Rev. Bartholomew Segan Palk

Re-imagining  People: Encountering and Experiencing the Cross Joseph of Arimathea – The Disciple under Cover Rev. Bartholomew Segan Palk, CSI Coimbatore Diocese Quite often do we all hear about the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ and we tend to abhor the importance of other disciples of Him who were not among “The Twelve” but were secret disciples who truly followed His teachings. So are we going to learn about one of the ‘Secret’ disciple by the name, Joseph of Arimathea who was the man behind the burial of Jesus Christ after he was left hanging to die on the Cross. Let us try and understand the meaning of the Topic given. Imagine is to visualize but Re imagine  is to reinterpret and recreate the work of a person imaginatively. To Encounter is to confront or come across. To Experience is to come in practical contact with the facts. Hence, we are called to reinterpret our calling by confronting the events that we come across on the Cross and thereby...

The Bread which we break...Is it not a "New Order" to Love each other Rev. Bartholomew Segan Palk, CSI Coimbatore Diocese Maundy Thursday,  9 th  April 2020. The word Maundy is derived from a Latin word ‘Mandatum’ which means command or order. These words were spoken by Jesus to his disciples after washing their feet at the Last Supper, “A New Commandment I give unto you, that Ye love One Another” (John 13). In a way it is Unique and New, Bible already says in the Book of Leviticus 19, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ but the New Commandment that Jesus emphasis here is God’s way of Loving , through human mind it is Impossible but with Jesus it is Possible. Luther says, “Each betrayal begins with Trust” In the history of humankind, betrayal by a disciple led to a New Beginning and Assurance of Eternal life. Betrayal leads to Brokenness Brokenness leads to A New Beginning A New Beginning leads to Being in Unity   Betrayal leads to brokenne...

Restorer of Hope Zarephath’ son raised by: Elijah. Rev. Bartholomew Segan Palk, CSI Coimbatore Diocese Sometime later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. 18 She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?” 19 “Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. 20 Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” 21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!” 22 The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. 23 Elijah picked up the child and carried him down f...

Second saying of Jesus Christ on the Cross "Truly I tell you; today you will be with me in Paradise”.  Luke 23:43 (NRSV)   Rev. Bartholomew Segan Palk, CSI Coimbatore Diocese 10 th April, 2020. Good Friday Service  Luke is the only Gospel writer who records the conversation between Jesus Christ and the thieves.   He was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. - Isa 53:12  In fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy Jesus was crucified with two criminals and He prayed for them. In Isaiah it is said that he interceded for the transgressors that means he would have prayed for both the criminals and both of them would have a place in the paradise.  It depends on how we act and show our piety towards God.  The second saying on the Cross teaches us that there are two kinds of people in the world . The one chooses to join the crowd, mock, enjoy the present life...

Jesus Christ’ Resurrection in the midst of Lockdown Rev. Bartholomew Segan Palk, CSI Coimbatore Diocese   Resurrection and Lockdown are extremely opposite words. As we face this lockdown worldwide, let us meditate - how are we going to celebrate the Resurrected Christ in the midst of Lockdown? “Resurrection” is referred as rebirth from the dead or a revival from an inactive to an active stage. Whereas the word “Lockdown” refers to a kind of imprisonment and both these words are familiar to the Christian world , before and after Resurrection the disciples were in lockdown themselves because they feared the people and their life was at risk of survival. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things (Resurrection of Jesus Christ) unto the apostles. - KJV (Luke 24:10) Some of the greatest miracles in the world are reve...

Jesus’ presence amid a Locked situation Affirmation of Christ as Lord and God: John 20:24-29 Rev. Bartholomew Segan Palk, CSI Coimbatore Diocese Lockdown has made us like the disciples who had locked themselves in fear after the death of Christ. Most of us have lost our hope, strength, and continue to live in fear of death because of COVID-19.When all our hope and strength is lost we look forward to divine intervention like the disciples. But most of the times, when God comforts us with His Word and through His messengers we still do not believe because we ask for proof and evidence from God just like Thomas. He is not the first person in the Bible to ask for proof from God, we all know that even Gideon asked for proof and God answered his prayer. We have to understand the difference between Doubt and unbelief. Doubt says ‘we cannot believe’ or ‘a feeling of uncertainty’ whereas unbelief says, ‘we will not believe unless we are given evidence or proof’ or ‘absence of f...