What is our role in the grand scheme of things? In Psalm 21, the Spirit emphasizes our importance as God's "cheerleaders." We ask God to reveal himself in glory. We urge God to make his strength known to all people. We marvel in amazement at his great deeds. We praise God for all the incredible things he has done for us.
Day 19 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Babah, 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 Nineteenth Day of the Blessed Month of Babah
Assembly of a Council in Antioch for Paul of Samosat
On this day of the year 280 A.D. a Holy Council assembled in an Antiochian church to judge Paul of Samosat. He was a native of Samosat, and he was chosen a Patriarch of Antioch. Satan sowed in his mind the belief that the Lord Christ was a simple, ordinary man whom God had created and chosen to redeem the human beings; and that Christ was entirely Mary's offspring and that Divinity did not unite with Jesus but joined Him by the will only and that God is one person, so he did not believe in the Son or the Holy Spirit. Because of him, a council assembled in the city of Antioch during the reign of Emperor Valerian and the papacy of Abba Dionysius, fourteenth Pope of Alexandria, which was forty-five years before the Council of Nicea. Because Abba Dionysius was old, he was not able to convene with them, so he wrote a letter stating the belief that the Lord Christ is the Word of God, and His Son, and is equal to Him in essence, in divinity and in being eternal. The Holy Trinity is Three Persons by character, in one God-head. One Person of the Trinity is the Son incarnated and became a complete man having one nature. Abba Dionysius testified concerning these things using many testimonies from the Old and the New Testaments and he sent this letter with two priests of the church scholars. Thirteen bishops and the two priests assembled in that council. They brought that Paul and asked him about the heresy that he was teaching. He declared it to them and did not deny anything. They debated the matter with him and read to him the letter of Abba Dionysius and made him listen to what the Apostles said about the Lord Christ the Word of God that He is, "The brightness of His glory. And the express image of His person." (Hebrews 1:3) But he did not accept their words, and he would not turn from his infidel opinion. They excommunicated him, and all those who believed his words, and they exiled him. The fathers put forth the Canons, which are still in the hands of the believers who follow them to this day.
May their prayers and blessings be with us all. Amen.
Martyrdom of St.Theophilus and His Wife in Fayyum
On this day also was the martyrdom of St. Theophilus and his wife in Fayyum in the days of Emperor Diocletian the infidel. Some brought accusation against them before the Governor of being Christians. The Governor brought them and questioned them. They confessed our Lord Christ, to Him is the glory, before him. He commanded that a deep pit be dug for them, that they be cast into it, and covered by stones. They did so and St. Theophilus and his wife received the crown of martyrdom.
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 18 : 34,39
Chapter 18
| 34 | He teaches my hands to make war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. |
| 39 | For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. |
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 10 : 16 - 23
Chapter 10
| 16 | "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. |
| 17 | But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. |
| 18 | You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. |
| 19 | But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; |
| 20 | for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. |
| 21 | "Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. |
| 22 | And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. |
| 23 | When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. |
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 45 : 3,6
Chapter 45
| 3 | Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One, With Your glory and Your majesty. |
| 6 | Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. |
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 7 : 11 - 17
Chapter 7
| 11 | Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. |
| 12 | And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. |
| 13 | When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep." |
| 14 | Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise." |
| 15 | So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother. |
| 16 | Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has risen up among us"; and, "God has visited His people." |
| 17 | And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region. |
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 Timothy .
May his blessings be upon us.
Amen.
2 Timothy 2 : 3 - 15
Chapter 2
| 3 | You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. |
| 4 | No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. |
| 5 | And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. |
| 6 | The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. |
| 7 | Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. |
| 8 | Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, |
| 9 | for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. |
| 10 | Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. |
| 11 | This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. |
| 12 | If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. |
| 13 | If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. |
| 14 | Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. |
| 15 | Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. |
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 : 8 - 15
Chapter 3
| 8 | Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; |
| 9 | not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. |
| 10 | For "He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. |
| 11 | Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. |
| 12 | For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil." |
| 13 | And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? |
| 14 | But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled." |
| 15 | But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; |
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 27 : 42 - 28 : 6
Chapter 27
| 42 | And the soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape. |
| 43 | But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, |
| 44 | and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land. |
Chapter 28
| 1 | Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta. |
| 2 | And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold. |
| 3 | But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. |
| 4 | So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live." |
| 5 | But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. |
| 6 | However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god. |
The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty, and be confirmed, in the holy Church of God.
Amen.
Synaxarium
Day 19 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Babah, 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 Nineteenth Day of the Blessed Month of Babah
Assembly of a Council in Antioch for Paul of Samosat
On this day of the year 280 A.D. a Holy Council assembled in an Antiochian church to judge Paul of Samosat. He was a native of Samosat, and he was chosen a Patriarch of Antioch. Satan sowed in his mind the belief that the Lord Christ was a simple, ordinary man whom God had created and chosen to redeem the human beings; and that Christ was entirely Mary's offspring and that Divinity did not unite with Jesus but joined Him by the will only and that God is one person, so he did not believe in the Son or the Holy Spirit. Because of him, a council assembled in the city of Antioch during the reign of Emperor Valerian and the papacy of Abba Dionysius, fourteenth Pope of Alexandria, which was forty-five years before the Council of Nicea. Because Abba Dionysius was old, he was not able to convene with them, so he wrote a letter stating the belief that the Lord Christ is the Word of God, and His Son, and is equal to Him in essence, in divinity and in being eternal. The Holy Trinity is Three Persons by character, in one God-head. One Person of the Trinity is the Son incarnated and became a complete man having one nature. Abba Dionysius testified concerning these things using many testimonies from the Old and the New Testaments and he sent this letter with two priests of the church scholars. Thirteen bishops and the two priests assembled in that council. They brought that Paul and asked him about the heresy that he was teaching. He declared it to them and did not deny anything. They debated the matter with him and read to him the letter of Abba Dionysius and made him listen to what the Apostles said about the Lord Christ the Word of God that He is, "The brightness of His glory. And the express image of His person." (Hebrews 1:3) But he did not accept their words, and he would not turn from his infidel opinion. They excommunicated him, and all those who believed his words, and they exiled him. The fathers put forth the Canons, which are still in the hands of the believers who follow them to this day.
May their prayers and blessings be with us all. Amen.
Martyrdom of St.Theophilus and His Wife in Fayyum
On this day also was the martyrdom of St. Theophilus and his wife in Fayyum in the days of Emperor Diocletian the infidel. Some brought accusation against them before the Governor of being Christians. The Governor brought them and questioned them. They confessed our Lord Christ, to Him is the glory, before him. He commanded that a deep pit be dug for them, that they be cast into it, and covered by stones. They did so and St. Theophilus and his wife received the crown of martyrdom.
May their 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 91 : 13,11
Chapter 91
| 13 | You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. |
| 11 | For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. |
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 10 : 21 - 24
Chapter 10
| 21 | In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. |
| 22 | All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." |
| 23 | Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; |
| 24 | for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it." |
And Glory be to God forever.
I think Christians of the first thousand years understood Mary as the feminine incarnation on an intuitive and allegorical level. But by the time of the much-needed Protestant Reformation, all we could see was “She is not God.” This is entirely true, but we lost the ability to see in wholes and understand that, even better, “She is us!” That is why we loved her, probably without fully understanding why.
Much of the human race can more easily imagine unconditional love coming from the feminine and the maternal than from a man. In the many images of Mary, humans see our own feminine soul. We needed to see ourselves in her, and say with her, “God has looked upon me in my lowliness. From now on, all generations will call me blessed” (Luke 1:48).
If Christ and Jesus are the archetypes of what God is doing, Mary is the archetype of how to receive what God is doing and hand it on to others. In art, she is invariably offering Jesus to the observer or inviting us to come to him. We Catholics used to say “To Jesus through Mary” in the 1950s. It was poor theology but very effective psychology and pedagogy for many.
In Mary, humanity has said our eternal yes to God. A yes that cannot be undone. A corporate yes that overrides our many noes. This is why Mary was commonly called the “New Eve” who undid the corporate no of the first Eve and is often pictured in art stepping on the snake that tempted Eve (Genesis 3:15).
Today we are witnessing an immense longing for relational, mutually empowering feminine qualities at every level of our society—from our politics, to our economics, in our psyche, our cultures, our patterns of leadership, and our theologies, all of which have become far too warlike, competitive, individualistic, mechanistic, and non-contemplative. We are terribly imbalanced.
Unfortunately, the feminine has often had to work in secret, behind the scenes, indirectly. It’s to the church and culture’s own detriment that women haven’t been recognized as leaders. Yet they have still had a profound effect. We see Mary’s subtlety of grace, patience, and humility when she quietly says at the wedding feast of Cana, “They have no wine” (John 2:3b), and then seems totally assured that Jesus will take it from there (John 2:5). And he does!
Like the Christ Mystery itself, the deep feminine often works underground and in the shadows, and—from that position—creates a much more intoxicating message. While church and culture have often denied women roles, offices, and formal authority, the Divine Feminine has continued to exercise incredible power at the cosmic and personal levels. Many of us in the U.S. Catholic Church feel that the culture of faith was passed onto us much more from the sisters than from the priests. Feminine power is deeply relational and symbolic—and thus transformative—in ways that many men cannot control or even understand. I suspect that is why we fear it so much.
Reference:
Adapted from Richard Rohr, The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope For, and Believe (Convergent: 2019), 124, 127-128.