God answers prayers! Recent research in the recovery of surgery patients for whom others prayed seems to validate this. Our experience suggests it is true. The Bible promises us that it is so. But Luke emphasizes one specific answer to prayer that God-seekers receive. God longs to give us a truly great and wonderful gift: his presence in us through his Holy Spirit. (vs. 13) Because of the indwelling Spirit, God can do unimaginable things for us and through us.
Day 23 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Babah, 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-Third Day of the Blessed Month of Babah
Departure of St.Yusab the Fifty-Second Pope of Alexandria
On this day of the year 841 A.D., the holy father Abba Yusab, fifty-second Pope of Alexandria, departed. He was the son of one of the rich nobles of Menuf. When his parents departed and left him, certain believers raised him. When he grew up he gave most of his money as alms, then went to the desert of St. Macarius and became monk with a holy old man. When Abba Marcus the Second became the forty-ninth Pope of Alexandria and heard about Yusab's conduct, he called him. When Yusab wished to go back to the desert, Abba Marcus ordained him a priest and sent him back. He stayed in the desert for a period of time till the departure of Abba Simon the Second, fifty-first Pope. The papal throne remained unoccupied until some of the bishops agreed with some of the laymen of Alexandria to choose a married man who had bribed them. When the rest of the bishops knew that, they detested their action and prayed to God to guide them to whom He choose. The Lord guided them to Abba Yusab and they remembered his good conduct and management while he was with the father Abba Marcus. They sent some of the bishops to bring him. They prayed to God saying, "We beseech Thee, 0 Lord, if Thou have chosen this father for this honor, let the sign be that we find his door open upon our arrival." When they arrived they found his door open, for he was bidding farewell to some visiting monks. When he was about to close his door, he saw them coming, so he received them with joy and welcomed them to his cell. When they entered, they seized him and told him, "Axios" (i.e He is worthy). He cried out and wept. He started to reveal to them his shortcomings and sins. But they did not accept his excuses and they took him to Alexandria and placed their hands over him.
When he sat upon the throne of St. Mark, he greatly cared for the churches. He bought, with what remained of his own income, properties and bestowed them on the churches. He continually taught the people and did not neglect any of them. However, Satan became envious and brought much sorrow upon him. The bishops of Tanes and Misor (Cairo), angered the people of their parishes (because of the matter of dues). Abba Yousab condemned their actions and asked them often to be merciful to their flocks, but they would not accept his behest. Their flocks cried out to him saying, "If you force us to obey them, we shall turn to another denomination." He exerted a great effort to reconcile between them, but it was in vain. He called the bishops from their parishes and told them about these two bishops and repudiated their works. The bishops excommunicated them. When they were excommunicated, they went to the Governor in Cairo and brought a false accusation against this father. The Governor sent his brother, the Prince, with some soldiers to bring the Patriarch to him. When they came to the Patriarch, the Governor's brother drew his sword to kill him. But the Lord thrust aside his hand and the sword struck a pillar and was broken. The Prince became furiously angry, so he drew his dagger and drove it with all his might into the side of this father. The dagger did not do any harm to him other than cutting his apparel, and it did not reach his flesh. The Prince realized that the Patriarch had divine grace, and heavenly protection guarded him from being slain. He respected him and brought him to his brother and told him about what had happened. The Governor also respected and feared him. The Governor asked the Patriarch about the accusation that was made against him. The Patriarch proved to him the falsehoods of these accusations and informed him about the matter of the two bishops. The Governor was convinced and honored the Patriarch and ordered that no one should disobey him in any ordination or removal of any bishops or in any other work concerning the church. He continually preached to the sinners and admonished the disobedient, establishing the people in the Orthodox faith which he had received from his fathers. He interpreted to them what was hard for them to understand, guarding them with his teachings and prayers. God made manifest great signs and wonders through this holy father. Having finished this pleasing life to God, he departed in peace after having sat on the throne of St.Mark nineteen years and having been a monk for thirty-nine years, before which he had lived about twenty years.
May his prayers and blessings be with us all. Amen.
Martyrdom of St.Dionysius the Bishop
On this day also is the commemoration of the martyrdom of St. Dionysius, bishop of Corinth, who became a martyr in the days of Diocletian and Maximianus. He endured many severe tortures for the sake of his faith in Jesus, to Whom is the Glory, until finally they cut off his neck, and he received the crown of eternal glory.
May his prayers and blessings be with us all, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
Vespers
Vespers Psalm
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 89 : 19 - 21
Chapter 89
| 19 | Then You spoke in a vision to Your holy one, And said: "I have given help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. |
| 20 | I have found My servant David; With My holy oil I have anointed him, |
| 21 | With whom My hand shall be established; Also My arm shall strengthen him. |
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 Matthew the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
Matthew 10 : 34 - 42
Chapter 10
| 34 | "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. |
| 35 | For I have come to "set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; |
| 36 | and "a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' |
| 37 | He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. |
| 38 | And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. |
| 39 | He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. |
| 40 | "He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. |
| 41 | He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. |
| 42 | And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward." |
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 132 : 9,10,17,18
Chapter 132
| 9 | Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, And let Your saints shout for joy. |
| 10 | For Your servant David's sake, Do not turn away the face of Your Anointed. |
| 17 | There I will make the horn of David grow; I will prepare a lamp for My Anointed. |
| 18 | His enemies I will clothe with shame, But upon Himself His crown shall flourish." |
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 6 : 17 - 23
Chapter 6
| 17 | And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, |
| 18 | as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. |
| 19 | And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all. |
| 20 | Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God. |
| 21 | Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh. |
| 22 | Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake. |
| 23 | Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets. |
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 Hebrews .
May his blessings be upon us.
Amen.
Hebrews 7 : 18 - 8 : 13
Chapter 7
| 18 | For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, |
| 19 | for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. |
| 20 | And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath |
| 21 | (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him: "The LORD has sworn And will not relent, "You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek"'), |
| 22 | by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. |
| 23 | Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. |
| 24 | But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. |
| 25 | Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. |
| 26 | For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; |
| 27 | who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. |
| 28 | For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever. |
Chapter 8
| 1 | Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, |
| 2 | a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. |
| 3 | For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer. |
| 4 | For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; |
| 5 | who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain." |
| 6 | But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. |
| 7 | For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. |
| 8 | Because finding fault with them, He says: "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah-- |
| 9 | not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD. |
| 10 | For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. |
| 11 | None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, "Know the LORD,' for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. |
| 12 | For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." |
| 13 | In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. |
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 - 15
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. |
| 9 | I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. |
| 10 | Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church. |
| 11 | Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God. |
| 12 | Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true. |
| 13 | I had many things to write, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink; |
| 14 | but I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face. Peace to you. Our friends greet you. Greet the friends by name. |
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 : 36 - 16 : 5
Chapter 15
| 36 | Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing." |
| 37 | Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. |
| 38 | But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. |
| 39 | Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; |
| 40 | but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. |
| 41 | And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. |
Chapter 16
| 1 | Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. |
| 2 | He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium. |
| 3 | Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek. |
| 4 | And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. |
| 5 | So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily. |
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 99 : 6 - 7
Chapter 99
| 6 | Moses and Aaron were among His priests, And Samuel was among those who called upon His name; They called upon the LORD, and He answered them. |
| 7 | He spoke to them in the cloudy pillar; They kept His testimonies and the ordinance He gave them. |
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 16 : 20 - 33
Chapter 16
| 20 | Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. |
| 21 | A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. |
| 22 | Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. |
| 23 | "And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. |
| 24 | Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. |
| 25 | "These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. |
| 26 | In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; |
| 27 | for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. |
| 28 | I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father." |
| 29 | His disciples said to Him, "See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! |
| 30 | Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God." |
| 31 | Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe? |
| 32 | Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. |
| 33 | These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." |
And Glory be to God forever.
Chapter 38.— What is the Nature of the Gift of Perseverance that is Now Given to the Saints.
And thus God willed that His saints should not— even concerning perseverance in goodness itself— glory in their own strength, but in Himself, who not only gives them aid such as He gave to the first man, without which they cannot persevere if they will, but causes in them also the will; that since they will not persevere unless they both can and will, both the capability and the will to persevere should be bestowed on them by the liberality of divine grace.