Category: Blog

The Missing Prayer (Part TWO of THREE)

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The Missing Prayer

By George Iskander

Why is praise so important?

By God’s grace, after reading this, we can all endeavor to make praise a part of our daily prayer.

 + Praise in the most selfless form of prayer

It has nothing to do with asking, or taking, it’s all about giving and offering. Classed by many of the church fathers as the highest level of prayer.

  1. A. Russel in his book, The Power of Praise, says:

Praise is the form of prayer which recognizes most immediately that God is God. It lauds God for his own sake and gives him glory, quite beyond what he does, but simply because HE IS. It shares in the blessed happiness of the pure of heart who love God in faith before seeing him in glory. By praise, the Spirit is joined to our spirits to bear witness that we are children of God, testifying to the only Son in whom we are adopted and by whom we glorify the Father. Praise embraces the other forms of prayer and carries them toward him who is its source and goal: the “one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist (1 Cor 8:6)

 + Praise is a source of blessing, reward and comfort

God loves His creation to praise Him, to acknowledge Him, to appreciate Him…consider this, if you are not a parent, try and picture yourself as one; nothing would make you happier and feel more loved than hearing your child telling you, you are the best dad/mum in in world, and knowing they see you as the strongest person in the world, and that they feel safe that you’re in control of their lives.

Try see the rewards and blessings that come with attending the Holy Psalmody (Tasbeha), which is a strong source of praise.

Praise allows you to have God’s greatest resound in your heart and mind. If you find yourself in a scary, stressful situation, one thing that will calm you down and comfort you is praise.

One time, a friend and I found ourselves caught in a rip and we were 100s of metres from the shoreline but managed to stay together, we tried to swim back, but our efforts were futile and exhausted us. Eventually being so far out and realizing the waters depth, we began to think of the concept of sharks and other sea creatures which made us increasingly more nervous. After exhausting all physical and practical effort, my friend and I turned to God and decided to start praying. We tried thanking God for our situation but it was a bit tough and really hard to mean it due to our rising fears, so we didn’t get much comfort from that. Finally some verses of the Holy psalmody came to me where we sing “Praise the lord the O Seas and Rivers” “Bless the Lord all the winds” “Bless the Lord all things that move in the waters” We lined our boards together and started praising God saying that He was the powerful creator of the universe and everything is under His control, even the weird shadows we saw moving below us. Before we knew it we were both calm and found ourselves back at shore.

 + Praise helps you truly love God and teaches humility

What helps us to love our parents, spouses or friends? Usually when we think of their kindness, selflessness or other great qualities, it reminds us of why we love them

If we keep reminding ourselves of God’s great characteristics as the powerful architect of the universe that sent His Son to save us, it makes us love Him more, and in turn grants us humility by realizing how small we are in comparison.

 + It is the language of heaven

What is heaven but continual praising of God – in fact angels exist in heaven for this very purpose. If we do not enjoy the praise of God on earth, how can we enjoy it in heaven? There is a pure joy that comes with true praise, which gives us a taste of heaven on earth.

St Basil the great says:

The work of praising attracts the service of the Angels because this is a function of their existence. Thus they come closer to those who imitate in their ways.

St. Basil also goes on to say that liturgical music in particular essential because the liturgy is an imitation of heavenly glory and praise.

Next week, we’ll explore praise in a different light!

The Missing Prayer (Part ONE of THREE)

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The Missing Prayer

By George Iskander

What component of prayer would you say you lacks most in your prayer life?

What surrounds us in all church services, that perhaps doesn’t make its way to the quiet prayer corner of our rooms?

What’s the common theme that resonates through the psalms?

Lets start by identifying the essential building blocks of a structured personal prayer. If we could summarize prayer into 5 components, what would they be? This is not an exhaustive list but rather 5 umbrella categories. Before you read ahead, try and think of what your personal prayers are comprised of.

  1. Thanksgiving
    We are taught from a young age to always give thanks. If you were to ask a child to pray, you will notice that this is how many start their prayers. Thanking God for health, for food, shelter, loved ones, the opportunity to know Him and stand before Him…etc. Thanksgiving is usually what defines the beginning of our prayer and is also illustrated as such in liturgical services and the Agpeya prayer book.
  1. Supplication
    Naturally what follows is our human nature to ask and entreat the Lord the requests of our heart. God please help me in this exam, help me to get this job, help me find a partner…
  1. Repentance
    Repentance is a very important element that we should include daily in our prayer life and is included in the Lord’s prayer; “Our Father…” Asking God to forgive our trespasses is an essential part of a Christian’s daily routine.
  1. Intercession
    Asking for the prayers of the saints, or praying for each other. This is commonly how we are taught to conclude our prayers.

These 4 categories seem to cover it all. Often there is one aspect of prayer that is missing, kind of like the top piece of toast, it’s neglected, a lot of people don’t eat it, but in fact it’s what holds the bread together.

The 5th component is:

  1. Praise
    What is praise? Accurately defined:
    Praise: an expression of approval or admiration, of gratitude and devotion for blessings received.
    Praise of God: Acknowledging of His perfections, works and benefits.
    (M. F. Unger 1988, The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary)

Why is praise so important?

By God’s grace, after reading this, we can all endeavour to make praise a part of our daily prayer.

Tune in for part TWO next week!

Lamb of God

Lamb of God

By Monica Gerges

Although we celebrate the birth of Christ during the Feast of the Nativity, we can’t overlook the implications and ultimate purpose of Christ’s incarnation and birth because, just like many of the other major feasts, Christmas should serve to remind us of God’s humility, sacrifice and love for us. Christ comes as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) and unsurprisingly the scripture is riddled with imagery likening the Messiah to the perfect sacrificial lamb.

The sacrifice of lambs plays a very important role in Judaism, of particular importance to us is the Passover sacrifice and the sin/purification offering. The Feast of the Passover is one of the main Jewish holidays and a celebration in remembrance of God’s deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. In fact, the slaughter of the Passover lamb and the application of its blood to the doorposts of the houses (so that the Angel of Death would pass over that house) is mimicked when Christ’s blood is shed on the wood of the Cross to save us from the Angel of (spiritual) Death – Christ is our Passover lamb. During the sin/purification offering, an individual’s sins were ‘transferred’ to the lamb which was then killed for the forgiveness of their sins; similarly, the sin of all humanity was placed on Christ who was then crucified so that we could be saved.

When faced with conditions of stress or pain, most animals vocalise their trauma and do everything in their limited power to escape such circumstances, however lambs which are simply small, weak animals are instead, silent and submissive. Similarly, Christ was “oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter…” (Isaiah 53:7)

It is through Christ’s death on the cross as God’s perfect sacrificial lamb that we can now attain eternal life. The fact that God Himself has provided the offering that atones for our sins is part of the glorious good news of the gospel and may this season always remind us of God’s infinite love for us.

Glory be to God forever. Amen.

Hebrews 12:14 – A Contemplation

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.”

Hebrews 12:14

By: Christine Azer

As I was contemplating this verse, I was struck by the specific use of the word “pursue” which implies an active decision rather than a passive action. As Christians, we aim “if it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” –Romans 12:18. Contrary to the belief that a person must first be peaceful to show peace to others, pursuing peace helps us attain this sense of calmness. We are responsible for taking the first step in mending a damaged relationship.

The consequences of showing peace to others are not only self-beneficial but critical for the salvation of others, as expressed through the end of the verse. Evangelising can occur unnoticed to the evangeliser; mainly when others observe the lifestyle of a Christian and admire it. They seek the peace that we show to others.

A perfect of example of this active pursuit of peace is seen in Genesis 33, where Jacob attempts to mend his relationship with his brother, Esau. To pursue peace, firstly, we must pray fervently to have peace with someone; this is necessary because Satan makes it difficult for us to be united in Christ as he promotes division. Jacob “wrestled” with the Lord because the lack of peace between him and his brother troubled him. Secondly, pursuing peace requires humility, as seen through Jacob when he “bowed himself to the ground seven times”. Thirdly, he offered physical gifts, “receive my present from my hand”, which was his way of pursuing peace.

We also see this in the character Ibrahim El-Gohary, the Egyptian prime minister during the late 18th century, who acted as the peacemaker between his brother and his brother’s abuser. From his actions, we too are called to act as peacemakers not only to mend our own relationships with others but to promote peace between all people.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God”- Matt 5:9

Glory be to God. Amen.

The Greatness of John the Baptist

The Greatness of John the Baptist

By Fr Mark Basily

Imagine Fr Yacoub told you that you were the greatest person in St Mark’s Church. Now imagine Bishop Daniel told you that you were the greatest person in the diocese of Sydney. Now imagine Pope Tawadros said that you were the greatest person in the Coptic Orthodox Church. Well here we have, in Luke7:28, Christ Himself saying that John the Baptist was the greatest person to ever live! Why is that though?

We all aspire to be great in our endeavours, whether it be at work or in various services. So what can we learn about St John the Baptist that made our Lord turn to him and say “you are the greatest”; it was his humility as displayed by his words. Often from someone’s words you can tell what he or she was about. It illustrates the principles that person stood for. So today we will look at five comments from the mouth of this great saint to try to understand why Christ said “among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he”. Luke 7:28 

  1. “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him by Heaven” – John 3:27
    Here we see that St John the Baptist believes that everything he has and everything he owns has been given to him by God. This is a beautiful principle to live by. We become relieved when we realise that everything I have, even my possessions belong to God. Recently the fathers went to visit a family who built a nice big house. When the fathers went to visit, the family said “This house is not ours, it belongs to God and His Church. Whatever you need that’s in this house, it’s yours.” So I decided to take them up on their offer and half jokingly I said that we need a studio in your house. Now we permanently have one of their rooms as a studio for when the Church needs to record music. So this idea that everything of mine is God’s is one of the reasons why St John the Baptist is so great.
  2. “I am not the Christ” – John 3:28
    At that time, St John the Baptist was baptizing and he had a large following and so it was very easy for him to accept it when people asked him whether he was Christ or not. St John Chrysostom says that St John the Baptist could’ve taken all the glory for himself. Rather, he referred the glory to someone else; Christ. So the second principle we learn is to refer all glory to Christ. When Anba Antonious Morkos, bishop of South Africa, came to a youth meeting he spoke extensively about the achievements in his diocese. A youth put up their hand and asked ‘How can you not feel a sense of pride when you speak about these things?’ For Sayedna he was very clear, he said ‘all the achievements are God’s work, I just happened to be used in the process’. So in my life, if I live attributing all success to the Lord, then I’m on the path to greatness that St John the Baptist was.
  3. “I have been sent before Him” – John 3:28
    St John the Baptist understood very well that his mission in life was to prepare the path of glory for Christ. This is another quality of greatness, if I am able to prepare a path for people. Often we prepare pathways for ourselves and make decisions to please us, but what if I could live like John the Baptist, preparing others for glory. Fr Daniel Fanous is currently doing a PHD about Pope Kirollos; a man who we all know barely gave sermons and didn’t write many books. Due to this, people concluded that he wasn’t good at giving talks, that’s why he never did it. However, Fr Daniel found in his research proof that Pope Kirollos was a brilliant writer and an excellent speaker. One of his sermons was distributed to thousand of churches; but then Pope Kirollos just stopped. He did this to create pathways for other people. He ordained Bishop Gregarious to be the official spokesperson for the Church and Bishop Shenouda to be bishop of education, who later became pope. This is the way John the Baptist lived and hence he said, “I have been sent before Him”.
  4. “Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled” – John 3:29
    In this verse, St John the Baptist likens himself to a best man who is joyful to see the bridegroom married to his bride. In our lives we always pursue what will make us happy. For this great saint, his joy was extracted from others and from seeing Christ. Imagine if I am joyful by seeing others’ lives going well, if I share in the joy of someone else. Before I became a priest, I saw how God worked in my own life. After I became a priest, I saw how God worked in others’ lives. This is one of things I love about priesthood that I am continuously sharing in the joy of others. If we partake in the joy of others, then surely we are on the path to greatness.
  5. “He must increase, but I must decrease” – John 3:30
    This comment stands against everything society and the whole world teaches. The world teaches that if need be, trample over others to attain success. However, here we have the greatest prophet on Earth saying that someone else must increase and I must decrease. This principle is one to be lived out not only in service but also in our own homes. Imagine this idea being implemented between a husband and a wife or between co-workers. To humble yourself to allow others to be glorified is a step on the pathway to greatness

These five statements give us an insight into why Jesus calls St John the Baptist the greatest.  It is St John the Baptist’s humility, shown by his statements, that constitutes to his greatness. So today I pray that we all aspire to this kind of spiritual greatness and not after worldly greatness so that the Lord may likewise look to us and say, “you are great”.

Glory be to God

Extra! Extra! Read All About It

Extra! Extra! Read All About It

By: St Mark’s Youth

I don’t consider myself an avid reader of the daily newspaper, but like a lot of people, I’ll pick it up every so often so long as it’s nearby or I’m having my breakfast at Maccas. Usually I would just flip to the back and glance over the sports section, reading up on everything from the football to golf just to pass time while I wait for my order to come out. On this one particular occasion however, I noticed the Pope of Rome on the front page smiling infectiously whilst passing through the crowd swarming around him. The best part though? The title read – “Christ is coming!” From what I understood, the piece was declaring the Pope’s upcoming visit to the US at the time, perhaps the title suggesting he was a figure of Christ on earth. I didn’t get time to read the whole way through, my bacon & egg roll came out before I could finish the article but still – talk about good news!

It’s not every day that we hear or read about good news. Unfortunately, we live in a world that is getting significantly darker each passing day, so anything that shines even the slightest of lights in our lives should be met with joy. That’s not really the case though is it? Each passing day we read about another shooting, another killing somewhere in the world, another terrorist attack, more hurt, more pain, more and more darkness. So where will the good news come from, if there is any left at all? Fortunately, by the grace of God we have been given the ultimate Good News, readily available to us every moment of every day – the Gospel.

So then, it begs the question, what is Gospel? The word “Gospel” comes from old English “God spell” meaning “glad tidings” or “good news,” and is a direct translation of the Greek word “Evangelion.” This is why we call the writers of the 4 Gospels “evangelists,” because they spread the good news. And what was the good news that they were spreading? Salvation!! It’s the ultimate Good News. Christ conquering death by the power of His own death, breaking the gates of Hades and opening up Paradise for us to enter into eternal life with Him. That’s some pretty great news.

But hang on, does that mean the 4 books we call “The Gospels” are the only ones that talk about the Good News of Salvation? What about the salvation of the Israelites in the Exodus from Egypt? Or the salvation offered to Rahab in the battle for Jericho? And surely the three youth rescued from the fire got a taste of this salvation? The truth is, the entire bible is filled with good news! The pinnacle of this good news being the life and works of our Lord Jesus Christ written by evangelists – Christ died, rose again and ascended to Heaven to prepare a place for us!

Okay, so we have this Good News, sweet, what next? Well, like we said, the world is in need of some good news, it is a dark place, and when you’re in a dark room and you want to see, what do you do? You turn on a bit of light.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.” (Matt 5:16)

This light that is in us is the Good News of Salvation and if we are called to be the light of the world then ultimately we are called to be the Gospel. How? Are we supposed to walk around yelling on the streets “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”? Sure, but these days that would warrant a trip to the mental health department. The key is in the verse above spoken by our Lord Himself, “that they may see your good works,” He said, not “words” but “works.” Our Lord Christ knew that actions spoke louder than words. St. Francis of Assisi used to reiterate this sentiment when he taught his own disciples saying, “preach at all times, and only use words if you have to.” It is not enough to talk about giving – I must give. It is not enough to talk about loving – I must love. People don’t want to hear about Christ, they want to see Him!

There is a beautiful story about a missionary who travelled to a country in Africa to serve in the villages there. The problem was, he didn’t know the language. So he made a conscious decision to serve them, heal their wounds, feed them and above all, love them as best as he could until one day many years later, he died. The organization or church that he was a part of decided to send another missionary but this time, someone who knew the language in order that they may preach to the villagers also. When the new missionary arrived in the country, the first thing he did was assemble the villagers in one place, and he began to preach to them about our Lord Jesus Christ. He told them of all the wonderful things Christ did when He was on earth – how He cared for the children, how He healed the broken, how He loved everyone, until one villager stood up and said, “What are you talking about? We know this story already.” The man, taken aback responded, “How? No ones ever told it to you.” The villager confidently replied, “No we know this man you’re talking about – we just buried him last week.”

We have been given the only gift capable of healing the world, the only news that has the capacity to bring light to this slowly dimming planet. Because of this gift, I am no longer brought under the darkness of this earth – for I am light. Because of this gift, many around me, myself included, no longer have to live in captivity to pain and hurt – for I am encouragement. And because of this gift, many around me can finally see the beautiful and precious face of our Friend Jesus Christ – for I am the Good News.

Christians in Iraq

Christians in Iraq – My Experience

By Dr William Boctor

It may be useful to record my experience in the Syrian Orthodox Church in Baghdad, Iraq, in the period 1974-1977. The priest in the picture is KHOURY Soliman Daoud who was a school Head Master before he became a priest. He showed great love to the Copts and was eager to let them even know each other.

In late 1975, I sent a letter to H.H. Pope Shenouda acknowledging the dedication and service KHOURY Soliman is giving to the Coptic expatriates in Baghdad. H.H. Pope Shenouda responded with a tape in which he thanked K. Soliman and sent to us a Papal message which, I guess, was not common then. I wish to report some points:

  1. Out of respect to H.H. Pope Shenouda, K. Soliman asked us to stand up while listening to the Papal message
  2. Soliman was so happy to receive thanks from H.H. While commenting on His Holiness’ message, he couldn’t stop his tears and said “I don’t deserve that my name to be pronounced on the apostolic mouth”.
  3. Later he made a special liturgy service to us and asked a Coptic Deacon aged in his 20’s to teach him the Coptic liturgy.
  4. One day K. Soliman told me that we are invited for Dinner at his house. I said “Thanks, but how many?” He answered all of the church!! I was amazed and asked how he will move them to his house. As most of them had no cars. The waiting list of a local new car was over 3 years, while imported cars were allowed for expatriates, those coming from Egypt didn’t have enough cash to import.
  5. He responded that his family will be waiting to move people from the church to his large house.
  6. Overall, Christians in Iraq were well educated and had large families. K Soliman has 11 sons and daughters.

I have to mention that I needed to import a new car, as Baghdad is as big as Sydney. A family from Mosul gave me the cash that I needed.

I worked in industry and in Academic research. I found out that both were far more advanced than the Egyptian equivalents. It was clear that Egypt suffered a lot and lost its leadership because of the mostly lost wars with Israel and Yemen.

It is sad to think about them now and wonder how they are suffering.

 

Interview with Abouna Tadros Malaty (Fr Paul Fanous)

Interview with Abouna Tadros Malaty:
(Interview from St George Youth Magazine – December 2007)

Interview by (Father) Paul Fanous, marking the 45th anniversary of Fr Tadros ordination as parish priest of St George church in Sporting, Alexandria. 
He was ordained 26th of December by the late Metropolitan Isaac.

When were you were born?
In 1937.

When were you ordained a priest?
In 1962.

What’s your higher learning like?
Bachelor of commerce and arts, majoring in philosophy and sociology.

Favourite food?
The Bread of Heaven

Favourite saint/father?
St George.

Favourite book?
The Bible. It also varies from time to time. Sometimes the sermons on the New Testament lessons of St Augustine. Or the Priesthood by John Chrysostom.

Favourite saying/quote?
The great miracle of the Lord Jesus Christ that He changes Earth to Heaven and men into angels of God. This was by St John Chrysostom.

Most memorable moment?
The current moment in our lives are the most memorable moments.

What is your vision of the church in Australia in the next 20 years?
What can I see in it? I believe it is guided by the Holy Spirit and we leave it in the hands of God. There is no special vision except to be directed by God.

Your advice on how we should implement that?
Through prayer and love, and always being joyful in the Lord Jesus Christ. Also we must always witness to the Gospel.

Best thing about the youth of today?
I see in them, that they are eager to be true members of the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Worst thing about youth of today?
When they despair.

Advice for the youth of Sydney?
Don’t belittle yourselves. Remember the Grace of God.

Nickname for Tasoni?
She is called Mimi.

Favourite thing about Tasoni?
When she discovers any problems about any person, she is very longsuffering with her dealings with them. She enters into long conversations and discussions with them, in an attempt to console and comfort them. She always speaks openly with them, without guile.

How did you meet Tasoni?
I don’t remember. Abouna Bishoy Kamel told her to pick up something from me.

Advice on growing up?
I feel time is very precious. I did not waste my time.

What is the meaning of life?
Christ is my life.

Best part about being a priest?
The best part is to enjoy the Bible. It is my paradise. It is the pastor for me and the people.

Worst part about being a priest?
Nothing. Everything is enjoyable. I love my work as a Priest.

Who was the major spiritual influence from your youth?
Father Luke of St Macarious Monastery. He became Bishop of Girga in Upper Egypt. He is my father in confession and I loved him very much because he was very spiritual.

Major turning point in your life?
When I became a priest.

Did you ever play sport/favourite sport?
I do not remember. When I was young perhaps.

What was the longest holiday of your life?
I have no holidays.

What was the drive for writing so many books?
The motivation was that I enjoy writing for myself. I feel that all my inner emotions and senses are absorbed in it. It satisfies all my inner feelings.

Most significant encounters with Pope Kyrillos?
When I visited him to say sorry that for a long time Father Bishoy and I did not meet him. He answered me, ‘I am interested not in visiting but you working on behalf of the Church.’ He wanted us just to work and not to visit him.

How many of your spiritual children became full time servants? For example priests, monks, deaconess, nuns?
I am not interested in numbering anything in my life. Even the books. I do not know how many books I’ve written.

What advice can you give to young people struggling with sins?
– To work together, everyone helping the other. We must feel that we are members of One Body.
– To discover their situation as children of God. They have to realise that they have the power and strength from God and therefore they must never despair.
– To pray for the salvation of the whole world.
– I hope that you continue your life in the same spirit of the early fathers of the Church. To walk in their steps is very important.
– To feel that the Bible is your paradise.
– To enjoy the communion of the Holy Trinity: God as a Father, The Lord Jesus Christ as a close friend, and the Holy Spirit as dwelling in your heart.

What do you hope to see/experience when you get to heaven?
When I will go, I will let you know.

+++

Loving Your Enemies

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Loving Your Enemies

Sermon by: Johnny Sharkawi
Article by: St Mark’s Youth

What does it mean to be a Christian?

What differentiates Christianity from any other religion?

Simply – Love.

“44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven” – Matthew 5:44-45

So what is love? And what does it mean to love?

There is a deeper understanding which Christ has shown by His example, through being crucified on the cross for us. He has shown us something that is far greater than we are capable of doing on our own. Because God is love and as we are created in God’s image, we are created with love installed within us. However, it takes daily reminders through prayer and repentance in order to renew the love in our hearts, to the point that we can even love our enemies.

 But how do we do good to those who hate us?

The more we love God, then the more we take from his love and are able to love others. And so the closer I come to realising that I have been forgiven by God, then I begin to ask myself who am I to not forgive my brother? The solution to loving our enemies is simply to love God and to realise that we are in fact that enemy that was and is forgiven by God. Hating our enemies, ridiculing them and seeking revenge for their hurting us can only be done by someone blinded with dirt in their eyes to not see the hypocrisy in the action. This dirt comes from sin and evil thoughts like hatred and lustful desires. And so we need to wash out our eyes so we can see clearly, just as God wants us to see. We need to wash our eyes daily to see how Christ wants us to see Him in others.

We do this through repentance and prayer, which is the only way to clean our eyes in order to look at our neighbours with love. And when we pray, we beg the Lord for a repentant and loving heart.

We are not of this world, and as Christ says “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” So why do we jeopardise our salvation with worldly matters and things such as having hatred towards our neighbours?

Glory be to God forever Amen.

Our Relationship With God

 Our Relationship with God

Sermon by Bishop David (Bishop of NY & NE, USA)
Article by St Mark’s Youth

If an Orthodox Christian were asked to name the most important thing regarding their spiritual life, the answer would be “my relationship with God”. How well we know God, through not only our personal but communal worship, ultimately determines our salvation. This important relationship is determined by our understanding of who God is, i.e. the God-image we have created in our minds. The focuses of today’s sermon are the famous Parable of the Talents and The Prodigal Son, taken from the Gospel according to St Matthew (Matthew 14-30) and St Luke (Luke 15:11-32). By analyzing the three main characters of these parables, Bishop David talks to us today about three different levels of relationships.

 1. The Relationship of the Slave

In the parable of the talents, upon being asked for a return on the talent he had received, the wicked servant said “Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed” (v 24). Already, this servant created the false image of a purely vengeful God in his mind. A God who is unfair and claims what He has not worked for. Hence, due to tremendous fear, the servant said, “I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground” (v 25). We must ask ourselves, is this me? Is this how I view God? Bishop David says that the problem with this relationship is that it is based only on fear of God or the gravity of His punishments. There is a lack of love in this relationship. If our image of God is like this wicked servant, then we will very likely behave like him and likewise be cast “into the outer darkness” (v 30).

2. The Relationship of the Hired Servant
Using the example of the parable of the prodigal son, Bishop David reminds us that a hired servant is one who works, earns his pay and leaves at the end of the day. When the son returned to his father, he asked to be treated as one of the “hired servants” (Luke 15:11-32). Bishop David teaches us that the secret in this parable is that the son did not want to come back with all his heart but rather wanted to work as a hired servant. The son forgot who he was to his father and just wanted things of this world. Do we have this transactional relationship with God? Do we come to God chasing after money, careers or good grades rather than Him? As sayedna said, “This is the problem with the hired servants. They come to church because they need something from God.” Like cleaner fish to a whale, so also are these hired servants to God. Once again this affiliation with God emerges when one imagines God as merely a giver of things and not a Giver of life.

3. The Relationship of the Son
The relationship of the son is ultimately centered on love for God; As it is written, “We love Him because He first loved us”. The son realises that by grace, through baptism and living the life of the church, he will inherit the kingdom of God and so, in turn, seeks after it. The son’s eyes are not focused on the Earth, but rather, on God and His Heaven. He correctly understands God to be the one who “so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever should believe in Him should never perish but have eternal life”. (John 3:16). When God gives the son things, he is joyful not because of the gift but because God is the Giver. Bishop David provides us with a very beautiful example to explain this relationship: When a husband gives a wife a wedding anniversary present, though the gift may not have much value itself, the wife is extremely joyful because it came from her husband. Likewise the source of the son’s joy is God and subsequently, his relationship is one of love.

May the Lord give us the grace to understand that we are His beloved children whom He holds dear. As it is written, “he who touches you touches the apple of His eye” (Zechariah 2:8). We pray that the Lord give us a better understanding of who He is so that we may worship Him in love and enter into His joy in the last day.

Glory be to God Amen.