It is so easy to be judgmental of others. We don't know their struggles. We don't know their situation. Most of all, we don't know their hearts. When we are judgmental, we erect a barrier between others and ourselves. We often spread that judgmental impression to others in gossip. Our stubborness to only view them with a judgemental spirit erects a barrier, a stumbling block, that can cause them to become discouraged and stumble.
Day 3 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Hatour, 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 Third Day of the Blessed Month of Hatour
Departure of St.Cyriacus
On this day, the holy father, St. Cyriacus, departed. This striver was brought up in the city of Corinth in Greece. He was the son of Orthodox Christian parents, who taught him the church subjects. They brought him to Abba Peter, Bishop of Corinth, who was his cousin, and he ordained him a reader. Cyriacus read continually and searched in the interpretations of the Holy Scriptures until he surpassed many in it. Abba Peter appointed him to read to the people in the church and to him in his cell, and he was pleased with him. When he was 18 years old, his parents asked him if he wished to marry, but he refused. He asked them for permission to visit one of the monasteries in order to be blessed by the saints therein. He continued to visit the monastery from time to time and he longed for the monastic garb. He went to the Holy city, Jerusalem, and met its bishop, Abba Cyril. He presented to him his wish to become a monk. Abba Cyril approved his wish and prophesied of him saying that he would become a great father, would have many accomplishments, and many souls would be enlightened by his teachings. He blessed him and sent him to the great father Euthymius (Otimus), the father of the monks of Palestine.
Father Euthymius accepted him with joy and put the garb of the monk on him. He handed him to one of the elders of the monastery who taught him the ways of worship and revealed to him the artifices of Satan. Abba Cyriacus lived a virtuous life with much asceticism besides humility, godliness and devoutness. God bestowed upon him the gift of healing. He healed all those who came to the monastery with all kinds of sicknesses or infirmities. His virtues and his holiness spread everywhere. This holy man accompanied Abba Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem, to the Ecumenical council of the hundred and fifty that gathered at Constantinople because of Macedonius, the enemy of the Holy Spirit. Abba Cyriacus opposed his arguments and vanquished him by evidences and proofs.
He departed at a good old age. The Lord made manifest from his body after his departure, many signs and miracles. His body still rests in one of the monasteries of the city of Jerusalem, without any change or corruption, to the extent that anyone who sees him today would think that he just died only a short time ago. More than 700 years have passed from the time of his departure till the writing of his biography. He lived at the time of Theodosius the Great in the later part of the fourth Christian century.
May his intercession be for us all. Amen.
Departure of St.Athanasius and His Sister, Irene
On this day also, St. Athanasius and his sister, Irene, departed. They suffered many tortures at the hands of Maximianus. When he failed to turn them away from their faith in Christ, he ordered to cast them into an empty pit, and to shut over them, wherein they departed.
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 32 : 11,6
Chapter 32
| 11 | Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart! |
| 6 | For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You In a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters They shall not come near him. |
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 25 : 14 - 23
Chapter 25
| 14 | "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. |
| 15 | And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. |
| 16 | Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. |
| 17 | And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. |
| 18 | But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. |
| 19 | After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. |
| 20 | "So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, "Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.' |
| 21 | His lord said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' |
| 22 | He also who had received two talents came and said, "Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' |
| 23 | His lord said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' |
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 112 : 1 - 2
Chapter 112
| 1 | Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who delights greatly in His commandments. |
| 2 | His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed. |
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 Luke the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
Luke 6 : 17 - 23
Chapter 6
| 17 | And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, |
| 18 | as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. |
| 19 | And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all. |
| 20 | Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God. |
| 21 | Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh. |
| 22 | Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake. |
| 23 | Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets. |
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 4 : 13 - 5 : 5
Chapter 4
| 13 | For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. |
| 14 | For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, |
| 15 | because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. |
| 16 | Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all |
| 17 | (as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations" ) in the presence of Him whom he believed--God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; |
| 18 | who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be." |
| 19 | And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. |
| 20 | He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, |
| 21 | and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. |
| 22 | And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness." |
| 23 | Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, |
| 24 | but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, |
| 25 | who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. |
Chapter 5
| 1 | Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, |
| 2 | through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. |
| 3 | And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; |
| 4 | and perseverance, character; and character, hope. |
| 5 | Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. |
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 : 3 - 12
Chapter 1
| 3 | Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, |
| 4 | to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, |
| 5 | who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. |
| 6 | In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, |
| 7 | that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, |
| 8 | whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, |
| 9 | receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls. |
| 10 | Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, |
| 11 | searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. |
| 12 | To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven--things which angels desire to look into. |
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 11 : 15 - 24
Chapter 11
| 15 | And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. |
| 16 | Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, "John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' |
| 17 | If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?" |
| 18 | When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, "Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life." |
| 19 | Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. |
| 20 | But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. |
| 21 | And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. |
| 22 | Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. |
| 23 | When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. |
| 24 | For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. |
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 19 : 4
Chapter 19
| 4 | Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, |
Psalms 132 : 9 - 10
Chapter 132
| 9 | Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, And let Your saints shout for joy. |
| 10 | For Your servant David's sake, Do not turn away the face of Your Anointed. |
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 16 : 13 - 19
Chapter 16
| 13 | When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" |
| 14 | So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." |
| 15 | He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" |
| 16 | Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." |
| 17 | Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. |
| 18 | And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. |
| 19 | And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." |
And Glory be to God forever.
Hence it was said to the apostles, If you abide in me;
John 15:7 and this He said who knew for a certainty that they would abide; and through the prophet, If you shall be willing, and will hear me,
Isaiah 1:19 although He knew in whom He would work to will also. And many similar things are said. For on account of the usefulness of this secrecy, lest, perchance, any one should be lifted up, but that all, even although they are running well, should fear, in that it is not known who may attain—on account of the usefulness of this secrecy, it must be believed that some of the children of perdition, who have not received the gift of perseverance to the end, begin to live in the faith which works by love, and live for some time faithfully and righteously, and afterwards fall away, and are not taken away from this life before this happens to them. If this had happened to none of these, men would have that very wholesome fear, by which the sin of presumption is kept down, only so long as until they should attain to the grace of Christ by which to live piously, and afterwards would for time to come be secure that they would never fall away from Him.