riverside fellowship and an entirely different spirituality. But she was liberated from the spirituality of the colonized world through the intervention of Paul and Silas.
2. A market controlled Law and Judiciary of Philippi. Paul and Silas were dragged towards the market and the market becomes a court for liberating the girl from the colonized spirituality. A market driven or profit driven judiciary system was there and this judiciary system which act as a weapon in the hands of the dominant and colonized sectors of the society. It becomes the mouthpiece of the colonizers and not speaking against the powerful systems of the society and religious and political laws which dominates and discriminates others in different ways. This law will be active when their profit or economic gain will be in danger and at the same time it may indifferent or passive when justice is denied or life is in danger. Laws of our country should enhance the life of the people in the nation and should reflect the discriminations in the name sexuality, religion, wealth, and many other things. Delhi high court verdict on article 377 and the Right to Information are some of the laws that protect the rights of the people. But at the same time
3. Politics of the beneficiaries of the colonized world. We read, “But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized…..”. They were accused as prisoners on the basis of different charges which are very sensitive and easy to trap and it helped to target them according to their personal agenda. Their liberative engagement disturbed the religion, law and politics of the colonial rulers. Politics of the beneficiaries of the colonized world will always in such way that their interests are safeguarded. One thing we should see is that the custodians or the interpreters of the law misguided the judiciary and law of that time by accusing strong constitutional allegations against Paul and Philip. When Adivasis of Muthangah, in Kerala fought for their right to live and Police attacked them with guns and other weapons and some of them were resisted with bows arrows and later government declared them in the terrorist list and gunned down many.
4. A decolonizing theological engagement by Paul and Silas. Their journey towards Philippi was a theological engagement and which definitely had a political dimension. Mission in a colonized world or in other words decolonizing the spirituality, religion and politics of that time. A mission towards where everything including religion was colonized and imperialistic and everything valued on the basis of the marketability.
This was the Republic Day Sermon(26-1-2010) preached at Gurukul Chapel as the Student General Secretary
Friday, February 26, 2010
Republic Day Worship
Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute
Republic day worship
26-1-2010
Prelude: Instrumental
(This is the 61st year of India being declared a republic. For the people of India this means a togetherness which is safeguarded by the constitution. Over the years the majority of the people of India have not received the protection that has been envisaged by our constitution. This republic day, let us as a people come together for those who have been neglected, oppressed, discriminated and silenced. Let us be proud of what good we have accomplished but be reminded of what needs to be done).
Call to worshipWe have come from many places, we have gone through numerous experiences, we have suffered and we have been overjoyed. We claim one history and even though we speak different languages we have a unique commonness. Whatever colour, whichever language, we share a common call. Our call to freedom of the oppressed and the poor. May this republic day be one of remembering the ordinary people of this land who stood steadfast amidst the bloodshed and the violence. Let us commit ourselves to the betterment of our country, it’s citizens and our neighbours. Amen.
Opening prayer
Creator God, help us to understand the diversity of our country and the way in which we have to live together in a country which is diverse and yet unified. Jesus Christ, inspire us to sacrifice for our country and it’s ordinary people, just as you have sacrificed yourself for us. Holy Spirit, guide us to shun violence and hatred and embrace justice and peace. Amen.
Bhajan (Kannada)
Jai Jagadisa namo Jaya
Taraka deva namo
Pujita vandita Isha
Aikyatha shakti namo
a) Jai Jagadisha namo
Sharanam(3) anantam
Shri pita deva namo (jaya)
Aganita gunadhama jai
Shri paramesha namo
Jai Jagadisha namo
b) Sharanam(3) anantam
Shri suta deva namo(jaya)
Karunasagara yesu
Taraka shakti namo
Jai Jagadisha namo
c)Sharanam (3) anantam
Pavana atma namo (jaya)
Paripujita varadata
Parishuddhatma namo
Jai Jagadisha namo
d) Sharanam(3) Saccidanandam
Vishwa vidhata namo(Jaya)
Paripalaka paramesha
Pita, suta, atma namo
Jai Jagadisha namo
Meaning: Praise and worship to you, O Lord of the universe. You are worthy of worship and reverence. Hail, the great uniting power. Homage of surrender to you, O everlasting God the parent? Ground of abundant virtues, Praise to you O heavenly Lord
Thanksgiving Prayer
Loving God, in times of conflicting views, you have guided us to pick what is right and act accordingly. Whenever tempers have flared you have cooled us down with self understanding and mutual respect. The times we were struck by natural and human made calamities, you have given us the strength to stand fearless amidst the ruins. Lord God, our words of gratitude will never measure up to what you have done for us. We hope that the sincerity of our hearts will suffice for the moment. Amen.
ConfessionL: We stand exposed by the deeds we have committed to further our own interests. In the process we have ploughed over the dreams of the people of this land, who don’t have the resources to fight back.
C: Have mercy on us O Lord
L: By choosing not to fight for those who have been abused and neglected, we have done the same to them as well. Every passive disinterest we have shown is in essence an active betrayal of the poor and the oppressed.
C: Have mercy on us O Lord
L: Our pride in the nation has not translated into a pride for doing what needs to be done. We have sought to capture and snatch what we need through violence and tried to justify all of this by misusing the element of pride.
C: Have mercy on us O Lord
L: Help us God to have the courage to be exposed and to accept what we have done and not done. Let us not remain enthralled and fixated on wrong claims of our republic. Let us rather be humble and forthright of what we are.
C: Have mercy on us O Lord
AbsolutionContrary to our actions, God is slow to anger and pleased to forgive and offers chances to mend our ways. Let us hold on to these continuous acts of mercy from our Lord and try to stand firm in our commitment to change and act well. May God forgive our sins and offer all of us a chance to make a difference. Amen.
Bible reading: Acts: 16:19-34.
Reflection Rev.Sajeev Thomas (Student General Secretary)
Affirmation of faith ( Standing)
We believe in our Mother God who has given us the country and the land that we live in. The struggles of many have resulted in the luxuries that we enjoy now. Many have been jailed and tortured for our independence. God stands still in God’s unflinching commitment to freedom.
We believe in Jesus Christ, the liberator, who has given us the inspiration to fight all injustices that exist in our country. His sacrifice on the cross was for one and all and it calls us to do the same for our nation, for the world and it’s inhabitants. Jesus’ fight against injustice led him to the cross just like we are called to be crucified for the freedom and good of all.
We believe in the Holy Spirit who renews us and reminds us of our commitment towards the poor and the excluded. No group may, due to it’s colour, religion, sex or caste be deprived of opportunities in this country. Any sinister move against such groups should be fought with the confidence of the backing of the Holy Spirit in our fight against unjust forces.
We believe in the church which is a place for all to assemble for peace and love. All are welcome here and no one can be excluded from the presence of God. The church stands for providing God’s presence and peace to anyone who seeks it.
We believe in the good of our country and the potential it has to be a place for diversity to co-exist in all it’s magnificence. India has been a battle ground of violence but it has also instilled the sense of peace and non-violence, caring for mother nature and living in peaceful co-existence. Amen.
Congregational Hymn (Standing)
I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin,
My hand will save.
I, who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear My light to them?
Who shall I send? Chorus
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go, Lord. If You lead me.
I will hold, Your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne My people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them,
They run away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak My word to them,
Whom shall I send? Chorus
I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame,
I will set a feast for them,
My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide,
Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give My life to them.
Whom shall I send? Chorus
IntercessionL: God our protector, we pray for our country which is celebrating the completion of sixty years as a republic. But in our celebration we do not forget those who have not benefited from the creation of this republic and it’s constitution. Even though the constitution of India was made to be inclusive, many people have been excluded because of the unjust power structures in our country. We pray for all such communities and individuals who continue to suffer from the non-implementation of laws in our country.
C: Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
L: God our companion, we pray for peace in our country which is experiencing communal violence, caste fights, gender inequality, terrorism, freedom struggles, state related disagreements and quarrels with our neighbours. Peace for one is violence for the other. Help us to initiate peace which is inclusive, equitable and sustainable.
C: Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
L: God our peace maker, we pray for our neighbouring countries. They are struggling due to poverty, terrorism, and calamities. As we celebrate, let us not forget that we live in an environment of commonness and that mutual respect and genuine concern will show the real growth of our republic. Help us to diffuse volatile situations rather than introducing tensions.
C: Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
L: God our comforter, we pray for the people of Haiti who have been crushed in body and spirit by the killer earthquake. Help us to stop questioning ‘why’ and see ‘what’ we can do to help now. Facilitate us as a people to feel the intensity of what has taken place and to help in the rescue and rebuilding of that great nation.
C: Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
L: God our teacher, we pray for the Gurukul community. Guide us to understand the differences of our diverse backgrounds. Make us understand the common things that we share. Help us to be a thinking, reflecting and acting community. May we contribute in a meaningful way to our country and its people.
C: Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord’s prayer in Hindi (Standing)
Hei hamare baap tujo asmanme hei
Tera naam paakma na jai
Teri badshat aaye
Jeyse teri marjee asmanme puri hoti
Yesechi teri marjee jagat me puri hojai
Rojki roti hamare aaj hamko dede
Jeevan ki roti tuhe tuhee hamara bal hai
Jeis tara ham aapne apradeyonko maph karte
Oos tarahe hamare aapaarando ko maph karde
Hame tu pariksha me nadal
Parantu burai se bache
Rajya prakaran aur mahima
Yuganug teri ho amen
Benediction (Altogether)
Light will sweep over darkness, happiness will engage fear, stability will replace insecurity, honesty will stall mistrust and justice will prevail in due time. Go in peace. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
Prepared by: Rev.Fr.Jerry Kurian (DTh Candidate)
Republic day worship
26-1-2010
Prelude: Instrumental
(This is the 61st year of India being declared a republic. For the people of India this means a togetherness which is safeguarded by the constitution. Over the years the majority of the people of India have not received the protection that has been envisaged by our constitution. This republic day, let us as a people come together for those who have been neglected, oppressed, discriminated and silenced. Let us be proud of what good we have accomplished but be reminded of what needs to be done).
Call to worshipWe have come from many places, we have gone through numerous experiences, we have suffered and we have been overjoyed. We claim one history and even though we speak different languages we have a unique commonness. Whatever colour, whichever language, we share a common call. Our call to freedom of the oppressed and the poor. May this republic day be one of remembering the ordinary people of this land who stood steadfast amidst the bloodshed and the violence. Let us commit ourselves to the betterment of our country, it’s citizens and our neighbours. Amen.
Opening prayer
Creator God, help us to understand the diversity of our country and the way in which we have to live together in a country which is diverse and yet unified. Jesus Christ, inspire us to sacrifice for our country and it’s ordinary people, just as you have sacrificed yourself for us. Holy Spirit, guide us to shun violence and hatred and embrace justice and peace. Amen.
Bhajan (Kannada)
Jai Jagadisa namo Jaya
Taraka deva namo
Pujita vandita Isha
Aikyatha shakti namo
a) Jai Jagadisha namo
Sharanam(3) anantam
Shri pita deva namo (jaya)
Aganita gunadhama jai
Shri paramesha namo
Jai Jagadisha namo
b) Sharanam(3) anantam
Shri suta deva namo(jaya)
Karunasagara yesu
Taraka shakti namo
Jai Jagadisha namo
c)Sharanam (3) anantam
Pavana atma namo (jaya)
Paripujita varadata
Parishuddhatma namo
Jai Jagadisha namo
d) Sharanam(3) Saccidanandam
Vishwa vidhata namo(Jaya)
Paripalaka paramesha
Pita, suta, atma namo
Jai Jagadisha namo
Meaning: Praise and worship to you, O Lord of the universe. You are worthy of worship and reverence. Hail, the great uniting power. Homage of surrender to you, O everlasting God the parent? Ground of abundant virtues, Praise to you O heavenly Lord
Thanksgiving Prayer
Loving God, in times of conflicting views, you have guided us to pick what is right and act accordingly. Whenever tempers have flared you have cooled us down with self understanding and mutual respect. The times we were struck by natural and human made calamities, you have given us the strength to stand fearless amidst the ruins. Lord God, our words of gratitude will never measure up to what you have done for us. We hope that the sincerity of our hearts will suffice for the moment. Amen.
ConfessionL: We stand exposed by the deeds we have committed to further our own interests. In the process we have ploughed over the dreams of the people of this land, who don’t have the resources to fight back.
C: Have mercy on us O Lord
L: By choosing not to fight for those who have been abused and neglected, we have done the same to them as well. Every passive disinterest we have shown is in essence an active betrayal of the poor and the oppressed.
C: Have mercy on us O Lord
L: Our pride in the nation has not translated into a pride for doing what needs to be done. We have sought to capture and snatch what we need through violence and tried to justify all of this by misusing the element of pride.
C: Have mercy on us O Lord
L: Help us God to have the courage to be exposed and to accept what we have done and not done. Let us not remain enthralled and fixated on wrong claims of our republic. Let us rather be humble and forthright of what we are.
C: Have mercy on us O Lord
AbsolutionContrary to our actions, God is slow to anger and pleased to forgive and offers chances to mend our ways. Let us hold on to these continuous acts of mercy from our Lord and try to stand firm in our commitment to change and act well. May God forgive our sins and offer all of us a chance to make a difference. Amen.
Bible reading: Acts: 16:19-34.
Reflection Rev.Sajeev Thomas (Student General Secretary)
Affirmation of faith ( Standing)
We believe in our Mother God who has given us the country and the land that we live in. The struggles of many have resulted in the luxuries that we enjoy now. Many have been jailed and tortured for our independence. God stands still in God’s unflinching commitment to freedom.
We believe in Jesus Christ, the liberator, who has given us the inspiration to fight all injustices that exist in our country. His sacrifice on the cross was for one and all and it calls us to do the same for our nation, for the world and it’s inhabitants. Jesus’ fight against injustice led him to the cross just like we are called to be crucified for the freedom and good of all.
We believe in the Holy Spirit who renews us and reminds us of our commitment towards the poor and the excluded. No group may, due to it’s colour, religion, sex or caste be deprived of opportunities in this country. Any sinister move against such groups should be fought with the confidence of the backing of the Holy Spirit in our fight against unjust forces.
We believe in the church which is a place for all to assemble for peace and love. All are welcome here and no one can be excluded from the presence of God. The church stands for providing God’s presence and peace to anyone who seeks it.
We believe in the good of our country and the potential it has to be a place for diversity to co-exist in all it’s magnificence. India has been a battle ground of violence but it has also instilled the sense of peace and non-violence, caring for mother nature and living in peaceful co-existence. Amen.
Congregational Hymn (Standing)
I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin,
My hand will save.
I, who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear My light to them?
Who shall I send? Chorus
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go, Lord. If You lead me.
I will hold, Your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne My people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them,
They run away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak My word to them,
Whom shall I send? Chorus
I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame,
I will set a feast for them,
My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide,
Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give My life to them.
Whom shall I send? Chorus
IntercessionL: God our protector, we pray for our country which is celebrating the completion of sixty years as a republic. But in our celebration we do not forget those who have not benefited from the creation of this republic and it’s constitution. Even though the constitution of India was made to be inclusive, many people have been excluded because of the unjust power structures in our country. We pray for all such communities and individuals who continue to suffer from the non-implementation of laws in our country.
C: Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
L: God our companion, we pray for peace in our country which is experiencing communal violence, caste fights, gender inequality, terrorism, freedom struggles, state related disagreements and quarrels with our neighbours. Peace for one is violence for the other. Help us to initiate peace which is inclusive, equitable and sustainable.
C: Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
L: God our peace maker, we pray for our neighbouring countries. They are struggling due to poverty, terrorism, and calamities. As we celebrate, let us not forget that we live in an environment of commonness and that mutual respect and genuine concern will show the real growth of our republic. Help us to diffuse volatile situations rather than introducing tensions.
C: Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
L: God our comforter, we pray for the people of Haiti who have been crushed in body and spirit by the killer earthquake. Help us to stop questioning ‘why’ and see ‘what’ we can do to help now. Facilitate us as a people to feel the intensity of what has taken place and to help in the rescue and rebuilding of that great nation.
C: Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
L: God our teacher, we pray for the Gurukul community. Guide us to understand the differences of our diverse backgrounds. Make us understand the common things that we share. Help us to be a thinking, reflecting and acting community. May we contribute in a meaningful way to our country and its people.
C: Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord’s prayer in Hindi (Standing)
Hei hamare baap tujo asmanme hei
Tera naam paakma na jai
Teri badshat aaye
Jeyse teri marjee asmanme puri hoti
Yesechi teri marjee jagat me puri hojai
Rojki roti hamare aaj hamko dede
Jeevan ki roti tuhe tuhee hamara bal hai
Jeis tara ham aapne apradeyonko maph karte
Oos tarahe hamare aapaarando ko maph karde
Hame tu pariksha me nadal
Parantu burai se bache
Rajya prakaran aur mahima
Yuganug teri ho amen
Benediction (Altogether)
Light will sweep over darkness, happiness will engage fear, stability will replace insecurity, honesty will stall mistrust and justice will prevail in due time. Go in peace. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
Prepared by: Rev.Fr.Jerry Kurian (DTh Candidate)
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