Mission

OUR MISSION IS NOTHING BUT THE PRAYER AND FULFILMENT OF OUR LORDS WISH WRITTEN IN ST.JOHN 17:21-23, THE ECUMINICAL MESSAGE OF UNIFICATION OF ALL IN CHRIST.

(An article written byVery Rev. Remban Paul, Mylapra )

SUBLIME MONASTIC LIFE

Late Remban Mathews of Mar Kuriakose Dayara was a saintly priest. I lived with that venerable Master from 1974 to 1991and I consider my experience with him a blessing divinely bestowed upon me. From the very first meeting with him I felt that the Holy Ghost prevailed with him. He was a true disciple and worshipper of the heavenly bridegroom of the aspiring brides of the human souls. He was enlightened by the love of Jesus, meditation and the progressive wisdom of living in the hope of resurrection of man. He voluntarily accepted monastic life and by the grace of God surrendered himself entirely at the feet of our Redeemer.

THE SECRET OF SUCCESS OF MONASTIC LIFE

The Soul dedicated to the service of God in the love of Christ enjoyed life in the fullness of charity, confined himself in the bosom of Jesus. In his spiritual work “sweet conversation”, we read his prayer of September 1-1939, Master, be thou all in all and my own, O Beloved, warm me up with the fire of thy love. Conform me with thy nature. Bless me to hear thy voice. Bless me with your testimonies. Inspire me with thy Holy Ghost and lead me in thy ever lasting way. The hermit like Remban always remained at the foot of the Calvary love. In that communion the physical personality of Remban Mathews was converted into spiritual and he rejoiced in the profession of the monastic wows of poverty, obedience and charity.

THE SANCTITY OF POVERTY

A monk should addict to the vow of poverty. It helps him to overcome the world and become his own master. When he fully denies the world, he conquers the temptations of the world with out any difficulty. It is always the desire to possess that makes a man a slave of his earthly circumstances. Remban Mathews loved poverty. At once he was reticent and contemplative too. The ministry of our Lord Jesus was one of consoling and comforting, the disposed, the diseased and the sinner. Remban reflected the life of the poor Babe of Bethlehem, who for the liberation of the oppressed, suffering, sinful humanity, sacrificed himself on a cross on Calvary, promising man the citizenship of the kingdom of heaven. Thus freed from worldly ties, he owned peace and joy in the spirit of the Holy Ghost. In his prayer recorded in sweet conversations of 28th September 1939, in the second session of silence we read the following. Lord, bless me to abhor worldliness, human respect and vanity. Bless me to keep watch like thee and pray like thee for others. Bless me to keep fasting and to love and pray for them. Personal Prayers, devotion, communication, worship and Eucharistic communion were the secret of his detachment from the world.

PERFECTION OF OBEDIENCE

Obedience is better than sacrifice says the Holy Scripture. A monk is one who obeys the commandments of the scripture and particularly the byelaws of his order obeying even unto the cross in humility. It is Remban Mathews often oft-repeated prayer that he blessed to lead a life of self-sacrifice. The greatest trait of selflessness is obedience. By obeying to another you subdue your self-respect. Your vanity and arrogance of nature. Your character becomes mellow. Your mind pure. The book of Sweet Conversation form the pen of Remban Mathews as a result of prayer and dedication is the fruit of long sessions of silence observed by him in obedience to the direction of his Holiness Baselios Mathews Catholicos of the East. We see in him a saint who has lived in accordance with the vision he had during his fasting prayers. I hope his life, his writings, and his intersession will be blessings to those who can appreciate and appropriate them.