AROMA OF LORD JESUS

By VARGHESE PAULOSE

The book emphasizes the thoughts on the new Testament of Jesus. The humanity will be judged by the answers to six questions in the final judgment. These questions are:

Did you feed me?, Did you give me drink?, Did you receive me when I was stranger?, Clothed me when I was naked?, Visited me when I was sick?, Visited me in prison?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Clever Fox Publishing
• Release date: Mar 5, 2024
• ISBN: 9789356485341

Book preview

AROMA

OF

LORD JESUS

VARGHESE PAULOSE

CLEVER FOX PUBLISHING

Copyright © 2024 VARGHESE PAULOSE

All rights reserved

This book has been published with all reasonable efforts taken to make the material error-free after the consent of the author. No part of this book shall be used, reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

The Author of this book is solely responsible and liable for its content including but not limited to the views, representations, descriptions, statements, information, opinions and references [Content]. The Content of this book shall not constitute or be construed or deemed to reflect the opinion or expression of the Publisher or Editor. Neither the Publisher nor Editor endorse or approve the Content of this book or guarantee the reliability, accuracy or completeness of the Content published herein and do not make any representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose. The Publisher and Editor shall not be liable whatsoever for any errors, omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause or claims for loss or damages of any kind, including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage arising out of use, inability to use, or about the reliability, accuracy or sufficiency of the information contained in this book.

Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Forward

Introduction

The Holy Birth

To Jordan For Baptism

Jesus Fasting In Desert

Beginning Of Christ’s Ministries

Attitude Towards Women

Kingdom Of Heaven/Kingdom Of God For The Poor

Eight Beatitudes – Sermon On The Mount

Washing The Feet Of Disciples

The Final Journey and Crucifixion

Final Remarks and Remembrance

New Testament – Fragrances Of Jesus

New Commandment Is Love

Fragrance Of Christ

Dedicated

Remembering

The departed souls of

My grandfather Varkey paily

My parents Paily Varghese and Mary Varghese

My in-laws, brethren and Teachers and Gurus

To

The nail studded feet of Mighty Lamb on the Throne

Forward

Iam immensely delighted to learn about the book ‘AROMA of LORD JESUS’ written by Mr. Varghese Paulose. It is a collection of thoughts on the new Testament of Jesus.

Jesus said "I am the door of the sheep ( john 10:7). Salvation of a person is possible if one confess with own lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 10:9). Mr. Varghese Paulose, the author emphasizes that answering six questions in the final judgment open the way to salvation. These questions are:

Did you feed me?, Did you give me drink?, Did you receive me when I was stranger?,

Clothed me when I was naked?, Visited me when I was sick?, Visited me in prison?

The answers are very simple: whatever not done for the needy, poor and marginalized is supposed to be not done for Jesus. He says that this is a question paper made ‘out’ about 2000 years ago, which still people does not correctly do and answer it.

He specifies the new Commandments of Jesus as ‘Love God and man’. The ten commandments are reduced to ‘two’ by Jesus . Do everything in love. Then you can become the AROMA OF LORD JESUS.

Wish him all success .

Rev. Fr. Zacharia Oneril

Dated this the 25th March 2023

Introduction

…for three years I have been seeking fruit from this fig tree; Can’t see anything. Cut it out. Why should the land be wasted (Luke 13:7)"

The owner of the vineyard, looking for fruit in his vineyard, did not find any fruit on the fig tree. Here the workers are being instructed to cut down the fig tree which has been fruitless for the last three years.

A ‘fig planted in a vineyard’ is a serious application. Christ was talking about the condition of God’s people—one- who received too much attention. Don’t push one’s life in such a way that it doesn’t produce results by triangulating God’s providences and circumstances by describing them as accidental or natural. The church, the sacraments, the cadets, and the priests are all God-given manure, water, and heat—that is, proper care is ensured. All services like watering, fertilizing and weeding should be done at the right time. But the fig tree does not need that much care.

When parents who baked bread with sweat and tears, teachers/gurus who shined their torches of light, priest’s care, dear friend’s love and relatives’ gentle interventions, your life environment became a different vineyard.

On this earth where even cactus plants bloom, there are men who never bloom or bear fruit. Hence I try to present this small book as a small mustard seed unto the nail studded Feet of Jesus.

Nikos Kazantzakis wrote: struggle between the flesh and the spirit, rebellion and resistance, reconciliation and submission and finally –the supreme purpose of the struggle –Union with God: this was the ascent taken by Christ; the ascent which he invites to take as well, following in his bloody tracks.

Every occasion of his journey became a milestone, an occasion for further triumph. Jesus became a model who blazes our trail and gives us strength. Every free man who reads this book so filled as it is with love, will more than ever before , love Christ.

I express my sincere gratitude to the advice and assistance in the proof reading given by my beloved wife Leela Paulose, son Alex Paul, daughter Hima Phily, daughter-in-law Riya Ann John and son-in-law Phily Philip.

2028th Annunciation day of Mother Mary, the 25th March 2023 Varghese Paulose

The Holy Birth

The Lord himself will give you a sign, and the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14).

History testifies that the holy birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, took place two thousand years ago in Bethlehem, the city of David in Palestine.

Palestine is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the west, the Arabian Desert to the east, and the Lebanon Mountain Range to the north. The southern part is a desert and the land of Idumea. It is believed that the region was divided due to a deep rift/breach. The Jordan river flows through this breach.

Jordan is the main river that starts from Mount Hermon on the northern border of Palestine. The journey of the Jordan River ends when it flows into the Dead Sea through lakes Hula and Tiberias.

Palestine—a temperate region—is an area with two seasons where there are not many climatic differences. The rainy season is from November to April and the summer season from May to October.

Mary, the daughter of Euakim and Hannah, was engaged in the church ministry in the town of Nazareth. When Mary was 12 years old, the priests decided to choose a suitable groom for her. Many of the men who had gathered at the synagogue were ready to receive Mary, a good-natured and beautiful woman. Among them was Joseph, an old carpenter of David descent from the tribe of Judah. The priest, who lined up the candidates, gave each one a staff in their hands. The decision of the priests was that he whose wand sprouted should marry the virgin Mary. It was a divine decision that only the staff of Joseph, an old man from the tribe of David /Judah, who was assembled in the synagogue, blossomed.

According to the Jewish tradition, the marriage of the pickles-the-wedding-betrothal took place on that day. After that, she was considered his wife. But they did not engage in marital relations with each other. Even if the marriage was fixed, the man had the right to divorce the woman by writing a letter of divorce. The patriarchal system that prevailed among the Jews specified that even if he died before marriage, she would become his widow.

According to the Jewish tradition of the time, the marriageable age of a woman was considered as 12 years and that of man as 18 years. At that time, it was customary for the bride to stay with her parents for a year after the engagement, and move to the groom’s house only after marriage. If the bride became pregnant during this period, the paternity was considered to be that of the appointed groom. But the Jewish law was that if the groom was not ready to take over the paternity, the woman should be stoned to death.

Prophecy of Gabriel

After her betrothal, Mary was in prayer and vigil. The angel Gabriel appeared to her from God’s side. The angel, who had come with the greeting Peace be upon thee, full of grace, told Mary, For by the Holy Spirit you will conceive and give birth to a son; call him ‘Jesus’; He will be the saviour of the world.

She said I know not a man. The angel said, The Holy Spirit will dwell on you, and because of this he who is born of you will be Holy.

Mary received God’s message with a confession:

I am the servant of the Lord, and let his will be done in me.

The above event is termed as Annunciation in which the ‘Word of God’ received through the ear of Mary descended into the womb.

From Jewish traditions, it is understood that the prophecy took place in two parts. Firstly, when the Virgin Mary came to draw water from a well near her house in Nazareth, the angel Gabriel appeared:

Peace be upon thee, thou that is full of grace.

The preaching of the ‘word of God’ begins with the above message of peace. Trembling with fear at the sight of the angel, the messenger of God, the girl hurried home. Secondly, when Mary was in her home the angel Gabriel reappeared and said, You will conceive and bear a son. You must name him Jesus and he will be great. He will be called the Son of the Most High. God will give him the throne of his father David.

How can this happen? ……. I know not a man (Luke 1:34), Mary replied.

Some theologians wonder whether Mary/Mariam’s statement perhaps brought to light her desire to live as a virgin. That is to say, she had dedicated her virginity to God—she had such an awakening since the time she was with the synagogue ministry. She must have had the feeling that Joseph might agree if it were her wish. It is pertinent to ask why the staff of the relatively old Joseph sprouted while that of the youngsters did not if it was not God’s will.

Ancient Jewish society was not a religious one that preferred celibacy. Only a few individuals, such as Jeremiah, stayed away from marriage in order to fulfil the prophetic mission. Mary married a righteous man because Israel’s social etiquette did not favour virginity/virgin life. Joseph will be remembered as the one who held up what she had vowed to God without being forced to overturn, and as the one who provided protection. That is why she is more known as the Virgin Mary rather mother Mary.

Mary informed her fiancé Joseph, who lived in a house in Nazareth, where she received the angel’s annunciation/appearance. Joseph couldn’t fully believe this, so his heart was disturbed. Being a righteous man, Joseph decided to leave Mary in secret. But God’s angel gave Joseph a vision and cleared his doubts. So Joseph decided to accept Mary/Mariam, the mother of the saviour.

It is not written that Joseph suspected Mary of fornication. His silence is one that distorts Mary’s innocence. Joseph was silent, knowing her holiness and wondering what had happened to her. Divine intervention took place at the right time and the heavenly plan was revealed to Joseph through a dream (Matthew 1:19-23). After the angel’s message, Joseph accepted Mariam as his wife.

Old Simeon

A man named Simeon was a native of Nazaraeth and known to Mariam and a participant in synagogue worship. This prophetic man was about 700 years of age whose whole body was wrinkled due to old age. The doubt raised by Simeon, who was asked by the prophet Isaiah to translate his prophetic book into Greek was:

Is it possible that ‘The virgin shall conceive and bear a son (Isaiah 7:14)’?

How does that happen?

Simeon had to wait for 700 years—until the birth of Christ—to see the son of the virgin, and it was God’s decision that Simeon not die before it. He looked at every child who came to the temple and asked if he was the saviour. He had to visit the divine subject, the saviour in order to leave the earth in peace.

When Mary informed Simeon of the message she had received from the angel, he became happy. Prayerfully, Simeon consoled Mary.

Ministering to Elizabeth

Mary was thrilled to hear that Elizabeth wife of priest Zachariah and cousin of her mother was about to give birth to her firstborn in old age. With the duty of caring for her relative, Mary come to the hill county of Judea. Travelling on foot from Nazareth takes about four days to Zechariah’s home in the village of Ein Karem. Zechariah was dumb since he did doubt the message of birth of a son to him; received through the angel. Until Mary’s visit, Elizabeth hid her good fortune of conceiving; from the eyes of the world and remained in prayer and vigil. Elizabeth saw Mary approaching from far off and declared:

The mother of my Lord.Saying this, she embraced her. Mary replied, All nations will praise me as blessed. The holy scriptures testify that the baby in Elizabeth’s womb ‘leaped’ when she heard Mary’s salutation. It is to be noted here that John the Baptist, who was about to be born, knew in his spirit the presence of the infant Jesus lying in the womb of Mary; as his saviour. Both of them became ecstatic and glorified God. It was the day when the hymn of praise, Mary’s Song, was written as a momentary poem (Luke 1:46-55).

Journey to Bethlehem

Joseph had to reach his paternal town of Bethlehem in Judea, because the Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar had issued a proclamation to take census . Joseph left Nazareth for Bethlehem with Mariam. The journey was very difficult for Mary during her pregnancy. It took about three or four days to get there.

Bethlehem is about 10 miles to the south of Jerusalem. It is about 90 miles away from Nazareth. During that period, the population of Bethlehem was just over 10,000. Bethlehem was known as the City of David. It was here that Samuel, the prophet/visionary, crowned David as king. When it was in the hands of the early Canaanites, the town’s name was ‘Beth-Lahamu’, which means the house of the Babylonian god ‘Lehamu’. When