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! 2 Your 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.