Thoughts on Today's Verse...

The wicked fear the triumph of goodness, holiness, and righteousness. They fear not being in control. They fear death overtaking them. The righteous desire the triumph of goodness, holiness, and righteousness. They offer their life to be controlled by the Holy Spirit of God. They recognize death is an enemy, but one that has been conquered by their Savior. In times like these, isn't it comforting to know that the fear of the wicked is really all the wicked can be sure of receiving!

Day 13 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Tute, 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 Thirteenth Day of the Blessed Month of Tute

Departure of Pope Mattheos the Second, Patriarch of the See of St.Mark

      On this day of the year 1182 of martyrs, departed the exalted father Abba Mattheos the Second, the Ninetieth of the Popes of the See of St.Mark. He was a monk in El-Muharraq monastery. His selection and ordination for the papacy was in the year 1169 of martyrs and he sat on the throne of St.Mark for thirteen years and then departed in peace.

May his prayers and blessings be with us all. Amen.

Commemoration of the Miracle made by St.Basilius, Bishop of Caesarea of Cappadocia

On this day also is the commemoration of the great miracle made by St.Basilius, Bishop of Caesarea of Cappadocia with a young man who loved his master's daughter. Satan, his enemy and the enemy of the human race, deceived him and made him resort to a magician who made him write a covenant to deny the faith and to surrender completely to Satan that he might grant him his wish. Satan kindled lust in the heart of the girl, and she loved the young man exceedingly. She asked her father insistingly not to object to her marriage to that young man. Eager for his honor and fearing for her life, he married her to him.

      When she had spent with him many days, and had seen that he did not enter the church or partake of the Holy Sacraments, or make the sign of the Holy Cross over himself, she revealed to him her doubt about his faith and his love to God. He told her what had happened to him, and how he had written to Satan a covenant of obedience till death. She cried exceedingly and rebuked him for his deed and straightaway, he took him to St.Basilius, Bishop of Caesarea, who listened to his confession and saw his grief and desire to go back to the life of worship, fellowship, and righteousness. St.Basilius asked him to stay with him for a while in seclusion, fasting and praying. He shut him up in a room near him for three days. On the third day St.Basilius visited him and he made known to him that the evil spirits did not cease disturbing and fighting him in many ways. He strengthened him, calmed him down, gave him food and prayed for him. He asked him to keep staying in seclusion for for praying and fasting. After a few days, he came back to visit him again. The young man told him that he did not see any more but he still heard their cries and threats. He fed him again and prayed for him and left him to the life of seclusion to fight and pray, and the bishop went to pray for him also. And this went on until forty days were completed. When the Saint came to him and asked him about his state, he told him that he saw him (the Saint) fighting against Satan on his behalf, and he vanquished him and finally was victorious.

      The Bishop gathered all the priests and the monks and prayed for that young man all night. On the following morning he led him into the church while everyone was crying, "Lord have mercy upon us," and they continued to cry out until that writing, which the young man had written as a covenant to deny the faith and to surrender to Satan, fell down in the midst of all the people.

      The Bishop, the young man and his wife, and all the people were exceedingly glad. The Bishop blessed that man and administered to him the Holy Sacraments. The man and his wife departed to their house full of joy for their salvation, and exalted for the remission of their sins. They praised God and thanked St.Basilius by whose prayers they were saved.

May his prayers and blessings be with us all, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.

Readings for Saturday, 24th September 2022 --- 14 Tute 1739

Vespers

Vespers Psalm

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

Psalms 40 : 2 - 3

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 7 : 22 - 25

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 89 : 24,19

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 13 : 23 - 30

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.

1 Corinthians 3 : 1 - 8

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

Catholic Epistle

A Reading from Epistle 2 of St. Peter .
May his blessing be upon us.
Amen.

2 Peter 1 : 1 - 11

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 : 13 - 29

The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty, and be confirmed, in the holy Church of God.
Amen.

Synaxarium

Day 14 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Tute, 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 Fourteenth Day of the Blessed Month of Tute

Departure of St.Agatho the Stylite

      On this day departed St.Agatho the Stylite. He was from the city of Tenis. The name of his father was Matra and his mother's name was Mariam. They were righteous and feared God, and they loved to give alms and gifts to the poor and needy. The thought of monasticism moved in his mind continually. When he was thirty-five years old, he was ordained priest, he devoted himself and served the church continually. He asked the Lord Christ by day and by night to facilitate for him his departure from this world, and to help him to depart to the desert. The Lord Christ answered his request and he went out from the city and came to Ternot (Mareot) and then to the desert where the angel of God appeared to him in the form of a monk who journeyed with him and brought him to the monastery of St.Macarius in Scete. He came to the holy old men Abba Abraham and Abba Gawargah and he became their disciple and lived with them for three years. After this they took him before the altar and in the presence of Hegomen Abba Yoanis, they remained three days in prayer over his garb of monasticism. Then they dressed him in the holy Eskeem. From that hour he exerted all his efforts in continuous fasting and prayer and fought a great fight. He used to sleep on the ground till his skin cleaved to his bones. He read continually the history of the striving of Abba Simon the Stylite, and he thought of leading a solitary life. He took counsel with the holy fathers concerning that, and they approved his opinion. They prayed for him and then he left and came near the city of Sakha where he dwelt in a little church. the believers built a place for him on a pillar and he went up on it and labored strenuously leading an ascetic life for fifty years.

      In his days there appeared a man in whom there was an obstinate devil and who led many people away. He used to sit in the midst of church and the people would gather around to hear him, and they carried branches of trees. Abba Agatho sent for the posseddsed and had him brought to him, and he prayed over him. He cast out the devil who used to lead the people astray.

      Similarily, a woman claimed that St.Mina conversed with her and she commanded the people of her city to dig a well after the name of St.Mina to heal everyone who bathed therein. St.Agatho prayed over that woman until he cast out from her that unclean spirit and St.Agatho commanded the people to cover up that well with earth. At the hands of this holy man, St.Agatho, God worked many miracles, and he healed very many sick people and cast out devils. The devils appeared to him in the form of angels, singing sweet songs and imparting blessings unto him, but by the might of the Lord Christ he knew their guile, and he made the sign of the Cross over them, and they flew away defeated.

      When God wished to give him rest from the labors of this world, he fell sick shortly and delivered up his soul into the hand of God. All the people who had benefited from his sermons and teachings and gathered around him and wept bitterly. This holy father lived for one hundred years, of which he spent forty years in the world and ten years in the desert and fifty years in solitude upon that pillar.

May his prayers and blessings be with us all, and Glory be to God forever. 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 61 : 1 - 3

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 14 : 25 - 35

And Glory be to God forever.

ألنا‏ ‏تقول‏ ‏هذا‏ ‏المثل‏ ‏أم‏ ‏للجميع‏ ‏أيضا؟‏ (‏لو‏12:41).‏
‏+ ‏سأل‏ ‏معلمنا‏ ‏بطرس‏ ‏السيد‏ ‏المسيح‏ ‏له‏ ‏المجد‏, ‏قائلا‏: ‏يارب‏, ‏ألنا‏ ‏تقول‏ ‏هذا‏ ‏المثل‏ ‏أم‏ ‏للجميع‏ ‏أيضا؟‏ (‏لو‏12:41), ‏وهذا‏ ‏السؤال‏ ‏يتكرر‏ ‏مرارا‏: ‏هل‏ ‏كلام‏ ‏الله‏ ‏والكتاب‏ ‏المقدس‏ ‏ووصاياه‏ ‏هي‏ ‏لك‏ ‏أنت‏ ‏بصورة‏ ‏خاصة‏, ‏أم‏ ‏أنها‏ ‏مكتوبة‏ ‏لكل‏ ‏الناس‏ ‏ماعدا‏ ‏أنت؟+ ‏هل‏ ‏تشعر‏ ‏في‏ ‏داخلك‏ ‏أن‏ ‏الكلمة‏ ‏المقدسة‏ ‏موجهة‏ ‏لك‏ ‏بصورة‏ ‏شخصية‏, ‏أم‏ ‏تنظر‏ ‏للكتاب‏ ‏المقدس‏ ‏علي‏ ‏أنه‏ ‏أحداث‏ ‏وشخصيات‏ ‏وتواريخ‏ ‏ومعجزات‏ ‏وأمثال‏ ‏للمعرفة‏ ‏فقط؟‏!‏

‏+ ‏هناك‏ ‏توجد‏ ‏مشكلة‏ ‏يا‏ ‏أحبائي‏ ‏وهي‏ ‏مشكلة‏ ‏التراخي‏ ‏أمام‏ ‏كلمة‏ ‏الله‏ ‏أو‏ ‏بصورة‏ ‏أخري‏ ‏هي‏ ‏مشكلة‏ ‏إهمال‏ ‏كلمة‏ ‏الله‏, ‏إهمالها‏ ‏في‏ ‏بيوتنا‏ ‏وفي‏ ‏حياتنا‏ ‏وفي‏ ‏ذاكرتنا‏, ‏فمن‏ ‏الممكن‏ ‏أن‏ ‏نهتم‏ ‏بأمور‏ ‏حياتنا‏ ‏بالطعام‏ ‏والشراب‏ ‏والتسلية‏ ‏والسفر‏, ‏والبعض‏ ‏يهتم‏ ‏بالقراءات‏ ‏العامة‏, ‏وممكن‏ ‏نهتم‏ ‏بالوسائل‏ ‏المتاحة‏ ‏في‏ ‏التكنولوجيا‏, ‏ولكن‏ ‏هل‏ ‏نهتم‏ ‏بكلمة‏ ‏الله‏ ‏بنفس‏ ‏القدر؟‏!‏
‏+ ‏نصلي‏ ‏في‏ ‏صلاة‏ ‏النوم‏ ‏عبارة‏ ‏مهمة‏ ‏جدا‏: ‏العمر‏ ‏المنقضي‏ ‏في‏ ‏الملاهي‏ ‏يستوجب‏ ‏الدينونة‏, ‏والملاهي‏ ‏هي‏ ‏الأمور‏ ‏التي‏ ‏تلهي‏ ‏الإنسان‏ ‏وتشغله‏ ‏حتي‏ ‏لو‏ ‏كانت‏ ‏أمورا‏ ‏جيدة‏ ‏مثل‏ ‏الخدمة‏.‏
‏+ ‏هناك‏ ‏أشخاص‏.. ‏اهتماماتهم‏ ‏تبدو‏ ‏طيبة‏ ‏وجيدة‏, ‏وأنت‏ ‏كاهتمام‏ ‏شخصي‏.. ‏ما‏ ‏هو‏ ‏مقدار‏ ‏اهتمامك‏ ‏بكلمة‏ ‏الله؟‏!‏
‏+ ‏عندما‏ ‏تأتي‏ ‏إلي‏ ‏الكنيسة‏.. ‏تسمع‏ ‏قراءات‏ ‏الإنجيل‏, ‏ولكننا‏ ‏نسألك‏: ‏ما‏ ‏هو‏ ‏اهتمامك‏ ‏الشخصي‏ ‏بكلمة‏ ‏الله؟
‏+ ‏الإنجيل‏ ‏يا‏ ‏إخوتي‏ ‏ليس‏ ‏رسالة‏ ‏فقط‏ ‏بل‏ ‏هو‏ ‏شخص‏ ‏ربنا‏ ‏يسوع‏ ‏المسيح‏ ‏ذاته‏.‏
‏+ ‏الكتاب‏ ‏المقدس‏ ‏هو‏ ‏فم‏ ‏المسيح‏ ‏وإهمالك‏ ‏معناه‏ ‏أن‏ ‏المسيح‏ ‏يكلمك‏ ‏وأنت‏ ‏تتركه‏, ‏والكتاب‏ ‏المقدس‏ ‏أيضا‏ ‏هو‏ ‏حضور‏ ‏المسيح‏ ‏بيننا‏, ‏ففي‏ ‏اجتماعاتنا‏ ‏يجب‏ ‏أن‏ ‏يكون‏ ‏الكتاب‏ ‏المقدس‏ ‏حاضرا‏ ‏في‏ ‏وسطنا‏.‏
أولا‏: ‏لماذا‏ ‏يهمل‏ ‏الناس‏ ‏كلمة‏ ‏ربنا؟
‏1- ‏عدم‏ ‏معرفة‏ ‏القراءة‏: ‏لذلك‏ ‏إحدي‏ ‏مسئوليات‏ ‏الأب‏ ‏والأم‏ (‏من‏ ‏يوم‏ ‏معمودية‏ ‏أطفالهم‏) ‏تسليمهم‏ ‏الكلمة‏ ‏المقدسة‏.‏
‏2- ‏عدم‏ ‏معرفة‏ ‏النطق‏ ‏أو‏ ‏صعوبة‏ ‏النطق‏ ‏عند‏ ‏البعض‏.‏
‏3- ‏عدم‏ ‏معرفة‏ ‏المعني‏.‏
‏4- ‏عدم‏ ‏معرفة‏ ‏الربط‏ ‏بين‏ ‏أجزاء‏ ‏الكتاب‏.‏
‏5- ‏عدم‏ ‏التعود‏ ‏علي‏ ‏قراءة‏ ‏الكتاب‏.‏
‏6- ‏التعلل‏ ‏بعدم‏ ‏وجود‏ ‏وقت‏.‏
‏7- ‏الكسل‏ ‏والتراخي‏.‏
‏8- ‏التعلل‏ ‏بعدم‏ ‏امتلاك‏ ‏إنجيل‏.‏
‏+ ‏عندما‏ ‏يبتعد‏ ‏الإنسان‏ ‏عن‏ ‏كتابه‏ ‏المقدس‏ ‏يسهل‏ ‏علي‏ ‏الشيطان‏ ‏أن‏ ‏يهاجمه‏.‏
‏+ ‏نحن‏ ‏في‏ ‏الكنيسة‏ ‏نهتم‏ ‏بالكتاب‏ ‏المقدس‏.‏‏+ ‏أحب‏ ‏أن‏ ‏تصل‏ ‏رسالة‏ ‏اليوم‏ ‏إلي‏ ‏كل‏ ‏إنسان‏ ‏وهي‏ ‏اهتمامك‏ ‏الشخصي‏ ‏بكلمة‏ ‏الله‏.‏

ثانيا‏: ‏ضرورة‏ ‏قراءة‏ ‏الكتاب‏ ‏المقدس‏:‏
‏1- ‏الكتاب‏ ‏المقدس‏ ‏سراج‏: ‏كلمة‏ ‏سراج‏ ‏تعني‏ ‏إضاءة‏.‏
‏2- ‏الكتاب‏ ‏المقدس‏ ‏شبع‏: ‏كلمة‏ ‏الله‏ ‏تشبع‏ ‏الإنسان‏, ‏هي‏ ‏لا‏ ‏تشبعه‏ ‏علي‏ ‏المستوي‏ ‏المادي‏ ‏ولكن‏ ‏علي‏ ‏المستوي‏ ‏الروحي‏ ‏والنفسي‏, ‏ويقول‏ ‏الكتاب‏: ‏وجد‏ ‏كلامك‏ ‏فأكلته‏ (‏إر‏15:16), ‏ومعناها‏ ‏أني‏ ‏جعلت‏ ‏كلامك‏ ‏في‏ ‏فمي‏ ‏علي‏ ‏الدوام‏.‏
‏3- ‏الكتاب‏ ‏المقدس‏ ‏حياة‏ ‏الإنسان‏: ‏الكلام‏ ‏الذي‏ ‏أكلمكم‏ ‏به‏ ‏هو‏ ‏روح‏ ‏وحياة‏ (‏يو‏6:63).‏
‏4- ‏الكتاب‏ ‏المقدس‏ ‏حصانة‏: ‏يقول‏ ‏الكتاب‏: ‏اسم‏ ‏الرب‏ ‏برج‏ ‏حصين‏ (‏أم‏18:10).‏
‏5- ‏الكتاب‏ ‏المقدس‏ ‏فرح‏ ‏للإنسان‏: ‏يقول‏ ‏الكتاب‏: ‏أبتهج‏ ‏أنا‏ ‏بكلامك‏ ‏كمن‏ ‏وجد‏ ‏غنيمة‏ ‏وافرة‏ (‏مز‏119:162) ‏كلمة‏ ‏الله‏ ‏تفرح‏.‏
‏6- ‏الكتاب‏ ‏المقدس‏ ‏صلاة‏: ‏كل‏ ‏صلواتنا‏ ‏مصدرها‏ ‏الإنجيل‏.. ‏فأنت‏ ‏حينما‏ ‏تقرأ‏ ‏الكتاب‏ ‏المقدس‏ ‏علي‏ ‏المستوي‏ ‏الشخصي‏ ‏فأنت‏ ‏تصلي‏.‏
ثالثا‏: ‏وحدة‏ ‏الكتاب‏ ‏المقدس‏:‏
‏+ ‏الكتاب‏ ‏المقدس‏ ‏كله‏ ‏قطعة‏ ‏واحدة‏, ‏لكل‏ ‏إنسان‏ ‏فينا‏, ‏كل‏ ‏جزء‏ ‏في‏ ‏الكتاب‏ ‏المقدس‏ ‏في‏ ‏كل‏ ‏الأسفار‏ ‏هو‏ ‏موجه‏ ‏لك‏ ‏بصورة‏ ‏شخصية‏, ‏ولهذا‏ ‏يقول‏ ‏القديس‏ ‏بولس‏ ‏الرسول‏ ‏في‏ (‏رسالة‏ ‏كولوسي‏3:16): ‏لتسكن‏ ‏فيكم‏ ‏كلمة‏ ‏المسيح‏ ‏بغني‏.‏
‏1- ‏لتسكن‏: ‏تأتي‏ ‏كلمة‏ ‏الله‏ ‏وتسكن‏ ‏داخلي2- ‏فيكم‏: ‏يقصد‏ ‏بها‏ ‏المجموع‏ ‏سواء‏ ‏كان‏ ‏المجموع‏ ‏أسرة‏ ‏أو‏ ‏كنيسة‏.‏

‏3- ‏كلمة‏ ‏المسيح‏: ‏هي‏ ‏كلمة‏ ‏الحياة‏, ‏هي‏ ‏نعمة‏ ‏المسيح‏.‏
‏+ ‏جيد‏ ‏جدا‏ ‏أن‏ ‏تكون‏ ‏حياتنا‏ ‏وكل‏ ‏بيوتنا‏ ‏مملوءة‏ ‏من‏ ‏كلمة‏ ‏ربنا‏.‏
‏+ ‏أيها‏ ‏الحبيب‏ ‏لا‏ ‏تحرم‏ ‏نفسك‏ ‏من‏ ‏كلمة‏ ‏الله‏, ‏لا‏ ‏تهمل‏ ‏إنجيلك‏ ‏لتزيد‏ ‏خطية‏ ‏علي‏ ‏خطاياك‏.‏
‏4- ‏بغني‏: ‏بمعني‏ ‏أن‏ ‏تسكن‏ ‏فيكم‏ ‏كلمةا‏ ‏لمسيح‏ ‏بوفرة‏ ‏أو‏ ‏بكمال‏.‏
رابعا‏: ‏خطوات‏ ‏عملية‏ ‏لقراءة‏ ‏الإنجيل‏:‏
‏1- ‏أن‏ ‏يكون‏ ‏لك‏ ‏كتابك‏ ‏المقدس‏ ‏الشخصي‏ ‏الذي‏ ‏تتعود‏ ‏عليه‏ (‏اقتناء‏ ‏الكتاب‏).‏
‏2- ‏أن‏ ‏يكون‏ ‏عندك‏ ‏باستمرار‏ ‏هذه‏ ‏المحبة‏ ‏الفياضة‏ ‏لكلمة‏ ‏الله‏.‏
‏3- ‏أن‏ ‏تقرأ‏ ‏الكتاب‏ ‏كل‏ ‏يوم‏.‏
‏4- ‏أن‏ ‏تدرس‏ ‏وتحاول‏ ‏أ‏ ‏تفهم‏ ‏من‏ ‏خلال‏ ‏كتب‏ ‏الشرح‏ ‏والتفسير‏.‏
‏5- ‏أن‏ ‏تحفظ‏ ‏كلمة‏ ‏الله‏ ‏وتكون‏ ‏دائما‏ ‏في‏ ‏فمك‏.‏
‏6- ‏أن‏ ‏تتكلم‏ ‏في‏ ‏أحاديثك‏ ‏وعباراتك‏ ‏من‏ ‏آيات‏ ‏الكتاب‏.‏
‏7- ‏أن‏ ‏تعيش‏ ‏وتطبق‏ ‏ما‏ ‏حفظته‏ ‏وفهمته‏ ‏من‏ ‏الكتاب‏ ‏ويصير‏ ‏جزءا‏ ‏من‏ ‏كيانك‏ ‏اليومي‏, ‏وتصير‏ ‏أنت‏ ‏إنجيلا‏ ‏مقروءا‏ ‏من‏ ‏جميع‏ ‏الناس‏.‏