Saint Isaac the Syrian Saying

Let yourself be persecuted, but do not persecute others. 
Be crucified, but do not crucify others. 
Be slandered, but do not slander others. 
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep: such is the sign of purity. Suffer with the sick. 
Be afflicted with sinners. 
Exult with those who repent. 
Be the friend of all, but in your spirit remain alone. 
Be a partaker of the sufferings of all, but keep your body distant from all. 
Rebuke no one, revile no one, not even those who live very wickedly. 
Spread your cloak over those who fall into sin, each and every one, and shield them. 
And if you cannot take the fault on yourself and accept punishment in their place, do not destroy their character.

St. Isaac the Syrian

Verses and Fathers Sayings

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14

"Regarding every vice and every virtue, we must unceasingly scrutinize ourselves to see what point we have reached, a beginning, a middle or the end."
(If we lack any concept of setting goals and continuing to grow, we'll have no idea whether we are stuck at the beginning, complacent at the middle, or making progress toward the end.)
St. John Climacus

Your Cross

For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, 

that whoever believes in Him shall not 

perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

Pick up your cross no matter how difficult it may seem.  Rely on God to help you so that you do not try to carry your cross alone. Each time you ask for assistance, believe that God hears your prayers. Believe that God is with you and that you never have to carry your cross alone. Believe and turn to Him and trust in His love and mercy. Ask for guidance in everything that you do. Ask and I promise you, peace and joy will be given, given to you.

Do not wait until your cross becomes too heavy, turn to Jesus now. Rely on God each new day so you have joy no matter what you must go through. God will be by your side if you trust in His love for you

God said, do not try to carry your burdens alone. Have hope and place all your trust and confidence in my Son, Jesus. Surrender your lives completely to Him. Surrender all you have with your heart, to His Will, in prayer. Through prayer and complete trust in God, your lives will surely change.

Those who trust will be able to accept whatever cross God allows. They will have peace in their hearts through all trials and tribulation. They will know how to survive when their material possessions are taken away.

God will not abandon those who trust. God will comfort and console those children who have complete trust in Him.

God will carry your cross however heavy it is.

God have sacrificed His only son on the cross to save you from your sins because He loves you. God has promised those who trust and believe in Him to be saved and will be granted eternal life.

Beautiful Prayer - By H.H. The Thrice blessed Pope Shenouda III

 

Beautiful Prayer

By H.H. The Thrice blessed Pope Shenouda III 

"Lord, I do not find anyone to have mercy on me ad hold me. You are the One whom I trust, to whom I open my heart and tell all my secrets. I explain to you my weaknesses and you do not despise them, but have mercy on me.

I pour my tears before you and express my longings. With you I do not feel lonely, but I feel that your strength supports me. Without you, O Lord, I feel empty and I don't feel that I really exist.  My heart is Yours.. I do not know since when?

But I understand that it is always in Your hands.  What is Yours no one can take away from you.  If someone takes it, You will get it back with your love. Yes Lord! I love you, not because You care for me, but because Your care is the result of Your great love.

Grant me, Lord, to love You and teach me how to love You.

Remove from my heart any other love that contradicts Your love till my heart becomes completely for You alone."

The Creator Offers Himself to the Creature for his Enjoyment

St. Cyril the Great

The Creator Offers Himself to the Creature for his Enjoyment!

Come, eat my bread, He urges, and drink the wine I have mixed for you.

Eat me, Life, and you will live, for this is my desire. Eat the Life that does not fail, for this have I come, that you may have life, and have it more abundantly. John 10:10

Eat the bread which renews your nature. Drink the wine, the exultation of immortality.. I became like you, for you, without being changed from my nature, that you might through me become “partakers of the divine nature”. 2 Peter 1: 4


Sermon 10 on the Mystical Supper (Message of the Fathers of the Church, 7. The Eucharist, page 149-152).

Confession

Psalm 51:1-12

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.  Against you, you only, have I sinned  and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.

Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Jonah: When All Things Work Together for Good

by H.H. Pope Shenouda III

Saint Paul the apostle said, “All things work together for good to those who love God.” (Romans 8:28) We have also learned this from the book of Jonah. Even the things that appear to be the source of toil and affliction work together for good. 

The great fish that swallowed Jonah was also the reason for a great blessing. It was a safe submarine that carried Jonah and brought him near the place of his service. This great fish was also able to teach Jonah to pray, for we find Jonah, who did not bow to God in the ship, praying inside the belly of the great fish, making vows to God, speaking faithfully, and leaving the great fish to carry out God's will which he had previously disobeyed.

Do not be afraid if you are the swallowed by a great fish one day. Perhaps this great fish has been sent to/for you by God, Who has prepared it for your sake in order to grant you a special blessing. Therefore, remember the words of the Bible, “all things work together for good to those who love God.”

The waves that nearly overturned the ship worked for good. This tempestuous sea, great storm and clamorous, high waves all worked together for good.

If it were not for this, the mariners would not have prayed, offered sacrifices or made vows. It guided them to believing. Likewise, the worm that ate the plant and grieved Jonah was working for good. It indeed deprived Jonah of the shade, who was struck by the heat of the sun and became faint, but this was for his own good. It was a reason that led to Jonah reproaching God, through which his soul was saved.

God is capable of utilizing everything for our own good. He utilized the betrayal of Judas, the envy of Annas and Caiaphas and the cowardice of Pilate, all to fulfill the great work of redemption. It is sufficient that God transforms any matter that falls into His Hands to good, even if the matter is evil. Joseph's brothers sold him as a slave, but God transformed this evil to good. What is important is that we believe in the goodness of God and His works, and His good intervention in matters. That is why the Bible did not only say, “all things work together for good”, but added, “to those who love God.”

Indeed, for those who love God, all things work together for them for good. All things do not work together for good for all people. Tribulations come to many people and they grumble, murmur, complain and blaspheme. However, when tribulation comes to a person who loves the Lord, he thinks: “What is the blessing that the Lord wishes for me from behind this tribulation?” In this way, all things work together for good for him. There is a beautiful, comforting verse at the beginning of the book of Genesis, at the end of the story of creation, in which the Divine Inspiration says: “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31)

Even the great dragon on the land or in the sea, God saw as very good. We can see all things as beautiful with the vision of faith, love and simplicity. Do you think that the mother ape sees its child as being less beautiful than that of a gazelle? Not at all; but if he were transformed into a gazelle she would mourn over him. Sometimes we see matters as being troublesome, since the trouble is from within us. If we are sound from within, then we would be happy with everything, even with the great fish, which swallows us, and with the tempestuous sea, which almost overturns our ship. God even transformed Jonah's sin in his escape to good. Jonah boarded a ship and escaped from God, so God utilized this escape as a reason for the salvation of the mariners. In the same way, Jonah's stubbornness with God was transformed to good, and so Jonah came out of it with greater knowledge of God and His ways, and with greater maturity in his spiritual life and understanding. He learnt many spiritual lessons from the incidents of the ship, the great fish and the plant.

You Reap What You Sow!

You Reap What You Sow!  
 
Good morning said a woman as she walked up to the man sitting on ground. 

The man slowly looked up. 

This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new.. She looked like she had never missed a meal in her life.

His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before.. "Leave me alone," he growled....

To his amazement, the woman continued standing.

She was smiling -- her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she asked.

"No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away."

The woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm.

"What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone.

Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked..

"No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?"

The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?"

"See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile."

"Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything."

" This is a good deal for you, Jack" the officer answered. "Don't blow it.."

Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived...

The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by his table. "What's going on here, officer?" he asked. "What is all this, is this man in trouble?"

"This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered.

"Not in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that here is bad for business.."

Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me go. I didn't want to come here in the first place."

The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled.... "Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?"

"Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms."

"And do you make a goodly amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?"

"What business is that of yours?"

I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company."

"Oh."

The woman smiled again. "I thought that might make a difference." She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?"

"No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty."

"Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?"

"Yes, mam. That would be very nice."

The cafeteria manager turned on his heel, "I'll get your coffee for you right away, officer."

The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his place," he said.

"That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this."

She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently.. "Jack, do you remember me?"

Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes. "I think so -- I mean you do look familiar."

"I'm a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry."

"Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.

"I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat."

Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said.. "I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy."

"I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble... Then, when I looked over and saw you put the price of my food in the cash register, I knew then that everything would be all right."

"So you started your own business?" Old Jack said.

"I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered." She opened her purse and pulled out a business card.. "When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons...He's the personnel director of my company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the office." She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet... If you ever need anything, my door is always opened to you."

There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you?" he said.

"Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. Thank Jesus.... He led me to you."

Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways....

"Thank you for all your help, officer," she said.

"On the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget. And..And thank you for the coffee."


If you have missed knowing The Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, you have missed everything in the world.

 When you "cast your bread upon the waters," you never know how it will be returned to you..


 "For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap."
Galatians 6:.7

Author Unknown 

Try Not To Cry

She jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room.

She said: "How is my little boy? Is he all right? When can I see him?"

The surgeon said, "I'm sorry.

We did all we could, but your boy didn't make it."

Sally said, "Why do little children get cancer?

Doesn't God care any more?

Where were you, God, when my son needed you?"

The surgeon asked, "Would you like some time alone with your son?

One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he's transported to the university."

Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good bye to her son. She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair.

"Would you like a lock of his hair?" the nurse asked. Sally nodded yes. The nurse cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally.

The mother said, "it was Jimmy's idea to donate his body to the University for Study. He said it might help somebody else.

"I said no at first, but Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mom."

She went on, "My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone else. Always wanting to help others if he could."

Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there.

She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the seat beside her in the car.

The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter the empty house.

She carried Jimmy's belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's room.

She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly where he had always kept them.

She laid down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep.

It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Laying beside her on the bed was a folded letter.

The letter said:

"Dear Mom,

I know you're going to miss me; but don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say

"I Love You".

I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day. Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, that's okay with me.

He can have my room and old stuff to play with.

But, if you decide to get a girl instead she probably would't like the same things us boys do.

You'll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know. Don't be sad thinking about me, try not to cry, this really is a neat place. Grandma and grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything.

The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD! And guess what Mom? I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important.

That's when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good bye and everything. But I already knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what Mom? God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter.

I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you. God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him 'Where was He when I needed him?'

"God said He was in the same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross.

He was right there, as He always is with all His children. Oh, by the way Mom, no one else can see what I've written except you. To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool? I have to give God His pen back now.

He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I got to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. I'm sure the food will be great.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore. The cancer is all gone. I'm glad because I couldn't stand the pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either.

That's when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I was a Special Delivery!

How about that?

Signed with Love from God, Jesus & Me.

The Logos

Biblical Terminology

The Logos

The term λόγος (logos) is used in the Gospel according to St John to describe the second person of the Holy Trinity, and is often translated The Word in English versions of the Holy Bible. However the term The Logos carries far more meaning than that expressed by The Word. The term Logos also extends to cover a collection of terms, both of things in the mind, and of words by which they are expressed. This includes thought, reason, the spoken mind, principle and logic. It therefore signifies the outward from by which the inward thought is expressed and the inward thought itself. This is often useful in understanding and describing the relationship between the Father and the son, in that just as the mind gives birth to thought, so the Son is perpetually born from the Father above time. Furthermore just as there is not a moment when a mind is without thought nor thought without a mind, so also there was never a time when the Father existed and the Son did not

Al-Keraza Magazine - Coptic Orthodox Magazine (El-Keraza) Ϯⲙⲉⲧⲣⲉϥϩⲓⲱⲓϣ - Year 41 - Friday 25 January 2013 - Toubah Ⲧⲱⲃⲓ (Tobi, Touba) 1729 Martyrs - Issue 3 & 4

Touba Ⲧⲱⲃⲓ (Tobi, Toubah), is the fifth month of the Coptic calendar. Tobi is also the first month of the Season of 'Proyet' (Growth and Emergence) in Ancient Egypt, where the Nile floods recede and the crops start to grow throughout the land of Egypt.

The name of the month of Tobi comes from Amso Khem, a form of the Ancient Egyptian God Amun Ra

Prayer and Supplication Verse and Quote

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. Ephesians 6: 18 ESV

Prayer changes things, but more importantly.. Prayer changes you!

Pope Tawadros II Tweets

A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but a man of evil devices he condemns. Proverbs 12: 2 ESV. Righteousness is a divine grace that one strives to acquire willingly and by serving God.

@PopeTawadros
https://twitter.com/PopeTawadros

Light Manifest in Darkness

Light Manifest in Darkness

His Grace Bishop Angaelos
General Bishop - United Kingdom

In celebrating the Feast of the Epiphany, we remember that our Lord Jesus Christ came into the world as Light into darkness, a visible manifestation of God and a reminder that there is hope for humanity

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. John 1: 4 - 5 NKJV

Setting aside His glory, our Lord lived a life of righteousness on earth, testifying to the love of the Father. Desiring nothing more than to restore humanity to its former glory, He offered Himself, through His as a means to reconciliation. Just as He became a means to reconciliation and hope, we too are called, as His disciples, to do the same in our daily interactions

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.. Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. Matthew 6: 16 NKJV

We can begin to shine and make manifest the love of God by sanctifying ourselves through constant communion with Him, through a life of prayer and partaking of the sacraments. Through these, we not only move towards developing a deeper relationship with God, but we also allow the Holy Spirit to work in us to transform our lives and the lives of those around us

@BishopAngaelos
https://twitter.com/BishopAngaelos


Al-Keraza Magazine - Coptic Orthodox Magazine Ϯⲙⲉⲧⲣⲉϥϩⲓⲱⲓϣ - Year 41 - Friday 11 January 2013 - Toubah Ⲧⲱⲃⲓ (Tobi, Touba) 1729 Martyrs - Issue 1 & 2

Touba Ⲧⲱⲃⲓ (Tobi, Toubah), is the fifth month of the Coptic calendar. Tobi is also the first month of the Season of 'Proyet' (Growth and Emergence) in Ancient Egypt, where the Nile floods recede and the crops start to grow throughout the land of Egypt.

The name of the month of Tobi comes from Amso Khem, a form of the Ancient Egyptian God Amun Ra

As we celebrate #Epiphany #Theophany, we pray that God does indeed continue to be manifest in the world, and may be seen through us daily
@BishopAngaelos - Tweet 19 January 2013
https://twitter.com/BishopAngaelos

New Year, New Beginning 2013

The eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year.
Deuteronomy 11:12


O Lord, I give you my heart as is, not the way it ought to be. I  present my weakness so that You may care for it with your grace and Your Holy Spirit and treat it.. 

THE BRICK

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown.  

The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, 'What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money.  Why did you do it?'  

The young boy was apologetic. 'Please, mister…please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do,' He pleaded.  'I threw the brick because no one else would stop…' With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car.  'It's my brother,' he said ' He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up.' 

Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me.' 

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. 'Thank you and may God bless you,' the grateful child told the stranger.  

Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. 

He kept the dent there to remind him of the message: 'Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!' God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice to listen or not. 

Verses and Fathers Sayings

You, O LORD, are our Father; Our
Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name.
(Isa. 63: 16)



Blessed is he, who forgot the talk
of the world by Your talk to him?
As by You, his needs are consummated!
....
You are his Sun and his daylight?
By Your light, he can see the hidden things!
You are the Father? His Father!
In him, You have given the Spirit of Your Son?
And this Spirit gave him the daring seek from
You everything? the way a son seeks from his father!
With You, he talks all the time?
As he knows other father but You.

(St. John Saba)

Coptic Papal Consecration (Snaps & Report)

Coptic Papal Consecration
(Snaps & Report)
18/11/2012 – Associated Press

The new pope of Egypt’s Orthodox Coptic church was enthroned on Sunday in an elaborate ceremony lasting nearly four hours, attended by the nation’s Muslim prime minister and a host of Cabinet ministers and politicians.

Pope Tawadros II, 60, was elected Nov. 4, but the official enthronement ceremony was held Sunday at the Coptic cathedral in Cairo. He replaced Shenouda III, who died in March after leading the ancient church for 40 years.

The packed cathedral repeatedly erupted into applause as the ceremony progressed. The ceremony’s climax came when the papal crown was placed on Tawadros’ head before he sat on the throne of St. Mark, the Coptic church’s founding saint. 

Tawadros did not address the televised ceremony, but had a brief speech read on his behalf by one of the church’s leaders in which he pledged to work for the good of Egypt, with its Muslims and Christians alike. 

Egypt’s Christians make up about 10 percent of the nation’s estimated 83 million people, making them the largest single Christian community in the Middle East. 

Christians have long complained of discrimination, particularly in the last four decades as the country’s Muslim majority moved toward religious conservatism. The rise to power of Islamists after the ouster nearly two years ago of authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak has deepened their concerns, amid increasing attacks targeting their churches and businesses.

http://theorthodoxchurch.info/blog/news/2012/11/coptic-papal-consecration-snaps-report/

Service of Enthronement of His Holiness the Pope of Alexandria

What to expect during the service of the Enthronement of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria:

One of the bishops will start the prayer according to the custom, the lections for the 17th of Hator are read until the Praxis (Acts) and the Synaxarium. 

Then the priests go out with their censers and the deacons carrying crosses to the Papal residence, where the metropolitans and the bishops are with the one chosen for the patriarchal throne, then the door of the cathedral is locked and the keys are given to one of the archdeacons to stand at the door, waiting for the new Pope when he comes in order to deliver the keys to him.

The Nomination then begins and is said: In the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit, the Holy undivided Trinity, One God, our God we the Orthodox Christians; in Whom we hope till the last breath and unto Whom we send up unto the highest the glory and the honor, forever.

We the metropolitans and the bishops and the priests and the deacons and all the Christ loving congregation of the cities of Alexandria and Cairo and all the region of Egypt, and the city of our God, Jerusalem, and all the countries of Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and Australia. When the calamity befell us and we became orphans, when the triple blessed Pope Shenouda III of thrice blessed memory departed us to the heavenly chambers; him who has received all the holy promises, and departed to God whom he loved, and heard from Him that voice full of joy saying unto him: “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Master.”

When we became orphaned and the holy Church of God became a widow; this which he had shepherded with his teachings, we entreated the Most High to guide us to whom would be worthy of the great arch-priesthood, that he may shepherd us in the way of the Lord, and guide us to the haven of salvation, so with gift from on high and the election of the Holy Spirit, We have all agreed with one heart and elected the God fearing Abba Tawadros, general bishop of Albehera.

From the monks of St. Pishoy monastery as Pope and Patriarch and Archbishop for the Apostolic See, the See of Saint Mark the Evangelist of Egypt, Nubia, Sudan, Pentapolis, and all the regions of the See in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and  Australia.We have elected him because he is God fearing, hospitable, adorned by knowledge and understanding, pure, diligent in publishing the evangelical percepts, well in governing, watchful in the preservation of the rites and the traditions of the Church.

We have crowned him as principal shepherd, Pope and Patriarch of the holy Church of God, to shepherd us in compassion and meekness.Therefore we have inscribed this nomination and signed it, giving thanks unto the Holy Trinity, the father, the Son and the holy spirit. Amen.

To follow along on Sunday download the PDF attachment that includes the whole service in arabic and english.
Source: www.stmaryscopticorthodox.ca


https://www.copticworld.org/articles/1426/

New Coptic pope chosen in elaborate ceremony

EGYPT'S ancient Coptic Christian church chose a new pope in an elaborate Sunday ceremony meant to invoke the will of God, in which a blindfolded boy drew the name of the next patriarch from a crystal chalice.

Bishop Tawadros, 59, an aide to the acting pope, was selected to become Pope Tawadros II, replacing the charismatic Pope Shenouda III who died earlier this year after 40 years at the helm of the church.

 

All three senior clerics whose names were in the chalice were considered consensus candidates who stayed out of disputes both within the church and with other groups. Tawadros will assume the papacy as Egypt's Christians, estimated to make up 10 percent of the country's 83 million people, fear for their future amid the rise of Islamists to power in the wake of the 2011 ouster of longtime authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak.

 

The death of Pope Shenouda III at age the of 88 this year heightened the sense of insecurity felt by many who had known him as patriarch for all or most of their lives.


At the televised ceremony held in the Coptic Cathedral in Cairo, acting Pope Pachomios laid the three names in clear balls inside a chalice before starting Mass. There was a moment of silence before the drawing by the blindfolded boy, an act believed to reflect God's will in the choice.

"We will pray that God will choose the good shepherd," Pachomios told the packed cathedral as he sealed the chalice with red wax before laying it on the altar during Mass.

The process of electing a new pope began weeks ago, when a committee from the church narrowed the list of potential candidates from 17 down to five monks and bishops. On Monday, about 2,400 clergymen and church notables drew up a short list of three that also included Bishop Raphael, 54, once an aide to the late Pope Shenouda, and Father Raphael Ava Mina, the oldest among them at 70, a monk in a monastery near Alexandria and a student of the pope who preceded Shenouda.

In addition to having stayed out of disputes with other groups, including Islamists, the bishops were chosen only from those without a diocese to avoid any risk of favouritism.

The papal election comes during a shift in Christian attitudes toward their relation to the state. For years, Christians largely relied on the church to secure protection for their rights, using Shenouda's close relationship with Mubarak.

But Shenouda had longstanding critics within the community who asked why a cleric should act as an intermediary between them and the state. Following the uprising and the pope's death, more Copts have been emboldened to act outside the church to independently demand rights, better representation and freedom of worship.

None of the candidates attended the ceremony, and are instead praying in their respective monasteries. The state's MENA news agency says church leaders will head to Tawadros's retreat in the monastery complex of Wadi Natrun northeast of Cairo to congratulate him.

Pope Tawadros II faces tremendous challenges as the country's transition to democracy is marred by a deep rift between increasingly politically powerful Islamist groups, from which the country's new president hails, and the liberal and secularist groups who were initially behind the revolt that ousted Mubarak last year.

At the center of the political squabbling in Egypt is the role of Islam in the country's new constitution, currently being drafted. The Christians, along with liberal and secularists, oppose demands by Islamists to increase the role of Islamic Shariah law.

Egypt's Coptic Christians have long complained of discrimination by the state and the country's Muslim majority. Clashes with Muslims have occasionally broken out, often sparked by church construction, land disputes or Muslim-Christian love affairs.

The prospects of a stronger role for Islamic law in legislation increase the community's concern of further marginalisation, or of curtailing of their rights of worship and expression.

Late Saturday, Pachomios said during a popular TV program on the private station al-Nahar that Christians have never held senior state posts or leading positions such as university deans in Egypt's modern history. He also insisted there will be no clause in the constitution allowing state monitoring of the church's finances, a demand often made by Islamists.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/new-coptic-pope-chosen-in-elaborate-ceremony/story-fnd134gw-1226510208292

7 - KNOW YOURSELF - By H.H. Pope Shenouda III

7 - KNOW YOURSELF    

By H.H. Pope Shenouda III 

The following is a collection of articles entitled, "The Release of the Spirit" written by HH Pope Shenouda III for the Sunday School Magazine from the year 1951 before starting his monastic life.  

These articles were published in the form of a book in the year 1957 including some of his poems which were published in the magazine as well.. 

It was his first published book and it gained the approval of many and was reprinted many times. 

7 - KNOW YOURSELF 

My Beloved Brother, Do You Want To Be Perfect? 

Do you want your soul to be released into a place where there are no bonds nor restrictions?  Then, first of all, you have to rid yourself of everything, of every desire, knowledge and feeling which the world may have implanted within you.

You have to first  deny yourself, and to stand before God as nothing.. know your real self.. Who are you?  Are you not a mere handful of the dust of the earth..? You are even less than the dust.. You are nothing.. There was time when you were not.. while the world existed.. without you.. Then God made you out of nothing'.  First He created the dust.. then He made you of the dust.  Why then do you exalt yourself Who are you to be exalted?  Lower your head in bashfulness and humility, for you are nothing.. Stand before God broken-hearted and humiliated in spirit and remember your origin..

Now, have you recognized that you are nothing? I tell you furthermore that you are less than nothing, for nothingness is non-existence.. and non existence is better than the sin committed by man because, "... every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Gen. 6:5) 

If you find something good in you, be certainly sure that it is not due to you, but to God because He alone is ultimately good, perfect and holy as the Lord says: "No one is good but One, that is, God." (Matt. 19:17) 

If you find something good in you, do not be puffed up and do not boast.  Do not fight yourself with self righteousness but attribute every glory to God.  It is His due not yours, for good is made by Him as He is the benevolent and creator of all good. He is even good itself, and goodness.. Without Him you are nothing, you can do nothing.  So, do not rob God's glory and ascribe it to yourself.  You may shine like the moon and your light increases till you become a full moon, but, in all this remember that the moon is a dark satellite which derives its light from the sun and has no light in itself.  If the sun disappears, the moon will not appear because it is dark by its nature.. Now, would the moon dare speak of its light before the sun!  It is the same with you, my beloved, in the presence of God. 

On the other hand, if you find something evil within you,  know that it is from you, because of the sin which was lying at the door having desire for you.. It was in your power to rule over it but you let it rule over you (Gen. 4:7) Nothing evil comes from God.  God's nature does not conform with evil as we see when He made everything with His holy spotless and undefiled hands, "God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good" (Gen. 1:31) 

Now, did you know yourself, my beloved brother?  Did you recognise that self-denial must be the rule that governs your relation with God? I do not mean that your self is something that is not worthily and so you ought to deny it out of humbleness!.. for we have seen that your self is nothing, ruin..  So, I do not like to use the words "be humbled" because a humble person is that who comes down from his place to a lower and less elevated position.  But a person of no worth like me and you, mere dust and nothingness, cannot be humbled because he actually has no position to refuse nor dignity to forsake.. He is not elevated so that he may be put down nor eminent that he may be humbled.  All that I mean by self-denial, my beloved brother is to know your self and thus you can realise that you have no worth whatever.. It is God who gives you, out of His loving kindness .If you love Him, some of His glory is given, a thing which you do not deserve but for His mercy, His humbleness and condescension.  

Let us contemplate on the beautiful verse which says: "God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world, and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are.. " (1 Cor. 1:27-29)      

What does this mean?  Does the kingdom of God fit only the foolish, the weak and the despised?  No, for God had chosen before some learned men such as Moses the Prophet, St. Paul the Apostle &  Arsanius.. He chose also some holy men who were philosophers like  Athenagoras,  Pentinus, and St. Augustine.  God chose some of the Valiant such as Samson and St. Moses the powerful; He chose also some dignified persons like David the King and the princes Maximus and Domadius..  

How Can Both Matters Come Together?

What is meant is not that God chooses only the foolish, the weak and the despised but perhaps that God-blessed be His name-chooses such persons who, though they attain great knowledge, power or honour, stand before Him as if ignorant, weak and despised.. 

Here is Moses, who was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, was not sent by God when he was  self-confident, depending on his human power.  But God called him only when he said, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?... I am not eloquent, neither before, nor since you have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech, and slow of tongue." (Ex. 3:11,4:10) 

St. Paul also who studied the law and was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, was not sent by God except when he could say, 'For it is written I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.  Where is the wise?  Where is the scribe?  Where is the disputer of this age? has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?... I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling and my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power."  (1 Cor. 1:19,2:3,4) 

St.  Arsanius was not made by God a father and a guide when he was teaching the princes Arcadius and Onorius in the palace of their father Theodosius the Emperor, but only when his soul was purified and could say, 'Arsanius the teacher of the Kings' sons, who studied the wisdom of the Greek and the Romans,' does not know the Alpha Veta (alphabet) which, an illiterate Egyptian knows' 

Do you think, my brother who worship God, that you will lay a foundation in the church with your knowledge and culture!  Oh you are poor!  Truly I say to you that if you are not freed from dependence on your own knowledge, you will not approach God.  God will not also bless your ministry because if you do succeed in your ministry, people will ascribe this success to what the world granted you of certificates and scientific degrees.. Thus God's glory would be robbed and given to the world.  

My dear learned brother, God is able in this twentieth century to go again to the lake and call an uneducated fisherman to be an apostle and evangelist and this person will teach people better than you do.  When God divided the Red Sea, He did not choose a rod of gold but just a plain rod which resembled millions of rods in the world. 

So, be aware not to think of yourself highly or boast because of a worldly or a religious knowledge, or because of your spiritual readings or past experience.. But in spite of your increased knowledge and deep spirituality, stand before God everyday feeling your ignorance and deficiency and feeling that you need Him to guide you, as a beginner even though you are old.  Stand before Him feeling that you urgently need Him to protect you against the weakest devils and against the sins and transgressions which you consider the simplest or the slightest..

Let this be your feeling, for I have seen many people who read and write about deep spiritual matters but fall in the sins of the beginners... I tell you this fearing that out of confidence of your spiritual knowledge and experience, you would depend on your human power (arm) while the Holy Bible says, "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength" (Jer. 1 7:5) 

Know, my beloved brother, that any spiritual or worldly knowledge that does not lead you to humiliation and to the feeling that you are ignorant, is a false deceitful knowledge.  It is a blow from the devil to make you turn from asking, requiring and knocking at the door... Feel then, my brother, that you are ignorant as the Holy Bible says, "If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise" (1 Cor. 3:18) 

Before God, the wise and the fool are equal because both are ignorant and both are subject to the same death, and the same breath of air blows upon both of them.. Before God, the weak and the strong are equal also because both are weak for no one has any power in the presence of God. 

Do you think, my friend, that you are powerful?

From where did you get this power?  It is not yours of course because you are dust and ashes, you are nothing and ruin.  This power is not also from another being other than God because He - blessed be His name - is alone the powerful and every power is derived from Him.  Is your power then from God?  If so, why do you boast and swagger?  Why do you use God's power in works not relating to Him?  So, he that glories, let him glory in the Lord because He - the highest in glory - is the source of every thing that deserves boasting.. 

But if you are powerful through God though weak by nature, then say along with the blessed St. Paul, "Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities... for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2 Cor. 12:9,10) 

A person who thinks of himself strong will not be called by God because God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.. So, be careful not to trust the power you claim to have because sin, ".. has cost down many wounded, and all who were slain by her are strong men". (Prov. 7:26)   Rather say with David the Righteous,  "Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled.  My soul also is greatly troubled" (Ps. 6:2)    Be sure then, my brother, that you are weak.. not because I told you so, but because it is a clear fact.  Did you not fall into sin today? 

Did you not sin yesterday and the days before?  Then, you are not strong.. you are weak and a model of weakness.. you will remain so until you confess that you are weak and hasten to abide in the Father and the Father in you. 

Let me whisper to you another piece of advice: Do not stay in your seclusion thinking yourself more powerful than the others and imagining great projects you would have carried out if only you had been given the authority or had been in the place of the others.. You are not so powerful, my brother.. These are only day dreams or perhaps vanity.. for you are in fact weak.. Perhaps if you had been in the place of those sinners whom you condemn, you would have sinned more than them and showed more weakness.  If you have conquered in the past or conquer now, it is due to God's presence with you not due to your power.  Keep with God then and know that God will not be pleased to be with you as long as you worship yourself instead of Him.

Only one must work: God or you.  If you believe that it is God who works and that you are nothing beside Him but you only stand to watch in wonder God's works, it is good that you believe so.. But if you think that it is you who works and that you have enough power to do this, be sure then, that whatever you do is in vain and you will fall and fail. 

This does not apply only to your ministry and outer activities but also to your inner spiritual life.  Again, if you think that it is you who strives to inherit the eternal life, you will fail.. and if you think that a certain sin has no more dominion over you, you will fall in the same sin even after some time and it will be a great fall... 

The right thing is to feel that you are weak, in a land which brings forth thorns and thistles; and that you are weak before every temptation and sin.  Say along with the psalmist, "If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us alive, when their wrath was kindled against us." (Ps. 124: 2,3)   Thus you will cry out to the Lord and see how He will fight on your behalf and conquer.  Then you will give glory to God not to yourself because the victory is His. 

Lastly, I feel that there is much more to be said concerning this subject, so my beloved brother, remember me, in your prayers till we meet again and continue our meditations if the Lord's grace wills that we remain alive till then. 

 The Release of The Spirit

 By H.H. Pope Shenouda III