This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.
Day 26 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-Sixth Day of the Blessed Month of Tute
The Angels Annunciation of John the Baptist to Zacharias
On this day it was announced to Zacharias the priest the birth of John the Baptist. Zacharias was well advanced in years and his wife, Elizabeth, was barren and her period for begetting children had passed. Zacharias was praying and beseeching God continually to give him a child because the children of Israel reviled anyone without a son and treated him with ignominy. They would say about him that he was without the blessing that God had told Adam in these words: "Be fruitful and multiply." That was why that righteous man was continually asking God to give him a son. The Lord had compassion on him and He hearkened to his petition. He sent him Gabriel the angel to announce to him the birth of John. The angel came to him while he was in the sanctuary as is said in the Holy Gospel (Luke 1:11) and announced to him the birth of the great prophet John, and that he should precede the Christ as it was said in the prophets, He shall go before Him." He said to the angel asking, "Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife well advanced in years." The angel told him that he was sent from God to tell him this thing and it is not seemly for him to doubt. He then told him that he shall be dumb till his birth. And on the day of John's circumcision, they asked him about the child's name. He asked for a tablet and wrote on it John and straightaway his mouth opened. Then he spoke and praised God and prophesied concerning his son John that he should become a prophet and should go before the face of the Lord, and he prophesied concerning the Lord Christ.
May his 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 9 : 11,14
Chapter 9
| 11 | Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion! Declare His deeds among the people. |
| 14 | That I may tell of all Your praise In the gates of the daughter of Zion. I will rejoice in Your salvation. |
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 Mark the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
Mark 14 : 3 - 9
Chapter 14
| 3 | And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. |
| 4 | But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted? |
| 5 | For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they criticized her sharply. |
| 6 | But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. |
| 7 | For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. |
| 8 | She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. |
| 9 | Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her." |
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 102 : 19 - 21
Chapter 102
| 19 | For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary; From heaven the LORD viewed the earth, |
| 20 | To hear the groaning of the prisoner, To release those appointed to death, |
| 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 12 : 41 - 44
Chapter 12
| 41 | Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. |
| 42 | Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. |
| 43 | So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; |
| 44 | for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood." |
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 1 : 1 - 17
Chapter 1
| 1 | Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God |
| 2 | which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, |
| 3 | concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, |
| 4 | and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. |
| 5 | Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, |
| 6 | among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; |
| 7 | To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. |
| 8 | First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. |
| 9 | For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, |
| 10 | making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. |
| 11 | For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established-- |
| 12 | that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. |
| 13 | Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. |
| 14 | I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. |
| 15 | So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. |
| 16 | For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. |
| 17 | For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." |
The grace of God the Father be with you all.
Amen.
Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle of St. James .
May his blessing be upon us.
Amen.
James 1 : 1 - 18
Chapter 1
| 1 | James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings. |
| 2 | My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, |
| 3 | knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. |
| 4 | But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. |
| 5 | If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. |
| 6 | But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. |
| 7 | For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; |
| 8 | he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. |
| 9 | Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, |
| 10 | but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. |
| 11 | For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. |
| 12 | Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. |
| 13 | Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. |
| 14 | But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. |
| 15 | Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. |
| 16 | Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. |
| 17 | Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. |
| 18 | Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. |
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 7 : 2 - 7
Chapter 7
| 2 | And he said, "Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, |
| 3 | and said to him, "Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.' |
| 4 | Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell. |
| 5 | And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him. |
| 6 | But God spoke in this way: that his descendants would dwell in a foreign land, and that they would bring them into bondage and oppress them four hundred years. |
| 7 | "And the nation to whom they will be in bondage I will judge,' said God, "and after that they shall come out and serve Me in this place.' |
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 102 : 13,16,17
Chapter 102
| 13 | You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come. |
| 16 | For the LORD shall build up Zion; He shall appear in His glory. |
| 17 | He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, And shall not despise their prayer. |
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 1 : 1 - 25
Chapter 1
| 1 | Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, |
| 2 | just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, |
| 3 | it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, |
| 4 | that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed. |
| 5 | There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. |
| 6 | And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. |
| 7 | But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. |
| 8 | So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, |
| 9 | according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. |
| 10 | And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. |
| 11 | Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. |
| 12 | And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. |
| 13 | But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. |
| 14 | And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. |
| 15 | For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. |
| 16 | And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. |
| 17 | He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, "to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." |
| 18 | And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years." |
| 19 | And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. |
| 20 | But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time." |
| 21 | And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. |
| 22 | But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless. |
| 23 | So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. |
| 24 | Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, |
| 25 | "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people." |
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 ) .