The Saints’ Standard

 HG Thomas Mar Makarios

 A summary of the speech given at St. Gregorios Orthodox Church in Houston TX  on Nov 12

 During this Perunnal of Parumala thirumeni, we had a great opportunity to meditate upon what it means to be a saint, and how we can follow the footsteps of saints. I would like to share with you a few thoughts in conclusion.

 What comes to my mind now is the question Peter asked our Lord: How many times should we forgive someone who offends us? Is seven times enough? According to the Jewish custom, one was supposed to forgive up to three times. If someone repeats an offence a fourth time, the offended person had the right to retaliate. Peter derived the number seven from three by doubling it and by adding one to it. The standard Peter suggested was much higher than the existing standard. However, that was not good enough for Jesus. He said the offender has to forgive seven times seventy times.

 Every society has a standard of good/moral life. We, like Peter, try to live our life a little better than the existing standard. But we need to remember that God’s standard of a good life is far higher than our standards. Parumala thirumeni is someone who lived his life according to God’s standards.  That is why we call him a saint.

 When I was a priest in Delhi, I had a young man who was willing to help me whenever I needed. However, he would go to church only two times a year. When asked about it he said, “My father used to go to church only one time a year, but I am going two times!”

 Once I had the opportunity to give baptism to a baby in New York. After the baptism, there was lunch, and then the mother brought the baby to me, placed him on my lap, and asked me to bless the baby to become like Parumala thirumeni. That mother didn’t want her baby to become like Makarios thirumeni because she knew that Parumala thirumeni was someone of a much higher standard.

 Parumala thirumeni was a God-intoxicated man. People sensed God in his presence. Can we become a God-intoxicated people? Can we rise to such a high level that the world around can sense God in our life?  

 Summary written by John Kunnathu