God wants us to seek his blessings. This is not because he wants to manipulate our lives, but because he longs to bless us and have us know the gifts in our lives come from him. So let's seek his presence, his grace, and his blessing.
Day 1 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Baounah, 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 First Day of the Blessed Month of Baounah
Consecration of the Church of St.Leontius of Tripoli
This day marks the commemoration of the consecration of the church of St. Leontius (Laventius) the Syrian. This Saint was martyred in the city of Tripoli on the twenty-second of Abib. A Christian woman, the wife of a great nobleman and prominent army commander, gave much money to the soldiers, and took his holy body. She wrapped it in expensive cloth and laid it in a coffer inside her house. She made a picture of him and she hung a lighted lamp before it. It happened that Diocletian became angry with her husband and shut him up in prison in the city of Antioch. She became sad, and prayed to God, interceding with His saint Leontius, to save her husband from prison. God accepted her prayers. St. Leontius appeared to her husband in prison and told him, "Do not grieve or be sorrowful, for you shall be delivered tomorrow, and you shall eat with the Emperor at his table, and you shall return safely to your house." The Saint, then, went to the Emperor, and woke him up. When the Emperor saw the Saint, he became terrified. The Saint told the Emperor, "I have come to you, O Emperor, to order the release of the army commander. Honor him, and let him go to his house, lest you be destroyed." The Emperor, who was trembling, replied saying, "Whatever you command me, O my lord, I will do." The next morning, the Emperor brought the commander out of prison, honored him, and dined with him at his own table. The Emperor told him about the horseman that appeared to him, then dismissed him to return to his home town. When he arrived in Tripoli, his home town, he told his wife and his family what had happened to him. His wife told him, "The good that happened to you was through the blessings of St. Leontius." Then she uncovered the body of the Saint, and he took the blessing of the Saint. When he saw his face, he realized that he was the one that had appeared to him in prison. After the perishing of Diocletian, they built a church in his name, relocated the body to it with great veneration, and the church was consecrated on this day.
May his prayers be with us. Amen.
Martyrdom of St.Qozman El-Tahawy and his companions
On this day also, St. Qozman (Cosmas) El-Tahawy and his companions were martyred.
May their prayers be with us. Amen.
Consecration of the Church of St.Abe-Fam (Epipham) the soldier
Today also, the church commemorates the great saint Abe-Fam (Bifam or Phoebammon) the soldier. This Saint was born in the city of Oseem (Giza). His father's name was Anastasius, who had a high ranking position, and his mother was a holy woman whose name was Susanna. He distributed his money on the works of righteousness and went before Armanius, governor of Alexandria, during the reign of Diocletian, to be martyred. Armanius tortured him much, then sent him to Arianus, governor of Ansena (Mallawy), who tortured him, excessively. However, the angel of the Lord appeared to him, and strengthened him. Saint Abe-Fam always lifted his eyes up toward heaven and finally they beheaded him. The believers then took the body and buried him with veneration in a hill of sand west of Tema (Souhag). This Saint completed his strife on the twenty-seventh of the month of Tubah during the reign of Diocletian, in the Fourth century. A church was built after his name in Tema and another in Oseem.
May his prayers be with us 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 5 : 11 - 12
Chapter 5
| 11 | But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You. |
| 12 | For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield. |
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
Chapter 10
| 24 | "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. |
| 25 | It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! |
| 26 | Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. |
| 27 | "Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. |
| 28 | And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. |
| 29 | Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. |
| 30 | But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. |
| 31 | Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. |
| 32 | "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. |
| 33 | But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. |
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 34 : 19 - 20
Chapter 34
| 19 | Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. |
| 20 | He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken. |
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Our Lord God, Savior, and King of us all, Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God to whom be glory forever.
Amen.
Matins Gospel
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel.
A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint John the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
John 12 : 20 - 26
Chapter 12
| 20 | Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. |
| 21 | Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." |
| 22 | Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus. |
| 23 | But Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. |
| 24 | Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. |
| 25 | He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. |
| 26 | If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. |
And Glory be to God forever.
Liturgy Gospel
Paulines Epistle
Paul, the servant of our Lord Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, appointed to the Gospel of God.
A reading from the Epistle of our teacher Paul to the Corinthians .
May his blessings be upon us.
Amen.
2 Corinthians 11 : 16 - 12 : 12
Chapter 11
| 16 | I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little. |
| 17 | What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. |
| 18 | Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. |
| 19 | For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise! |
| 20 | For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face. |
| 21 | To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold--I speak foolishly--I am bold also. |
| 22 | Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. |
| 23 | Are they ministers of Christ?--I speak as a fool--I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. |
| 24 | From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. |
| 25 | Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; |
| 26 | in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; |
| 27 | in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness-- |
| 28 | besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. |
| 29 | Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation? |
| 30 | If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity. |
| 31 | The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. |
| 32 | In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; |
| 33 | but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands. |
Chapter 12
| 1 | It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: |
| 2 | I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a one was caught up to the third heaven. |
| 3 | And I know such a man--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- |
| 4 | how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. |
| 5 | Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. |
| 6 | For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. |
| 7 | And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. |
| 8 | Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. |
| 9 | And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. |
| 10 | Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. |
| 11 | I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing. |
| 12 | Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. |
The grace of God the Father be with you all.
Amen.
Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle 1 of St. Peter .
May his blessing be upon us.
Amen.
1 Peter 1 : 25 - 2 : 10
Chapter 1
| 25 | But the word of the LORD endures forever." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you. |
Chapter 2
| 1 | Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, |
| 2 | as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, |
| 3 | if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. |
| 4 | Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, |
| 5 | you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. |
| 6 | Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." |
| 7 | Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone," |
| 8 | and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. |
| 9 | But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; |
| 10 | who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. |
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 6 : 1 - 7 : 2
Chapter 6
| 1 | Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. |
| 2 | Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. |
| 3 | Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; |
| 4 | but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word." |
| 5 | And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, |
| 6 | whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them. |
| 7 | Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. |
| 8 | And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. |
| 9 | Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. |
| 10 | And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. |
| 11 | Then they secretly induced men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God." |
| 12 | And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. |
| 13 | They also set up false witnesses who said, "This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; |
| 14 | for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us." |
| 15 | And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel. |
Chapter 7
| 1 | Then the high priest said, "Are these things so?" |
| 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, |
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 21 : 3,5
Chapter 21
| 3 | For You meet him with the blessings of goodness; You set a crown of pure gold upon his head. |
| 5 | His glory is great in Your salvation; Honor and majesty You have placed upon him. |
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 10 : 1 - 20
Chapter 10
| 1 | After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. |
| 2 | Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. |
| 3 | Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. |
| 4 | Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. |
| 5 | But whatever house you enter, first say, "Peace to this house.' |
| 6 | And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. |
| 7 | And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. |
| 8 | Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. |
| 9 | And heal the sick there, and say to them, "The kingdom of God has come near to you.' |
| 10 | But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, |
| 11 | "The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.' |
| 12 | But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city. |
| 13 | "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. |
| 14 | But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. |
| 15 | And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. |
| 16 | He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me." |
| 17 | Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name." |
| 18 | And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. |
| 19 | Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. |
| 20 | Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." |
And Glory be to God forever.
Neither is it thus, that when any one has been made free from the dominion of sin, he no longer needs the help of his Deliverer; but rather thus, that hearing from Him, Without me you can do nothing,
John 15:5 he himself also says to Him, Be my helper! Forsake me not.
I rejoice that I have found in our brother Florus also this faith, which without doubt is the true and prophetical and and catholic faith; whence those are the rather to be corrected— whom indeed I now think to have been corrected by the favour of God— who did not understand him.