How many times have you stood over the grave of a recently departed friend or loved one? When was the last time you tasted grief and separation from someone you dearly loved? I don't know about you, but I am so thankful that the Bible identifies death as one of Jesus' enemies. I am thankful that he hates death, and the damage and separation it causes, even more than I do. I am filled with joy to know that death will be destroyed and immortality and life will be given to the children of God!
My Prayer...
Holy Father, please triumph with life and mercy in the lives of those I know that are wrestling with emotional, spiritual, and physical death. Triumph in their lives through your power and your grace. I look forward to the day, dear Father, when death is no more. Lord Jesus, I not only pray this in your name, but I ask you to speed this day. Amen.
Day 10 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Baramoudah, 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 Baramoudah
Departure of Anba Isaac, the Disciple of Anba Apollo
On this day the holy father Anba Isaac the Disciple of the great father Anba Apollo, departed. This holy man renounced the world since his young age. He became a monk in the wilderness of Sheahat (Scetis), and a disciple of Anba Apollo for twenty five years. He fought a strenuous fight that weakened his body to kill his body desires, and control his will. He mastered the virtue of silence and quietness especially during the prayers and the Liturgies. He used to stand during the liturgy with his hands clasped and his head bent until the end of the prayer then he returned to his cell, shutting his door, and did not associate with any one that day. When they asked him: "Why do you not talk to anyone who wish to talk to you during prayers or the Liturgy?" He answered saying: "There is time for talking and there is time for praying." When his departure drew near the fathers the monks gathered around him to receive his blessing and they asked him: "Why did you flee from men." He answered them: "I was not fleeing from men but from Satan. If a man hold a lighted lamp in the wind, it will be extinguished. So, it is with us when our hearts and minds shine because of the prayers and the Liturgy then we talk with each other, our hearts and minds become dark." And this holy father having finished his good spiritual strife, departed in peace.
May his prayers be with us. Amen.
Departure of Pope Gabriel II, the Seventy Pope of Alexandria, who was known as Ibn Turaik
On this day also of the year 861 A.M. (April 5th., 1145 A.D.) the great and holy father Pope Gabriel II, the seventy Pope of the See of St. Mark, who was known as Ibn Turaik, departed. This Pope was from the nobles of Cairo, and he was a writer, scribe, distinguished scholar, with a commendable conduct. He transcribed with his hand many Arabic and Coptic books, he retained its contents and comprehended its interpretations. The elders of the people and the clergy chose him for the Patriarchal Chair, and his enthronement was on the 9th. of Amshir, 847 A.M. (February 3rd., 1131 A.D.). When he prayed his first Divine Liturgy in St. Macarius monastery as the custom of the previous Patriarchs, at the end of the Liturgy, he added to the profession after the saying: "I believe and confess to the last breath, that this is the life-giving Flesh that Thine Only-Begotten Son, our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ, took from our Lady, the Lady of us all, the holy Mother of God, Saint Mary," this sentence "He made it one with His Divinity." The monks objected, lest it would be understood from that there was mingling between His Divinity and His Humanity, and asked him to refrain from using it. He refused saying: "This statement was added by a decree from the council of bishops." After a great and lengthy discussion, they decided to add this sentence: "Without mingling, without confusion, and without alteration," because of the fear of falling in the heresy of Eutyches, and he agreed with them. During his papacy, he ordained 53 bishops and many priests, he drew up Canons and laws concerning inheritance, and many other matters. He never took any money from anyone, nor he touched the revenue of the churches, or that of the religious endowments for the poor. When the governor of that time asked him for money, the nobles and people collected three hundred Dinars in gold and gave them to the governor on his behalf. He remained on the Episcopal Chair for fourteen years, two month and two days, then departed in peace.
May his prayers be with us and glory be to God forever. Amen.
Readings for Saturday of first week of fifty Joyous Days
Vespers
Vespers Psalm
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 119 : 10 - 11
Chapter 119
| 10 | With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! |
| 11 | Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. |
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 John the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
John 6 : 54 - 58
Chapter 6
| 54 | Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. |
| 55 | For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. |
| 56 | He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. |
| 57 | As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. |
| 58 | This is the bread which came down from heaven--not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever." |
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 77 : 2
Chapter 77
| 2 | In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing; My soul refused to be comforted. |
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 John the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
John 20 : 19 - 23
Chapter 20
| 19 | Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you." |
| 20 | When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. |
| 21 | So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." |
| 22 | And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. |
| 23 | If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." |
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 Colossians .
May his blessings be upon us.
Amen.
Colossians 1 : 12 - 23
Chapter 1
| 12 | giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. |
| 13 | He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, |
| 14 | in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. |
| 15 | He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. |
| 16 | For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. |
| 17 | And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. |
| 18 | And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. |
| 19 | For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, |
| 20 | and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. |
| 21 | And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled |
| 22 | in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight-- |
| 23 | if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. |
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 1 : 1 - 7
Chapter 1
| 1 | That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life-- |
| 2 | the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us-- |
| 3 | that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. |
| 4 | And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. |
| 5 | This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. |
| 6 | If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. |
| 7 | But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. |
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 4 : 19 - 31
Chapter 4
| 19 | But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. |
| 20 | For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." |
| 21 | So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. |
| 22 | For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed. |
| 23 | And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. |
| 24 | So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: "Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, |
| 25 | who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: "Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? |
| 26 | The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.' |
| 27 | "For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together |
| 28 | to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. |
| 29 | Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, |
| 30 | by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." |
| 31 | And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. |
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 119 : 73 - 73
Chapter 119
| 73 | Your hands have made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments. |
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 9 : 28 - 35
Chapter 9
| 28 | Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. |
| 29 | As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening. |
| 30 | And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, |
| 31 | who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. |
| 32 | But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. |
| 33 | Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"--not knowing what he said. |
| 34 | While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud. |
| 35 | And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!" |
And Glory be to God forever.
Not to be read in the Church during this time of the year.
Synaxarium
Day 18 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Baramoudah, 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 Eighteenth Day of the Blessed Month of Baramoudah
Martyrdom of St.Arsenius, Slave of St.Sousnyous
On this day St. Arsenius, the slave of St. Sousnyous, was martyred. When Emperor Diocletian was torturing St. Sousnyous, St. Sousnyous father told the Emperor that Sousnyous had a slave, whose name is Arsenius and that he worshiped Christ and denounced the worship of the idols. The Emperor brought the slave and asked him about his belief. Arsenius confessed the Divinity of the Lord Christ, and also admonished the Emperor for deserting the worship of the true God and his insistence on worshiping the idols. The Emperor became furious and ordered him to beheaded him before his master, and thus he received the crown of martyrdom.
May His prayers be with us and Glory be to our God forever. Amen.
Since it is now clear to you from the example both of the Lord and his subjects that the value of fasting is considerable, and that great benefit accrues to the soul from it, I beg you, my dear people, now that you know its benefit not to resist its saving power through indifference nor lose heart at its approach, but rejoice and be glad, as blessed Paul says, “The more our external selves are destroyed, the more the inner person is renewed” (2Cor. 4:16). Fasting is nourishment for the soul, you see, and just as bodily nourishment fattens the body, so fasting invigorates the soul, provides it with nimble wings, lifts it on high, enables it to contemplate things that are above, and renders it superior to the pleasures and attractions of this present life.
Homily on Genesis, on the beginning of the Holy Lent, 9