The original message — love one another. The enduring message — love one another. The most convicting message — love one another. The most difficult message — love one another. I'm reminded of the little verse: To dwell above with saints we love, O that will be glory. But to dwell below with saints we know, now that's another story. But it's the story we're called to write with our lives! This is God's enduring message he wants demonstrated in his children. Let's go out and live it!

Day 7 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Amshir, 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 Seventh Day of the Blessed Month of Amshir

Departure of St.Alexandros the Second, the Forty-Third Pope of Alexandria

      On this day of the year 715 A.D., the Holy Father Abba Alexandros the Second, the Forty-Third Pope of Alexandria, departed. He was from the City of Bana. He became a monk in the monastery of Pateron (Barbarun) or the monastery of the fathers, which was also known as El-Zugag monastery, which was west of Alexandria. Because of his righteousness and his knowledge, he was chosen to the throne of St. Mark. During his papacy, he suffered many hardships. He was contemporary to the Caliph El-Walid Ibn Abd-Elmalek. When the latter took the caliphate, he appointed his brother Abdallah a governor of Egypt in the year 698 A.D. He mistreated the Christians of Egypt, and confiscated the monasteries of the wilderness of Shiheet (Scetis). His evil nature went to the extreme. One day he entered a monastery in Upper Egypt, and saw an icon of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, and inquired about it. He was told that it was the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ, the Savior of the world, he spat on the icon and said, "If I live, I shall destroy all the Christians." He then blasphemed against the Lord Christ also. At night, he saw a vision during his sleep which disturbed him, and filled his heart with fear. He wrote to his brother saying, "that he suffered the day before as he saw a Man sitting on a great throne, and His face shone more than the sun, and around Him were thousands carrying arms. We were bound behind Him. When I asked who He was, I was told that He was Christ Jesus, the King of the Christians, Whom I mocked and despised the day before. One of the armed men came and pierced my side with a spear."

      His brother was extremely sad when he heard about the vision. The same night, that man, Abdallah, caught a severe fever and died. Forty days later, his brother El-Walid died also. In 701 A.D. another Governor replaced Abdallah, and he followed his predecessor's policy. He mistreated the Christians, and arrested St.Alexandros and tortured him until the believers collected for him three thousand Dinari. God perished this Governor soon after that. The following Governor, was even more wicked than the one before him. He ordered the arrest of the Pope, and asked him for three thousand Dinari. The Pope excused himself saying that part of the money that he paid to his predecessor was collected from some of the believers and the rest was borrowed. The Governor did not accept his words, and finally the Pope asked him for a grace period. The Pope went to Upper Egypt to collect the money from the believers. During his travel, an ascetic monk asked two of his disciples to dig out a cave. While they were digging, they found five copper jars filled with gold. They kept one of them and gave the rest to the hermit, which he sent to the Pope. The two disciples took the gold and left the desert. They went out into the world, married, and owned cattle, slaves and maidenservants. The Governor was informed about these two men, and he called them to him. He threatened them if they did not tell him the truth about their sudden wealth. They told him about the five jars of gold, and that four jars were given to the Pope. He rushed to the patriarchate and plundered all the church vessels. He seized the Pope, insulted him and put him in prison. He demanded from the Pope the jars and the three thousand Dinari. He did not release him until the Pope gave it all to him.

      Shortly after that, this Governor died, and another even more evil came after him. He ordered the Christians to tattoo on their wrists, instead of the sign of the honorable Cross, the name of the "beast" that St. John the Theologian had prophesied about in all the land. He also commanded the Pope to tattoo the sign of the beast on his wrist, but the Pope refused. As the Governor insisted, the Pope asked him for three days. The Pope went to his cell and prayed to the Lord Jesus Christ not to forsake him so that he would not fail in this test. The Lord answered his prayer, so he fell with a brief sickness. He went to the Governor and asked his permission to go to Alexandria. The Governor refused, thinking that the Pope was pretending to be sick just to escape the tattooing. Afterwards, the Lord inspired him that he would depart from this world after four days. He told this to his disciples, and asked them to prepare a carriage to carry his body and to bury him beside the holy fathers. He departed in peace, and was carried for his burial as he requested. During the papacy of Abba Alexandros, the Melkites had a Patriarch in Egypt by the name of Anastasius, who was hated by his own people because he loved the Orthodox Copts and was peaceful with them. He left his own congregation and went to Pope Alexandros, and confessed the Orthodox faith before him. The Pope treated the Patriarch well, honored him and wanted to hand him the affairs of the patriarchate so he could go and worship in seclusion in one of the monasteries. Father Anastasius refused and said to him, "If I had desired the patriarchal seat, I could have remained there, for I was a patriarch, but now I want to be your disciple." He finally accepted, however, to become a bishop in one of the bishoprics, and he shepherded the flock entrusted to him well. Abba Alexandros remained on the seat of St. Mark for 24 years and 9 months.

May His prayers be with us all. Amen.

Departure of St.Theodorus (Theodor), the Forty-Fifth Pope of Alexandria

      On this day also, of the year 728 A.D., St. Theodorus (Theodore), 45th Pope of Alexandria, departed. He was a monk in a monastery near Mariut, which was known as the monastery of Tanboura, under the guidance of a virtuous elder called Yoannis (John). Abba Yoannis was inspired by the Holy Spirit that his disciple Tadros one day would become a Pope. He told those who were in authority. Tadros struggled in his worship, and was perfect in his humility and meekness. He was chosen by the will of God to become the Pope of Alexandria. He shepherd the flock of the Lord Christ well. He continued to read and to preach to his people, especially on Sundays and on feast days. He completed 12 years on the seat of St. Mark and departed in peace.

May His prayers be with us, and Glory be to our God forever. Amen.

Vespers

Vespers Psalm

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

Psalms 95 : 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. 

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 13 : 1 - 5

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.

Jonah 1 : 1 - 17

Psalms 103 : 1,8

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 7 : 6 - 12

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 6 : 17 - 23

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

Catholic Epistle

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

Jude 1 : 1 - 13

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 2 : 38 - 47

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 130 : 3 - 4

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 12 : 35 - 45

And Glory be to God forever. 

لقد ذكر الآباء الأولون بعض الأقوال عن صوم أهل نينوي الذي تحتفل به الكنيسة القبطية الأرثوذكسية الآن والذي بدأ منذ يومين، ونتناول فيما يلي بعض من أقوال الآباء عن هذا الصوم, وبعض رموزه:

يقول القديس “چيروم”: ( صور يونان قيامة ربنا بعبوره في بطن الحوت ثلاثة أيام وثلاث ليال ليهبنا الغيرة الأولى لنوال حلول الروح فينا )– (أظهر الرب غضبه حين كان يونان في السفينة وأظهر فرحه حين دخل إلى الموت معللاً ذلك بأنه يمثل السيد المسيح الذي أمات الموت بموته حقاً، ولكن ظهر يونان كضحية للموت ويبتلعه الجحيم، لكن لم يستطع أن يحتمله في داخله أكثر من ثلاثة أيام وثلاث ليال بل قذفه من جوفه).

– يقول القديس “إيريناؤس” أسقف ليون: ( لقد سمح الله بأن يبتلع يونان بواسطة حوت كبير، لا لكي يتوارى ويهلك تماماً؛ ولكن لكي بعد أن يطرحه الحوت يكون أكثر خضوعاً لله، ولكي يمجد بالأكثر ذاك أيضاً الذي أعطاه خلاصاً غير منتظر ولا متوقع، وكان ذلك أيضاً لكي يقود أهل نينوي إلى توبة مكينة ، فيرجع هؤلاء إلى الرب الذي سينقذهم من موت وشيك الوقوع بعد أن ارتعبوا بعد من الآية التي تمت في يونان).

– يقول أيضاً ( لقد شاء الله أن الإنسان إذ ينال الخلاص غير المرتجى ويقوم من الأموات، يمجد الله ويردد كلمة يونان النبوية “دعوت الرب من ضيقي فاستجابني، صرخت من جوف الهاوية فسمعت صوتي” فقد شاء الله أن يظل الإنسان دائماً أميناً في تمجيده، مقدماً له الشكر على الدوام بلا انقطاع من أجل الخلاص الذي ناله منه، حتي لا يفتخر كل ذي جسد أمام الرب)

– يقول القديس “چيروم”: (إن كان يونان يشبه المسيح في مدة بقائه في بطن الحوت ثلاثة أيام وثلاث ليال، فصلاته تعتبر أيضاً نموذجاً مسبقاً لصلاة الرب، إنه بالإيمان حفظ يونان في بطن الحوت كما حفظ الثلاثة فتية، وكما عبر الشعب قديماً في البحر على أرض يابسة، والماء حولهم كسور من يمين ويسار، فلم يشك يونان قط في الرحمة الإلهية بل اتجه بكل كيانه إلى الصلاة، فأتاه بالمعونة حقاً في ضيقته، إنه لم يقل: “أصرخ” بصيغة المستقبل، بل قال: “صرخت” بروح الشكر لما هو فيه )

– ويقول أيضاً ( كان عقاب الحوت ليونان تقويماً أكثر من تعنيفاً، وهو لم يكن بعد بحاجة إلى أمر آخر ، لذا حين كلمه الله أيضاً، قام وذهب إلى مدينة نينوي). يقول القديس كيرلس الأورشليمي: (يونان في بطن الحوت كرمز للقيامة)

– يقول البابا شنوده الثالث: ( كان يونان في بطن الحوت ثلاثة أيام سليماً لا يقوى عليه الحوت، كما كان المسيح في القبر سليماً لا يقوى عليه الموت).

– يقول القديس يوحنا ذهبي الفم: “صام أهل نينوي واقتنوا محبة الله، أما اليهود فصاموا ولم ينتفعوا شيئاً بل بالحرى نالوا لوماً”.
– ويقول أيضاً ذهبي الفم: “التوبة لا تحتاج لزمان طويل بل لتغير قلوب”. –

ـــ ويقول أيضاً: “حين توجد مخافة الرب فلا حاجة إلى كثرة الأيام ولا إلى تدخل الزمان”.
– يقول القديس چيروم: “تمارس نينوي التوبة بينما يهلك إسرائيل في جحود”.
– ويقول أيضاً: “الصوم والمسوح هم أسلحة التوبة ومعين للخطاة، الصوم أولاً ثم المسوح، الأول يشير إلى ماهو غير منظور، والثاني إلى ما هو منظور”.

– ويقول أيضاً: “التوبة ترتبط بالمسوح والصوم، حتى إن البطن الفارغة وملابس الحزن تترجى الرب بقدر أكبر من الصلاة”.

– طبقاً لأقوال الآباء التي ذكرنا بعض منها، كان يونان رمزاً للسيد المسيح الذي مات ودفن في قبر ثم قام حياً منتصراً بعد ثلاثة أيام.
– كان الحوت عقاباً ليونان عما فعله من هروب من الخدمة التي اختاره الله لها .

– لم يوجد قول آبائي يشير لصوم يونان النبي في جوف الحوت صراحة، والكتاب المقدس أيضاً من التكوين وحتى الرؤيا لم يذكر أن يونان صام بل كرمز لقيامة السيد المسيح.