"Not even a hint!" Hmmmm! Don't you wish it were true? The church I attend and the person I see most often in the mirror don't quite measure up to this directive. If sexual temptation doesn't get us, greed often does. In a culture of conspicuous consumption, greed concerns me more than the immorality and impurity. Not because I am unconcerned with impurity, but because we have become so calloused to our own greed. In this season of giving, let's honestly examine our hearts about our "wanting," "getting," and "possessing."
Day 25 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Hatour, 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 Hatour
Martyrdom of St.
Mercurius known as the Saint with Two Swords
On this day, St. Mercurius, known as the saint with the two swords (Abu-Saifain), was martyred. He was born in the city of Rome. His parents were Christians and they called him Philopateer (which means "Lover of the Father"). They reared him in a Christian manner. When he grew, he enlisted in the army during the days of Emperor Decius, the pagan. The Lord gave Philopateer the strength and the courage, for which he earned the satisfaction of his superiors. They called him Mercurius and he grew very close to the Emperor. When the berbers rose up against Rome, Decius went out to fight them, but when he saw how many they were, he became terrified. St. Mercurius assured him saying, "Do not be afraid, because God will destroy our enemies and will bring us victory." When he left the Emperor, an angel appeared to him in the shape of a human being, dressed in white apparel. The angel gave him a sword saying, "When you overcome your enemies, remember the Lord your God." (That is why he is called, "of the two swords", "Abu-Saifain", one is the military sword and the other is the sword of the divine power).
When Emperor Decius conquered his enemies and Mercurius came back victorious, the angel appeared to him and reminded him of what he told him previously, that is, to remember the Lord his God. Decius, and his soldiers with him, wanted to offer up incense to his idols and St. Mercurius tarried behind. When they informed the Emperor of what had happened, he called St. Mercurius and expressed his amazement at his abandoning of his loyalty to him. The Emperor reprimanded him for refusing to come and offer incense to the idols. The Saint cast his girdle and his military attire down before the Emperor and said to him, "I do not worship anyone except my Lord and my God Jesus Christ." The Emperor became angry and ordered him to be beaten with whips and stalks. When the Emperor saw how the people of the city and the soldiers were attached to St.Mercurius, the Emperor feared that they might revolt. So instead, he bound him in iron fetters and sent him to Caesarea where they cut off his head. He thus completed his holy fight and received the crown of life in the kingdom of heaven.
May His intercession be for 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 86 : 12,10
Chapter 86
| 12 | I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify Your name forevermore. |
| 10 | For You are great, and do wondrous things; You alone are God. |
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 17 : 14 - 21
Chapter 17
| 14 | And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, |
| 15 | "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. |
| 16 | So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him." |
| 17 | Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me." |
| 18 | And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. |
| 19 | Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" |
| 20 | So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, "Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. |
| 21 | However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." |
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 143 : 8
Chapter 143
| 8 | Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You. |
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 John the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
John 20 : 1 - 18
Chapter 20
| 1 | Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. |
| 2 | Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him." |
| 3 | Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. |
| 4 | So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. |
| 5 | And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. |
| 6 | Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, |
| 7 | and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. |
| 8 | Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. |
| 9 | For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. |
| 10 | Then the disciples went away again to their own homes. |
| 11 | But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. |
| 12 | And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. |
| 13 | Then they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." |
| 14 | Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. |
| 15 | Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, "Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away." |
| 16 | Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him, "Rabboni!" (which is to say, Teacher). |
| 17 | Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, "I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God."' |
| 18 | Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her. |
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 4 : 1 - 16
Chapter 4
| 1 | Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. |
| 2 | Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. |
| 3 | But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. |
| 4 | For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. |
| 5 | Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one's praise will come from God. |
| 6 | Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. |
| 7 | For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? |
| 8 | You are already full! You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us--and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you! |
| 9 | For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. |
| 10 | We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! |
| 11 | To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. |
| 12 | And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; |
| 13 | being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now. |
| 14 | I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. |
| 15 | For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. |
| 16 | Therefore I urge you, imitate me. |
The grace of God the Father be with you all.
Amen.
Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle 2 of St. Peter .
May his blessing be upon us.
Amen.
2 Peter 1 : 1 - 8
Chapter 1
| 1 | Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: |
| 2 | Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, |
| 3 | as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, |
| 4 | by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. |
| 5 | But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, |
| 6 | to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, |
| 7 | to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. |
| 8 | For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. |
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 16 : 40 - 17 : 7
Chapter 16
| 40 | So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed. |
Chapter 17
| 1 | Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. |
| 2 | Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, |
| 3 | explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ." |
| 4 | And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas. |
| 5 | But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. |
| 6 | But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. |
| 7 | Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king--Jesus." |
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 100 : 3
Chapter 100
| 3 | Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. |
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.
Mark 10 : 17 - 31
Chapter 10
| 17 | Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" |
| 18 | So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. |
| 19 | You know the commandments: "Do not commit adultery,'"Do not murder,'"Do not steal,'"Do not bear false witness,'"Do not defraud,'"Honor your father and your mother."' |
| 20 | And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth." |
| 21 | Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me." |
| 22 | But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. |
| 23 | Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" |
| 24 | And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! |
| 25 | It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." |
| 26 | And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?" |
| 27 | But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible." |
| 28 | Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You." |
| 29 | So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, |
| 30 | who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time--houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions--and in the age to come, eternal life. |
| 31 | But many who are first will be last, and the last first." |
And Glory be to God forever.
St. Anthony said:
"Many fall and then repent health and righteousness, but there are those who fall from the work of his favor and do the work of unclean, which falls and then the best of the then falls
St. Ma Isaac the Syriac said:
"Remember the sins of the fallen old and then repent and the amount of honor and dignity that they received from the repent afterwards to comfort in your repentance."
Saint Moses the Black said:
"Those who want to acquire goodness and in their hearts fear of God, if they find and fall to despair, but soon do their stumbling and they are in a spiritual activity and more interest in good deeds"
St. Epiphanius said:
"God leaves the sinners with the capital for their repentance of the harlot and the evil son.