HG Bishop Youssef

2021

2020

2019

Gospel of the Samaritan Woman

• Great Fast
  • Take the Samaritan woman as an example of Repentance because the theme of the Great Fast is Repentance
• Holy Fifty Days
  • The Resurrection of Christ was not for Him because He did not need to die and rise - rather, the Resurrection is for us. As we hear in the Litany of the Gospel "You are the Resurrection of us all"
  • How is the Resurrection of Christ transferred to us? How do we participate in the Resurrection of Christ? How does His Resurrection become our resurrection?
    1. You must believe in the Resurrection of Christ
    2. You must participate in the Body and Blood of Christ
       • "I believe, I believe, I believe, that this is the life-giving Flesh"
       • When I, the mortal, participate in the Communion and am united with His Body, which is life-giving Flesh, It will give me life and transfer me from death to life. Thus, I participate in the Resurrection of Christ

The Living Water

• The Lord Jesus said that He is the One who can give the Living Water
• The Water will become in Him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life
• What is the Living Water?
  • The Bread of Life is Communion
  • The Living Water is the Holy Spirit
    • "'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.' But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified." (John 7:37-39)
    • Baptism is participation in the Death, Burial and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ
    • After Baptism, we receive the Holy Spirit
    • The Holy Spirit is the Living Water and will be a fountain of water inside me, springing up into everlasting life
• What is the Role of the Holy Spirit in the participation of the Resurrection?
  • "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8:11)
    • Note: This verse seems to say that the Holy Spirit rose Jesus from the dead, other verses say that the Father did, and others say that Jesus rose by Himself... The Resurrection is the Work and Participation of the Holy Trinity together. We can say all three and there is no contradiction.
    • If God the Father who raised Jesus, and the Holy Spirit which is the Spirit of the Father and the Son, and this Holy Spirit dwells in you, then God the Father will raise your mortal bodies through the Holy Spirit who dwells in you
    • The Holy Spirit will transfer the Resurrection of Christ to be my own Resurrection by making me one with Christ

One with Christ

• Jesus, in the Incarnation, introduced Himself as the Bridegroom (and we are the Bride)
  • Many verses in the Bible - the 5 foolish/wise virgins parable, "I betrothed you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ" (2 Cor 11:2) the Supper of the Wedding of the Lamb in Revelation, 
  • Where did Isaac meet his wife? Eleazar found her at a well
  • Where did Jacob find Rachel? At a well
  • The Samaritan Woman represents all of humanity who lived all our life in sin (in spiritual adultery) and then we meet our Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, at a well
  • Through the Union and Marriage of Christ, the Bridegroom, to the Church His Bride, we will be one
    • In the Lord Jesus, we are children of God the Father
    • If we are children, then heirs (Romans 8:17)
    • Who performs this marriage? the Holy Spirit
      1. Hear about the Lord Jesus Christ
         • From the Gospel, written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
         • Holy Spirit works in the heart of the listener/hearer
      2. Choose to believe
         • The work of faith is by the Holy Spirit
         • "No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor 12:3)
      3. Repent
         • The Holy Spirit will work in me to repent
         • "He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment"
      4. Baptized
         • Born again from water and the Spirit
      5. Confirmation
         • Receive the Holy Spirit to dwells in me
      6. Eucharist
         • The Holy Spirit will unite me with the Body of the Lord in the Eucharist
         • In the Epiclesis, the priest prays asking God "that Your Holy Spirit may descend upon us and upon these gifts set forth, and purify them, change them, and manifest them as a sanctification of Your saints."
      7. The Holy Spirit Bears Fruits inside me
         • It becomes a fountain of water springing unto everlasting life
         • Love, joy, peace, etc.
    • Through the Holy Spirit, I am one with Christ. If I am one with Christ, who rose from the dead, then in Him, I also will be risen

5 Sins Against the Holy Spirit

• How are we allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us to become a fountain of water springing into everlasting life?
  • Don't resist the Holy Spirit
  • Don't grieve the Holy Spirit
  • Don't quench the Holy Spirit
  • Don't lie against the Holy Spirit
  • Don't blaspheme the Holy Spirit