He loved us first! He offered his Son to save us regardless of our decision to believe or ignore his grace. We are given the ability to accept or reject the death of his Son as the sacrifice for our sins. The only condition, as 1 John 2:1-2 emphasizes, is that we realize that he died for everyone else in the world, too!
Day 9 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 Ninth Day of the Blessed Month of Amshir
Departure of St.Barsauma, the Father of the Syrian Monks
On this day of the year 458 A.D., the blessed father Anba Barsauma, the father of the Syrian monks, departed. His father was from Samosata. One of the saints prophesied about him before his birth, saying to his parents, "There shall go forth from you a righteous fruit, whose fame shall spread out every where," and this prophecy was fulfilled. When Barsauma grew up, he left his parents and went to the river Euphrates where he stayed with a holy man called Abraham. Afterwards, he lived a solitary life in the mountain and many disciples gathered around him. The water in this place was salty, and the saint prayed to God and the water became sweet. He used to fast for a week at a time. God wrought through him many miracles. St. Barsauma was a contemporary of St. Simeon the Stylite. When St. Barsauma knew about him, he went to visit him and they blessed each other. He was well known for his resistance to the heresy of Nestorius and his followers. He attended the Universal Council at Ephesus at the invitation of Emperor Theodosius the Less, who gave him a great honor. Some accused St. Barsauma of eating, drinking and living a luxurious life. The Emperor called him and saw for himself St. Barsauma's righteousness and his ascetic living. The Emperor vindicated him and allowed him to return to his monastery with great honor.
When Emperor Marcian called for the Council at Chalcedon, the fathers asked the Emperor not to call upon St. Barsauma, for they knew of the grace that was in him. When the council agreed on the two natures of Christ, St. Barsauma resisted these heretic teachings and he was persecuted by the Chalcedonians. When the Lord wanted to take St. Barsauma from the world, He sent him an angel to tell him that 4 days were left in his life on earth. He gathered his disciples and told them to go to the neighboring cities to confirm its people in the Orthodox faith. He blessed them and departed in peace. At the time of his departure, a pillar of light appeared at the door of his cell which the faithful saw from afar. They came and found that St. Barsauma had departed. They took his blessings and buried him with great honors.
May His prayers be with us all. Amen.
Martyrdom of St.Paul the Syrian
On this day also, St. Paul, the Syrian, was martyred. He was born in the City of Alexandria to Syrian parents who lived afterwards in the City of Ashmunin. They were very rich merchants. St. Paul heard about the persecution of the Roman governors to Christians. He gave up his money to the poor, after the death of his parents, and prayed to God to guide him in the way that pleased Him. God sent him His angel Soriel, who said to the saint, "The Lord has commanded that I be with you and strengthen you, so that you should not be afraid." The saint arose and came before the governor of Antinoe (Ansena) and confessed the Lord Christ. The Governor ordered him to be stripped naked, beaten with whips, and burned in the sides with torches. The governor tried again to entice him with money, but the saint said to him, "My parents left me a fortune of gold and silver, and I rejected them for the sake of the love of the Lord Christ. How can I look to your money now?" The Governor became angry to hear that and he tortured him with different kinds of tortures. The angel Soriel came to him, healed and strengthened him. The Governor ordered to release venomous serpents on him, but they did not harm him. The Governor then went to Alexandria and took the saint with him and put him in prison, where St. Paul met his two friends: Anba Esi and his sister Teckla. His soul rejoiced when he saw them. God inspired him that he would be martyred in Alexandria. When the Governor wanted to go back to his city, he ordered that the head of St. Paul be cut off at the sea shore. The faithful came and they took the body and prepared it for burial, and they kept it in their possession.
May His prayers be with us and Glory be to our God forever. Amen.
Matins
Jonah 3 : 1 - 4 : 11
Chapter 3
1 | Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, |
2 | "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you." |
3 | So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent. |
4 | And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day's walk. Then he cried out and said, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" |
5 | So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. |
6 | Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. |
7 | And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. |
8 | But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. |
9 | Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish? |
10 | Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it. |
Chapter 4
1 | But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. |
2 | So he prayed to the LORD, and said, "Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. |
3 | Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!" |
4 | Then the LORD said, "Is it right for you to be angry?" |
5 | So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city. |
6 | And the LORD God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. |
7 | But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. |
8 | And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah's head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, "It is better for me to die than to live." |
9 | Then God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?" And he said, "It is right for me to be angry, even to death!" |
10 | But the LORD said, "You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. |
11 | And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left--and much livestock?" |
Matins
Matins Psalm
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 103 : 13,12
Chapter 103
13 | As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. |
12 | As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. |
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 11 : 25 - 30
Chapter 11
25 | At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. |
26 | Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. |
27 | All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. |
28 | Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. |
29 | Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. |
30 | For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." |
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 Ephesians .
May his blessings be upon us.
Amen.
Ephesians 2 : 1 - 22
Chapter 2
1 | And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, |
2 | in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, |
3 | among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. |
4 | But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, |
5 | even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), |
6 | and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, |
7 | that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. |
8 | For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, |
9 | not of works, lest anyone should boast. |
10 | For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. |
11 | Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh--who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands-- |
12 | that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. |
13 | But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. |
14 | For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, |
15 | having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, |
16 | and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. |
17 | And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. |
18 | For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. |
19 | Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, |
20 | having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, |
21 | in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, |
22 | in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. |
The grace of God the Father be with you all.
Amen.
Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle 1 of St. John .
May his blessing be upon us.
Amen.
1 John 2 : 12 - 17
Chapter 2
12 | I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake. |
13 | I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father. |
14 | I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one. |
15 | Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. |
16 | For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. |
17 | And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. |
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 15 : 12 - 20
Chapter 15
12 | Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles. |
13 | And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, "Men and brethren, listen to me: |
14 | Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. |
15 | And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written: |
16 | 'After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up; |
17 | So that the rest of mankind may seek the LORD. Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the LORD who does all these things.' |
18 | "Known to God from eternity are all His works. |
19 | Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, |
20 | but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood. |
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 32 : 1,5
Chapter 32
1 | Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. |
5 | I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.Selah |
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 15 : 32 - 16 : 4
Chapter 15
32 | Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way." |
33 | Then His disciples said to Him, "Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?" |
34 | Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" And they said, "Seven, and a few little fish." |
35 | So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. |
36 | And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude. |
37 | So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left. |
38 | Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. |
39 | And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala. |
Chapter 16
1 | Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. |
2 | He answered and said to them, "When it is evening you say, "It will be fair weather, for the sky is red'; |
3 | and in the morning, "It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. |
4 | A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah." And He left them and departed. |
And Glory be to God forever.
علي الرغم من كل هذه الإنذارات والضربات الإلهية, لم يرجع يونان. لم يقل أخطأت يارب في هروبي, سأطيع وأذهب إلي نينوي… فضل أن يلقي في البحر ولا يقول أخطأت..!
لم يستعطف الله, لم يعتذر عن هروبه, لم يعد بالذهاب. أن يموت بكرامته دون أن تسقط!! وهكذا ألقوه في البحر…
أما مشيئة الله فكانت لابد أن تنفذ. هل تظن يا يونان أنك ستعاند الله وتنجح؟! هيهات, لابد أن تذهب مهما هربت, ومهما غضبت. إن الله سينفذ مشيئته سواء أطعت أم عصيت, ذهبت أم هربت…
ألقي يونان في البحر, وأعد الرب حوتا عظيما فابتلع يونان.
يا يونان, صعب عليك أن ترفس مناخس. إن شئت فبقدميك تصل إلي نينوي. وإن لم تصل إلي نينوي. وإن لم تشأ فستصل بالبحر والموج والحوت. بالأمر, إن لم يكن بالقلب.
وفي جوف الحوت وجد يونان خلوة روحية هادئة, ففكر في حاله. إنه في وضع لا هو حياة, ولا هو موت. وعليه أن يتفاهم مع الله, فبدأ يصلي. إنه لا يريد أن يعترف بخطيئته ويعتذر عنها, وفي نفس الوقت لا يريد أن يبقي في هذا الوضع. فاتخذ موقف العتاب, وقال: دعوت من ضيقي الرب, فاستجابني… لأنك طرحتني في العمق… طردت من أمام عينيك.
من الواضح أن الله لم يضع يونان في الضيق, ولم يطرحه في العمق, ولم يطرده, ولكن خطيئة يونان هي السبب.
هو الذي أوقع نفسه في الضيقة, ثم شكا منها, ونسب تعبه إلي الله.. ولكن النقطة البيضاء هي أنه رجع إلي إيمانه في بطن الحوت. فآمن أن صلاته ستستجاب, وقال للرب أعود أنظر إلي هيكل قدسك آمن أنه حتي لو كان في جوف الحوت, فلابد سيخرج منه ويري هيكل الرب.
أتت هذه الضيقة الكبري بمفعولها, ونجح الحوت في مهمته, والظاهر أن يونان نذر نذرا أنه إذا خرج من جوف الحوت, سيذهب إلي نينوي لأنه قال للرب وهو في جوف الحوت أما أنا فبصوت الحمد أذبح لك, وأوفي بما نذرته (2:9). أي نذر تراه غير هذا؟! ثم إنه لما قذفه الحوت إلي البر, وصدر إليه أمر الرب ثانية, نفذ نذره, وذهب إلي نينوي…
ولكن الظاهر أنه ذهب بقدميه مضطرا, وليس بقلبه راضيا. ذهب من أجل الطاعة, وليس عن اقتناع.
بلغ الرسالة إلي الناس. ونجحت الرسالة روحيا.. وتاب أهل نينوي وتذللوا أمام الرب, وصاموا, وصلوا. وقبل الرب توبتهم, ولم يهلك المدينة. ورأي النبي أن كلمته قد سقطت, ولم تهلك المدينة فاغتاظ.
وكان غيظ يونان دليلا علي الذاتية التي لم يتخلص منها.
ما كان يجوز إطلاقا أن يغتاظ النبي لخلاص أكثر من 120000 نسمة, قد رجعوا إلي الله بالتوبة وقلب منسحق, لأن الكتاب يقول يكون هناك فرح في السماء بخاطئ واحد يتوب. لا شك إذن أنه قد كان هناك فرح عظيم جدا في السماء بخلاص أهل نينوي. ولكن يونان لم يشارك في هذا الفرح من أجل ذاتيته. كما أن الابن الأكبر لم يشارك في الفرح برجوع أخيه الصغير وفي الحفل الذي أقيم له لأجل ذاتيته أيضا. (لو15).
في كل هذا لم تكن مشيئة يونان موافقة لمشيئة الله.
ولم يكتف يونان بهذا, بل عاتب الله, وبرر ذاته, وظن أن الحق في جانبه. فصلي إلي الله وقال آه يارب, أليس هذا كلامي إذ كنت بعد في أرضي. لذلك بادرت بالهرب إلي ترشيش, لأني علمت أنك إله رؤوف ورحيم (4:2).
كيف صلي, وهو في تلك الحالة القلبية الخاطئة المغتاظة؟ وكيف تكلم كما لو كان مجنيا عليه وقال آه يارب؟ وكيف ظن الحق في جانبه قائلا أليس هذا كلامي وكيف برر هروبه قائلا لذلك بادرت بالهرب…. لم يقل ذلك في شعور الندم أو الانسحاق, بل شعور من له حق, وقد رضي بالتعب صابرا!.
عجيب هو الإنسان حينما يجامل نفسه علي حساب الحق ويرفض الاعتراف بالخطأ مهما كانت أخطاؤه واضحة!!
علي أن الله استخدم في علاجه أربعة أمثلة من مخلوقاته غير العاقلة التي كلفت بمهام صعبة, وأدتها علي أكمل وجه, دون نقاش: الأمواج التي لطمت السفينة حتي كادت تغرق, الحوت الذي بلع يونان, الشمس التي ضربت رأسه فذبل, الدودة التي أكلت اليقطينة…
أما يونان فجلس شرقي المدينة ليري ماذا يحدث فيها. كما لو كان ينتظر أن يعود الله فيهلك الشعب كله إرضاء لكرامة يونان؟!!
وأعطاه الله درسا من كل تلك الكائنات غير العاقلة التي كانت أكثر تنفيذا لمشيئته من هذا النبي العظيم, الذي لم يتركه الرب بل هداه إلي طريقه, بركة صلواته فلتكن مع جميعنا.
إن قصة يونان النبي وتوبة أهل نينوي, إنما تقدم لنا تأملات كثيرة…
لقد دخل شعب نينوي في التاريخ, ولم تكن لهم مظاهر عظمة تدعو إلي ذلك علي الإطلاق…
كانوا شعبا أمميا لا يعرف الله. وكانوا في حالة من الجهل لا يعرفون يمينهم من شمالهم (يون 4:11. وكانوا أيضا خطاة تلزمهم التوبة…
ولكن الذي سجل اسمهم, وخلد صتهم في الكتاب المقدس, هو أنهم تابوا…
وقال عنهم السيد المسيح انهم سيقومون في يوم الدين ويدينون هذا الجيل, لأنهم تابوا بمناداة يونان (متي12: 41).. ومما أعطي توبة أهل نينوي أهمية في التاريخ, أنها كانت توبة جادة وسريعة وقوية. كما أنها شملت الشعب كله من الملك إلي عامة الناس. واستطاعت هذه التوبة أن تكسب رضا الله, بل ودفاعه عن هؤلاء التائبين…
كثيرون سجل التاريخ أسماءهم بسبب أعمال عظيمة قاموا بها, أو بسبب نبوغ أو ذكاء خاص. أو ارتفاع في حياة الروح, أو قدرة علي إتيان المعجزات, أو ما منحهم الله إياه من مواهب…
أما نينوي فنالت شهرتها بالتوبة, نذكر هذه التوبة, لكيما نقتدي بها في حياتنا…
هناك نوعيات من التوبة لا يستطيع التاريخ أن يتجاهلها, وبخاصة إذا كانت تلك التوبة نقطة تحول في الحياة, ولا رجعة فيها. وما بعدها يختلف تماما عن حياة الخطية الأولي..