Author: ramez

Apostles Fast

by Shery Abdelmalek

Why do we fast the Apostles’ Fast? Isn’t that only for Priests? I know you’ve heard that one before. But where did it come from and why do we so readily use that excuse when chances are we don’t even know its true purpose?

For many, this excuse is accepted because of the inconvenience of yet another fast of the Coptic Orthodox Church. The Apostles fast begins immediately after the Holy Fifty days and ends on July 12 – the Feast day of the apostles, St Peter and St Paul. This means it could either be as long as the Nativity fast (40+ days) or it could be a couple of weeks. The lack of preparation associated with a fast that varies in length from year to year makes it especially difficult, as focuses shift to, “how long this year?” as opposed to, “what can I learn this year?”

So back to our original question, why do we fast the Apostles Fast? The church fasts, my family and friends fast, therefore, I fast too. If that is your reasoning, then why fast at all? There is much greater meaning behind the Apostles fast and as it draws to a close, do not allow its value to go unnoticed for another year.

The Apostles Fast is one of the oldest fasts of the Coptic Orthodox Church and dates back to the fourth century, during the time of St Athanasius. It was officially named, the Fast of the Apostles during the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. The Canon of the Apostles written by St Clement of Rome states that,

“They continued to speak in the new tongues of the nations, in which they preached, and He told them what must be done by the congregations with regards to prayer, worship, and the laws, and they thanked God for this knowledge they received. They fasted for forty days, thanking God through it, and then Peter washed the feet of the disciples… then they departed to all the nations to call people to the faith.”

From this, we see that the disciples began fasting immediately after receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. In essence, the Apostles Fast is a fast of service. Although means of service differ greatly in modern times in comparison to the time of the Apostles, what remains constant is the need for a Saviour – the need for creation to become united with their Creator. Fasting was the means by which the early church became in tune with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. For every encounter, the Holy Spirit is within us and instructs us of what we should say and what we should speak. God gave us His Spirit so that we are never alone along the path of salvation and sanctification from this world. Moreover, through the Holy Spirit, we are to spread His light so that we take as many people as possible along the way with us. The early church responded to receiving the Holy Spirit by fasting. To us, who also freely received the gift of the Holy Spirit, should we not also be thankful and be united to those that preceded us through fasting? During the fast of the Apostles, we remember the Apostles and those that followed in their footsteps – those that were willing to lay down their lives for the sake of the Gospel. A truly worthy example of how we ought to dedicate our lives. Through fasting, we stand united as members of the body of Christ, each to their own unique role, striving for the edification of the church. When you fast, you not only achieve your own spiritual goals, but you aid your brothers and sisters through your communal spiritual struggles in Christ.

What can YOU achieve through the Apostles fast? This is an easy one. Our God never changes and so, all we need to do is look back to the Apostles and recognise that the same Holy Spirit that worked in them is present, willing and able to work wonders through you, too.

–  St Peter was a coward that denied his Saviour yet through the Holy Spirit, he became a man that spoke boldly with no fear of death (Acts 1:14)
– St Stephen gained the courage to imitate Christ’s love fully as he preached the faith even unto death, thus becoming the first martyr (Acts 6:8 – 7:60)
– St Paul went from a persecutor to a great preacher of the faith
– St Mark who turned back from St Paul and St Barnabas went on to become the heralding father of the faith in our very own country, Egypt, through the Holy Spirit.
– And the Holy Spirit that guided the entire early church to deny all possessions for the sake of their brethren in need (Acts 4:34).

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,

Nor have entered into the heart of man

The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.

But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.”

1 Cor. 2:9-10

Let us pray that God reveals Himself to us all through the blessings of the Apostles Fast.

Glory be to God forever, Amen.

 

Trusting in Him

Adapted from a sermon by Fr Jonathan Ishak

There are many temptations that plague youth, but the church provides a safe haven for their protection. Through life’s difficulties, why should we trust in God? The Lord specifically asked us to trust in Him. He is honest in this and promises that we will see miracles. The Lord told us: I am your shepherd, trust in me. I am your father, trust in me. I engraved you on the palms of my hands, trust in me. Be still and see the hand of the Lord. The Lord promised that His eyes are on us from the beginning of the year to its end.

If you go to a doctor or specialist and they refer you for an operation, you trust in the advice of your physician. How much more should we trust in the words of God. The Lord tells us that we are under His care all the days of our life. How much do we rely on this promise?

There are many stories in the Bible of people who trusted in the Lord and were never put down. Peter is a perfect hero when it comes to trusting in the Lord. Peter wanted to walk on water and when he set his eyes on God, he was able to walk over the water. As soon as he trusted himself, he fell, but the Lord grabbed his hand and said: “O you of little faith, why did you doubt.”

When the Lord asked Peter to bring him a donkey from the neighboring town, Peter trusted in God’s words, as the Lord said: If anyone asks you why you are taking it, tell them the master has need of it. It’s like going to a neighbor’s house and grabbing their car to use. Peter trusted in God although the situation was not easy.

Elijah trusted in God when the widow only had a small amount of flour and oil. This small amount of flour and oil lasted three and a half years. This is trust in the Lord.

We should trust in the Lord out of personal experience. We may have gone through an exam but trusting in the Lord gave us peace and success. We may have driven through a red light but the Lord protected us from upcoming traffic. Personal experience helps us trust in the Lord more.

Now how can I practice trusting in the Lord?

Remember a simple sentence: “The Lord is my shepherd.” To be a shepherd means to protect the sheep from other wild animals. To be a shepherd means to guide the sheep to plentiful food and water. David summarises how we should trust in the Lord through Psalm 23, for the Lord is my shepherd and he takes me through green pastures. It is the LORD who is my shepherd as He protects me from the traps of Satan. Without the Lord being my shepherd, I cannot do anything.

We conclude with a story. There was once a youth who finished university lectures very late at night. She had to walk through a deserted tunnel to get home. On her way home, she found a scary man standing in the tunnel. Immediately, she did the sign of the cross and she began to pray as she walked past the man. Thankfully, she arrived home safely. The next day, she was reading the morning herald and she found that there was a rape in the same tunnel, just a few minutes after she had walked through it. She immediately called the police station and described the man whom she had seen, just a few minutes before the rape incident. The police were able to track down the man. The young youth was able to question the scary man by saying: “I walked through the tunnel just a few minutes earlier, why did you not dare to touch me?” The man answered: “How can I have touched you. I saw two big men walking aside you through that tunnel.” Immediately, the young youth understood that trusting in God brings her protection. God never disappoints those who put their trust in Him.

Supporting and Serving the Needy

Engage with the following Bible passages:
2 Corinthians 8-9, 1 Timothy 6, Proverbs 11, Psalm 112, Luke 6.

Serving the needy is a common Christian virtue enacted by saints throughout the history of Christianity. But is it just an outward act and show of love to others, or does it go deeper than that?

Fr Tadros Malaty says, “Every giving, and every good virtue is a gift or grace from God. It is the grace of God that turns our life to become constructive and of benefit for the life of others.”

So the virtue of giving begins with our relationship with Christ, so that we can obtain His grace that transforms us, so that we can be a benefit to others. Christ Himself led the way, for “though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9). If we do likewise as Christ did – humble ourselves before God and empty ourself before Him, then when we serve God’s children, and give wholeheartedly, we will indeed make others rich and our service will truly benefit them.

Our giving does not always necessarily need to be monetary, as long as it is honest and we do it with joy in our heart. “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor 9:7) We don’t give with the sole objective to reap God’s reward, we give because God has filled our hearts with love, and His grace compels us to serve.

Serve with our money. Serve with our time. Put away our pride, and serve those who have no one to serve them. God’s heart is moved when He sees us giving out of our poverty.  His heart is moved if we are short of time, and we give our time to serve God’s children. If we are strapped for cash, yet we donate money to those in need of it. And in doing so “The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in draught, and strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail” (Isaiah 58:11)

The world familiarises us with phrases such as “I cannot afford it” – can we say to God that we cannot afford the time, the money or anything else? For anything that we have, we have because God has given it to us. It is important to remember the Proverb 11:24 “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.” God promises us, that in giving, we increase what we reap in return for “He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”

Be assured, God never leaves us wanting or needing anything, when we give with our hearts. God truly does love a cheerful giver. Liberality in giving provides an abundance of inner joy; By giving from what he has, man opens up his heart to receive generous gifts from heaven.

Lets earnestly pray to obtain God’s grace, so that He can open our hearts to give abundantly to others. For certainly by serving His children and putting ourselves, our comfort and our needs last, we will move the heart of the Lord and build treasures for ourselves in heaven.

St Paul Defending his Apostleship and Service

This blog engages with the following Bible passages, refer to them before or alongside reading to benefit the most.
2 Corinthians 10-13, John 15, Galatians 1, 3

In these chapters, St Paul responds to those that are critical of him, defending his apostleship and spiritual authority. St Paul was accused of being very gentle and humble in dealing with his people when present in their midst; whereas in his epistles he was very firm and bold. The common theme in St Paul’s response to his accusers refers back to his spiritual responsibility; that the war he is fighting is not of the world, and therefore his authority is also not of the world. For he says: “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” (Cor 10:4)

Fr Tadros Malaty explains that the apostle Paul often uses the analogy to ‘war’ or ‘battle’ as far as the ministry of salvation is concerned. Therefore, consider the seriousness by which St Paul views his service. Preaching the Gospel of God is an immense responsibility, and so when he uses strong language to defend the Truth, he does not have personal animosity to any person or group of people, but he is doing it for the edification of the Kingdom of God, and drawing people to the Truth, that is Christ.

The apostle, as a leader of the salvation army, is always ready to confront, by the weapons of God, the opponents of the truth. St Paul never appeared to shy away, in fact it was the opposite, he exercised the authority he received from God to the point where people criticized him. However his authority was without boasting. St John Chrysostom makes an important distinction – the false prophets at the time, measured authority on human standards, causing envy, jealousy and pride, whereas St Paul did not classify himself according to comparison with men, but seeks to reach the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Ephesus 4: 13).

There is an important lesson here for us. Sometimes we can confuse spiritual authority with pride. We all have a vital responsibility to stand up for the Truth. There is a lot going on in the world today that is against the Truth, and against fundamental Christian values. By standing up for the Truth, unwavering and vocal, we are fighting the same spiritual war St Paul speaks of facing himself. When we have the Holy Spirit working in us, our authority and confidence will come from God, and so when we stand up for what is right, we’re not doing it for personal gain, but we do it to bring people to the knowledge of Christ.

Let’s learn from St Paul, as was truly a humble man, yet not to the extent to disregard the proclamation of the truth concerning himself.

St Paul goes on to discuss that the spiritual war he is fighting, has also been accompanied by suffering. St John Chrysostom explains that, his immense zeal kept him from feeling the pains accompanying his life in virtue; and had no ulterior hidden motives behind seeking it. We may fail to endure sufferings for the sake of virtue, even if we are shown the reward beforehand; But Paul embraced the sufferings free and with love, and endured with joy all the difficulties and obstacles along the way to virtue. He never complained because of the weakness of the body, the pressures of responsibility, the heavy hand of popular customs, or anything else.

Therefore, let us also expect our own suffering, discomfort or humiliation when we stand up for the Truth. However, instead of this being a deterrent, let it motivate us to suffer willingly for the sake of Christ, for “he who endures to the end shall be saved.”

Finally let’s end this contemplation with the verse: “Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you.” Proof of St Paul’s authority is not through punishment or any kind of aggressiveness, in the contrary, his perseverance with those whom he’s serving is out of love and long suffering. Fr Tadros Malaty contemplates that if they “seek proof of his apostolic authority in Jesus Christ, it will be their own transformation to faith in Jesus Christ; a strong proof that Christ speaks through him, and that His power has worked in them — not a weak but a mighty power.”

Contemplation on the Kingdom

by Michael Henain

            Who is King over my life? Who is sovereign and lord over my heart? Day in and day out I call on you, O Lord, in prayer and say: “For Thine is the Kingdom…”. Am I doing it with submission and true acknowledgment of Your sovereignty, O Lord, or is Your crown over my heart a great sham and insult to Your majesty?

Holy Week is the perfect time for contemplating Christ’s Kingdom. There are so many allusions to the Kingdom in our prayers during that week. As we begin the week at the entrance of Jerusalem, crying out “Hosanna, the coming King of Israel” – we’re truly filled with this inexplicable joy at His majestic entry into Jerusalem. Few of us realize that the praises and glorifications we make are so detached from the reality of that fateful week when GOD, in all His inexplicable glory, majesty, honour, and dominion, died on a Cross. As we gaze upon the Suffering Christ, we cry out in unison “Thine is the power, the glory, the majesty…” – where is this majesty? Where is the power and glory that we are speaking of?

Despite the kingly welcome the Jewish people at the time of Christ gave Him on his entrance to their city, no living person in Christ’s day would have seen any kind of majesty or glory in the events that followed His entrance to Jerusalem. Where is the glory, the power and majesty in Him being arrested like a thief in the night, dragged between courts, spat on, beaten, humiliated? Where is the glory and majesty in standing next to Barabas the murderer and being rejected by the crowd and condemned to capital punishment? Where is the power in being condemned to death by Pontius Pilate and being lead as a lamb to the slaughter? Yet today we praise and glorify Him with the same words: “Thine is the Majesty”, as the guards strip Him of His clothes and mock Him with their scarlet robe and a crown of thorns. “Thine is the Glory” as He’s lashed to the point of peeling flesh and made to carry the instrument of his own execution to Golgotha, “Thine is the Power” as He’s nailed to a cross, unable to maintain the simple act of breathing as His inability to draw air into his fluid-filled lungs gets weaker with every breath. If there ever was a total and complete display of everything opposite to glory, majesty and power, it was in Christ’s passion and crucifixion. The people looking on Him saw only lowliness, humiliation and weakness.

Yet, it is not in vain in the least bit that we pray “Thine is the Power, the Glory, the Majesty”. We glorify Him because of His great love for us that He would accept all of those sufferings to save us from the slavery of sin and death. We praise His power and majesty because despite the weakness that their earthly eyes saw, they could not see the unutterable, inexplicable, incomprehensible magnitude of power of their Creator King who governed and sustained the world, and held their lives in perfect order. As they killed Him, He was giving them life. As they thrust Him into the abyss, He was on His way to open the doors of Paradise for them.

Why could they not see Him as King and recognize His eternal heavenly Kingdom? When Christ was coming into Jerusalem, their greatest desire was for an earthly king, their cries went from “Blessed is the coming King of Israel” to “Crucify Him!” because they did not want the type of King that Christ was. They wanted a king with earthly authority. The deepest desire of their hearts was liberation from their Roman occupiers and peace and happiness on earth. Their desire was not for a Prince of Peace, but for a prince of war, vengeance, blood – at the front of his armies, adorned with every earthly beauty be it gold, silver or precious stones. They could not see past the desires of their own heart and see in Christ’s Kingdom the offer of eternal joy, peace and victory over sin and death.

This draws such a stark resemblance to the people of Israel in Samuel’s days. Before King Saul, the Israelites were governed by God directly through His judges and prophets, and as Samuel grew old, they demanded an earthly king like the other nations around them. When Samuel brought their petition to God, the Lord answered Him saying: ““Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.” (1 Samuel 8:7) However, God in His infinite goodness told Samuel to warn them of what replacing God as King with an earthly king would look like. And Samuel told the Israelites that the earthly king they desired would not be like God. Their new earthly king would take their sons and put them as soldiers in his own army to be killed at his pleasure, when their Heavenly King was planning on dying for their sake. The earthly king would take and rob them of everything they possessed, while their Heavenly King was continually giving them from His abundant goodness and love without asking for anything in return. And lastly Samuel said to them: And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day.” (1 Samuel 8:18) But they, in their shortsightedness and ingratitude to God their Saviour, they answered Samuel saying: “No, but we will have a king over us, ²⁰ that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

Both times they wanted a king to fit their ambitions and desires, in the image that they created in their hearts. Both times they rejected the Heavenly King in want of an earthly one. And how can we point the finger at them and blame them when we follow in their footsteps. Despite our constant repetition of the words of the Lord’s Prayer in saying “Thine is the Kingdom”, we reject God’s sovereignty for the exact same reasons that the people of Christ’s time rejected it. We want a king that will do as we please right now. We want earthly and material things and a king that can deliver those things to us. The deepest desires of our hearts are all so occupied with the material world we live in, that just as the Isrealites wanted an earthly king so they may be like all the nations, we reject what God’s Kingdom offers us because we want what people of this worldly kingdom have – be it money, status, fame, pleasure or comfort. We say “Thy will be done” with no intention of surrendering our will to Him, and with every intention of snatching the crown of our hearts, wearing it on our heads, and ruling supreme in our own lives.

Yes, Lord – you are King over my life – but not when it comes to my career aspirations.

Yes, Lord, Yours is the glory and the power, but please stay away from my relationships because I still want authority to do as I please.

Of course, Lord, you rule my life – Sunday is Yours and I will be at Church in the earliest hour and do all my services and duties afterwards – but the rest of the week is mine, to do as I please, and to dedicate my time, my effort, my work to my kingdom of property, earthly wealth and career success and not to Your Kingdom.

C.S. Lewis brilliantly puts it like this: “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, “Thy will be done,” and those to whom God says, in the end, “Thy will be done.”

How to Not Spiritually Wither Away in the Holy 50

By: Bishoy Sharobim

It is written in the life of an enigmatic miracle-working Russian monk who lived in the time of Soviet Russia: “Once on Easter night the guards ordered Fr. Leonty to renounce God. He declined. Then they tied him to a rope and head first dipped him into a toilet bowl…

After a while they took him back out again and yelled ‘Do you renounce Him now?’ and his answer was ‘Christ is Arisen!’. They dipped him into the bowl again, took him back out, but he repeated– ‘Christ is arisen, people!’ They tortured him, yet they couldn’t make the father renounce God”.

I believe this story contains an important message for us in the holy 50.

Some may wonder what are we supposed to do in these times? How are we supposed to stay spiritual without fasting, without that struggling atmosphere the Lent provided us? In passion week, we passionately shout our “thok te ti goms”, we attend church services for hours on end and we fast the hardest we possibly can for the year. But then Holy 50 comes, and now what do we do?

Well, whatever it is, let me tell you that I am certain the holy 50 is not an opportunity to become lax. Maybe in your case that means you have not prayed from the agpia since Passion week. Or maybe you might be like my friend who on the first Friday following Easter, confessed to me that he hadn’t read his bible since.

What I believe we can learn from the life of Fr Leonty is that we must continue to struggle spiritually in this holy 50 period and give no place to the devil of laziness.  We must imitate his faithfulness to Christ and his readiness to suffer and struggle for Him, regardless of the time and circumstances. We must keep in mind that although the church does not require that its faithful fast this period, she certainly did not offer this period as one of sinful spiritual sloth.

3 Tips to Stay Spiritual

To help encourage your continued spiritual struggle in this period, I offer here 3 tips…

• Maintain your prayer rule: keep praying daily using the agpia. Never stop struggling in prayer. On the day you fail to pray sufficiently, consider yourself to have been dead.

• Listen to the resurrection hymns:the Coptic church’s most joyous hymns are undoubtedly heard in the Holy 50. If this period goes by and you don’t listen daily to these treasurable hymns, you will seriously experience a huge loss.
• Read the lives of the saints: this is one of the greatest sources of joy in the spiritual life. Who can possibly read the lives of these wonderful human beings and not be lifted up on high with exalted spiritual joyous feelings?  The saints are those who undoubtedly experienced the power of the resurrection. As Fr Vasile Tudora said, “…the saints … did not limit themselves to be observers, to be spectators, to watch the “show” of Resurrection; they decided to play an active role in it.”  The links to the saints’ lives in this post and your church bookshop are a good place to start.

So during this period, when you are in the toilet recall the sufferings of this holy confessor who never shirked from his spiritual duties and was never found faithless to the Lord Christ. Remember also the great St Seraphim of Sarov, who through his unceasing spiritual struggle, was able to greet everyone with the resurrection joy using the words “My joy, my joy. Christ is risen”.

Never forget how blessed we are to be born Orthodox. Ekhristos Anesti!

Discussion: What do you do to benefit from the Holy 50?

 

Drawing Closer to God

By: Anthony Zaccariotto

Someone once asked me in church how they can draw closer to God, to be a better follower and introduce Christ more into their life. I get a lot of questions from boys and girls on how they can draw closer to God. Often times we experience ups and downs in our spiritual life that can be related to the effort and time we ourselves are putting in. It is important not to let this get you down, as it is more common than you think. With all the things going on in the world that we live in, it is very easy to get distracted by life. A good start would be to take a closer look at the events and activities that make up your life.

There are a lot of things I could write here but I am going to try make it as brief as possible. I would like the reader to really take a look at the events and activities that make up their life and the amount of time they are really spending with God. Many people don’t realise this but everything we do in life, every thought, word and action at every moment is causing a corresponding effect. I’m sure you have read the phrase ‘as ye sow so shall ye reap (Galatians 6:7).’ If you are not reaping much in your spiritual life, you need to take a closer look at what is being sown.

I have been a member of the church for well over a year now and I can recall countless times the church fathers have said ‘we need to make time for the Lord.’ Sorry guys this is the plain and simple truth. Let’s take a look at our day for example, the average person will wake up at the narrowest window of time before work/school, have a quick shower, get dressed and arrive at their destination. The moment this class/work day is finished this person is then going to either go straight to the fridge for their post work day/school snacks and then turn on the escape box (T.V) or flip through Facebook. Sure enough the time has passed and then we need to get our good night sleep and then repeat this the next day over and over again. Can anybody notice the problem here?

Let’s say I had a goal in mind where I wanted to lose 10 kilos in 2 months. Surely in order to accomplish this task we would have to make some adjustments in our schedule, routine and eating habits. We would now need to make room for exercise and a better diet, otherwise we are not going to get very far. The same thing applies to our spiritual life. A wise man once said that ‘simple disciplines repeated over time will bring success, while simple mistakes repeated over time will create failure.’ This applies to everything. We need to always remember that everything we listen to, watch on T.V, set our eyes on and bring into our lives are pouring massive ingredients into our minds and the fabric of our lives are built from these ingredients.

Sin is the number one separator from God. If there is something in your life that is causing you to slip or stumble whether it be hatred, anger, jealousy, resentment, lust, pornography, heavy music and inappropriate films, you need to cut if off as soon as possible. If you have something in your life you feel guilty about or someone you feel you have wronged, fix it now! There is no easy way to say this. Jesus put it very clearly when he said ‘if your right hand or right eye causes you to sin cast it away from you’ (Matthew 5:29,30). This can apply in many different aspects. These particular barriers will also have a profound effect on our prayers. If there is someone in your life you can’t forgive or someone you may have hatred, anger or jealousy towards, this is going to cause a big stumbling block in your prayers and spiritual life. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18) . “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:² But your iniquities have separated you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you.” (Isaiah 59:1,2)

Whenever I read a book or am looking for good advice I always like to have an example along with it. Now what I am suggesting is not going to be very easy but I need everyone to give it a try. Someone once told me it takes 21 days for a new habit to form. We all need to start forming better habits and a good way to do this is to write down a checklist. A person is ten times more likely to get something done if it is written down. A good example is the Bible itself, which God has preserved to help us remember.

Start your day and hour earlier with giving thanks to God for allowing you another day on this beautiful and astonishing planet earth. Give thanks for the opportunity to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love. Give thanks to this miracle of life we have been granted and the opportunity to have a relationship with our Creator. Next you may want to say a prayer for your loved ones, your family, your friends. Maybe there are things in your life you may want God to help you with or guide you through, talk to Him about these things! God loves to hear from you; you are His. You need to make time for spiritual reading. Your Bible is not going to benefit you if it is getting dust on your bookshelf. There is a positive to every situation, if you find yourself reading the bible for 30 minutes and you didn’t understand a single thing, look at it this way at least you weren’t sinning for 30 minutes! Set aside 30 mins – 1 hour a day getting into the word of God. If you will introduce these little elements into your life consistently, along with eliminating all the previous barriers I have spoken about, you will be astonished at the changes you will see. Jesus confirmed this in the parable of the sower; Let the seed fall on good ground and bear fruit with patience! (Luke 8:5-15) Key word here is patience! With all the instant gratification in the world today and everyone used to getting what they want with the click of a button, this is making it very difficult for us.

This all has to start somewhere guys, let it begin with us. Remember, we always get what we put in; cause and effect. Whatsoever a man soweth that he shall also reap (Galatians 6:7). Plain and simple truth, if we are not putting in, we are not going to get out. If we are not sowing much, then we are not going to reap much. You need to make time for God. If you will consciously go about this task outlined, you will be amazed at the changes you will see. At first it may seem hard, especially if you have grown so used to the routine and habits you have already formed. JUST DO IT! Make time for God! Let him into your heart and allow yourselves to be filled with His presence. The joy that will come out of this, will be immense and you won’t look back.

The Feast of St Mark the Apostle

On Monday, 8^th May 2017, the Church will celebrate the Feast of its founder and Father, St. Mark the Apostle.  John Mark was a native of the North African country of Libya.  He was one of the 70 Apostles (Luke 1:10) and travelled with St. Paul and his cousin St. Barnabas to Antioch.  He then returned to Jerusalem and later accompanied his cousin to Cyprus.

We are immensely indebted to the great Apostle and Evangelist St. Mark for the following reasons:

1.       St. Mark – Author of the Gospel

The first and shortest Gospel was written by St. Mark between 55-60AD.  The message of St. Mark Gospel is captured in a single verse, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).  Chapter by chapter the Gospel unfolds the dual focus of Christ’s life: service and sacrifice.
St. Mark portrays Christ as a Servant on the move, preaching, teaching and healing; moving towards the goal of offering Himself a sacrifice for all mankind.  Directed towards the Romans, the Gospel of St. Mark omits the Aramaic words and uses Latin terms in their place (Mark 4:21; 6:27 and 15:15).

2.       St. Mark – Founder of the Church of Alexandria

Filled with the Holy Spirit and enthusiasm St. Mark headed to his Alexandria in approximately 45AD, where he founded the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Mother Church of Africa.  As his sandal broke and he went to a cobbler to have it mended.  He met Anianus, who accidently pierced his hands crying, “O Theos” (O the One God).  St. Mark rejoiced at his utterance and healed his wounds.  Subsequently St. Mark baptized him and ordained him Bishop and thereafter he became the 2^nd Patriarch of Alexandria (68 AD to 83 AD).

The seeds sown by St. Mark flourished and within 20 years the flock increased and Christianity spread rapidly across Egypt.  The Church of Alexandria gave the world the greatest gift, Monasticism in the persons of St. Anthony, St. Paul, St. Shenouda, St. Pakhomious, St. Macarious who transformed the dryness of the Desert into a living paradise.  It has also produced distinguished theologians such as St. Athanasius (259-373), St. Cyril (376-444), St. Peter Seal of Martyrs, Origan, Panteaus and Pope Shenouda III.

3.       St. Mark – Writer of the Liturgy

St. Mark wrote the first liturgy which is used by the Church to this day.  This liturgy is distinctive in that it has several Litanies inserted within.  For the first 400 years of the Church it was the only liturgy used, well before the Church began using the liturgy of St. Bassilious or St. Gregory.  St. Cyril I (the Pillar of Faith, 24^th Patriarch of Alexandria) modified it and thereafter it earned his name.  When St. Athanasius, 20^th Pope of Alexandria ordained Abba Fromentius as the first Ethiopian Patriarch, he gave him a copy of the liturgy.

4.       St. Mark – Established School of Alexandria

In order to combat the secular institutions in Alexandria, St. Mark established the first Theological College in the world, the School of Alexandria.  St. Mark appointed Justus as its Dean (later Justus became the 6^th Patriarch of Alexandria).  Among them include Patriarch Clement, Origen, Didymus the Blind and Dionysious.  As the fame of this School was so great, Emperor Theodosious issued a decree stating that whoever ran away from it would be considered a pagan.  Most of the eminent Church leaders were either Deans, teachers or students of the School of Alexandria.  In it the first Curriculum of Christian Theology was formed and the allegorical method of Biblical exegesis was devised.

5.       St. Mark – A Martyr for Christ

St. Mark laboured greatly and suffered for Christ and His Church.  In May 68 AD, St. Mark was seized and dragged with a rope around his neck in the streets then incarcerated for the night.  That night the Lord Christ appeared to him and said, “Peace be with you My beloved Mark”.  This strengthened St. Mark greatly.  Thereafter he earned the title The Beholder of the Lord.  The following morning, the same ordeal was repeated until he died a martyr for the sake of God whom he had so faithfully served from a young age.

The Spirit of Martyrdom permeated the entire Church, producing innumerable martyrs and confessors and thereafter deciding to commence its calendar with the era of the martyrs, calling it in the Year of the Martyrs.

6.       St. Mark – A Blessed House

St. Mark’s house received considerable heavenly blessings.  Christ the Lord instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist (Matthew 26) there Christ ordained the Apostles in the Upper Room (John 20:21-23), the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles whilst they were with one accord (Acts 2:1-10).

The home of St. Mark became the first Church in the world where St. Peter, after being released from jail, went where members of the Church were praying together (Acts 2:12).

The life, works, mission and achievements of St. Mark is a tremendous inspiration for us to serve Christ and labour for His children and Church.

St. Paul attests to St. Mark’s distinguished ministry saying, “Bring Mark to me, he is useful in the ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11).

Please remember us in your prayers.
In Christ,
St George Church

Kensington, Sydney 

I Rescued The Fatherless

by: Virgin Mary Youth

“I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you…” John 14:18

“I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist them.” – Job 29:12

There are a couple of areas in the Holy Bible where our Lord Jesus Christ mentions widows and orphans, and how He has a special place in His heart for them and our duty to care for them also.

When you’re reading the Holy Bible sometimes you come across a verse which pulls on the heart strings depending on your mood and what you’re currently going through. These types of verses always hit home for me having had someone close to me pass away when I was younger.

I guess what hurt and bothered me the most was that God took away one of the closest people to me.

“Why would God do that? Does He really love me?”

Questions like this always lurked in my mind which created a barrier between myself and God.

However, I learnt something really valuable – When God takes something away, He also gives you something greater.

 It always reminds me of those superheroes like Daredevil where Matt Murdock is blind but he has this super-hearing, which can basically paint a picture of his surroundings in his mind.

For me, it was that I lost a loved one, but for someone else it could be a relationship that went downhill, a job that fell through, or never getting into a particular degree. It’s hard! It’s always hard! But the fact that we have a loving God that we can talk to, and sometimes even get frustrated with, is something that’s so comforting.

“From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2

This is one of my favourite psalms because it’s so comforting! King David always knows what to say! That rock that is “higher than I” is God. He’s the one we should be relying on. But sometimes when we are in the middle of our troubles, He’s the last person we want to talk to. Despite this, because of God’s great love, He gradually and subtly appears in the picture so that we can come to our senses and speak to Him.

I only got off the pity train when I told Him how I felt; when I was honest with Him. Only at that point did things change. My whole mindset changed when I told Him what was going on with me and why I was upset. It’s so cliché but from then onward it felt like a heavy weight was lifted off my shoulders.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

God allowed my dad to pass away but He gave me a priest who became an earthly father. He gave me a mother who He knew would be the best mother and father. He gave me friends who would always be there for me. He gave me a church that I could always go to for a moment of silence and serenity. Most importantly, He gave me Himself so that I would have the best Heavenly Father

We always worry about the future to the point where we don’t enjoy the present. Just enjoy the now and let God sort out tomorrow.

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34

I learnt so much from that stage in my life but the three things that stood out to me the most were:

1. To turn all my worries, burdens and frustrations into prayers to Him
2. Just live in the moment and forget about all the worries of the futur
3. God will never leave us when we are going through something tough, no matter how alone and helpless we may feel.