Extravagant over-reaction! That's what we're programmed to seek and to display in our modern world of sound bytes and over-hyped personality. But gentleness, that moderating grace in the midst of chaos and conflict, is so vital to bring the peace of God to conflict-laden churches, families, and relationships. How can we be gentle, how can we restrain from over-reacting to the wounds, offenses, and slights that come our way? The Lord is near! He is our vindication. He is our example. He is our comfort. He is our hope. He is our strength. He is near. We are not alone and our destiny, reputation, and value are not up to us to establish or to defend.
Day 28 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Baramhat, 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-Eighth Day of the Blessed Month of Baramhat
Departure of the righteous Emperor Constantine the Great
On this day of the year 53 A.M. (337 A.D.) the righteous Emperor Constantine the great departed. His father's name was Constantius I Chlorus which means (Green), and his mother's name was Helena. Constantius reigned over Byzantium, Maximianus reigned over Rome, and Diocletian reigned over Antioch and Egypt. Constantius was pagan, but he was honorable, loved to do good, compassionate and merciful. He went to the city of El-Ruha (Urfa - Gr. Edessa) and there he saw Helena, liked her and he married her. She was a Christian, and she conceived Constantine. Constantius left her in El-Ruha and returned to Byzantium. She brought forth Constantine and raised him up very piously, taught him every kind of learning, sowed in his heart mercy and compassion for the Christians, but she did not dare to have him baptized. Constantine grew up, and he was a bold and skilful horseman. He went to his father who rejoiced in him when he saw that he was full of wisdom, knowledge, and he was a skilful horseman. After his father's death he received the kingdom and he reigned with justice and integrity, and stopped all unfair practices. All the people were subject to him and they loved him and his righteous judgement spread throughout the Empire. The nobles of Rome sent asking him to come and save them from the injustice of Maximianus. Constantine marched with his army toward Rome to save them.
During the war he saw in the heaven, in the middle of the day, a Cross made of stars, and on it was written in Greek words which being interpreted as "With this you shall conquer." The light of the Cross was more shinning than the sun, and he shewed it to his ministers and the nobles of his kingdom. They read what was written, marvelled and they did not know for what reason that cross had appeared. That night the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a vision and told him: "Make a sign for yourself like that sign which you had seen, and with it you shall conquer your enemies." The next morning, he prepared a large flag with the sign of the cross on it, and made the sign of the cross on all the armaments. He engaged with Maximianus in a battle and fought. Constantine overcame Maximianus who withdrew with his army, and while crossing the bridge over the Tiber river, the bridge broke and he and most of his men perished. Constantine entered Rome and its people welcomed him with joy and gladness, and its learned men praised the Honorable Cross and called it the Savior of their city. Then they celebrated for the Cross seven days and Constantine became the Emperor of the East and the West. When Constantine established himself in Rome, he and most of his soldiers were baptized by the Pope of Rome, in the eleventh year of his reign, which is the fourth year after the appearance of the Honorable Cross. He sent throughout the kingdom and commanded to set free all those who were imprisoned for the sake of faith, and that they should not work during the Passion week as the Apostles commanded.
Then he sent his mother Helena to Jerusalem where she discovered the Holy Cross of Our Lord Christ. In the seventeenth year of his reign the Holy Council of the Three Hundred and Eighteen bishops assembled at Nicea in the year 325 A.D. which arranged the affairs of the Christians and put down the cannons of the church. He rebuilt the city of Byzantium and called it after his name "Constantinia" and he brought to it many of the bodies of the apostles and holy martyrs. He departed in the city of Nicomedia, they laid him in a gold sarcophagus, carried him and brought him to Constantinia. The Patriarch, bishops, priests, and all the people received him with prayers, psalms, and spiritual hymns, and laid him in the sanctuary of the holy apostles. All the days of his life were seventy five years.
To Our God is the glory, might, and dominion and may His mercy and grace be upon us forever. Amen.
Departure of Pope Peter (Petros) VII, the One Hundred and Ninth Patriarch
On this day also of the year 1568 A.M. (April 5th., year 1852 A.D. the holy father Pope Peter (Petros) VII, the 109th. Pope of Alexandria, departed. This father was born in the village of Gawli - Manfalout, and his name was Mankarius. He forsake the world since his young age, and the Divine grace led him to the monastery of the great St. Antonios where he became a monk. He immersed in worship, asceticism and purity as he occupied himself by reading the ecclesiastic books and learned the theological and liturgical subjects. He was ordained priest for the monastery, he surpassed his fellows in the practice of virtues and performing the religious duties, and was called Fr. Marcurius. Then he was promoted to archpriest (Hegumen) for his asceticism, zeal, and the purity of his heart. When his news reached Pope Marcus (Mark) VIII, he called him. A group of the Ethiopians had come, delegated from the king of Ethiopia asking for a Metropolitan instead of Anba Yousab their predecessor one who had departed. The Pope searched for an honorable, learned and just man, and he found these virtues in the Archpriest Marcurius, so he chose him to be a Metropolitan for Ethiopia. During the ordination, instead he ordained him a bishop without a parish and called him Theophilus and ordained Anba Macarius II a Metropolitan for the kingdom of Ethiopia in the year 1808 A.D.
After ordaining Anba Theophilus a bishop at large the Pope kept him with him in the patriarchate to help him in managing the church business and the affairs of the Coptic people. When Pope Marcus VIII departed on the 13th. day of Kiahk year 526 A.M. (December 21st., year 1809), the bishops were present in Cairo met with the notables of the people and unanimously agreed to chose Anba Theophilus to be his successor. They ordained him Patriarch in St. Mark church in El-Azbakiah three days after the departure of Pope Marcus, on sunday the 16th. of Kiahk, year 1526 A.M. (December 24th., year 1809), and they called him Peter VIII and he was known by Petros El-Gawly. He was a gentle, meek, wise, greatly intelligent, outstandingly smart father with a nobel policy in caring for the people. He devoted himself to studying, reading and learning the ecclesiastic subjects and the holy books. He wrote a valuable text to defend the church and its teachings, and he provided the patriarchal library with valuable and rare texts. His era was a peaceful time in the land, so the church had a complete serenity and total freedom in worship, and the churches were renovated in Upper and Lower Egypt.
During his Papacy the Chair of El-Nuba and Sudan returned to the Chair of Alexandria after separation for five hundred years. The governor of Egypt Muhammad Ali Basha conquered Sudan and took over its land and consolidated it to the land of Egypt. Many of the people of Sudan returned to the Christian faith and many of the christian government employees and army men lived in Sudan. They built churches, then they asked Pope Petros to send them a bishop to shepherd the Christian people in these countries. He ordained for them a bishop who was nominated by the people of Sudan from among the monks called Damianus. This bishop departed during the days of Pope Petros so he ordained for them another. This Pope, during his papacy, ordained twenty five bishops for the different parishes of Egypt and Nuba, and he ordained two Metropolitans For Ethiopia, the first was Anba Kyrellos IV in the year 1820, and the second in the year 1833 A.D. God had performed many wonders through the hands of Pope Peter VII the most famous of them is the incident of the Nile Inundation. One year the flood of the Nile was not enough to water people, land and animals. The masses were worried about famine, inflation and high prices if the land could not be cultivated. They went to the Governor of Egypt asking to order the clergy to pray and supplicate God almighty that He might bless the water of the Nile and increase the flood water to be able to water the land to bring forth a plenteous crop and to avoid a famine that might befall the people. Pope Peter VII called the bishops and the clergy and went with them to the banks of the river where he celebrated the Divine Liturgy and after the service he washed the Holy Service utensils with water from the river, then he threw the water and the blessed Kourbana (Blessed Bread) in the river. The waves of the river roared, the water was disturbed and flooded, the deacons in haste removed all the elements used in the celebration, fearing of drowning. This incident glorified the Patriarch position before the Basha the Governor who made him close to him, and honor the men of his nation, and increased their authority and grace.
From these remarkable wonders also was the incident of the Holy Sepulcher light in Jerusalem. After prince Ibrahim Basha, Mohammed Ali Basha's son, had conquered Jerusalem and Syria year 1832 A.D., he invited Pope Peter VII to visit Jerusalem and attend to the service of the appearance of the light on Bright Saturday from the Sepulcher of the Lord Christ in Jerusalem as the Greek Orthodox Patriarchs did every year. The Pope accepted the invitation, and when he arrived, he was received with honor and reverence and he entered Jerusalem with a great procession and a splendid celebration, in which the governor, the rulers and the heads of the different Christian denominations participated. He realized with his wisdom that if he minister alone in the Holy sepulcher that would cause animosity between the Copts and the Greeks. The Pope asked the Basha to relieve him from this service, but he asked him to participate with the Greek Patriarch on the condition that he will be their third, for he doubted the authenticity of the light. On Bright Saturday the church of the holy sepulcher was crowded with the worshipers, the Basha ordered the people to evacuate the church to the spacious outer courtyard. When the time to start the service came the two Patriarchs and the Basha entered the Holy Sepulcher to pray the customary prayers. In the specific time, the light burst out of the Sepulcher in a way that terrified the Basha, who became in a daze and confusion, and the Pope attended to him until he recovered. The people outside in the courtyard were not deprived from the blessing of the light since one of the pillars of the western gate of the church split and the light appeared to them from the pillar.
This incident increased the reverence and respect of the Pope before the Basha. His holiness the Pope made many repairs and renovations in the church of Resurrection. During the days of this Pope, Mohammed Ali Basha wanted to join the Coptic church with the church of Rome because of the efforts of one of his catholic army generals, in return of the services of the French scientists and army leaders who offered the Governor to organize the Egyptian government. The Governor (Basha) called the master Ghali and his son Basilius and presented the subject to them, and they replied saying that this merge would cause revolt and unrest among the Coptic people so to avoid shedding of blood and to encourage the topic of unity, his family and himself would join the Catholic church, on a condition that they would not be forced to change their rituals or Eastern custom. The Basha accepted that solution and accordingly they declared their joining the Catholic faith, and only few followed them, nevertheless they all continued to worship in Coptic churches. During his time, the monk Daoud (David) excelled among the monks of St. Antonios monastery, and was promoted to be the head of the monastery. The fruits of his effort became obvious, in organizing the monastery and improving the condition of the monks. Pope Peter chose him for his intelligence and good management and sent him to Ethiopia in an official church duty which he took care of it well, and his return to Egypt was after the departure of Pope Peter.
History will exalt the memory of Pope Peter (Petros), because the Russian Caesar sent his delegates to offer putting the Coptic Church under the protection of Caesar. The Pope refused the proposal graciously by asking: "Does your Caesar live forever?" When the envoy answered that he would die like all human beings, the Pope told him that he preferred the protector of the church would be her true shepherd, the King that does not die. The prince admired the Pope's faith and patriotism, and he left after taking the blessings from the Pope stating that he is truly the good successor for the Eternal King, Christ the Savior. When this Pope finished his course and completed his strife, he departed in peace. They prayed over him in a great celebration on Paschal Monday, participated in it all the heads of the Christian denominations in St. Mark church in El-Azbakiah. He was buried beside his predecessor Pope Marcus, and Anba Sarapamon bishop of El-Menofia in the eastern side of the great cathedral in El-Azbakiah. He stayed on the Patriarchal Chair for 42 years, 3 month, and 12 days and the Chair remained vacant after him one year and 12 days.
May his prayers be with us. Amen.
Commemoration of Anba Sarapamon, known as "The Veiled" Bishop of El-Monofia
On this day also is the commemoration of Anba Sarapamon, known as "The Veiled" Bishop of El-Monofia. This blessed and great Saint was contemporary of Pope Petros El-Gawly and one of his famous bishops. God had granted him the gift to heal the sick, and to cast out evil spirits. He was called Salib. When he was a young man, some evil women seized him and accused him of murdering a young man they had killed in the market. In the court, he lifted up his heart to God and with tears he asked the help of St. Mary and other saints. He looked to the slain person and asked him to confess before the judge who killed him. The slain person rose up and told the judge about the murderesses. The judge was astonished and set Salib free. Salib left the court and went immediately to St. Antonios monastery to become a monk, and later on, the Pope chose him a Bishop for El-Monofia. When Mohammed Ali Basha asked the Pope's help concerning his daughter Zahra Hanem who was possessed by evil spirit, he sent Anba Sarapamon who healed her by praying over her. Mohammed Ali offered him money, but he refused saying that God's gifts are free. When the Governor insisted he asked for supplies and clothes for the monks in the monasteries, and to reinstate the Copts to their jobs in the government.
May his prayers be with us, and glory be to God forever. Amen.
Matins
Exodus 10 : 1 - end Exodus 11 : 1 - 10 Isaiah 44 : 21 - 28 Proverbs 8 : 22 - 36 Job 34 : 1 - 37 Sirach 10 : 1 - 31
Exodus 10 : 1 - end
Chapter 10
| 1 | Now the LORD said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, |
| 2 | and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son's son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD." |
| 3 | So Moses and Aaron came in to Pharaoh and said to him, "Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: "How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me. |
| 4 | Or else, if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory. |
| 5 | And they shall cover the face of the earth, so that no one will be able to see the earth; and they shall eat the residue of what is left, which remains to you from the hail, and they shall eat every tree which grows up for you out of the field. |
| 6 | They shall fill your houses, the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians--which neither your fathers nor your fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day."' And he turned and went out from Pharaoh. |
| 7 | Then Pharaoh's servants said to him, "How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?" |
| 8 | So Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, "Go, serve the LORD your God. Who are the ones that are going?" |
| 9 | And Moses said, "We will go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the LORD." |
| 10 | Then he said to them, "The LORD had better be with you when I let you and your little ones go! Beware, for evil is ahead of you. |
| 11 | Not so! Go now, you who are men, and serve the LORD, for that is what you desired." And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence. |
| 12 | Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land--all that the hail has left." |
| 13 | So Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind on the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. |
| 14 | And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested on all the territory of Egypt. They were very severe; previously there had been no such locusts as they, nor shall there be such after them. |
| 15 | For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every herb of the land and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. So there remained nothing green on the trees or on the plants of the field throughout all the land of Egypt. |
| 16 | Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and said, "I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you. |
| 17 | Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD your God, that He may take away from me this death only." |
| 18 | So he went out from Pharaoh and entreated the LORD. |
| 19 | And the LORD turned a very strong west wind, which took the locusts away and blew them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the territory of Egypt. |
| 20 | But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go. |
| 21 | Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness which may even be felt." |
| 22 | So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. |
| 23 | They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. |
| 24 | Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, "Go, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you." |
| 25 | But Moses said, "You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. |
| 26 | Our livestock also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind. For we must take some of them to serve the LORD our God, and even we do not know with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive there." |
| 27 | But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go. |
| 28 | Then Pharaoh said to him, "Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!" |
| 29 | So Moses said, "You have spoken well. I will never see your face again." |
Exodus 11 : 1 - 10
Chapter 11
| 1 | And the LORD said to Moses, "I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out of here altogether. |
| 2 | Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask from his neighbor and every woman from her neighbor, articles of silver and articles of gold." |
| 3 | And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people. |
| 4 | Then Moses said, "Thus says the LORD: "About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt; |
| 5 | and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the animals. |
| 6 | Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again. |
| 7 | But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you may know that the LORD does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.' |
| 8 | And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, "Get out, and all the people who follow you!' After that I will go out." Then he went out from Pharaoh in great anger. |
| 9 | But the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh will not heed you, so that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt." |
| 10 | So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land. |
Isaiah 44 : 21 - 28
Chapter 44
| 21 | "Remember these, O Jacob, And Israel, for you are My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me! |
| 22 | I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, And like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you." |
| 23 | Sing, O heavens, for the LORD has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth; Break forth into singing, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, And glorified Himself in Israel. |
| 24 | Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, And He who formed you from the womb: "I am the LORD, who makes all things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself; |
| 25 | Who frustrates the signs of the babblers, And drives diviners mad; Who turns wise men backward, And makes their knowledge foolishness; |
| 26 | Who confirms the word of His servant, And performs the counsel of His messengers; Who says to Jerusalem, "You shall be inhabited,' To the cities of Judah, "You shall be built,' And I will raise up her waste places; |
| 27 | Who says to the deep, "Be dry! And I will dry up your rivers'; |
| 28 | Who says of Cyrus, "He is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure, Saying to Jerusalem, "You shall be built," And to the temple, "Your foundation shall be laid."' |
Proverbs 8 : 22 - 36
Chapter 8
| 22 | "The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. |
| 23 | I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth. |
| 24 | When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. |
| 25 | Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was brought forth; |
| 26 | While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, Or the primal dust of the world. |
| 27 | When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep, |
| 28 | When He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep, |
| 29 | When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth, |
| 30 | Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him, |
| 31 | Rejoicing in His inhabited world, And my delight was with the sons of men. |
| 32 | "Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways. |
| 33 | Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it. |
| 34 | Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. |
| 35 | For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the LORD; |
| 36 | But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death." |
Job 34 : 1 - 37
Chapter 34
| 1 | Elihu further answered and said: |
| 2 | "Hear my words, you wise men; Give ear to me, you who have knowledge. |
| 3 | For the ear tests words As the palate tastes food. |
| 4 | Let us choose justice for ourselves; Let us know among ourselves what is good. |
| 5 | "For Job has said, "I am righteous, But God has taken away my justice; |
| 6 | Should I lie concerning my right? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.' |
| 7 | What man is like Job, Who drinks scorn like water, |
| 8 | Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, And walks with wicked men? |
| 9 | For he has said, "It profits a man nothing That he should delight in God.' |
| 10 | "Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: Far be it from God to do wickedness, And from the Almighty to commit iniquity. |
| 11 | For He repays man according to his work, And makes man to find a reward according to his way. |
| 12 | Surely God will never do wickedly, Nor will the Almighty pervert justice. |
| 13 | Who gave Him charge over the earth? Or who appointed Him over the whole world? |
| 14 | If He should set His heart on it, If He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath, |
| 15 | All flesh would perish together, And man would return to dust. |
| 16 | "If you have understanding, hear this; Listen to the sound of my words: |
| 17 | Should one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn Him who is most just? |
| 18 | Is it fitting to say to a king, "You are worthless,' And to nobles, "You are wicked'? |
| 19 | Yet He is not partial to princes, Nor does He regard the rich more than the poor; For they are all the work of His hands. |
| 20 | In a moment they die, in the middle of the night; The people are shaken and pass away; The mighty are taken away without a hand. |
| 21 | "For His eyes are on the ways of man, And He sees all his steps. |
| 22 | There is no darkness nor shadow of death Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. |
| 23 | For He need not further consider a man, That he should go before God in judgment. |
| 24 | He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry, And sets others in their place. |
| 25 | Therefore He knows their works; He overthrows them in the night, And they are crushed. |
| 26 | He strikes them as wicked men In the open sight of others, |
| 27 | Because they turned back from Him, And would not consider any of His ways, |
| 28 | So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him; For He hears the cry of the afflicted. |
| 29 | When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble? And when He hides His face, who then can see Him, Whether it is against a nation or a man alone?-- |
| 30 | That the hypocrite should not reign, Lest the people be ensnared. |
| 31 | "For has anyone said to God, "I have borne chastening; I will offend no more; |
| 32 | Teach me what I do not see; If I have done iniquity, I will do no more'? |
| 33 | Should He repay it according to your terms, Just because you disavow it? You must choose, and not I; Therefore speak what you know. |
| 34 | "Men of understanding say to me, Wise men who listen to me: |
| 35 | "Job speaks without knowledge, His words are without wisdom.' |
| 36 | Oh, that Job were tried to the utmost, Because his answers are like those of wicked men! |
| 37 | For he adds rebellion to his sin; He claps his hands among us, And multiplies his words against God." |
Sirach 10 : 1 - 31
Chapter 10
| 1 | There is not a more wicked thing than to love money: for such a one setteth even his own soul to sale: because while he liveth he hath cast away his bowels. |
| 2 | All power is of short life. A long sickness is troublesome to the physician. |
| 3 | The physician cutteth off it short sickness: so also a king is to day, and to morrow he shall die. |
| 4 | For when a man shall die, he shall inherit serpents, end beasts, and worms. |
| 5 | The beginning of the pride of man, is to fall off from God: |
| 6 | Because his heart is departed from him that made him: for pride is the beginning of all sin: be that holdeth it, shall be filled with maledictions, and it shall ruin him in the end. |
| 7 | Therefore hath the Lord disgraced the assemblies of the wicked, and hath utterly destroyed them. |
| 8 | God hath overturned the thrones of proud princes, and hath set up the meek in their stead. |
| 9 | God hath made the roots of proud nations to wither, and hath planted the humble of these nations. |
| 10 | The Lord hath overthrown the lands of the Gentiles, and hath destroyed them even to the foundation. |
| 11 | He hath made some of them to wither away, and hath destroyed them, and hath made the memory of them to cease from the earth. |
| 12 | God hath abolished the memory of the proud, and hath preserved the memory of them that are humble in mind. |
| 13 | Pride was not made for men: nor wrath for the race of women. |
| 14 | That seed of men shall be honoured, which feareth God: but that seed shall be dishonoured, which transgresseth the commandments of the Lord. |
| 15 | In the midst of brethren their chief is honourable: so shall they that fear the Lord, be in his eyes. |
| 16 | The fear of God is the glory of the rich, and of the honourable, and of the poor: |
| 17 | Despise not a just man that is poor, and do not magnify a sinful man that is rich. |
| 18 | The great man, and the judge, and the mighty is in honour: and there is none greater than he that feareth God. |
| 19 | They that are free shall serve a servant that is wise: and a man that is prudent and well instructed will not murmur when he is reproved; and he that is ignorant, shall not be honoured. |
| 20 | Extol not thyself in doing thy work, and linger not in the time of distress: |
| 21 | Better is he that laboureth, and aboundeth in all things, than he that boasteth himself and wanteth bread. |
| 22 | My son, keep thy soul in meekness, and give it honour according to its desert. |
| 23 | Who will justify him that sinneth against his own soul? and who will honour him that dishonoureth his own soul? |
| 24 | The poor man is glorified by his discipline and fear: and there is a man that is honoured for his wealth. |
| 25 | But he that is glorified in poverty, how much more in wealth? and he that is glorified in wealth, let him fear poverty. |
Matins
Matins Psalm
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 102 : 17,21
Chapter 102
| 17 | He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, And shall not despise their prayer. |
| 21 | To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, And His praise in Jerusalem, |
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 7 : 1 - 20
Chapter 7
| 1 | Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. |
| 2 | Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. |
| 3 | For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. |
| 4 | When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches. |
| 5 | Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?" |
| 6 | He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: "This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. |
| 7 | And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' |
| 8 | For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men--the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do." |
| 9 | He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. |
| 10 | For Moses said, "Honor your father and your mother'; and, "He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' |
| 11 | But you say, "If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban"--' (that is, a gift to God), |
| 12 | then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, |
| 13 | making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do." |
| 14 | When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear Me, everyone, and understand: |
| 15 | There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. |
| 16 | If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!" |
| 17 | When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. |
| 18 | So He said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, |
| 19 | because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?" |
| 20 | And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. |
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 2 : 12 - 24
Chapter 2
| 12 | For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law |
| 13 | (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; |
| 14 | for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, |
| 15 | who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) |
| 16 | in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel. |
| 17 | Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, |
| 18 | and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, |
| 19 | and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, |
| 20 | an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. |
| 21 | You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? |
| 22 | You who say, "Do not commit adultery," do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? |
| 23 | You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? |
| 24 | For "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you," as it is written. |
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 : 20 - end
Chapter 1
| 20 | knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, |
| 21 | for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. |
2 Peter 2 : 1 - 6
Chapter 2
| 1 | But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. |
| 2 | And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. |
| 3 | By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. |
| 4 | For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; |
| 5 | and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; |
| 6 | and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; |
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 26 : 1 - 8
Chapter 26
| 1 | Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You are permitted to speak for yourself." So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself: |
| 2 | "I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, |
| 3 | especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently. |
| 4 | "My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. |
| 5 | They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. |
| 6 | And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. |
| 7 | To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. |
| 8 | Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead? |
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 9 : 11 - 12
Chapter 9
| 11 | Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion! Declare His deeds among the people. |
| 12 | When He avenges blood, He remembers them; He does not forget the cry of the humble. |
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 11 : 45 - 52
Chapter 11
| 45 | Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, "Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also." |
| 46 | And He said, "Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. |
| 47 | Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. |
| 48 | In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs. |
| 49 | Therefore the wisdom of God also said, "I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,' |
| 50 | that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, |
| 51 | from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation. |
| 52 | "Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered." |
And Glory be to God forever.
And when it is read, and this mortal [must] put on immortality,
the same visible flesh is signified, inasmuch as at it ever and anon the finger is thus as it were pointed. For the soul also may thus in like manner be called mortal, even as it is designated corruptible in reference to vices of manners. For assuredly it is the death of the soul to apostatize from God;
which is its first sin in Paradise, as it is contained in the sacred writings.