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Coming to America

Coming to America

By Grace Attawa

Originally found at Phoebe Farag Mikhail’s blog Being in Community (June 18, 2020)

I was born in Kenya, and my names are Grace Wairimu Njoroge. When I got married, I was so quick to drop my two names and add Attwa. You know why? While in the US the issue is race, in Kenya itis all about tribes. Anyone can tell what tribe you are from and judge you based on your last name.

Today when I introduce myself to new people in Kenya, if I don’t speak my mother tongue, they are usually left wondering where I am from. I saw what tribalism did to my family and a lot of innocent people back home and I hated it. It always got worse during election time when neighbors became enemies, and families broke and divided! When I changed my name to Attwa, I loved being incognito. I loved when I met people and related with them as Grace, a Kenyan not tied to a tribe, because tribe is an issue that continues to divide people.

I became Orthodox when I was 12 years old. What attracted me to the Coptic Orthodox Church was LOVE. I felt accepted, loved and cared for. I had no tribe or social status in the church, we had the liturgy in English and we were all united in Christ. The church was predominantly Kenyan, because those were the majority except for the few Egyptian missionaries that lived in the compound. I was a church member loved so much by Abouna (Father) Moses who is Egyptian. He did not see us as any different than him, we were all lovable and he saw us with the love of Christ. We thrived in this love. That is all what we knew even when it was tough love! We all have stories about the tough love, but the love outweighed them and when we look back, all we remember is we are where we are today because he allowed Christ to use him to LOVE us and show us how to LOVE.

During my time in the church in Kenya, I met a lot of missionaries (a lot young people and some older folks who came during summer or winter breaks to serve God in Kenya) and they taught me the meaning of love. I could not comprehend the fact that they traveled so far to come and share their love. During their visits, they were dressing like us, eating with us, singing with us, praying with us and more importantly just sharing the love of Christ with us! I imagined the churches in America to be one big loving community because the worldview I had of the Coptic Church abroad had been shaped by my interactions with these missionaries.

But today, after being in the US for four years I wonder. Where is the love? Where are the Copts who were so amazed that there was a church full of black people and they were all Coptic? Where is the love of the parents who sent them to extend the love and compassion? Where is the compassion and care for the African American communities that look like me? No one has targeted me specifically with hateful words, and I have always personally felt loved within the Coptic Orthodox community.

But sadly, I see some of them young or old, busy hating and writing a lot of hate spewing messages against fellow brothers these days. When I get upset, some tell me I should not be upset, because I am Kenyan, not African American.

Sorry, you are wrong. I am them, I am them. My kids are them. You should be them too, especially because we all come from an oppressed background as Coptic Christians and we therefore ought to be more compassionate.

My heart aches for the silence. My heart aches for the lack of empathy. Many of you would never know what it means to have a real fear for your growing son. I have to teach my son about hate when I’ve always shielded him with love… his innocent mind has to be corrupted with warnings about the difference between an African Americans, and others in this country. It pains my heart when he looks at me and doesn’t get it. He shouldn’t get it! He should only know love and acceptance. I have to warn him about police brutality and how as a young African American his mistakes will not be looked at the same as that of other Caucasians or immigrants with a color privilege.

I have been praying and hurting but more so, for the ignorance I see from many people. For my friends who do not get it. And they may never get it. I am worried about the future of our children in the church.

As I educate my son on matters of racism, I pray that every household in the Coptic community does the same with their children because I would hate for the cycle to continue. But remember the best book for the child to read is our behavior.

We need to pray for our brothers, we need to empathize and take a moment and try fit in their shoes or at least tie our shoes and walk beside them.

What is happening in America today is sad. I have never read so many hateful comments on social media by Christians. We have forgotten who we are and whom we represent.

We are Christians. When we write hateful comments on social media we are falsely representing Christ to others. When we think hateful comments in our hearts we are harboring hatred towards our own brothers and sisters.

My eyes are foggy as I strive to find that love, and light amid so much hate and darkness: a people so divided that they are not letting their heart feel, feel for a grown man groaning and crying for his mama.

Yet on these same days I also found hope in these words from the Pauline Epistle on the Feast of the Pentecost: “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body–whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free–and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?

… But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (I Corinthians 12:12-26).

I am suffering. So are you.

(c) Phoebe Farag Mikhail. Being in Community. Coming to America by Grace Attawa (June 18, 2020). Original post – https://beingincommunity.com/coming-to-america/

The Silent Spiritual Killer

The Silent Spiritual Killer

Adapted from a sermon by Dr Adel Magdy

Passage Luke 7:28-35

In our lives, there are some sins that are very obvious. You fall into sin, and the manifestation is there immediately; murder, adultery, theft – the consequences are visible and immediate. We know instantly that we have sinned.

There are other sins in our lives that aren’t as obvious. They subtly creep into our lives, and eventually destroy us. These are the sins that are particularly dangerous because there are no warning signs.

In the field of medicine, there are some diseases that are known as, “silent killers,” for this very reason. They do not display symptoms until it is too late and the disease has completely ravaged the body.

The same applies to silent spiritual killers. They creep in slowly until its too late, because there are no pre-symptoms. The silent spiritual killer that we will focus on is the sin of judging others negatively and finding faults of others. This eventually consumes all our thoughts and feelings until we are drowning in sin.

The Lord highlights an upsetting passage and describes the Pharisees as such. They constantly degrade and judge those around them. Christ says,

‘We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you did not weep. For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
Luke 7:32-34

No matter the circumstance, the Pharisees found a way to be judgemental. In the happy times, they were not happy. In sad times, they were not sad. When they saw someone fasting, praying, living a righteous life, instead of thinking thoughts of praise, they criticised and accused John the Baptist of being demon-possessed. When the Lord wanted to show them that He was One of us, immediately they criticised Him for being a Friend of drunkards and sinners.

This is a problem in all our lives, to some degree. Having a negative attitude, even silently in our hearts, can lead to our destruction.

I can typically tell when it is time for me to confess when I find myself critical toward others, or I look toward a situation and judge. Instantly, this is a reminder to confess and start fresh. The Lord lifts the scales from my eyes and I am renewed to an attitude that can make excuses for others.

If you consider someone in your life that is always negative and critical, it is exhausting to be around them. You can never please them. On a nice sunny day, they will complain of the heat. The next day is cold, and they complain that it’s too cold to even go outside. In the process of being critical, they destroy themselves spiritually.

The Lord is calling us to start fresh, and to look to others in a new light. To stop being critical and start trying to look through the eyes of the Lord. Today we can all promise the Lord to give the benefit of the doubt to those around us. When someone does something that I perceive as wrong, I make excuses for them. I stop judging them in my heart. Instead of being like the critical Pharisees, today I’ll start fresh. I’ll stop judging them.

When we look through the eyes of the Lord and we take away the hardness of our heart, we can no longer be critical of others. When we see people in the gentleness of the Lord, we grow in compassion for those around us.

How many times in the gospel did the Lord see a sinner? How many times did He condemn a sinner? Almost never. How many times did the Lord see the sinner and make an excuse, and not only that, but praise the goodness within them? He would take the one good thing and make them feel like they were the most special person on earth.

This is the message that we can take. That it is not our place to be critical of others, to be critical of the hierarchy, to be critical of my brothers and sisters. It is my place to be like Christ. To look at people with the same gentle and compassionate eyes of the Lord. To remember that when the Lord looks at my sins He doesn’t criticise me, so when I look at others I shouldn’t criticise them.

In Luke 5 we read the miracles of the leper who fell on his face before the Lord and implored Him saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” This is a beautiful expression, that shows a multitude of virtues in the leper. He comes to the Lord and complete humility and acknowledgement of His power. There is something more subtle that we see, and that is, the Lord makes a point of touching the leper.

There are so many instances that the Lord heals with His words alone. There was no reason why the Lord needed to touch to heal. To understand the significance of the touch, we need to understand what it meant to be a leper. Leprosy, in those times, meant death. As the leprosy rotted the body, the smell became tremendous and meant that their social network was taken away. A leper was deemed unclean and could no associate with their own family. They had to live your life away from people, they had to wear a bell so people knew they were coming and could move out of their way. More still, they had to yell, “unclean” so people would run in the opposite direction.

In the midst of this, he cries out to the Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean. The Lord would be expected to run away from the leprous man. For the very first, someone has taken a step toward him, instead of away from him. Instead of people throwing things in his direction, someone has drawn near to touch him, despite his leprosy.

This was a touch of, “I do not judge you, I do not criticise you, I love you.”

Instead of looking at people and seeing them as bad people, people that you’d rather run in the opposite direction of, I can make excuses from them. For the one that gives me a hard time, I promise that I will pray for them, instead of attempting revenge. I will show them love when I see them, even if it hurts. And I do this, for the sake of the Lord, because it is what I know He would do.

Abomination of Desolation

Adapted from a sermon by Fr Daniel Fanous

Passage: Matthew 24:3-35

The gospel this week is quite similar to the gospel from last week. That’s because the church takes a number of weeks for preparation. The church recognises that it takes a while for messages to enter into hearts. So in these weeks leading up to the feast of the New Year in the Orthodox Church on September 12, the Church reminds us that the Year is coming to an end, our lives will come to an end, and that the world will also eventually come to its end.

And because this is something we don’t want to hear, the Church repeats it to us several times. We don’t want to hear that our lives will come to an end. We know that family members suddenly become sick or pass away, that accidents happen, every day, every minute every second. So the church reminds us of this.

It’s also fortuitous that on this day also, it is Father’s Day. This is also a reminder for us fathers – both biological and priestly – of the words that Christ speaks to us. The gospel today says:

“Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

Christ then gives us a catalogue of signs and indications of the end of times. That’s what we’ve just heard in this long gospel: hearing about things that will happen on the earth, wars, rumours, persecution. And one of the warnings or the signs that he gives to us is quite striking, he says, “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place,” Matthew adds his own commentary in parentheses: “(whoever reads, let him understand)” then continues, “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house.”

Be radical, because things are upon you. And these words are really strange. This abomination of desolation. It comes from Daniel 9:27 in the Old Testament where he speaks about an abomination of desolation.

And most likely, he’s speaking about a very concrete historical event. There was a figure by the name of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. His last name means the “manifestation of God” because this is who he thought he was. He was the head of the Seleucids, and they came and overtook Israel in about 70 BC. When he overtook the place, he realised that the Jews held the temple of God as the most sacred space, and as the core of their being.

He then took an altar of Zeus, one of the Greek gods, and put that in the Holy of Holies, where only God was supposed to be.

It was so horrific that that event was burnt into the times, the people, the history, that this was the symbol of how things have totally been desecrated. That the place of God has now become the place of a Greek god.

So after that, you get Christ speaking about it in this passage, most likely talking about an event that would happen with the Romans, only a few decades later, which is why Matthew wrote, “whoever reads, let him understand”. He tells us to pay attention, we know what he’s talking about. And that’s because one of the Roman emperors, Caligula, proposed to set up his own image in the temple in about 40 AD.

St Paul in Thessalonians talks again about this abomination of desolation. When something takes the rightful place of God, when the Holiest of Holies has been desecrated, when instead of being the centre, the core of where God’s presence is manifested, there is something else that takes place. But we shouldn’t think that this will help us determine when the abomination is. Christ isn’t trying to give us a timeline.

And it’s quite strange that when you actually read from the fathers, what you find when they talk about these passages, they’re very disinterested in trying to put a time on it, trying to do calculations and figure out when the end of the world will be. Instead, they understand that to be about themselves – that they themselves need to be watchful.

St. Gregory the Great says this:

“And let us keep in mind that these present afflictions are as far below the last tribulations, as is the person of the herald below the majesty of the judge he precedes.”

He is saying that what is happening to us right now is nothing compared to what will be at the end. But then he says: “Reflect with all your mind upon this day”. As in now. Not the end of times, now. “My dearest Brethren. Remedy what is now defective in your present life. Amend your ways. Conquer evil temptations by standing firm against them. Repent with tears of the sins you have committed. For the more you make ready against the severity of His justice by serving Him in fear, the more serenely shall you behold the Coming of that Eternal Judge.”

So what he’s saying is, don’t worry about the time course. Don’t worry about when this will be. Worry about you yourself being watchful and ready.

And so when Christ then says to us, “when you see the abomination of desolation,” and especially on Father’s Day, both biological and priestly, we must consider where the abomination of desolation could be. It can be in the altar of the church and can be in the altar of my heart. That’s where the abomination of desolation is. The early church fathers are very clear in the way they interpret scripture. As St. Paul said, “these things happened to them as types and were written for our admonition”. These things were written for me.

And so then when Christ says, “When you see the abomination of desolation”, He’s saying, look in your hearts and see – the place is called to be the Holiest of Holies, what do you find? What do you see?

St. Paul tells the Corinthians, “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19) That is a very misunderstood passage because people believe it to mean that he’s talking about individuals, and that you shouldn’t harm your body by doing something like smoking, for example.

But he actually says it in the plural. The word “you” there is in the plural in Greek. He says, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God?”

And then Origen, looking at that, says,

“but each of us is a stone of that temple.”

So each of us individuals is a temple. But at the same time, each of us is a stone of the greater Temple of the body of Christ.

And that means, as Christ says to us, when you see the abomination of desolation, flee. Be radical in your action. Don’t tolerate it. We are a temple. We were fashioned by God so that we could be indwelt by him. That we could become a sanctuary of his presence. That on the altar of our hearts, we can offer gifts to him.

And so, if we look at the altar of our hearts, and here I speak more to the Father than anyone else: what is in the altar of your heart? What is in the Holiest of Holies? Look deep within – is there anything there besides Christ?

Any lust, money, pride, ambition, desire, whatever it is – what stands in the altar of your heart?

Christ tells us to take radical action. “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place”(whoever reads, let him understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house.” Flee. Take radical action. Don’t tolerate having the abomination of desolation in your heart, the rightful place of Christ.

And there’s no action more radical than turning to Christ. In Romans 7, St. Paul says: “I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.” He says, When I look at my own heart, that which I don’t want to do, I do. That which I want to do, I can’t do. And therefore I see that there is something in me, I’m being indwelt. He says, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

St. Paul feels as we should all feel: that we are made to be a temple. We are made to be indwelt, but just as we can be indwelt by Christ, we can be indwelt by many other things.

So then, let us look at our hearts, and I speak to myself first – do we not know that we are the temple of God? So how then do we tolerate something to be in the rightful place of Christ in our hearts? How do we tolerate there’s an abomination of desolation, which is anything which takes the place of Christ in the Holiest of Holies? Let us then beg our Lord Jesus Christ, that He is ever present on the altar of our hearts. And as we read in the Matins gospel, and I say to you again, let us be forever watchful that nothing and no one takes the place of Christ in our hearts. And if anything does, we are radical, we flee, we take action. Glory be to God forevermore.

? Full sermon ?

When Will It End?

When Will It End?

Adapted from a sermon by Andrew Bishara

Passage Matthew 24:3-35

The disciples were sitting on the Mount with Christ when they questioned Him… “Lord, tell us, how is the world going to end? I see now that You know all things, You know how the world works. I want You to tell me how the world is going to end. How is it going to end? What are the signals that will happen before the world ends?”

The disciples question Jesus, because like many of us, they do not want to live with uncertainty. Christ responds, “do not be troubled, have peace, but there will be tribulation, much bigger than you can imagine.”

In all of this, have peace. Despite hearing this, it would be very difficult for the disciples to hold their peace. Expect the worst is coming, but have peace. Whilst the gospel seems gloomy, it is quite applicable to many of us.

During my final year of school, I hated more than anything, the uncertainty that was coming. What mark am I going to get? What course am I going to get into? The answer is still the same, “do your best, endure and leave the rest to Me.”

What would have happened if Christ had told the disciples all that was to come? They would’ve done whatever they wanted and fixed their lives at the last moments. This sounds like a great plan for many. We wouldn’t need to worry our entire lives. I can set an alarm for an hour before, and I’ll be fine.

But imagine what would be lost along the way! If I live as if I have all the time in the world, I will surely live to regret the time I wasted.

If Christ gave the disciples that time and they wasted their entire lives up until the last hour, then would they have gained enough virtue, enough wisdom, enough understanding to then enter the kingdom of Heaven?

Many more would be lost if we all knew when the world is ending. Moreover, if I am constantly seeking anxiously when the end will come, I will be unable to sustain virtue along the way.

Christ is telling us to do our best and endure and leave the rest to Him. This applies to every aspect of our lives. It is not uncertainty. He does not present the signs so that we can go out looking for them. These are more or less, natural events that should not matter to us, for as long as we do our due diligence.

All that matters is that I endure, I need to stay close to Christ. I know that I will get the promise at the end of the gospel.

Do not be troubled, no matter where you are in life compared to where you think you should be, it is all part of the plan.

He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other
Matthew 24:31.

If I endure, if I do my best, the angels are coming with the sound of trumpet to deliver me from all my troubles.

We need to keep pushing until we hear the joyous sound of the trumpet.

Full sermon

Owe it to God

Talents, Blessings and Spiritual Gifts Part 3

Owe it to God

By Ereeny Mikhail

God shows us that the differences in our talents, blessings and spiritual gifts are all puzzle pieces that complete a greater purpose. But before we understand the meaning of all this, let’s explore blessings and spiritual gifts.

Differently to a talent, a blessing (n). is described in the Oxford dictionary, as something that is good or helpful. So, living in a country that is not in a warzone is good, having a roof over our head is good, having decent health is good and so on. Yet, often we feel we are in a shortage when it comes to blessings. Sometimes we wish we had more money or looked a certain way or was doing a certain thing. We work hard to try to apply the secret recipe to increase our blessings and double them but find ourselves still hungry for more.

However, it is important to recognise that although working hard to increase our blessings is important, it is also essential not to get consumed in this. St Paul in Philippians 4:19 states, “God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” If we are applying the secret recipe then we must know that we are not in shortage. God is supplying all our need and we do not need more than this. On the contrary, we should be utilising our blessing for Christ, just as the woman with the two mites did; “but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.” (Luke 21:4)

Further to this, it is essential to re-evaluate our standards. There isn’t a level of any vain thing that we need to live up to except our own and Gods. If we do so, then there is nothing we lack.

This means, if God has given us a body and mind in good health, then we must use these to the best of our abilities. But let’s consider that someone may not feel handsome or beautiful because they have gained a significant amount of weight due to overeating which has affected their health. I think then perhaps they must recognise that they are not using their blessing, of good health, that God initially gave them as best they can. Our body and mind are a temple of Christ and we should treat it as such. “…he will be a vessel for honour, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.” (II Timothy 2:21) If we do not feel that we are doing enough with the blessings God has bestowed on us, including taking care of our ‘sound mind’ and body, then we must. This is His vessel that we must make useful and prepare it for His good work. If we are doing so, then there is no more we need. There is no other standard we need to live up to.

Contrastingly, a spiritual gift is often differentiated from talents and blessings, as they are given to those who accept and believe in Christ. It is made for the “edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12). Though, it is important to note that talents and blessings, can be used as spiritual gifts.

This differentiation lays in the fact that the spiritual gift can be lost. The talent remains, but it cannot used for edification if it is degraded. St Paul states in Romans 12:4-8 “For as we having many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts different according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them; if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.” Each of our spiritual gifts is different and useful and all for the purpose of ‘edifying’ the body of Christ. There is no one better or worse than the other. Thus, let us keep these spiritual gifts by recognising this.

What is the meaning of all this? Talents? Blessings? Spiritual Gifts? St Paul tells us in I Corinthians 12:14-20: “For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.” If we all had the same talents, blessings and spiritual gifts we could not function. Imagine saying, the architect is more important than the builder. So, if we were all architects, then who would build the house? Or what if we said being a good speaker is more important than being a good listener. Then who would be listening to us when we speak? Every talent, blessing, and spiritual gift is important to complete the cycle of life. It is all important for the greater purpose, that is Christ.

Conclusively, we need to remember that we are all clay in the Hands of the Potter, moulded for His use. Let us acknowledge that:

“Our gifts and talents should also be turned over to Him. They should be recognized for what they are, God’s loan to us, and should never be considered in any sense our own. We have no more right to claim credit for special abilities than for blue eyes or strong muscles. ‘For who makes you different from another? And what have you that you did not receive?’”
A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

The Secret Recipe

Talents, Blessings and Spiritual Gifts Part 2

The Secret Recipe

By Ereeny Mikhail

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man travelling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them and made another five talents. And likewise, he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground and hid his lord’s money.”
Matthew 25:14-18

Three particular things strike me about this parable.

The first thing is the fact that they ALL received talents. He did not leave one of them with nothing. So, I think when we state that we have no talents, we are offending God. We are acting as that foolish servant who claims God to be a ‘hard man’. God gave us each according to our own ability.

Secondly, the way the servants and lord reacted to the number of talents is so important. The servant with two talents did not look at his neighbour with five talents and think about how much more than him he had. He focused on himself and went and made two more. And as we know later in the parable, the lord of the servants rewards the servant who doubled his five talents into ten, and the servant who doubled his two talents into four, equally. And the servant with the one talent ends up with nothing and is cast out. The significant thing to take from this is the lord did not look at the servants and think he only has four and the other has ten. The number of talents is not what we should be looking at and it is not how God will judge us in the coming days. Rather, it is how we utilised the talents he gave us.

Now let’s twist the story a little bit. Imagine if the servant who didn’t use his talents was the one with the five talents. And the servants who doubled their talents were the ones with the two and the one talent. The master of the house would have reacted the exact same. The servant with the five talents would have been cast out. It is in fact better for someone to have one talent but to use it and increase it than to have five talents and use none of them at all and waste them.

Finally, another message we can take from this parable is, exploration or investment. The servants with the five and two talents did not just get excited and think about how much they had. They chose to act wisely and put in the effort to increase their talents.

Think about it as an investment of money in the bank. You place the money there and over time it continues to increase. You act wisely with what you have, rather than just celebrate your talents.

More importantly, the effort these two servants put in is essential. They went and actually explored how to increase their talents. So perhaps your talents are sport and being a good speaker. This does not mean you settle for the two talents and thank God only. It is fundamental that you find ways to use these talents in more than just the one way. I think about the sportsmen or sportswomen who sign the cross before a game. This must spread waves into the world. Maybe that day someone will pray for the first time in a long time. Or if you are a good speaker, don’t just use it for your job. Use it to speak at your church or preach the name of the Lord to others. Perhaps if you feel you cannot expand on these talents, then it is essential to explore yourself more and find more talents in order to increase what the Lord gave you.

We must realise talents come in different forms. We must recognise the talents God has given us and not disregard them. We must always ensure that we do not compare our talents to others. We must ensure that we explore these talents and invest in them. This is the secret recipe to all talents, blessings and spiritual gifts.

The Comparison Game

Talents, Blessings and Spiritual Gifts Part 1

The Comparison Game

By Ereeny Mikhail

“I don’t think I am talented at anything.”
“If only I was prettier or smarter.”
“If I am not one of the best at it, then I am not talented.”
“I just wish I had more money.”
“But so-and-so is more spiritual than me.”
“I am not worthy enough.”

How many times have you heard someone you know say one of these statements or something similar? In fact, I think most of us have fallen into that trap at some point in our lives. In this day and age, we are exposed to so much information and content via the internet, social media, books, talks and the like. And often, the line between what is true and false, right and wrong, and good and bad, becomes blurred. We see an incredibly talented individual and we think there’s no point trying because we will never be as good. We see people share their success and think what we have is not enough. And we see one another spiritually progress and feel we are left behind, drowned in our own sin.

One of the greatest pitfalls of how we perceive our talents, blessings and spiritual gifts, is comparison.

The Oxford dictionary defines a talent (n). as ‘a natural aptitude or skill’. This natural aptitude or skill can come in many forms. Some of us are good speakers, some of us are artistic, some of us are financially gifted, some of us are talented at sports, some of us are musically inclined and so on. However, what I find most striking about the definition is it does not in any way state that we need to be at the top of the game. We simply should just know how to do a certain thing to be talented. St Paul, in II Corinthians 10:12, states, “For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they are measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”

Take this for example, two women take a painting class together. Both women had good paintings, and enjoy painting, but one painting is totally abstract, and the other is perfect to the last stroke. Now, let me pose the question. Who is more talented? Is it the woman who had an abstract painting or the woman who is a perfectionist? The answer is actually both. Not one painter is better or more talented. Both are there for a purpose. One artwork is for the person who enjoys looking at something relaxed and expresses a bit of chaos in their art. The other is for the eye that loves to see everything in a particular place at a particular time. The point of the story is talent is not defined as something you are better at than someone else. It is defined as something that someone just naturally knows how to do, which in this case, both women enjoyed the activity, and knew how to do it, in different ways.

Sometimes the key to recognising your talent is stop comparing your talents to other people. That very person that you look at and think that your talents are insignificant compared to, probably looks at you in the same light. This breeds jealousy, contempt, insecurity and so much more that is harmful to our inner selves.

Further to this, what kind of friend do you want to be? The one that compares yourself and is trying to do better than those around you, or the one that supports, encourages and tries to build the talents of those around us?

When we stop comparing ourselves to others, we begin to see the beauty in the differences we possess. We see each individual as part of the body of Christ. A fearfully and wonderfully made masterpiece, that could never compare to another.

Ready for the (Coptic) New Year

Ready for the (Coptic) New Year

Adapted from a sermon by Fr Elijah Iskander

Readings: 1 Thessalonians 2:13-3:13, James 4:7-5:5 and Mark 13:3-37

As we approach the end of Coptic year, the church prepares the readings so that we reflect on the year that has gone by. I remember that another year has gone by, and where am I at the moment?

We are lucky, as Copts, because we have two chances to make some resolutions. I imagine most of us make resolutions on the first of January. Generally our resolutions go well for the first few days but by February, it’s all over. We’re lucky to be able to make some resolutions in September as well.

There are three New Year’s resolutions in the readings of today;

The Pauline epistle is taken from 1 Thessalonians 2:13-3:13. What is your hope for this year? Where is your rejoicing? Where is your crown of joy?

For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God.
1 Thessalonians 3:9.

St Paul was wishing, and hoping, and his crown was in the people’s presence with the Lord and His coming. Perhaps, we can say with St Paul this year that my joy, my hope and my crown is to be in presence of my Lord Jesus Christ and His coming.

St Paul wished for the spiritual life of those around him. Maybe my concern is in the spirituality of those around me. Maybe I see myself as not the most spiritual, I don’t pray often enough, so maybe my New Year’s resolution is to encourage those around me. When we push each other to be better, we are first enhancing our own spiritual lives.

Any time you sit with your spiritual father and you tell him what you strive for, he learns from you! Let this year be a year where we all encourage each other spiritually. Even if I’m not the best, I can still encourage others to be their best.

One of the most common reasons people leave the church is because that one week they missed church that turned into two and three, and nobody noticed, so it became a habit.

We love our big church, but it’s very each for people to get lost in the crowd. Let this be the year that I make my hope, my joy and my crown in the people around me and their presence in the Lord. Let this be a year where I take care of the spirituality of those around me. I pray with them, and for them. I encourage them and be there for them. This is my hope. This is my joy. This is my crown.

In the Catholic epistle, we read James 4:7-5:5. I can give to others. St James says, “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! ²Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.”

After a little while, my new clothes grow old. After a little while, my parents will come and says, “what are all these clothes that you don’t even wear?” Sometimes they even say that it is not even suited be donated but can only be thrown away. These that were once are most prized possessions.

“Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire.” Even the finest of jewels can corrode, rust and deform.

A lot of the time when we hear about giving, we think money. If we don’t have money, we think it’s okay to postpone that blessing. Let this be the year where I will give. Not necessarily money, but my time, my comfort, my own enjoyment. Even if it’s from a place of absent mindedness or in a way that doesn’t understand the blessings of giving. When we give, we God’s rewards.

The third resolution comes from the gospel (Mark 13:3-37), “Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.”

I don’t know when the end of days is, I don’t know when the end of my life is. “It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”

It’s really sweet when people stop what they’re doing and they rush to greet Abouna, out of their love for God. What’s even sweeter than that is when you are walking around church and you see some people praying together, a few people cleaning, or doing anything. How genuine are these people? For this is done out of deep devotion for the Lord.

When the Lord comes, will He find me sleeping, mucking around, wasting time, running after gold and silver that corrodes? Or will He find me, even though I wasn’t expecting Him, in the church, serving, loving, praying, giving?

Perhaps a third resolution is that the Lord does not find me sleeping. I will take heed, I will watch, I will pray. I will not let another day go by without spending it in Christ’s presence. The Lord will us faithful when He comes unexpectedly.

This new year, we have a reminder that our time is running out. Let us show love and concern for the spirituality of others. Let us give to those in need. Let us watch, so that the Lord does not find us sleeping when He returns.

Full Sermon

Society’s Will or God’s Will

Society’s Will or God’s wills

Adapted from a sermon by Fr Daniel Fanous

Passage Mark 3:22-35

In this Gospel, we read about Christ’s rebuttal against the scribes who claimed He was Beelzebub. This was due to Christ making himself known. After all, who is this carpenter who claims to be the Son of God. We read that even his family felt emotions such as embarrassment, shame, dishonour. Similarly, are we, being sons and daughters of God, ashamed or embarrassed to call God our Father? Are we embarrassed to go out and fast? Are we embarrassed that each Sunday we go out to church whereas the rest of the world sleeps in?

Embarrassment may also come in the form of our morals. The secular world says that some things are okay whereas the Church explicitly tells us that it is not. Thus, we encounter this tension between the secularly accepted views and morals and the morals of the Church. Do I live according to society’s will or God’s will? Embarrassment may also be found in our ritualistic worship or that we even believe in a God to begin with.

Perhaps the biggest embarrassment is that we are unable to live according to our own will. We submit to God’s will and thus give up our freedom. Nowadays, freedom and rights are some of the most important values of society and often we are told that no one should be able to take these away from us. My family cannot tell me how to live. God cannot tell me how to live. However, perhaps it is the other way around. Perhaps, freedom is found in Christ, and lost when we reject him.

Often, we pray to see God or to encounter him,

“Just reveal yourself once in a dream and I will never commit this sin again.”

“Just give me a sign that this is the right path for me.”

“Just provide me with this promotion or job and I will serve you every day.”

However, if we are embarrassed to follow in His path or His teachings, how can we see Christ who is a stranger to us. How can we encounter Him if even his own family felt ashamed of His teachings? If we are unwilling to become the outcasts, to act abnormally to society, to follow His will instead of our own; If we are unable to do all these, then how can we possibly encounter Him. Instead, we should find joy and confidence in His word, knowing that He is indeed the Son of God.

Confessions of a Priest’s Wife

Confessions of a Priest’s Wife

By Dalia Fam

Originally seen at goCoptic blog (March 12, 2019)

Even a Priest’s wife is not perfect and has to do confessions. Here are some of mine:

When I was in high school, I remember being embarrassed to walk around in public when there was a Coptic Orthodox priest with us. A priest came to my high school graduation and I was so embarrassed! I hated other people’s stares at this “unusual” person wearing a black robe and with a beard.

God has a funny sense of humor because now I am married to a priest! I have to walk around in public with him whether I like it or not. Although I do tell him that when we travel in the airport that the kids and I will go in a separate security line so we go through security a lot easier!

Another confession I must say is that when we are on vacation, I often tell my husband to ditch the robe and go in “normal” clothes. Every time, I do this, God again shows me his funny sense of humor. Many times, because of the robe, random people will stop him and ask for prayers. One lady we ran into once had just found out she had cancer and she wanted his prayers. Others need the encouragement of a man of God and his wisdom and love. I can write an entire book of the beautiful conversations we have had with so many people all over the world. From the Uber driver to the security officer at a hotel to people at a restaurant, they are looking for God’s love. They are encouraged with messages that God is giving them through us. Or they are searching and seeking.

Why would I encourage my husband to hide this gift of God from others?

My husband says he is blessed because he can stand out in a crowd. He does not shy away from the stares but confidently uses it to his advantage to share the love of God. Fr. Michael Sorial, a good friend of ours, recently made a vlog to discuss how he stands out and challenges us to stand out in the crowd too!

We have this same gift. We may not all be wearing a black robe and have a beard, but we should all stand out in a crowd. We have a special treasure of God’s love and should be able to use that to open discussions with others about this love. From my experience, people desire to hear it. Imagine the lives we could have missed because of my fears or limitations.

As we start the blessed fast of Great Lent, there are three characteristics that define this fast: Prayer, Fasting, and Giving.

Giving is not limited to my money only. It is giving the precious gift of my love, time, grace, and talents for the salvation of others. Using this gift so others may know who Christ is.

We see people caught up in their own lives. Headphones are getting bigger to make sure we cancel the noise around us when we travel or commute to work. Internet is getting faster so we can spend more time on social media and watch YouTube videos. Everything is getting less and less personal around us.

We have the gift of a personal God. A relational God who wants to love others personally and deeply. We have it. We should share it.

I remember when I first decided to truly commit my life and my gifts to the service of God. One parable that Christ our Savior said really stood out to me over and over. The parable in Matthew 25:14-30, where a man gives talents to three servants. Two of the servants gain more than what they receive. But one servant buries his treasure, afraid to multiply it. I used to feel like that one servant. I was given a treasure but I buried it in my fears, selfishness and self-absorbed life.

My prayer this Lent is that we are like the servants who were given the treasure and they went out and made more treasures.

There are many things that stop me and stop us from giving. Maybe I limit myself by my lack of knowledge, language, fears, rejections, perceptions of myself and my past life, and my insecurities. What limits you?

One of my son’s favorite movie is Evan Almighty. After the main character, Evan, faces a lot of ridicule from his family, neighbors, co-workers, and more for following God’s call, a news reporter asks him, “what makes you so sure that God chose you?” Evan’s response, “God chose all of us.”

God calls all of us, not just the ones who are ordained as a priest. We all carry His gift and treasure. Now it is up to you to respond to that call and share that gift. So others may know Him and His love.

As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Peter 4:10

Naturally, when you have a relationship with God, you will want to share your gifts with others. Maybe God has gifted you with song, medicine, teaching, writing, fitness, hospitality, or many more things. Use those gifts to serve God and show others God’s love. Don’t be afraid to use your gifts.

Put aside the things that limit you, pray and fast for them during this time of Lent. And give. Give the gift of His love to others by using your gifts.

(c) Fr Abraham and Dalia Fam. goCoptic (March 12, 2019). Original post – https://gocoptic.org/confessions-of-a-priests-wife/