This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.

Day 27 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-Seventh Day of the Blessed Month of Tute

Martyrdom of St.Eustathius and his Two Sons

On this day was the martyrdom of St.Eustathius and his two sons. He was one of the ministers of the Roman Empire. At the beginning of his life, he did not know God, but he used to give alms and charity in abundance, and the Lord did not wish that his toil should be in vain. While he was in the desert hunting wild animals, there appeared to him the figure of a crossbetween the horns of a stag, and it reached up to heaven. He chased the stag in the mountains to hunt it, and the Lord spoke to him and told him about his new name which is Eustathius, for he had been called Ephlokidus before. The Lord ordered him to be baptized in the Name of the Lord Christ and told him that poverty should come upon him speedily. When he heard that he descended from the mountain and went to the bishop of the city who baptized him and his wfe and his sons, and he changed his name to Eustathius as the Lord had ordered him. Straightaway he lost all that he had as slaves, hand-maidens, cattle and money.

      Then he took his wife and his sons, and went forth from the city of Rome and embarked on a ship. And as he could not pay the fare, they took his wife instead. He took his two sons and came to a river, he crossed over to the other side with one of them and returned to get the other, but he did not find him because a lion had taken him, then he went back to get the first but he did not find him either because a wolf had ceased him. He felt deep sorrow because of the loss of his wife and his two sons. St. Eustathius stayed for a period of time working as a guard in the garden until the Emperor of Rome died and another reigned instead who sent messengers to search for that saint. One of the messengers happened to enter the garden which the saint guarded. The two men recognized each other and St. Eustathius was taken back to the Emperor. teh Emperor honored him and returned to his former position. It happened in that time that war broke out and they recruited two men from every city to the army. The two sons of the saint were saved from the lion and the wolf by the Divine Will and were brought up in the same city. They remained for a long time not knowing each other. Then the Divine Will arranged that both would be recruited from that city. On one day while they were on their way, they reached a garden and sat there talking together. They then discovered that they were brothers.

      As to their mother, the owner of the ship who had kept her in payment of the fare was a barbarian, but God protected her from him. And she stayed in a garden which by the Divine Will was the same garden as that her two sons had gathered in, and she was close by her sons while they were talking and she recognized them. The two sons were assigned to guard the treasury of their father who did not recognize them. When the Lord wished to gather this blessed family together, the wife entered the place where her husband was, and they recognized each other and rejoiced for reuniting unexpectedly. Then she told him that she hads met their sons in the garden. While she was telling him so, the two sons joined them and she cried joyfully, "There are our two sons!" They embraced each other in tears of joy, and they praised God who fulfilled what he had promised and they lived in joy and peace.

      After that the Emperor died and another reigned who worshipped idols, and he summoned St. Eustathius and his wife and his sons. he ordered them to worship the idols but they refused so he ordered his men to torture them with fire, but they were not harmed. Then he commanded to cast them into a brazen cauldron and set fire under it and thus they delivered their souls into the hand of the Lord, and received the crowns of martyrdom from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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

Vespers

Vespers Psalm

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

Psalms 4 : 3,6,7

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

Vespers Gospel

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

Matthew 10 : 24 - 33

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 113 : 1 - 2

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 8 : 34 - 9 : 1

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 Romans .
May his blessings be upon us.
Amen.

Romans 8 : 14 - 27

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

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Catholic Epistle

A Reading from Epistle 1 of St. Peter .
May his blessing be upon us.
Amen.

1 Peter 2 : 11 - 17

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 19 : 11 - 20

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 27 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-Seventh Day of the Blessed Month of Tute

Martyrdom of St.Eustathius and his Two Sons

On this day was the martyrdom of St.Eustathius and his two sons. He was one of the ministers of the Roman Empire. At the beginning of his life, he did not know God, but he used to give alms and charity in abundance, and the Lord did not wish that his toil should be in vain. While he was in the desert hunting wild animals, there appeared to him the figure of a crossbetween the horns of a stag, and it reached up to heaven. He chased the stag in the mountains to hunt it, and the Lord spoke to him and told him about his new name which is Eustathius, for he had been called Ephlokidus before. The Lord ordered him to be baptized in the Name of the Lord Christ and told him that poverty should come upon him speedily. When he heard that he descended from the mountain and went to the bishop of the city who baptized him and his wfe and his sons, and he changed his name to Eustathius as the Lord had ordered him. Straightaway he lost all that he had as slaves, hand-maidens, cattle and money.

      Then he took his wife and his sons, and went forth from the city of Rome and embarked on a ship. And as he could not pay the fare, they took his wife instead. He took his two sons and came to a river, he crossed over to the other side with one of them and returned to get the other, but he did not find him because a lion had taken him, then he went back to get the first but he did not find him either because a wolf had ceased him. He felt deep sorrow because of the loss of his wife and his two sons. St. Eustathius stayed for a period of time working as a guard in the garden until the Emperor of Rome died and another reigned instead who sent messengers to search for that saint. One of the messengers happened to enter the garden which the saint guarded. The two men recognized each other and St. Eustathius was taken back to the Emperor. teh Emperor honored him and returned to his former position. It happened in that time that war broke out and they recruited two men from every city to the army. The two sons of the saint were saved from the lion and the wolf by the Divine Will and were brought up in the same city. They remained for a long time not knowing each other. Then the Divine Will arranged that both would be recruited from that city. On one day while they were on their way, they reached a garden and sat there talking together. They then discovered that they were brothers.

      As to their mother, the owner of the ship who had kept her in payment of the fare was a barbarian, but God protected her from him. And she stayed in a garden which by the Divine Will was the same garden as that her two sons had gathered in, and she was close by her sons while they were talking and she recognized them. The two sons were assigned to guard the treasury of their father who did not recognize them. When the Lord wished to gather this blessed family together, the wife entered the place where her husband was, and they recognized each other and rejoiced for reuniting unexpectedly. Then she told him that she hads met their sons in the garden. While she was telling him so, the two sons joined them and she cried joyfully, "There are our two sons!" They embraced each other in tears of joy, and they praised God who fulfilled what he had promised and they lived in joy and peace.

      After that the Emperor died and another reigned who worshipped idols, and he summoned St. Eustathius and his wife and his sons. he ordered them to worship the idols but they refused so he ordered his men to torture them with fire, but they were not harmed. Then he commanded to cast them into a brazen cauldron and set fire under it and thus they delivered their souls into the hand of the Lord, and received the crowns of martyrdom from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

May their 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 66 : 12 - 14

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 21 : 12 - 19

And Glory be to God forever.

قال الرّبّ يسوع : ” وصيتي هي أَحبوا بَعضُكم بَعضاً كما أحببتكم ” ( يوحنا ١٥ : ١٢ )

قاعدة المسيحيّة المحبّة ، ولا شيء سوى ذلك ، لإنها مبنية على وصية الرّبّ يسوع . وهذه الكلمة للأسف حفظها المسيحيون جيّداً ، ولكنّهم بأغلبهم لا يجيدون فعلها.

ألمحبّة هي مطلب المسيح الأوّل والوحيد ، ومنها يتفرّع الباقي . وهي لا تقتصر على محبّتي لأخي في الإيمان فقط ، لأنّ الرّبّ وببساطة لم يقل ذلك ، بل قال :” أَحبِب الرّبّ إلهك بكل قلبك ، وكُلُّ نفسِكَ ، وكُلُّ قوّتِكَ ، وكُلُّ ذِهنِكَ ، وأحبّب قريبَكَ حُبّكَ لنفسِكَ ” ( لوقا ١٠ : ،٢٧ ) . وحينما سأل الفريسيون والكتبة يسوع عن محبة القريب ، ضرب لهم مثل السّامري الصّالح ( لوقا ١٠ : ٢٥ – ٣٧ ) ،

كلّنا يعرف من هو السّامريّ الصالح . اخوك هو أيّ إنسان أيّها المسيحيّ الصّالح ، وهو ذاك الّذي تعتقد بأنّه عدوّك . وأخوك هذا أهمّ من قربانك . القربان كان يقرّب لله من أجل غفران الخطايا ، أو من أجل طلب نعمة ، او شكره على عطاياه الوفيرة لنا . ولكن اليوم ، من هو قربانك أيّها المسيحيّ ؟ أليس هو ربّك وإلهك ، ألّذي قرّب نفسه لأجلك ولأجل العالم أجمع ؟ .

نحن نكثر من الصلاة الكلاميّة الظاهرة ، والترانيم والتهاليل ، ونمارس طقوساً أشبه بالوثنيّة ، ولكن قلبنا فارغ ، فارغ من المحبة إذاً أعمالنا أيضاً فارغة ، وصلاتنا فاترة وإيماننا لا معنى له .

” إذهب أوّلاً وصالح أخاك ، ثمّ عُد فقرّب قربانك ” ( متى ١٠ : ٢٣ ) ،

إذا كنا نؤمن بأنّ الله : ” تجسّد ، وصار إنساناً فسكن بيننا ” ( يوحنا ١ : ١٤ ) ، فهو أتى ليجمع الإخوة ، لإنّ كلّ همّه الإخوة . همّه الأوّل أن نتصالح مع بعضنا البعض ، أن نعيش التآخي الحقيقيّ وليس المزيّف .

أن تحبّ أخاك ، أي ان تصغي له ، أن تقبله كما هو ، أن تحترم إنسانيّته . ألم يحترم الله إنسانيتك حين غفر لك ؟ وهل تستحقّ أيّها الإنسان هذا الغفران ؟ إذاً لِمَ لا تغفر لأخيك ؟

في بدايةِ كل عمل نردّد صلاة الأبانا قائلين : ” إغفر لنا كما نحن نغفر لمن أساء إلينا ” . لو تأملنا في هذه العبارة ، ورأينا كم هي مهمّة وكم نردّدها دون فعلها . نحن نطلب من الله أن يغفر لنا كي نغفر لمن أساء إلينا … ” فإن تَغفِروا للناس زلاتهم يغفر لكم أبوكم السماويّ . وإن لم تَغفِروا للناس لا يغفر لكم أبوكم السماويّ ” ( متى ٦ : ١٥ ) .

هل أدركنا يوماً كيف نغفر؟

وهل نغفر حقّاً ؟

وهل نريد فعلاً أن يغفر الله لنا كما نحن نغفر ؟

إغفر لأخيك سبعين مرّة سبع مرّات : يعني كثيراً ودائماً إلى ما لا نهاية ، وليس لأنّك ضعيف ، وليس لأنّك تخافه ، بل لأنّك تحبّه وتفهمه . وأن تغفر له لا يعني ان تتهامل في حقّك ، وتتغاضى عنه ، وإنّما إغفر لتستنير وتلتمس له عذراً لتقتلع منه شرّه .

ألمصالحة مع الإخوة هي المصالحة مع الله ، هي أن أقول لله أحبّك في أخي ، في قريبي لأني أراك فيه .

أحبّائي ، نحن نشبه ” مرتا ” إلى حدّ بعيد ، نهتمّ بأمور كثيرة ، والمطلوب واحد : ” المحبّة ” ، و ” المحبّة فقط ” .

“أحبب وافعل ما تشاء ” يقول القديس العظيم أوغسطينوس ابن الدموع .

أنت مسيحيّ ، إذاً أنت تحبّ ، وأنت المبادر بالمحبّة ، كما بادر ربّك وأحبّك أوّلاً .

ألمحبّة ليست نظريّة ، ولا عاطفة ، وإنّما فعل محبة ، فعل إراديّ قويّ ينبع من ينبوع المحبّة يسوع المسيح .

لا تقلّ أحبّب الرّب إن لم تحبّ أخاك ، أي : أَحبِبْ من كل قلبك إنسانٍٍ كان ، ومهما كان .

لا تفتخر أنّك مسيحيّ وتصلي وتصوم وتتصدّق ، إن لم تحبّ أخاك .

لا تقل أنا إنسان ، إن لم تدرك حقّاً معنى الإنسانية ومعاني المحبة السّامية .

إذاً ، ” أَحبِب الرّبّ إلهك بكل قلبك ، وكُلُّ نفسِكَ ، وكُلُّ قوّتِكَ ، وكُلُّ ذِهنِكَ ، وأحبّب قريبَكَ حُبّكَ لنفسِكَ ” ( لوقا ١٠ : ،٢٧ ) .