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DAILY VERSE
وَهَذَا مَا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ تَفْعَلُوهُ: لاَ تَكْذِبُوا بَعْضُكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ” زكريا ١٦:٨

Peace is more than the mercurial, vaporous, whimsical wish of folks who just want everyone to get along and things to be calm. The peace the apostle Paul is describing her, peace with God, goes much deeper than simply a desire for calm and for a lack of conflict. Jesus, through his sacrificial obedience to God, has made peace with God real for us. Yes, God provided it by grace. Yes, God is the one who insures it because of that grace. But, because this peace is tied to him and his character, we can rejoice and anticipate being caught up in the glory of our glorious God.

DAILY SYNEXARIUM
The synexarium of the 25th Day of the Blessed month of Tute1740

Day 25 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Tute, 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 Tute

Departure of Jonah the Great Prophet

icon

On this day departed the great prophet Jonah, the son of Amittai. It was said that he was the son of the widon of Zarephatah whom Elijah the prophet had raised from the dead. Jonah followed Elijah and served him and gained the grace of prophesying. God, blessed and exalted, told him to go to the city of Nineveh to admonish its people and to tell them that after forty days the city shall be overthrown. Jonah pondered in his heart saying, "If God wished to destroy them He would not warn them. I am afraid if I go to them and preach this warning to them, they might repent and He would not destroy them and I shall be a liar and no one will listen to me and maybe I will get killed becuase I conveyed to them a false message from God. I will arise and flee."

      What did this prophet think of ? How could anyone flee from the face of God ? By escaping, he wanted to get away from the city of Nineveh because he did not want to admonish them knowing that God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and repentent of the evil. He thought that by staying away from Nineveh the Lord would send another prophet to preach to this city. The escape of Jonah the prophet and his having been cast into the city are to make manifest the miracle of his remaining in the belly of the whale for three days and the coming out safely. It is a symbol of, and evidence for, the resurrection of our Savior from the sepulchre, unchanged, after three days. Jonah rose up to flee from the presence of the Lord and went down to Joppa; he found a ship going to Tarshish and sailed on it. The Lord sent out a great wind and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken. The people were all afraid, and cried every man to his god. They said everyone to his fellow, "Come and let us cast lots, that we may know because of whom this evil has befallen us." And when they had cast lots, it fell upon Jonah. They said to him, "What have you done that brought such an affliction on us ?" He replied, "Cast me in the sea and you shall be saved." They begged the Lord's pardon. Then they cast him into the sea, and a great whale swallowed him. He remained in its belly for three days and three nights and then he was cast out on the seashore. He rose up straightaway and came into Nineveh. He preached to its people and they all repented: The King, the nobles, and the poor, the old and the young. They all cried to God with fasting and everyone turned from their way, and the Lord accepted their repentance and had mercy upon them.

      Then Jonah rose up and returned to the land of Israel and died there. He was more than 900 years before the advent of the Lord Christ. He prophesied in the days of Amos and his son Hosea. He lived nearly 100 years, out of which he prophesied more than 70 years.

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

DAILY KATEMAROS
Tout 25th Annual Katameros Readings1740

 

 

Vespers

Vespers Psalm

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

Psalms 105 : 14 - 15

Chapter 105

14 He permitted no one to do them wrong; Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes,
15 Saying, "Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm."

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Our Lord God, Savior, and King of us all, Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God to whom be glory forever.
Amen. 

Vespers Gospel

Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel.
A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint Luke the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.

Luke 11 : 37 - 51

Chapter 11

37 And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat.
38 When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner.
39 Then the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness.
40 Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also?
41 But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.
42 "But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.
44 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them."
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.

And Glory be to God forever. 

 

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Matins

Matins Psalm

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

Psalms 105 : 26,27,45

Chapter 105

26 He sent Moses His servant, And Aaron whom He had chosen.
27 They performed His signs among them, And wonders in the land of Ham.
45 That they might observe His statutes And keep His laws. Praise the LORD!

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

Matthew 17 : 1 - 9

Chapter 17

1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves;
2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.
4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"
6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.
7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid."
8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
9 Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead."

And Glory be to God forever. 

 

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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 11 : 17 - 27

Chapter 11

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18 of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called,"
19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command.
24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,
26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

The grace of God the Father be with you all.
Amen. 

 

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Catholic Epistle

A Reading from Epistle 2 of St. Peter .
May his blessing be upon us.
Amen.

2 Peter 1 : 19 - 2 : 8

Chapter 1

19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
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.

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;
7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked
8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)--

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. 

 

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Acts of the Apostles

The Acts of our fathers the apostles, may their blessings be with us.

Acts 15 : 21 - 29

Chapter 15

21 For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath."
22 Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.
23 They wrote this letter by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
24 Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, "You must be circumcised and keep the law"--to whom we gave no such commandment--
25 it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth.
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:
29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.

The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty, and be confirmed, in the holy Church of God.
Amen. 

 

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Synaxarium

Day 25 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Tute, 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 Tute

Departure of Jonah the Great Prophet

icon

On this day departed the great prophet Jonah, the son of Amittai. It was said that he was the son of the widon of Zarephatah whom Elijah the prophet had raised from the dead. Jonah followed Elijah and served him and gained the grace of prophesying. God, blessed and exalted, told him to go to the city of Nineveh to admonish its people and to tell them that after forty days the city shall be overthrown. Jonah pondered in his heart saying, "If God wished to destroy them He would not warn them. I am afraid if I go to them and preach this warning to them, they might repent and He would not destroy them and I shall be a liar and no one will listen to me and maybe I will get killed becuase I conveyed to them a false message from God. I will arise and flee."

      What did this prophet think of ? How could anyone flee from the face of God ? By escaping, he wanted to get away from the city of Nineveh because he did not want to admonish them knowing that God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and repentent of the evil. He thought that by staying away from Nineveh the Lord would send another prophet to preach to this city. The escape of Jonah the prophet and his having been cast into the city are to make manifest the miracle of his remaining in the belly of the whale for three days and the coming out safely. It is a symbol of, and evidence for, the resurrection of our Savior from the sepulchre, unchanged, after three days. Jonah rose up to flee from the presence of the Lord and went down to Joppa; he found a ship going to Tarshish and sailed on it. The Lord sent out a great wind and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken. The people were all afraid, and cried every man to his god. They said everyone to his fellow, "Come and let us cast lots, that we may know because of whom this evil has befallen us." And when they had cast lots, it fell upon Jonah. They said to him, "What have you done that brought such an affliction on us ?" He replied, "Cast me in the sea and you shall be saved." They begged the Lord's pardon. Then they cast him into the sea, and a great whale swallowed him. He remained in its belly for three days and three nights and then he was cast out on the seashore. He rose up straightaway and came into Nineveh. He preached to its people and they all repented: The King, the nobles, and the poor, the old and the young. They all cried to God with fasting and everyone turned from their way, and the Lord accepted their repentance and had mercy upon them.

      Then Jonah rose up and returned to the land of Israel and died there. He was more than 900 years before the advent of the Lord Christ. He prophesied in the days of Amos and his son Hosea. He lived nearly 100 years, out of which he prophesied more than 70 years.

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

 

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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.

Matthew 23 : 13 - 36

Chapter 23

13 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
15 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
16 "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, "Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.'
17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?
18 And, "Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.'
19 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?
20 Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it.
21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it.
22 And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.
23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.
26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.
28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous,
30 and say, "If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.'
31 "Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.
32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' guilt.
33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?
34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,
35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.


And Glory be to God forever.

DAILY CONTEMPLATION
صفحات‏ ‏كتابية..العبادة‏ ‏الشكلية

يا‏ ‏معلم‏, ‏نعلم‏ ‏أنك‏ ‏صادق‏ ‏وتعلم‏ ‏طريق‏ ‏الله‏ ‏بالحق‏, ‏ولا‏ ‏تبالي‏ ‏بأحد‏, ‏لأنك‏ ‏لا‏ ‏تنظر‏ ‏إلي‏ ‏وجوه‏ ‏الناس‏ (‏مت‏ 22:16)‏
مظاهر‏ ‏العبادة‏ ‏الشكلية
‏1- ‏الصلاة‏ ‏غير‏ ‏الفاعلة
هي‏ ‏الصلاة‏ ‏الظاهرة‏ ‏هي‏ ‏من‏ ‏الشفتين‏ ‏أو‏ ‏من‏ ‏اللسان‏ ‏ولا‏ ‏تتعدي‏ ‏ذلك‏ ‏الأعماق‏ ‏كما‏ ‏هي‏ ‏لا‏ ‏تتغير‏.‏
‏2- ‏المعرفة‏ ‏العقلانية
فنجد‏ ‏شخصا‏ ‏ما‏ ‏موسوعة‏, ‏ولكن‏ ‏ليست‏ ‏موسوعة‏ ‏اتضاع‏ ‏بل‏ ‏موسوعة‏ ‏كبرياء‏ ‏يفتخر‏ ‏بذاته‏ ‏وبما‏ ‏يحصله‏ ‏من‏ ‏معارف‏, ‏وأحيانا‏ ‏تكون‏ ‏معرفة‏ ‏في‏ ‏الكتاب‏ ‏المقدس‏ ‏وأقوال‏ ‏الآباء‏ ‏وأحيانا‏ ‏يعطيه‏ ‏الله‏ ‏ملكة‏ ‏الحفظ‏ ‏ولكن‏ ‏كل‏ ‏هذا‏ ‏حديث‏ ‏العقل‏ ‏وليس‏ ‏في‏ ‏القلب‏ ‏وليس‏ ‏في‏ ‏الكيان‏ ‏وليس‏ ‏بالروح‏.‏
‏+ ‏ونقرأ‏ ‏في‏ (‏متي‏23:13) ‏ويل‏ ‏لكم‏ ‏أيها‏ ‏الكتبة‏ ‏والفريسيون‏ ‏المراؤون‏! ‏وكانت‏ ‏طائفة‏ ‏الكتبة‏ ‏والفريسيين‏ ‏من‏ ‏أعلي‏ ‏طوائف‏ ‏اليهود‏, ‏فكلمة‏ ‏فريسي‏ ‏معناها‏ ‏مفرز‏ ‏وهم‏ ‏أشخاص‏ ‏متميزون‏ ‏جدا‏ (‏الكتبة‏ ‏هم‏ ‏الناسخون‏).‏
‏3- ‏الحرفية
الحياة‏ ‏المسيحية‏ ‏تعتمد‏ ‏علي‏ ‏الحياة‏ ‏القلبية‏, ‏وتعتمد‏ ‏علي‏ ‏الروح‏ ‏ولا‏ ‏تعتمد‏ ‏علي‏ ‏الحرف‏, ‏ومن‏ ‏يحيا‏ ‏بالحرف‏ ‏يتأخر‏, ‏ومن‏ ‏يعش‏ ‏بالناموس‏ ‏وفكر‏ ‏الناموس‏ ‏الجاف‏ ‏دون‏ ‏روحه‏ ‏يكن‏ ‏متأخرا‏ ‏كثيرا‏, ‏لذلك‏ ‏قال‏ ‏ربنا‏ ‏يسوع‏ ‏المسيح‏: ‏ما‏ ‏جئت‏ ‏لأنقض‏ ‏بل‏ ‏لأكمل‏ (‏مت‏5:17), ‏فما‏ ‏جاء‏ ‏السيد‏ ‏المسيح‏ ‏لينقض‏ ‏العهد‏ ‏القديم‏, ‏فتقرأ‏ ‏العهد‏ ‏القديم‏ ‏بروح‏ ‏العهد‏ ‏الجديد‏, ‏مثل‏ ‏ما‏ ‏تقرأ‏ ‏رسالة‏ ‏العبرانيين‏, ‏فهي‏ ‏رسالة‏ ‏في‏ ‏العهد‏ ‏الجديد‏, ‏ولكنها‏ ‏تحكي‏ ‏كيف‏ ‏نفهم‏ ‏العهد‏ ‏القديم‏ ‏بروح‏ ‏العهد‏ ‏الجديد‏, ‏أما‏ ‏الإنسان‏ ‏المرائي‏ (‏بحرفيته‏ ‏أو‏ ‏بناموسيته‏) ‏فليس‏ ‏له‏ ‏روح‏ ‏العهد‏ ‏الجديد‏, ‏لأن‏ ‏الله‏ ‏في‏ ‏العهد‏ ‏الجديد‏ ‏أعطانا‏ ‏الحرية‏ ‏من‏ ‏خلال‏ ‏عمل‏ ‏الروح‏ ‏القدس‏.. ‏والذي‏ ‏يضبطنا‏ ‏هو‏ ‏روح‏ ‏الحق‏.‏
‏4- ‏التقرب‏ ‏الشكلي‏ ‏إلي‏ ‏الله
يتظاهر‏ ‏بقربه‏ ‏من‏ ‏الله‏ ‏يسرون‏ ‏بالتقرب‏ ‏إلي‏ ‏الله‏ (‏إش‏58:2) ‏من‏ ‏خلال‏ ‏تأدية‏ ‏طقوس‏ ‏وممارسات‏ ‏معينة‏ ‏دون‏ ‏أن‏ ‏يدخل‏ ‏جوهرها‏. ‏تصور‏ ‏إنسانا‏ ‏يقضي‏ ‏يومه‏ ‏صائما‏ ‏ويمارس‏ ‏ممارسات‏ ‏الصيام‏ ‏المعتادة‏, ‏ويبدأ‏ ‏بعد‏ ‏فترة‏ ‏الصوم‏ (‏في‏ ‏نفس‏ ‏يوم‏ ‏الصوم‏) ‏غضبه‏ ‏يظهر‏ ‏أو‏ ‏سلوكه‏ ‏ينحرف‏!! ‏فهذا‏ ‏تقرب‏ ‏شكلي‏.. ‏فالصوم‏ ‏هو‏ ‏ممارسة‏ ‏ووسيلة‏ ‏لتساعد‏ ‏الإنسان‏ ‏في‏ ‏نموه‏ ‏الروحي‏ ‏وليس‏ ‏هدفا‏ ‏في‏ ‏حد‏ ‏ذاته‏.‏
حياة‏ ‏الصوم
أولا‏:‏ـ‏ ‏الصوم‏ ‏غير‏ ‏المقبول
‏1- ‏صوم‏ ‏بلا‏ ‏ضبط‏:‏ـ‏ ‏هو‏ ‏صوم‏ ‏يسر‏ ‏صاحبه‏ ‏ولا‏ ‏يسر‏ ‏الله‏.‏
‏2- ‏صوم‏ ‏بلا‏ ‏صمت‏:‏ـ‏ ‏الصوم‏ ‏لا‏ ‏يكون‏ ‏عن‏ ‏الطعام‏ ‏فقط‏ ‏بل‏ ‏أيضا‏ ‏عن‏ ‏الكلام‏, ‏فأنت‏ ‏في‏ ‏فترة‏ ‏الصوم‏ ‏عليك‏ ‏أن‏ ‏تضبط‏ ‏كل‏ ‏صغيرة‏ ‏وكبيرة‏ ‏وكل‏ ‏كلمة‏ ‏وتختار‏ ‏الصمت‏ ‏وتنشغل‏ ‏بداخلك‏.‏
‏3- ‏صوم‏ ‏بلا‏ ‏تذلل‏:‏ـ‏ ‏كأي‏ ‏شكل‏ ‏بلا‏ ‏جوهر‏ ‏مجرد‏ ‏منظر‏ ‏خارجي‏.‏
ثانيا‏:‏ـ‏ ‏بركات‏ ‏الصوم‏:‏
‏1- ‏صلوات‏ ‏مستجابة
لأنك‏ ‏عندما‏ ‏تحيا‏ ‏جو‏ ‏الصوم‏ ‏تشعر‏ ‏بالانسحاق‏ ‏والخشوع‏ ‏وتخرج‏ ‏من‏ ‏داخلك‏ ‏صلوات‏ ‏عميقة‏ ‏وتدخل‏ ‏فيها‏ ‏روح‏ ‏الإيمان‏, ‏صلوات‏ ‏مرفوعة‏ ‏من‏ ‏قلب‏ ‏نقي‏.‏
‏2- ‏التلذذ‏ ‏بالرب
فأنت‏ ‏تصوم‏ ‏عن‏ ‏الطعام‏ ‏لكي‏ ‏تتحول‏ ‏لذة‏ ‏الطعام‏ ‏في‏ ‏داخلك‏ ‏إلي‏ ‏لذة‏ ‏للرب‏ ‏ويكون‏ ‏المسيح‏ ‏هو‏ ‏لذتك‏.‏
‏3- ‏الشعور‏ ‏بالسمو
كما‏ ‏يقول‏ ‏داود‏ ‏النبي‏: ‏ليت‏ ‏لي‏ ‏جناحا‏ ‏كالحمامة‏, ‏فأطير‏ ‏وأستريح‏! (‏مز‏55:6), ‏يرتفع‏ ‏فوق‏ ‏الماديات‏ ‏وحتي‏ ‏فوق‏ ‏احتياجات‏ ‏الجسد‏, ‏ويشعر‏ ‏أن‏ ‏رباطات‏ ‏الأرض‏ ‏تصير‏ ‏ضعيفة‏, ‏ويشعر‏ ‏أنه‏ ‏يقترب‏ ‏من‏ ‏السماء‏ ‏ويحيا‏ ‏بهذه‏ ‏الروح‏.‏
‏4- ‏الصحة‏ ‏الجسدية
تقريبا‏ ‏ثلث‏ ‏سكان‏ ‏العام‏ ‏نباتيون‏, ‏والطعام‏ ‏النباتي‏ ‏يمنح‏ ‏الإنسان‏ ‏شكلا‏ ‏من‏ ‏الطاقة‏ ‏الهادئة‏.‏
‏5- ‏الاستنارة
ليست‏ ‏للعين‏ ‏الجسدية‏ ‏بل‏ ‏للعين‏ ‏القلبية‏.‏
‏+ ‏لذلك‏ ‏أدعوك‏ ‏في‏ ‏فترة‏ ‏الصوم‏ ‏القادم‏ ‏أن‏ ‏تقرأ‏ (‏أصحاح‏ 58 ‏من‏ ‏سفر‏ ‏إشعياء‏ ‏النبي‏) ‏وقس‏ ‏نفسك‏ ‏عليه‏ ‏كتدريب‏ ‏روحي‏.‏
ثالثا‏:‏ـ‏ ‏كيف‏ ‏نصوم؟
الكنيسة‏ ‏تقدم‏ ‏لنا‏ ‏في‏ ‏فترة‏ ‏الصوم‏ ‏المقدس‏ ‏ثلاثة‏ ‏أنواع‏ ‏من‏ ‏الغذاء
‏1- ‏الغذاء‏ ‏الروحي‏:‏ـ
الذي‏ ‏تقدمه‏ ‏الكنيسة‏ ‏هو‏ ‏كل‏ ‏شكل‏ ‏للعبادة‏ ‏وممارسة‏ ‏الأسرار‏.‏
‏+ ‏جميل‏ ‏أن‏ ‏تتقابل‏ ‏مع‏ ‏أب‏ ‏اعترافك‏ ‏قبل‏ ‏الصوم‏ ‏وتضع‏ ‏خطة‏ ‏للصوم‏.‏
‏+ ‏الغذاء‏ ‏الروحي‏ ‏يتجلي‏ ‏في‏ ‏القداسات‏ ‏المتأخرة‏, ‏ويمكن‏ ‏خلال‏ ‏فترة‏ ‏الصوم‏ ‏أن‏ ‏يكون‏ ‏حضورك‏ ‏للقداس‏ ‏يوميا‏, ‏إن‏ ‏كانت‏ ‏ظروفك‏ ‏تسمح‏.‏
‏+ ‏فترة‏ ‏غذاء‏ ‏روحي‏ ‏جيد‏ ‏تصحبها‏ ‏توبة‏ ‏وصلوات‏ ‏وألحان‏ ‏وميطانيات‏.‏
‏+ ‏يجب‏ ‏ألا‏ ‏تنشغل‏ ‏بشيء‏ ‏ولا‏ ‏تنشغل‏ ‏بإنسان‏, ‏وأن‏ ‏تكون‏ ‏لك‏ ‏فترات‏ ‏خاصة‏ ‏بك‏.‏
‏2- ‏الغذاء‏ ‏الذهني‏:‏ـ
يعتمد‏ ‏أساسا‏ ‏علي‏ ‏القراءات‏ ‏الإنجيلية‏, ‏والكنيسة‏ ‏تعلمنا‏ ‏في‏ ‏فترة‏ ‏الصوم‏ ‏المقدس‏ ‏أن‏ ‏نقرأ‏ ‏النبوات‏.‏
‏+ ‏يجب‏ ‏أن‏ ‏نقرأ‏ ‏يوميا‏ ‏وليست‏ ‏قراءة‏ ‏فقط‏ ‏بل‏ ‏ادرس‏ ‏وافهم‏ ‏وعش‏.‏
‏+ ‏قراءة‏ ‏النبوات‏ ‏مفيدة‏ ‏جدا‏ ‏وتكشف‏ ‏مقاصد‏ ‏الله‏ ‏في‏ ‏حياتك‏.‏
‏+ ‏أيضا‏ ‏قراءة‏ ‏الكتب‏ ‏الروحية‏ ‏تساعدك‏ ‏في‏ ‏الحياة‏ ‏النسكية‏, ‏القراءة‏ ‏تساعدك‏ ‏ألا‏ ‏تنشغل‏ ‏بشيء‏ ‏آخر‏.‏
‏3- ‏الغذاء‏ ‏النسكي‏:‏ـ
الصوم‏ ‏الانقطاعي‏ ‏شيء‏ ‏مهم‏ ‏لتقوية‏ ‏الإرادة‏.‏
‏+ ‏الطعام‏ ‏النباتي‏ ‏هو‏ ‏طعام‏ ‏هادئ‏ ‏الطاقة‏ ‏وصحي‏ ‏ومفيد‏ ‏للإنسان‏.‏
‏+ ‏الميطانيات‏ (‏سجدات‏ ‏التوبة‏) ‏من‏ ‏القلب‏ ‏وليس‏ ‏بالجسد‏, ‏وهي‏ ‏مرتبطة‏ ‏بالصلوات‏.. ‏فيها‏ ‏الصلاة‏ ‏القصيرة‏ ‏ياربي‏ ‏يسوع‏ ‏المسيح‏ ‏ابن‏ ‏الله‏ ‏ارحمني‏ ‏أنا‏ ‏الخاطئ‏, ‏وأنت‏ ‏تسجد‏ ‏وترشم‏ ‏نفسك‏ ‏بعلامة‏ ‏الصليب‏.. ‏ممكن‏ ‏تبدأ‏ ‏باثنتي‏ ‏عشرة‏ ‏ميطانية‏ ‏في‏ ‏أول‏ ‏يوم‏, ‏وتزداد‏ ‏واحدة‏ ‏كل‏ ‏يوم‏ ‏مع‏ ‏الصوم‏, ‏وتقدمها‏ ‏بروح‏ ‏الصلاة‏ ‏وتقدمها‏ ‏في‏ ‏بدء‏ ‏النهار‏ ‏أو‏ ‏في‏ ‏آخر‏ ‏الليل‏, ‏وتقدم‏ ‏الميطانيات‏ ‏كوسيلة‏ ‏مساعدة‏ ‏لتركيز‏ ‏الذهن‏ ‏وفيها‏ ‏تعب‏, ‏وهذا‏ ‏التعب‏ ‏يذكرك‏ ‏بأتعاب‏ ‏المسيح‏ ‏من‏ ‏أجلك‏ ‏ومن‏ ‏أجل‏ ‏كل‏ ‏البشر‏.‏
‏+ ‏قضاء‏ ‏فترات‏ ‏اعتكاف‏ ‏تستفيد‏ ‏منها‏ ‏كفترات‏ ‏تأمل‏ ‏وقراءة‏ ‏وصلاة‏ ‏أو‏ ‏ترنيم‏ ‏وتسبيح‏.‏
‏+ ‏الزهد‏ ‏أيضا‏ ‏في‏ ‏الملبس‏ ‏وفي‏ ‏الكلام‏ ‏والطعام‏.‏
‏+ ‏حاول‏ ‏أن‏ ‏تعيش‏ ‏بفكر‏ ‏روحي‏ ‏خلال‏ ‏فترة‏ ‏الصوم‏.‏