Day 20 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Tute, may God make it always received, year after year, with reassurance and tranquility, while our sins after forgiven by the tender mercies of our God my fathers and brothers.
Amen.

The Twentieth Day of the Blessed Month of Tute

Departure of Pope Athanasius the Second, the Twenty-Eighth Patriarch of the See of St.Mark

      On this day of the year 512 A.D., departed the righteous father St.Athanasius the Second, the twenty-eighth patriarch of the See of St.Mark. This father was the steward of the churches of Alexandria. When the saintly father Abba Peter departed, the bishops and elders and the people agreed to ordain him patriarch for what they had known about his orthodox faith and knowledge. He was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. When he became patriarch, he shepherded the flock of the Lord Christ exceedingly well, and he protected them from the snatching wolves with his teachings and prayers. He sat on the episcopal throne for three years and nine months. Then he departed in peace.

May His prayers be with us all. Amen. 

Martyrdom of St.Malatini the Virgin

      On this day also is the commemoration of the martyrdom of St.Malatini the Virgin.

May her prayers be with us all. Amen.

Departure of St.Theopesti

      Also today we commemorate the departure of St.Theopesti. She was married and had a son. Her husband died while she was still young. She took it upon herself to become a nun. She started to practice the spiritual life. She persisted in fasting and continual prayers and worshipping day and night. She went to the saintly father Abba Macarius, bishop of Nekios, she bowed to him and took his blessings, then she asked him to pray on her and put on her garb of monasticism. The bishop advised her to try herself for a year and he promised her that would put on her the garb of monasticism after that year.

      She went to her house and enclosed herself in a small room and closed its door, and then made a small opening in it. Her son, who was then twelve years old, was taking care of her needs. She embarked in strenous worships with asceticism and devotion. The year elapsed, and the bishop had forgotten that he had promised this saint that he would put on her the garb of monasticism. He saw her in his sleep in a shining figure, telling him, "My father, how did you forget me till now, and I am passing away tonight?" and he saw as if he were awake. He prayed on her the prayer for ordaining monks, and he did not find a Kalansowa (cover for the head), he took off his own and put it on her head. Then he put on her the holy Eskeem. He asked his disciple for another Kalansowa and put it on. She had a silver cross in her hand which she gave to him saying, "Accept this from your disciple." And it was said that when he awakened, he found the cross in his hand and he looked attentively at the cross which was beautifully made. He was amazed and glorified God.

      Early in the morning he went with his disciple to the house of this blessed woman. Her son received him crying with tears. When he asked him why he was crying, he replied saying, "My mother called me in the middle of the night and bid me farewell and told me whatever the bishop tells you, do and do not break it. I will depart this night to go to the Lord Christ. She prayed over me and advised me saying, 'Keep all that I commanded you and do not go against the opinion of our father, the bishop, and here now I am in your hands." The bishop came to where the saint was lying and knocked on the door, but she did not answer. He said this blessed saint had departed indeed, and he ordered his disciple to open the door. When the bishop entered, he found she had given up her soul. She had on her the Eskeem that he had put on her in his vision and also the Kalansowa that he had on. His eyes were filled with tears. He praised and glorified God who works out the satisfaction of His saints. The bishop shrouded her as was the habit of the monks and called the priests who carried her to the holy church and prayed over her with great honor.

      There was in the city a paralytic infidel man, suffering from evil spirits. When he heard the chanting of priests, he asked his people to carry him and take him where the body of the saint was. When they brought him to the church, he drew near to the holy body with faith and he was cured instantly. The devil came out of him, and he became well straightaway. He and his people believed in the Lord Christ and the bishop baptized them. And everyone who had a disease or a deformity would come to the church and touch the holy body and would be healed immediately. And when the governor heard about these wonders, he and most of the city believed in the Lord Christ. He came to the church and carried the body and buried it with honor.

May his prayers and blessings be with us all, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.

Readings for Third Sunday of Tute

Vespers

Vespers Psalm

From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.

Psalms 9 : 1 - 2

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Our Lord God, Savior, and King of us all, Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God to whom be glory forever.
Amen.

Vespers Gospel

Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel.
A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint Mark the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.

Mark 1 : 29 - 34

And Glory be to God forever.

Matins

Matins Psalm

From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.

Psalms 9 : 6,7

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Our Lord God, Savior, and King of us all, Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God to whom be glory forever.
Amen.

Matins Gospel

Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel.
A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint Matthew the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.

Matthew 8 : 5 - 13

And Glory be to God forever.

Liturgy Gospel

Paulines Epistle

Paul, the servant of our Lord Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, appointed to the Gospel of God.
A reading from the Epistle of our teacher Paul to the Corinthians .
May his blessings be upon us.
Amen.

1 Corinthians 2 : 1 - 16

The grace of God the Father be with you all.
Amen.

Catholic Epistle

A Reading from Epistle 1 of St. Peter .
May his blessing be upon us.
Amen.

1 Peter 1 : 13 - 21

Do not love the world or the things in the world.
The world passes away, and its desires; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Amen.

Acts of the Apostles

The Acts of our fathers the apostles, may their blessings be with us.

Acts 9 : 22 - 31

The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty, and be confirmed, in the holy Church of God.
Amen.

Synaxarium

Day 20 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Tute, may God make it always received, year after year, with reassurance and tranquility, while our sins after forgiven by the tender mercies of our God my fathers and brothers.
Amen.

The Twentieth Day of the Blessed Month of Tute

Departure of Pope Athanasius the Second, the Twenty-Eighth Patriarch of the See of St.Mark

      On this day of the year 512 A.D., departed the righteous father St.Athanasius the Second, the twenty-eighth patriarch of the See of St.Mark. This father was the steward of the churches of Alexandria. When the saintly father Abba Peter departed, the bishops and elders and the people agreed to ordain him patriarch for what they had known about his orthodox faith and knowledge. He was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. When he became patriarch, he shepherded the flock of the Lord Christ exceedingly well, and he protected them from the snatching wolves with his teachings and prayers. He sat on the episcopal throne for three years and nine months. Then he departed in peace.

May His prayers be with us all. Amen.

Martyrdom of St.Malatini the Virgin

      On this day also is the commemoration of the martyrdom of St.Malatini the Virgin.

May her prayers be with us all. Amen.

Departure of St.Theopesti

      Also today we commemorate the departure of St.Theopesti. She was married and had a son. Her husband died while she was still young. She took it upon herself to become a nun. She started to practice the spiritual life. She persisted in fasting and continual prayers and worshipping day and night. She went to the saintly father Abba Macarius, bishop of Nekios, she bowed to him and took his blessings, then she asked him to pray on her and put on her garb of monasticism. The bishop advised her to try herself for a year and he promised her that would put on her the garb of monasticism after that year.

      She went to her house and enclosed herself in a small room and closed its door, and then made a small opening in it. Her son, who was then twelve years old, was taking care of her needs. She embarked in strenous worships with asceticism and devotion. The year elapsed, and the bishop had forgotten that he had promised this saint that he would put on her the garb of monasticism. He saw her in his sleep in a shining figure, telling him, "My father, how did you forget me till now, and I am passing away tonight?" and he saw as if he were awake. He prayed on her the prayer for ordaining monks, and he did not find a Kalansowa (cover for the head), he took off his own and put it on her head. Then he put on her the holy Eskeem. He asked his disciple for another Kalansowa and put it on. She had a silver cross in her hand which she gave to him saying, "Accept this from your disciple." And it was said that when he awakened, he found the cross in his hand and he looked attentively at the cross which was beautifully made. He was amazed and glorified God.

      Early in the morning he went with his disciple to the house of this blessed woman. Her son received him crying with tears. When he asked him why he was crying, he replied saying, "My mother called me in the middle of the night and bid me farewell and told me whatever the bishop tells you, do and do not break it. I will depart this night to go to the Lord Christ. She prayed over me and advised me saying, 'Keep all that I commanded you and do not go against the opinion of our father, the bishop, and here now I am in your hands." The bishop came to where the saint was lying and knocked on the door, but she did not answer. He said this blessed saint had departed indeed, and he ordered his disciple to open the door. When the bishop entered, he found she had given up her soul. She had on her the Eskeem that he had put on her in his vision and also the Kalansowa that he had on. His eyes were filled with tears. He praised and glorified God who works out the satisfaction of His saints. The bishop shrouded her as was the habit of the monks and called the priests who carried her to the holy church and prayed over her with great honor.

      There was in the city a paralytic infidel man, suffering from evil spirits. When he heard the chanting of priests, he asked his people to carry him and take him where the body of the saint was. When they brought him to the church, he drew near to the holy body with faith and he was cured instantly. The devil came out of him, and he became well straightaway. He and his people believed in the Lord Christ and the bishop baptized them. And everyone who had a disease or a deformity would come to the church and touch the holy body and would be healed immediately. And when the governor heard about these wonders, he and most of the city believed in the Lord Christ. He came to the church and carried the body and buried it with honor.

May his prayers and blessings be with us all, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.

Divine Psalm

Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel.
A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint John the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all. Amen.
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet, and the Good King.
May his blessings be with us all.

Psalms 18 : 46,49,50

Hallelujah.

Divine Gospel

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Our Lord God, Savior, and King of us all, Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God to whom be glory forever.
Amen.

Luke 19 : 1 - 10

And Glory be to God forever.

نعيش ثم نموت، نتقابل ثم نفترق، نتعارف ثم نرحل. وفي كل مرحلة من المراحل السابقة يئن الإنسان فيها ويتآلم.. لقد كانت إرادة الله أن يكون للإنسان مشاعر وأحاسيس، وقد كانت خطة الله أن يكون هو الكل في الكل في حياة الإنسان، وأن يقدم الإنسان كل القلب والفكر والمشاعر له ( مت ٣٧:٢٢)، فالعلاقة بين الله والإنسان مثل العلاقة بين الشجرة والغصن، فالشجرة هي التي تمنح الحياة للغصن، والغصن يتعلق بهذه الشجرة.

وهناك فرق بين المحبة والتعلُّقً، فالمحبة هي مرحلة تسبق التعلُّقً، والتَّعلّق يكون نتيجة للمحبة.

التعلُّقً بالمعنى البسيط هو أن تتوقف حياة الإنسان على وجود كائن أخر( يو ١٥: ٤- ٦).. فالعلاقة بين الإنسان والله هي علاقة تعلُّقً، فكما أن الغصن لا يستطيع أن يعيش بدون الشجرة كذلك الإنسان لا يستطيع أن يعيش بدون الله.

ولكن بسبب الضعف البشري، والطبيعة المادية التي للإنسان لم يستطيع أن يحافظ على هذه العلاقة التي بينه وبين الله. ودخلت في حياته أشياء كثيرة أحبها وتعلَّق بها. ومن هنا كان الآلم، وكانت المعاناة..

وكلما إزدادت درجة تعلُّقً الإنسان بأشخاص أو أشياء يزداد آلمه ويدخل إلى قلبه حالة من عدم الأمان بسبب الخوف من حرمان الإنسان من ما يتعلَّق به، وأصعب شئ أن يفقد الإنسان ما يتعلَّق به، فإنه يشعر أنه فقد جزء من قلبه ولا يدري متى يجده..

لذلك فإن الله عندما أراد أن يكون التعلُّقً به وحده لم يكن هذا من منطلق الأنانية، ولكن لأنه هو وحده الذي لا يفني ولا يتغير، وهو الأبدي والأزلي.

والتعلُّقً به يعطي للإنسان نوع من الطمآنينة والأمان، بعكس الأشياء الأخرى التي إذا تعلَّق بها الإنسان قد تكون سبب في تشتت فكره بسبب إنشغاله المستمر بها، أو قد تكون سبب في صدمته و إنهياره إذا ما فقد هذا الشئ..

لكي يعيش الإنسان سعيدٱ فعليه أن يحب الجميع، ولكن يتعلَّق بالله وحده. وفي الحقيقة قد يجد الإنسان صعوبة في بداية الطريق، فكيف يحب دون أن يتعلَّق ؟ وكيف يتعلَّق بالله وحده؟ دون باقي الأشخاص والأشياء؟ .

الأمر يحتاج إلى معونة إلهية، وجهاد روحي، وفي النهاية فإن الله لا يقف بالمرصاد للإنسان لكي يراقبه ويرى هل هو متعلق به أو بغيره. ولكن الهدف هو أن يراقب الإنسان نفسه، ربما يكون قد تعلَّق بأشياء تأخذه بعيدٱ عن الله، أو تجعل الحياة مشوهة في نظره… فالمحبة شئ، والتعلُّقً شئ أخر.