Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Day 10 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 Tenth Day of the Blessed Month of Amshir
Martyrdom of St.James the Apostle, the Son of Alphaeus
On this day, St. James the Apostle, son of Alphaeus, was martyred. After he had preached the Gospel in many cities, he returned to Jerusalem and entered the temple of the Jews. He preached the gospel publicly and proclaimed the faith of the Lord Christ and His resurrection. The Jews abducted him and brought him to Claudius, the deputy of the Roman emperor, and told him that he was preaching another king instead of Caesar. Claudius ordered him to be stoned to death, until he departed in peace. The faithful took his body and buried him beside the temple.
May His prayers be with us all. Amen.
Martyrdom of St.Justus, the Son of Emperor Numerian
On this day also, St. Justus, son of Emperor Numerian, was martyred. When he returned from war, he found that Emperor Diocletian had married his sister and had become the new emperor. Emperor Diocletian had apostatized the faith in the Lord Christ, and St. Justus was greatly sorrowful for what happened. When the nobles of the empire met together to enthrone him in place of his father, he did not accept, for he preferred the heavenly kingdom over the earthly. He came before Diocletian and declared his faith in the Lord Christ. The Emperor sent St. Justus with his son Abali and his wife Theoclea to the Governor of Alexandria, and commanded him to persuade them first and to behead them if they did not obey. When they arrived in Alexandria, the Governor received them and treated them well to persuade them. As he could not change their deep conviction in their faith in the Lord Christ, to Whom is the Glory, he sent St. Justus to Antinoe (Ansena), Abali, his son, to Basta (near Zagazig, Sharkia), and Theoclea to Sa (Salhagar, Gharbia). Each of them took a servant with him so when they completed their strife, the servant would take care of the body. They tortured them, beheaded them, and they received the crown of martyrdom.
May Their prayers be with us all. Amen.
Departure of St.Isidore of Pelusium
On this day also, the ascetic, scholar and holy man, Anba Isidore of Pelusium (El-Pharma), departed. His parents were among the rich and noble people of Egypt. He was related to Pope Cyril and Pope Theophilus, patriarchs of Alexandria. He was the only child of his parents, who cared about his education. They taught him the books of the church, and the Greek language in which he excelled and surpassed many. He was also ascetic and humble. When he knew that the people of Alexandria and the bishops wanted to make him the Patriarch of Alexandria, he took flight by night to Pelusium and became a monk in a monastery there. Then he went to a small cave where he lived alone for several years. During these years, he wrote many books about emperors and governors. He also commented on many books of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. His epistles that he sent to bishops and patriarchs were counted as eighteen thousand epistles. The gifts of the Holy Spirit poured upon him, and he reached a good old age, then departed to the Lord in peace.
May His prayers be with us all. Amen.
Martyrdom of St.Philo, the Bishop of the Persians
Today also, the honorable St. Philo, bishop of the Persians, was martyred by the hand of the Persian emperor. When he did not accept worshipping fire and the sun, they tortured him with different kinds of tortures, and then they beheaded him with the sword.
May His prayers be with us and Glory be to our God forever. Amen.
Matins
Matins Psalm
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 29 : 10 - 11
Chapter 29
| 10 | The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood, And the LORD sits as King forever. |
| 11 | The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace. |
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 8 : 10 - 21
Chapter 8
| 10 | immediately got into the boat with His disciples, and came to the region of Dalmanutha. |
| 11 | Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. |
| 12 | But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation." |
| 13 | And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side. |
| 14 | Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat. |
| 15 | Then He charged them, saying, "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." |
| 16 | And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have no bread." |
| 17 | But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? |
| 18 | Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember? |
| 19 | When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?" They said to Him, "Twelve." |
| 20 | "Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?" And they said, "Seven." |
| 21 | So He said to them, "How is it you do not understand?" |
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 10 : 4 - 18
Chapter 10
| 4 | For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. |
| 5 | For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, "The man who does those things shall live by them." |
| 6 | But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?"' (that is, to bring Christ down from above) |
| 7 | or, Who will descend into the abyss?"' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). |
| 8 | But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): |
| 9 | that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. |
| 10 | For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. |
| 11 | For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." |
| 12 | For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. |
| 13 | For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved." |
| 14 | How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? |
| 15 | And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!" |
| 16 | But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "LORD, who has believed our report?" |
| 17 | So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. |
| 18 | But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: "Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world." |
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 3 : 17 - 22
Chapter 3
| 17 | For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. |
| 18 | For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, |
| 19 | by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, |
| 20 | who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. |
| 21 | There is also an antitype which now saves us--baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, |
| 22 | who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him. |
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 3 : 22 - 26
Chapter 3
| 22 | For Moses truly said to the fathers, "The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. |
| 23 | And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.' |
| 24 | Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. |
| 25 | You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, "And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' |
| 26 | To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities." |
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 118 : 5,18
Chapter 118
| 5 | I called on the LORD in distress; The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place. |
| 18 | The LORD has chastened me severely, But He has not given me over to death. |
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.
John 2 : 12 - 25
Chapter 2
| 12 | After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days. |
| 13 | Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. |
| 14 | And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. |
| 15 | When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables. |
| 16 | And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!" |
| 17 | Then His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up." |
| 18 | So the Jews answered and said to Him, "What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?" |
| 19 | Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." |
| 20 | Then the Jews said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?" |
| 21 | But He was speaking of the temple of His body. |
| 22 | Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said. |
| 23 | Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. |
| 24 | But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, |
| 25 | and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man. |
And Glory be to God forever.
Jarena Lee (1783–1864) was the first authorized woman preacher in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Her spiritual autobiography—the first by an African American woman published in the United States—describes her childhood and her journeys across the United States. Though born to free black parents, she was hired out from the age of seven and worked far from her family and home in Cape May, New Jersey. A mystical encounter gave Lee the courage and calling to preach.
An impressive silence fell upon me, and I stood as if some one was about to speak to me . . . to my utter surprise there seemed to sound a voice which I thought I distinctly heard, and most certainly understand, which said to me, “Go preach the Gospel!” I immediately replied aloud, “No one will believe me.” Again I listened, and again the same voice seemed to say, “Preach the Gospel; I will put words in your mouth, and you will turn your enemies to become your friends.” . . .
I . . . told [the minister] that the Lord had revealed it to me that I must preach the gospel. He replied . . . as to women preaching, he said that our Discipline . . . did not call for women preachers. This I was glad to hear . . . but no sooner did this feeling cross my mind, than I found that a love of souls had in a measure departed from me; that holy energy which burned within me, as a fire, began to be smothered. This I soon perceived. O how careful ought we to be, lest through our by-laws of church government and discipline, we bring into disrepute even the word of life. . . . And why should it be thought impossible, heterodox, or improper for a woman to preach? Seeing the Saviour died for the woman as well as for the man. . . .
Did not Mary first preach the risen Saviour . . . and the gospel? . . . But some will say that Mary did not expound the Scripture, therefore, she did not preach, in the proper sense of the term. To this I reply . . . perhaps it was a great deal more simple then, than it is now—if it were not, the unlearned fisherman could not have preached the gospel at all. . . .
If then, to preach the gospel by the gift of heaven, comes by inspiration solely, is God straitened; must he take the man exclusively? May he not, did he not, and can he not inspire a female to preach the simple story of the birth, life, death and resurrection of our Lord? . . . As for me, I am fully persuaded that the Lord called me to labor according to what I have received, in his vineyard. . . .