In discussing the present use of the title 'Son of God', we must look at the actual life of the believers in Jesus Christ as the Son of God in order to cull out its real meaning from what they profess to believe. Ignoring the denominational differences, we shall concentrate on the mainline teaching of the Churches on the subject. Here we must keep in mind the importance of education and training in correctly understanding concepts, including the revealed ones like that of the Holy Trinity, without which anyone may subscribe to wrong notions. This is evident from the absolute lack of knowledge in Islam about the sense in which the Holy Trinity is believed and adhered to by even the children in Christianity This is in spite of the fact that there is considerable agreement between Islam and Christianity about the fact that there can be only one God as well as agreements in many points of the Bible and the Koran. On the contrary, the Indian Thought has no qualms about the concept of a Trinity in God as Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu as they are but manifestations of one and the same Absolute Reality. Therefore, the way religious principles are taught to children from the very beginning exerts an undeniable influence on them throughout their lives. This was the reason why Jesus prepared and commanded his disciples to teach everyone what he himself taught them and thus make disciples for him, which is the same as catching the humans by those who were used to catch fish.
The present use of the title 'Son of God' may be seen from the catechetical, liturgical and theological uses of it on the theoretical level and from the prayer life, devotionals and practical life of the faithful from the practical side. While it may be noted that on the theoretical level it is very well presented, on the practical side there is much to be desired. Let us take, as an example, the very important doctrine of the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. It is theoretically very well presented for the believing Christians by the major Churches, and yet some representatives of those very same Churches succumb to the pressures from splinter groups to dilute or change the essential content of the doctrine.The real presence in the Eucharist means that the Son of God himself is present as the risen Christ under the guise (species)of bread and wine. The presence is both real and spiritual because Jesus Christ has become a living Spirit after his resurrection from the dead. There is no need of running around with the news of his physical presence in the form of physical flesh and blood as some preachers, who like theatrics, are wont to do. The reason for our observation is that Jesus died once and for all on the cross and he cannot die again or shed his blood a second time as his body is in a glorified state, although it is the same physical body, but transformed by the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if someone claims to have real blood in the mouth on reception of the Holy Communion, it is certainly not the blood of Christ!! Or again, the appearance of the face of Jesus on the consecrated host that invites a mass hysteria, silently condoned even by Church dignitaries, should make us sit up and think about what kind of faith they so far had! For, we always believe that it is the same risen Lord Jesus Christ who is present and whom we receive in the form of bread and wine after they are consecrated by the priest in the Holy Mass. Even Padre Pio of Italy who seems to have had the marks of Jesus' crucifixion on his own body was quietly discouraged by the Church when he stared claiming to see the baby Jesus on the consecrated host during the Holy Masses he offered.
If this is the case with even the very learned people in the Church, one can well imagine the situation when it comes to the ordinary believers! Add to this the devotions and devotionals proposed by the pastors and practiced by the people to get a glimpse of the standard of faith actually present in the believing community. When God has prepared an expensive feast for His children through the mediation of Jesus Christ, we are forced to be satisfied with crumbs falling from the famished tables of certain gentlemen claiming to stand between God and His people. It is not that God has not appointed ambassadors of Christ but that some of them are governed by Mammon under the guise of leading people to salvation designed according to their own perverted notions. If we do not object to such deviations, we too become accomplices in their vices by our sins of omissions. The ultimate reason for our silence boils down to the fact that we want to save our lives, which actually destroys them in the process by the internal laws of life itself! (To be cont'd).
The present use of the title 'Son of God' may be seen from the catechetical, liturgical and theological uses of it on the theoretical level and from the prayer life, devotionals and practical life of the faithful from the practical side. While it may be noted that on the theoretical level it is very well presented, on the practical side there is much to be desired. Let us take, as an example, the very important doctrine of the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. It is theoretically very well presented for the believing Christians by the major Churches, and yet some representatives of those very same Churches succumb to the pressures from splinter groups to dilute or change the essential content of the doctrine.The real presence in the Eucharist means that the Son of God himself is present as the risen Christ under the guise (species)of bread and wine. The presence is both real and spiritual because Jesus Christ has become a living Spirit after his resurrection from the dead. There is no need of running around with the news of his physical presence in the form of physical flesh and blood as some preachers, who like theatrics, are wont to do. The reason for our observation is that Jesus died once and for all on the cross and he cannot die again or shed his blood a second time as his body is in a glorified state, although it is the same physical body, but transformed by the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if someone claims to have real blood in the mouth on reception of the Holy Communion, it is certainly not the blood of Christ!! Or again, the appearance of the face of Jesus on the consecrated host that invites a mass hysteria, silently condoned even by Church dignitaries, should make us sit up and think about what kind of faith they so far had! For, we always believe that it is the same risen Lord Jesus Christ who is present and whom we receive in the form of bread and wine after they are consecrated by the priest in the Holy Mass. Even Padre Pio of Italy who seems to have had the marks of Jesus' crucifixion on his own body was quietly discouraged by the Church when he stared claiming to see the baby Jesus on the consecrated host during the Holy Masses he offered.
If this is the case with even the very learned people in the Church, one can well imagine the situation when it comes to the ordinary believers! Add to this the devotions and devotionals proposed by the pastors and practiced by the people to get a glimpse of the standard of faith actually present in the believing community. When God has prepared an expensive feast for His children through the mediation of Jesus Christ, we are forced to be satisfied with crumbs falling from the famished tables of certain gentlemen claiming to stand between God and His people. It is not that God has not appointed ambassadors of Christ but that some of them are governed by Mammon under the guise of leading people to salvation designed according to their own perverted notions. If we do not object to such deviations, we too become accomplices in their vices by our sins of omissions. The ultimate reason for our silence boils down to the fact that we want to save our lives, which actually destroys them in the process by the internal laws of life itself! (To be cont'd).
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