Coptic for GOD

Coptic Date

Gregorian Date

DAILY VERSE

But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.

As we enter the month often associated with giving thanks, this reminder from Moses is an important one! We so easily forget to give thanks when things are going well. It's easy for us to whine and ask God to help us when we are in trouble, but we often feel like we "deserve" the good things that happen to us. God reminds us that what we have is simply a confirmation of his grace and his faithfulness to do what he has said. We need to remind ourselves, and each other, that the blessings we have come from his hand and not because we deserved them more than someone else.

DAILY SYNEXARIUM

25 Babah 1739

Day 25 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-Fifth Day of the Blessed Month of Babah

Departure of the Saints Apollo and Abib

On this day departed the righteous saints Abba Apollo, who was like the angels, and Abba Abib, the fighter and worshipper. Abba Apollo was born in the city of Akhmim. His father's name was Amone and his mother's name was Eyse. They were righteous before God, walking in His way, and loving to the strangers and saints. They did not have a son. One night Abba Apollo's mother saw in a dream a shining man, who had a tree with him. He planted it in her house and it grew and bore fruit. He told her, "Whosoever shall eat of this fruit shall live forever." She ate from it and found it sweet and she said, "I wonder if I would have a fruit?" When she awoke from her sleep, she told her husband about what she had seen. He told her that he had seen the same vision, and they glorified the Lord. They added to their works of righteousness and to their striving. They fasted for two days on only bread and salt. After a while she conceived, and she prayed fervently until the child was born. They called him Apollo and they advanced in their piety. When the boy had grown up and studied theology, he longed for the monastic life. This longing grew when he met a friend called Abib. They went together to one of the monasteries and became monks there. They practiced many ascetic works. They lived a good life that was pleasing to God. The saint Abba Abib departed on the 25th of Babah. Thereupon St. Apollo went to Ablug Mountain and many gathered around him. He taught them the fear of God and the acceptable worship. On the 25th of Babah they celebrated the commemoration of the saint Abba Abib to fulfill the saying of the Holy Bible, "The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance." (Psalms 112:6) Abba Apollo lived for many years after that and he had monasteries and many brethren.

He was a contemporary of St. Macarius the Great who, when heard about St. Apollo, rejoiced. St. Macarius wrote him a letter to comfort him and the brothers and to confirm them in their obedience to the Lord. Abba Apollo knew by the spirit that St. Macarius was writing them a letter. There were many around him speaking the Word of God. He said to them "Listen my brethren, behold the great Abba Macarius is writing to us a letter full of comforting and spiritual teachings." When the brother arrived with the letter, they received him with joy then read it and their hearts were consoled. St. Apollo was the one who went to St.Ammonius and saw the holy woman who stood in the middle of the fire but did not burn. When the Lord Christ wished to relieve him from the labor of this world, he departed in peace.

May his prayers and blessings be with us all. Amen.

Commemoration of the Consecration of the Church of St.Julius El-Akfehas

On this day also was the consecration of the church of St. Julius El-Akfehas. This saint was martyred in the city of Tewa. This took place after the perishing of Diocletian and during the reign of Constantine, a short while before he was baptized. When Constantine was baptized, the Christian kingdom spread and the churches were built in the names of the martyrs that were slain by the infidel Emperors. Emperor Constantine heard the reports of St. Julius and how the Lord had chosen St. Julius and preserved him along with his men to care for the bodies of the martyrs. He carried their bodies, shrouded them, wrote their biographies and how they were finally martyred. He sent each martyr to his home town. The Emperor praised the strife of this saint and blessed his work. He sent much money to Egypt, and commanded that a church be built for him in Alexandria. The church was built and his body was transferred to it. The church was consecrated by the Patriarch Abba Alexandros with some bishops. A feast was arranged on this day.

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

DAILY KATEMAROS

- 25 Babah 1739

Vespers

Vespers Psalm

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

Psalms 65 : 4 - 5

Chapter 65

4	Blessed is the man You choose, And cause to approach You, That he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Of Your holy temple.

5	By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us, O God of our salvation, You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth, And of the far-off seas;

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 24 : 42 - 47

Chapter 24

42	Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.

43	But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.

44	Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

45	"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?

46	Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.

47	Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.

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 37 : 17,18,29

Chapter 37

17	For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, But the LORD upholds the righteous.

18	The LORD knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever.

29	The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell in it forever.

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 Mark the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.

Mark 13 : 33 - 37

Chapter 13

33	Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.

34	It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.

35	Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming--in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning--

36	lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.

37	And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"

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 3 : 4 - 23

Chapter 3

4	For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal?

5	Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?

6	I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

7	So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

8	Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

9	For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building.

10	According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.

11	For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

12	Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,

13	each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.

14	If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.

15	If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

16	Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

17	If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

18	Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.

19	For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their own craftiness";

20	and again, "The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile."

21	Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours:

22	whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come--all are yours.

23	And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

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 5 : 5 - 14

Chapter 5

5	Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."

6	Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

7	casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

8	Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

9	Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

10	But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

11	To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

12	By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.

13	She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son.

14	Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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 18 : 24 - 19 : 6

Chapter 18

24	Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus.

25	This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John.

26	So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

27	And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;

28	for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

Chapter 19

1	And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples

2	he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit."

3	And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism."

4	Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus."

5	When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6	And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

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 37 : 30 - 31

Chapter 37

30	The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, And his tongue talks of justice.

31	The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide.

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 16 : 1 - 12

Chapter 16

1	He also said to His disciples: "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.

2	So he called him and said to him, "What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.'

3	"Then the steward said within himself, "What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.

4	I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.'

5	"So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, "How much do you owe my master?'

6	And he said, "A hundred measures of oil.' So he said to him, "Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'

7	Then he said to another, "And how much do you owe?' So he said, "A hundred measures of wheat.' And he said to him, "Take your bill, and write eighty.'

8	So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.

9	"And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.

10	He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.

11	Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

12	And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?

And Glory be to God forever.

DAILY CONTEMPLATION

On Rebuke and Grace . . .......

Chapter 32.— The Gifts of Grace Conferred on Adam in Creation.

At that time, therefore, God had given to man a good will, because in that will He had made him, since He had made him upright. He had given help without which he could not continue therein if he would; but that he should will, He left in his free will. He could therefore continue if he would, because the help was not wanting whereby he could, and without which he could not, perseveringly hold fast the good which he would.