Day 26 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Bashans, 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 Twenty-Sixth Day of the Blessed Month of Bashans
Martyrdom of St.Thomas, the Apostle
On this day St. Thomas the apostle was martyred. He was born in Galilee, and the Lord chose him among the twelve disciples (Mathew 10:3). When the Lord wanted to go to raise Lazarus from the dead, Thomas said to the other disciples: " (John 11:16). He also asked the Lord at the supper: " (John 14:5-6). When the Lord Christ appeared to the disciples after the resurrection, and said to them "Receive the Holy Spirit", Thomas was absent. On his return, the disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." He said to them: " (John 20:19-29). After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost in the Upper room in Zion, the apostles dispersed everywhere to preach the Gospel, Thomas went to India. He worked there as a slave at one of the friends of the king, whose name was Lukios, who brought him to the king who inquired about his profession. Thomas said: "I am builder, carpenter and a physician. He preached in his master's palace, and Lukios' wife believed and all his household. The king asked him about his achievements, and he said: "The palaces that I built were the souls that have become the temples of the King of Glory; the carpentry that I did was the Gospel that removes the thorns of sin; and the medicines I practiced are the Holy Mysteries which heal the poison of the evil one. The king became angry and tortured him, and bound him among four poles, cut off his skin and rubbed his wounds with salt and lime. The apostle Thomas endured the pains. Lukios' wife saw him suffering, and she fell from the window and died. Lukios came to him and said: "If you raise my wife from the dead, I believe in your God." Thomas went to the room where the dead body was, and said: "Arsabona (Arsonia), rise up in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ." She rose instantly and bowed to the Saint. When her husband saw that, he believed and many more with him from the people of the city, and Thomas baptized them. Once the sea drove a huge tree to the shore that no one could lift it up. St. Thomas asked the king for permission to lift it up and to use its wood in building a church. He got the permission, he made the sign of the cross, and he raised it and later he built the church, to which he ordained a bishop and priests.
St. Thomas left and went to a city called "Kantoura" (Kontaria), where he found an old man weeping bitterly because the king killed his six children. The Saint prayed over them, and the Lord raised them up. The idol priests were angry, and wanted to stone him. The first raised a stone to throw it at him, and his hand was paralyzed. The Saint prayed over his hand, he was healed instantly, and all the idol priests believed in the Lord Christ. Then St. Thomas went to the city of "Parkenas" and other cities, where he preached in the Name of Jesus Christ. The king heard about him, and he put him in prison. When he found out that he was teaching the prisoners the way of God, he tortured him, and at last he cut his head off, and he received the crown of martyrdom. He was buried in "Melibar", then his body was relocated to El-Raha.
May His prayers be with us and Glory be to our God forever. Amen.
Vespers
Vespers Psalm
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 119 : 130 - 130
Chapter 119
| 130 | The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple. |
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 Luke the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
Luke 7 : 18 - 23
Chapter 7
| 18 | Then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things. |
| 19 | And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?" |
| 20 | When the men had come to Him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"' |
| 21 | And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight. |
| 22 | Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. |
| 23 | And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me." |
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 12 : 6 - 6
Chapter 12
| 6 | The words of the LORD are pure words, Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times. |
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 Luke the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
Luke 7 : 24 - 28
Chapter 7
| 24 | When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? |
| 25 | But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings' courts. |
| 26 | But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. |
| 27 | This is he of whom it is written: "Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.' |
| 28 | For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." |
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 Romans .
May his blessings be upon us.
Amen.
Romans 8 : 28 - 39
Chapter 8
| 28 | And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. |
| 29 | For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. |
| 30 | Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. |
| 31 | What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? |
| 32 | He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? |
| 33 | Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. |
| 34 | Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. |
| 35 | Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? |
| 36 | As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." |
| 37 | Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. |
| 38 | For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, |
| 39 | nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. |
The grace of God the Father be with you all.
Amen.
Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle 3 of St. John .
May his blessing be upon us.
Amen.
3 John 1 : 1 - 8
Chapter 1
| 1 | The Elder, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth: |
| 2 | Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. |
| 3 | For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. |
| 4 | I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. |
| 5 | Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, |
| 6 | who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, |
| 7 | because they went forth for His name's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. |
| 8 | We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth. |
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 15 : 4 - 9
Chapter 15
| 4 | And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them. |
| 5 | But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses." |
| 6 | Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. |
| 7 | And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: "Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. |
| 8 | So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, |
| 9 | and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. |
The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty, and be confirmed, in the holy Church of God.
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 89 : 52,49
Chapter 89
| 52 | Blessed be the LORD forevermore! Amen and Amen. |
| 49 | Lord, where are Your former lovingkindnesses, Which You swore to David in Your truth? |
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.
John 15 : 12 - 16
Chapter 15
| 12 | This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. |
| 13 | Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. |
| 14 | You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. |
| 15 | No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. |
| 16 | You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. |
And Glory be to God forever.
White dominant culture has been alive and well for centuries, and its grasp for power is only growing more desperate. Today we see unabashed racism, classism, and sexism at the highest levels of the United States government. How naïve many of us white folks were to think we lived in a post-racial society after the Civil Rights Movement of the 60s and after we saw an African American president and his family in the White House. Now our collective shadow has again come out in the open for all to see.
It seems every generation must be newly converted. While we seek to transform individual hearts and minds we must also work to create change throughout systems. Until a full vision of equity is realized, we must continue naming and resisting the ways in which so many people are excluded and oppressed. Author and activist adrienne maree brown writes:
Separation weakens. It is the main way we are kept (and keep each other) in conditions of oppression. . . . Where we are born into privilege, we are charged with dismantling any myth of supremacy. Where we are born into struggle, we are charged with claiming our dignity, joy and liberation. . . . From that deep place of belonging to ourselves, we can understand that we are inherently worthy of each other. Even when we make mistakes, harm each other, lose our way, we are worthy. [1]
I believe the problem of otherness and separation is so foundational to all of reality that it had to be overcome in the very nature of God—from the very beginning—and in all things created in the image of God, which is exactly all things. God has to include otherness—diversity, if you will—but God also has to be diversity overcome and resolved, first inside of the Deity Itself (the Trinity), and then in all those created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27), who are imprinted, marked, and “turned into the image that they reflect” (see 2 Corinthians 3:18).
The members of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—are the Christian placeholder names for clear distinction, pluriformity, and otherness. You can use other words if you want; what’s important is distinction and diversity in loving relationship. The three must be maintained as three and understood as different from one another. Yet the infinite trust and flow between them is so constant, so reliable, so true, and so faithful that they are also completely one. They must be diverse, and they must be one—at the same time. The glue that preserves both truths at the same time is Infinite Love.
Our basic human problem of unity and diversity has been resolved in the very nature of God, but unless we allow ourselves inside of that Infinite flow, we ourselves will always remain the three but never the one. If we remain exclusive monotheists, like Judaism, Islam, and much of Christianity up to now, we normally try to impose a false uniformity on others but rarely know how to love, honor, and respect diversity. We remain in competing tribes and colonies.
Like the Godself, we must be both “three and one,” different and united: diversity affirmed, protected, and overcome by One Shared Love. Even the very basic element of the atom appears to mirror such cyclical diversity, attraction, and allurement—within itself.
References:
[1] Adrienne Maree Brown, “Report: Recommendations for Us Right Now from a Future,” Sublevel, issue 2 (2018), https://sublevelmag.com/issues/the-speculative/report-recommendations-for-us-right-now-from-a-future.
Adapted from Richard Rohr, “Introduction,” “Unity and Diversity,” Oneing, vol. 6, no. 2 (CAC Publishing: 2018), 14-15.