# Salvation & Spiritual Life # The Economy of Salvation - HG Bishop Raphael https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SU5hB6gTstA # Salvation in the Orthodox Concept - HH Pope Shenouda III ##### Dangers of "One Single Verse" *"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household" (Acts 16:31)* - This verse might be used as "proof" that all that is required for salvation is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ - But that would be taking the verse out of its context - who was it spoken to? Who was it spoken by? What else in the Scripture discusses this concept? - The foolish person would base his whole concept of salvation on this one verse. But the wise person would look at this verse's context in the book of Acts, and its context in the whole scripture (since the Word of God is not mere verses, but breathes and is backed by a living Spirit) - What could this verse mean? - This verse was spoken to a Gentile - if the apostle Paul had preached to him to do good works, they would have benefited him nothing because he did not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. If he was speaking to a Christian who already believed in Christ, he would have given him a different message - St Paul is conveying to him the first step and this happens often in Scripture - Simeon the elder said "Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace according to Your word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation." Did he see the salvation? Did he see the Cross? Definitely not. But he saw the first step. - When Zacchaeus said that he would give back four times what he had stolen, the Lord told him "Today salvation has come to this house." The repentance of Zacchaeus was just the first step toward salvation. - "You will be saved, you and your household" - Why would his household be saved by him believing on the Lord Jesus Christ? Again, it's simply the first step. He will still convince his household to also believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as their first step, and then they will take the next steps together. - The next verses: "Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed *their* stripes. And immediately he and all his *family* were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household." (Acts 16:32-33) - He and his family were baptized! If St Paul literally meant that all you have to do is believe on the Lord Christ and declare your belief and have faith, why would he then go and baptize them? - Other verses about salvation say other things... even from the Lord Christ, Himself! - A young man came to the Lord and asked "what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" - the Lord did not say "believe and you will be saved" - He said "keep the commandments" and when the young man pressed for more, the Lord told him "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." (Matthew 19). The Lord was giving him a message that was specific to him and to his weakness. Does this mean faith is not necessary? Certainly not. Every situation requires a suitable answer. *"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God..." (Romans 5:1)* - This verse seems clear... it's explicit. How can we deny it? - We don't deny it, but we place beside it another verse from the same epistle: - "For not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified." (Romans 2:13) - We add to it another verse: - "You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only." (James 2:24) - We cannot say that it is only by works we are saved, neither can we say that it is only by faith. *"But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness" (Romans 2:5)* - Does this mean that God justifies the ungodly when they continue in their ungodliness? God forbid - Add to it other verses: - "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men." (Romans 1:18) - "... condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly" (2 Peter 2:6) - *"Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way." (Jude 14:15)* - *"Do not be deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites... will inherit the Kingdom of God"* It is not proper at all to follow this manner of using one single verse only... It is wrong and dangerous besides being unorthodox. If anyone presents you a certain verse, however explicit and plain it may be, say to him: "One verse is of no use to me. Let us bring together all the texts relating to the subject, then we can argue." ##### No Salvation Except Through the Blood of Christ Alone # On the Spiritual Life - Fr D. Ava Moses ##### Spiritual Life & Salvation - The Spiritual Life is defined by the goal of preserving the image and likeness of God that has been implanted in us by thinking good and doing good - What is the Image and Likeness of God - We are initially created in God’s image and likeness - God’s image and likeness means possessing some Divine Attributes - Rationality, wisdom, free-will, goodness/holiness/righteousness, freedom from sin, sonship by adoption, authority, incorruption and indestructibility, immortality, godhood - We are given God’s rationality and His wisdom, and then free-will to be able to use it, and then goodness/holiness/righteousness so that our use for it is good, and this is what separates us from sin. We are adopted into the royal family, which gives us authority over the creation; so creation cannot harm us, thus we are immortal. - Love - Also called purity of heart - We can also call Love a goal of the spiritual life - Partaking/Participation is the process by which we receive those Divine Attributes - God’s Image and Likeness was lost in Adam and Eve when they disobeyed - God wants His image and likeness to be restored in humans - Regaining or Restoring that which was lost is the definition of salvation (safe, protected, made whole) - Salvation occurs in phases - Our life on earth - Our eternal life after Resurrection - Partaking/Participation is the means by which we can begin to have God’s Image and Likeness restored within Us and work with Him to preserve it (during our life on earth). It won’t be complete until after the Resurrection - Passively - Divine withdrawal of grace - Salvific works of grace - Incarnation, Christ’s Baptism/Anointing, Obedience and Submission of Christ, Proclamation of Jesus as the Beloved Son of the Father, Christ’s sufferings and crucifixion, His Death, His Resurrection, His Ascension, The Giving of the Holy Spirit. - Actively (Sacramental Life) - Baptism - Chrismation - Eucharist - Repentance and Confession - Acts of Love - Contemplating the Holy Trinity - Prayer ##### Spirituality 1. A Balance Between Labors and Sinless Leisure Time is NECESSARY 2. Balance and Moderation to Regulate Spiritual Activities 1. Discernment is needed 2. Spiritual Life is built around abilities 3. Orthodox Spirituality **Requires** Conscious Purpose of Mind 4. Pursuing the Restoration of God’s Image and Likeness within us, or Purity of Heart, is to be the motive behind all our actions - Things that we don’t like or that annoy us, should be welcome to cultivate purity of heart - E.g. How do I deal with annoying situation? 1 - I flee; 2 Timothy 2:22; 2 - I stay and crash out; 3 - I stay and learn to keep my composure so that I grow. (Refined by fire) - Categories of sin: Enjoyable (Lust, Vainglory, etc.) - Unenjoyable (Anger, frustration, etc.) - Even some ascetic and spiritual exercises can cause harm - e.g. Pharisees and fasting - Focus on quality of ascetic exercises - Ascetic exercises do not have any value of themselves, but derive their value from the ability to cultivate purity of heart - If anyone loves, this one is known by God - If I know everything but I have not love… 5. There are varying degrees in the spiritual life 1. Exercise yourself towards godliness 6. Sometimes, One will be called away from a good pursuit and the intensity to pursuit it by God for a good reason 1. The Lord may allow a demon (“messenger of Satan”) to attack us in order that we can avoid vainglory, or pride. Or some other good reason (see 2 Cor 12:7-9) 2. ”I’m a very patient person” - no you’re not. And I’ll put you in a hard situation to show you that you aren’t patient… because if you don’t know you’re impatient, then you can’t confess it or grow out of it. # Spiritual Canon # Into the Deep Podcast - Fr Theodore Ghaly | Ep 12 | Prayer **The Disciples and Prayer** When the disciples asked the Lord, they didn't ask "how should we conduct ourselves" or "what should we do" but they asked Him "teach us to pray." And He answered Prayer is the driving force behind everything the apostles do in the Book of Acts. Everything they do is surrounded by prayer. "These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication" (Acts 1:14) "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers." (Acts 2:42) - The roles of the Church are the Eucharist and prayers - The disciples ordained deacons in order to give themselves "continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word" The disciples also learned from the Lord Jesus Christ - Christ would take time to go in solitude and pray - First thing that gets excluded when/if I'm busy is prayer. But for the disciples and the Lord, they set apart time for prayer Why don't I feel the presence of God? Why don't I feel powerful or able to overcome temptation? Why don't I feel like God is standing with me? Prayer is that bond with God that strengthens us. **Is Prayer Supposed to be Difficult? Constantly Fighting? Or are we not understanding the point of prayer?** Prayer can be difficult at time... "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak" - in my spirit I know that I should pray, but I have other things pulling me in other directions (my flesh - tired, hungry, etc.; my responsibilities and priorities). ***The devil fights prayer more than anything else... if a person has a strong prayer life, they cannot be touched by the devil.*** When we pray the Agpeya together in the liturgy, or if we're on a retreat and we pray the hours, or in the monastery or convent, no one complains about prayer. But when I'm on my own... I'm on my own. No one sees what I'm doing. They say "character" is what you do when no one is watching. There's no accountability. When I remove my time from a life of prayer, and from connection with God, there is deterioration over time. Compare it with going to the gym... you see yourself every day and don't notice the small changes. But if someone sees you after it has been a while, they notice the change. **When can you pray?** Disciples taught that there is a structure and a time for prayer - "Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour." (Acts 3:1) Spontaneous prayer is good too I can have discipline in prayer but more important is understanding that prayer is about being constantly connected with God. St Paul says "Pray without ceasing" - What does it mean? Does it mean to always be "saying words" (out loud or in your mind?) - Prayer is connection and communication with God - be connected and communicating with God constantly - Imagine someone who has a nagging cough - he always has that tickle in his throat, never forgets that he has it, but he's not ALWAYS coughing - What about when you sleep? - Someone who I talk to constantly, or daily. You're texting your friends, then a little while later they text you back. Then you text them again... you would say "we talked all day" - you didn't talk every second of the day, but you were in constant communication with God. **What is prayer?** - Prayer is not just asking God - sometimes I only pray when I need something - The Church emphasizes a particular type of prayer which is PRAISE - Praising God for WHO HE IS because HE IS deserving or praise - Petitions for others - Supplications for myself - Asking for forgiveness - The Church gives us the structured prayer to teach us how to pray in order to develop our unstructured prayer - Agpeya sometimes feels boring - Agpeya is mostly the psalms which are prayers inspired by the Holy Spirit - Maybe I'm not in the mood to give thanks today, but when I pray the Agpeya, it reminds me to be thankful today. Gives me perspective - Maybe it escapes me in a moment that God is deserving of praise. But when I sing the Tasbeha or say "Doxa Patri" in Agpeya, I remember - Sometimes we say "I don't know what to say to God" or "I draw a blank" or "I always say the same thing" - Structured prayer produces in you fruitful unstructured prayer - Stop thinking of prayer as "an obligation I have in front of God to appease Him" - this skews our understanding of prayer - If you miss liturgy or you miss a morning prayer, what is the feeling I ought to feel? Many people would say guilt - A more mature feeling is that I missed out on something... imagine we are planning to meet up for coffee and I get stuck in traffic and I'm not able to make it so I call and tell you I can't make it. My feeling is that I missed out on something I was excited for. I'm looking forward to the next time I can reschedule with him **Explanation of the Hours of the Agpeya** - The hours are based on the Jewish form of prayer - 1st Hour - 6am - 3rd Hour - 9am - 6th Hour - 12pm - 9th Hour - 3pm - 11th Hour - 5pm - 12th Hour - 6pm - In Liturgy we pray 3rd Hour because it's that time, and the 6th Hour because we'll probably miss it in the course of the Liturgy - When you wake up in the morning, it's good to pray the 1st Hour because the prayers are focusing on and surrounding the beginning of the day, and the rising out of bed - Each hour has introduction, Thanksgiving Prayer, Psalm 50, then 12 Psalms (19 in the first hour), Gospel, Litanies, Absolution and Conclusion - Prayer before Communion, Prayer before Confession, Prayer before Eating, Prayer before an Exam, etc. **What advice would you give someone who feels like his relationship with God is drifting?** - Prayer is the solution to this - Maybe there are sins in my life I need to stop, or vices I need to remove, or people I need to distance from... but the journey of our spiritual life is to know God more and love Him more, grow closer to Him, and sin becomes to me unappealing in comparison to the beauty of Christ. - St Paul says "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known." (1 Cor 13:12) - "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him" (Ephesians 1:17) - Prayer is the process by which we begin to wash away that mirror - God is a Person - If I don't know someone well, the conversation in the beginning may be difficult, awkward, etc. But when I get to know someone, a little pause is okay, conversation flows, etc. - When I go pray for the first time, I can't expect fire to come out of my fingertips, but consider it like I am being introduced to God for the first time - **Persevere in prayer** - When I have a problem in life, I pray. When something good happens, I give thanks in prayer. When I fall into temptation, I pray for forgiveness. Every aspect of my life, I offer up in prayer. - When He answers my prayer, when He gives me peace, when He gives me comfort - these are me hearing the voice of God. - When I begin prayer, I am taking a leap of faith - those who prayed before me, the commandment of God, the Scripture says about prayer. When I start to recognize the fruits of prayer and how helpful and beneficial prayer is, I will start to do it out of my love for God and my love for communicating with Him **The Holy Spirit and Prayer** - The Holy Spirit teaches us to pray: - "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know *them,* because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Cor 2:14) - Apart from the Holy Spirit we cannot know God - He is the Spirit of Truth, who reveals God to us **Distractions** - Distraction in prayer is common - Before I pray, let me sit silently or stand silently for a few minutes to allow my mind to go anywhere - What do I have to do tomorrow, what did I do wrong today, this person did this or that, etc. - Don't let the distraction become a distraction in itself - I'm praying and then realize I didn't comprehend or listen to anything in the last five minutes. So I start to think about it and dwell on it and the distraction becomes a distraction in itself. Instead, let me ask God for forgiveness and continue. **Prayer Canon** - Personal spiritual rule that your spiritual father sets for you - e.g. pray something structured in the morning and something structured in the evening - Maybe if you've never prayed before and you are starting, Abouna will tell you Our Father, Prayer of Thanksgiving and Psalm 50 - If you've been praying Agpeya since you were very young, you'll have a different canon - Fasting has canons too - There's the rule of the church - this is what we ought to pray/fast. And the personal rule based on their particular needs. **Anything we shouldn't pray about?** - I have a test, my car's tire pressure is low - People who pray about things big and small are enhancing that connection that they have with God - Sometimes we pray about things that are beyond our control - e.g. a Test... I can't control what questions will be on it, what I'll remember in the moment, how the grader will feel, etc. - People who pray for everything are recognizing that everything is in God's control - The best prayer is "Thy will be done" - I ask for something but I submit my will to God's will - I am praying to accept what God chooses - I am praying for discernment to know and understand what God chooses **Expectations about Prayer** - I expect that God hears my prayer. When I have faith that God hears my prayer, I should have solace and comfort that God, who loves me, has heard my prayer and knows my needs. Therefore, I am in His hands. And if I'm in His hands, then there is nothing for me to worry about - "In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" - When I give the burden to God, now the burden is shared. It becomes much easier. **Advice to Close** - Speak to your spiritual father in particular - Pray to God in the morning for Him to direct my day and direct my way and to keep me away from sin and temptation - Pray to God in the evening and recount the day with Him, ask for forgiveness of the sins I committed, for a safe night # What is a Spiritual Canon? - HEMY ##### Introduction - We are all composed of body, and spirit - Our body is taken from the earth - that's why the body tends to like the earthly, laziness, sin - The spirit is taken from God - so our spirit tends to like holiness and connection with God - That's why there is always a war between the flesh and the spirit - "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish." (Galatians 5:17) - To win the war, there needs to be a spiritual rule/canon/law - If you don't have a spiritual canon/rule you will be under "spiritual mood" - When you have the mood to pray, you will pray - When you have the mood to read the bible, you will read the bible - People who live by this principal, their spiritual life goes down all the time. - Our natural tendency is laziness. That's why we don't read the Bible regularly, pray regularly, etc. - "If anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules." (2 Timothy 2:5) - If my spirit is competing with my body, I need to have a rule in order to be crowned at the end - "Let all things be done decently and in order." (1 Cor 14:40) - Spiritual rule will organize your life and make it in order - Spiritual Growth is tightly connected with the Spiritual Canon - "The main difference between the saints and us is seriousness." - HHPS3 - They took their life seriously - They respected their spiritual canon; they did not break it - They started as beginners, but because of their seriousness, they grow - What is the difference between someone successful in his studies and someone who is not? - The one who follows a rule and takes his studying seriously will be successful - The one who studies when he feels like it, or when he's in the mood to study, will not be successful - "So I will sing praise to Your name forever, that I may daily perform my vows." (Psalm 61:8) - No one makes vows every day... but he means the spiritual rule. His prayer, reading the Scripture, etc. It's a commitment, it's vows. - St John the Short, when the devil attacked him to prevent him from praying, he used to say: "Today, at least I am alive, I am here, I can pray - I don't know if tomorrow I will be sick or dead and I won't be able to pray.. so let me pray today." - "⁵For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those *who live* according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. ⁶For to be carnally minded *is* death, but to be spiritually minded *is* life and peace. ⁷Because the carnal mind *is* enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. ⁸So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. ⁹But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His." (Romans 8:5-8) - It is our choice to live according to the flesh or according to the spirit - Someone might say: "I want to pray" - "I want to read the bible" - and they make a spiritual rule and discuss with Abouna... but to apply it? Can't. I get bored. - **The devil will fight you!** - Virtue of Coercion - "But I discipline my body and bring *it* into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." (1 Corinthians 9:27) - In the beginning it will be difficult but once you develop a habit, it will be easier and you will enjoy it ##### Spiritual Rule - Prayer - How many hours of the agpeya? - How many psalms in every hour? - Personal prayers? - Readings - Scripture - Spiritual Books - Fasting - All the fasts of the church - Personal fasts - How do you fast? Until when do you abstain? - Many people don't take fasting seriously. - Abstinence has disappeared... no one is doing it. - We take milk in our coffee - We eat pizza if it's cheese - You spoil your flesh instead of disciplining it - Prostrations - Do them in your young age before you come to an age with back problems and knee problems ##### Examples of Seriousness in Spiritual Canon - We worship God how He wants to be worshipped, not how we want to - God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son... and he appointed a certain place for the sacrifice at a mountain and it was three days walking away. In the third day he saw it from afar. (Gen 22) - Abraham didn't say to God "isn't enough that I will offer my son as a sacrifice? And you want me to walk three days? What difference does it make here or there?" - But he respected God - We worship God according to what we see right, not according to what God is asking us to do - David was a king - many responsibilities... but he said "Seven times everyday I will praise Your holy name" - But I get tired, I have a long day of school, and lots of studies and I can't do the spiritual canon - Yes, it is tiring. Yes it is not convenient. You're right... - But what does it mean when the Lord said "enter through the narrow gate?" - "walk in the difficult way?" - this is the narrow gate. When you bring your body into subjection. When you don't make it easy on yourself. - "Grant us sobriety, O Lord, that we may know how to stand before You at times of prayer and ascribe unto You the befitting glorification and win the forgiveness of our many sins" - "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force." (Matthew 11:12) - you need to FORCE yourself into the Kingdom - Daniel was a captive - like a slave - and the king wanted Daniel and the three youth to eat certain food which is considered unclean for the Jewish people - "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself." (Daniel 1:8) - **No excuses** - Sometimes we are fasting, invited to a birthday party, break our fast - where is the determination like Daniel? - Many go to wedding receptions or birthdays or graduation parties and drink alcohol - but Daniel purposed in his heart. - John the Baptist - Why did the Lord commend John the Baptist? He was **serious in his life** - “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft *clothing* are in kings’ houses. ⁹But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet." (Matthew 11) - He was serious in his spiritual life - Mary sister of Lazarus - Mary chose the good portion - it's time to sit at the feet of the Lord and to learn, so she sat at the feet of the Lord and learned. **No Distractions** - But I'm praying and get a text message, let me respond to it - I'm praying and I get a phone call, answer the call - Wait until you're done and then answer - what will happen? ##### What is a Spiritual Canon? - A structure that you follow in your spiritual life - Prayer, Bible, prostrations, etc. - "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it." (1 Cor 9:24) ##### Why is it important? - When you are committed to a spiritual canon, you will grow spiritually - How to overcome sin of anger? How to overcome sin of lust? - How to grow in virtue of humility? How to grow in virtue of love? - Pray, Read the Bible, Fast, Prostrations, Go to Church, Confess - These are the elements of spiritual canon. If you have a spiritual canon and you are committed to it, you WILL grow spiritually. - Spiritual Canon will teach you how to be structured/disciplined in your life - Give you sense of responsibility - Structure - 7am I will pray the 1st hour - 5pm I will read the Bible - 7pm I will pray the 12th hour - In the monastery, bell rings 5pm for Vespers Prayer. Everyone drops what they're doing and goes to the church to pray - If I am relaxed with it - "Oh I will make this phone call and then read the Bible" - by the end of the night "I'll just read two chapters tomorrow" - Spiritual Canon will give you satisfaction and spiritual nourishment - We will develop self-control against sin when it attacks us - Strengthens our relationship with God - Protects us from laziness because we are committed to finish - Protects us from spiritual moodiness - A weapon against Satan - When the disciples could not cast out a demon the Lord told them: "This kind cannot come out except by prayer and fasting." - Spiritual Canon helps me to discern God's voice and God's will in my life ##### Challenges - Time - But is it true we don't have time? Or God is not our priority? What is the first thing I do in the morning? - Time Management: when you manage your time, you are able to do everything. Recall when you go to conventions - Collect the fragments: 10min here, 15min there - you want to check your social media? Do it in these fragments of time, so the time of prayer will be a time for prayer. - Boredom - Fight this through the virtue of coercion and through understanding what we pray ##### Components of Spiritual Canon - Accountability partner - Spiritual friend - Servant - Parent - Abouna - Keep a diary - Daily - Agpeya (or 1st hour, 12th hour) - Bible Reading - Prostration (N/A on Sat/Sun) - Weekly - Sunday Liturgy - some try to choose Fri or Sat, it is short (only 2 hours, maybe I come late so it's only 1.5hr), no sermon, less crowded, etc.) but Sunday is the day of the Lord. You can attend Fri and Sat - but Sunday is A MUST - Story about how Egyptian Christians fought for Liturgy on Sunday and the government exception for Christians - Vespers - Tasbeha - Tithing - Wed and Fri Fasting - Many are not observing this fast - If I think that the Lord was betrayed (Wed) and crucified (Fri), instead of ME. And the Lord endured this for my sake... so is it too much to fast Wed and Fri? Which is easier? To fast Wed and Fri? Or to die eternally? As thanksgiving and gratitude for what He did for us, we need to fast these two days with discipline. - Monthly - Confession every 4-6 weeks - Be diligent and honest - My relationship with God - Spiritual Canon - Virtues (Fruit of the Spirit) - My relationship with myself - Habits - Senses - Smoking, drinking, partying, pornography, wasting time - Music - Thoughts - Whatever thoughts attack you - lustful, envious, judgmental - My relationship with others - Family, Friends. Colleagues, Strangers, Enemies - Write your confession on a piece of paper, stand before God and pray, and ask Him to forgive you and to give you a new heart, to help you take repentance seriously - Then, go to Abouna and confess to the Lord in his presence and ask for any guidance or advice ##### Conclusion - "¹⁷Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. ¹⁸And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit." (James 5:17-18) - He was serious in his spiritual life - He was structured - So his prayer was strong - "I will not go into the dwelling of my house, or go up to the bed of my couch; I will not give sleep to my eyes, nor slumber to my eyelids, nor rest to my temples, until I find a place for the Lord and a dwelling place for the God of Jacob." (Psalm 131 - Agpeya 12th Hour) # Virtue # Humility - HG Bishop Peter Sermon **St Mina's Feast 2020 in Nashville, TN** Was it right for disciples to ask "who will be greatest?" - Yes! Christ did not rebuke them as He rebuked some other questions. Also... Everyone should strive to be great! Greatest dad, teacher, husbamd, etc. Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less Humility takes strength - someone who is weak, low self-esteem, etc is not humble. Christ was not like that. Humility is a decision (like love). Being humble is the key to a joyful and peaceful life. Psalm 91:1 (911... Emergency) - He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Two parts to humility - Humility with God - Humility with Man Just like a prostration has two parts: - Going down - Rising up I need to go down and humble myself before God and rise up and practice the humility with man Humility of man with God - When was the last time you stood and spoke to God (genuinely) - Stand in the presence of your Father - even if you don't speak a single word - Humility is to spend time with God, understanding that if God doesn't give me \_\_\_ then I won't have it! (joy, peace, solution to my problem, etc) - The worst thing we can do is depend on ourselves - "Fix It" Mentality (e.g. disciples at feeding the multitude) - The solution is spending alone time with God. - Spending time with God leads to humility. Spending time with people leads to pride - I cannot sit in a room alone and feel important. But among other people, I might feel important Humility of man with man - "I am sorry" - hardest three words - Na3am 7ader Akhtet - My temper gets me into trouble. My pride keeps me in that trouble - In order to have humility, I must train myself to say "I am sorry" as much as I can What is the result of humility? - Grace - the power of God in your life - But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6) # Fr Daoud Lamei - 8 Exercises in Gratitude [https://soundcloud.com/frdaoudlamei/01-let-us-give-thanks-to-the-lord?in=frdaoudlamei/sets/let-us-give-thanks-to-the-lord](https://soundcloud.com/frdaoudlamei/01-let-us-give-thanks-to-the-lord?in=frdaoudlamei/sets/let-us-give-thanks-to-the-lord) - Thanksgiving is the easiest and most important virtue to talk about - We'll discuss 8 Exercises to insert Thanksgiving throughout the whole day - if we become accustomed to them, we will find our life become more thankful - Exercise 1: As soon as you open your eyes in the morning, give thanks to God - Some people have a bad habit of first thing in the morning, the instant their eyes open, they're on their phone - For others, as soon as they open their eyes they're off to make coffee - Let "I thank you, Lord" be the first words out of your mouth every morning - Some people will put a sign on their bed or on their mirror - as soon as they wake up, give thanks to the Lord. - "make it known that one must rise before the sun to give You thanks, and must pray to You at the dawning of the light" (Wisdom 16:28 NRSV) - This is the monastic rite, too - they wake up in the darkness so as to pray and praise before the animals and plants and sun and the rest of the world wake up - Grow in this exercise: - Some people say "I'll do the whole Prayer of Thanksgiving as soon as I wake up" - Others say "I will thank God 20 times as soon as I wake up" - What to thank God for? - Life - Those who you love - Your senses are still working (hearing might be 50/50 but it still works!) - New day is a new opportunity to do good, to repent, etc. - Rest - Exercise 2: Every time you eat or drink, give thanks to God - Every spoonful and every sip - We're looking for the things that can remind us to give thanks - What to thank God for? - The presence of food in a world that has hunger and thirst... people are dying of hunger and thirst, but you are one of the ones who has it - The fact that you are alive and even able to eat - The food, itself - Maybe it will remind you about spiritual food and drink (Bible and Prayer) - ate a hamburger, read a chapter! Drank a soda, pray a psalm! - Exercise 3: Every time you see someone - Some people you see and you love them... and some people when you see them you... - See your children, your friends, your wife, your manager, your co-worker - Those who cause you trouble are playing a role in your salvation - At the very least, they will teach you prayer! - I thank you Lord because Georges annoyed me this morning - at least it got me to talk to You - What to thank God for? - Those who you are happy to see - Those who are bothering you or clashing you or conflicting with you - Those who give you the opportunity to serve them - Exercise 4: Every time you move - "el 7araka baraka" - At some point you were trying to move and your neck hurt, or your back hurt, or your knee... and when you get older it will be more often - There was a servant who had lots of pain and discomfort, but he was serving and visiting the sick. He went to a very sick person one day and saw that he was very happy! So he said "I don't understand... why are you so happy?" And the guy replied "This is the first time in several years that I can move my neck!" He said that phrase made me turn 180 degrees. - What to thank God for? - That you are able to move - That you are able to go out - That you are able to leave the house - That you move without pain! - Remember how hard it was during the Quarantine Period of COVID - Exercise 5: Every message and phone call - I'm not encouraging you to use the phone a lot, but imagine if with every text, WhatsApp message, Facetime, phone call, etc. you thanked God! How many times a day would it be? - Teach those around you and that you are communicating with about God - some words like "Thank God", "God willing", "God bless", etc. are our language. And they can be the easiest way to witness to the Lord in the world. - What to thank God for? - Good news - Bad news ("I thank you Lord, that it may be made good") - "Say thank God and wait a few weeks" - Exercise 6: For Pain - This one is harder... but it has its own blessings - One lady had cancer and Abouna went to visit her before her departure and she said she wanted to confess. And she started crying "I made a mistake" - what was her mistake? "One time, I said 'that's enough Lord'" and Abouna asks her "well what do you usually say?" - She said "I thank you, Lord... but this one time I made a mistake and told the Lord that's enough" - It may not be that the Thanksgiving will bring you physical healing, but it will soften and prepare your heart - Exercise 7: For the Spiritual Work - The Church teaches us a Life of Thanksgiving - starts and ends with a Thanksgiving Prayer - What to thank God for? - Went to a convention - thank God - Entered into the Liturgy - thank God - Heard a sermon or a lecture - thank God - Served at the church - thank God - Called someone to console or mourn with them - thank God - Every time you pray, every time you read the Bible - Exercise 8: For your mind and what's on it - Thank God instead of dwelling on thoughts - Our minds are disorganized, they are a collection of ideas and thoughts and sensory data... what did I see? What did I hear? What did I feel? What do I remember? What did I think? And all of it comes together in an unorganized way, and this is what we see when we dream at night... a combination of everything from that day or week. And sometimes we just think and think and think and dwell on a problem or dwell on something... but instead, let's transform it into Thanksgiving. Sometimes we even make up stories and believe them - "Oh he's talking about me behind my back" or "Oh he did this to spite me or because he hates me." Instead, let me thank God and in this way I can turn it into a prayer about the problem. - What to thank God for? - Any problem on my mind, I thank You O Lord for holding it in Your hand - Any past problem or thing in the past, I thank You, O Lord, for taking care of it - Any person I am thinking about, I thank You, O Lord for putting him/her into my life" # The Virtue of Discernment & Wisdom - HE Metropolitan Youssef ##### What is Wisdom and Discernment - "But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." (Hebrews 5:14) - Wisdom is for the Spiritually Mature - Lack of discernment is an indicator of spiritual immaturity ##### Wisdom in the Scripture - Wisdom is a requirement for those who will serve as deacons - "Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; ... And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which \[Stephen\] spoke." (Acts 6:3, 10) - Wisdom is one of the titles of our Lord Jesus Christ - "\[Christ,\] in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Colossians 2:3) - The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of wisdom and understanding - "The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord." (Isaiah 11:2) - Wisdom is one of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit - "For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12: 8) ##### Heavenly Wisdom vs Earthly Wisdom - Wisdom of the world is called "cunning" or "craftiness" - "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, 'He catches the wise in their *own* craftiness'" (1 Corinthians 3:19) - Heavenly Wisdom is that which comes from above - "Who *is* wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct *that* his works *are done* in the meekness of wisdom." (James 3:13) - Wisdom of the world comes with arrogance, but heavenly wisdom comes with meekness. - "But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but *is* earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking *exist,* confusion and every evil thing *are* there." (James 3:14-16) - If the wisdom that I have is self-seeking, selfish, with pride - then it is craftiness or cunning. It's not heavenly wisdom. - "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." (James 3:17) - Examples of Earthly Wisdom - The Serpent in Genesis 3 who is described as "more cunning" than the other animals - Jezebel who used craftiness to acquire Naboth's field and have him killed, with some false witnesses - Rebecca, the wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob and Esau - when she told Jacob how to deceive his father - Ahitophel's counsel to Absalom which would have enabled Absalom to steal the kingdom from King David - but the Lord dispersed the counsel of Ahitophel (as we say in the liturgy) - Balaam who in his earthly wisdom advised Moab to send their women to Israel to cause them to fall into the sin of sexual immorality and God will not be with them ##### How can we acquire Heavenly Wisdom? 1. **Prayer**: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5) - King Solomon, when he became king after his father, King David, felt the weight of his responsibility. And the Lord spoke to him and told him to ask for whatever he wants and King Solomon asked for wisdom. And he was the wisest man to ever live. - In the Bishop Canon: "You were granted... the wisdom of Solomon" - If this wisdom comes from above, let us ask for this wisdom from above 2. **The Scripture**: "I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts." (Proverbs 119:99-100) 3. **Counsel:** - Any president in any country has many counselors; Many people retire and work as advisors - Ask, and learn wisdom! Especially from the elders, from the clergy, from your Sunday School servants - When you ask and learn with the spirit of a disciple, you will build up your wisdom - St Athanasius described St Anthony as a bee - a bee flies from one flower to another flower to collect the nectar. St Anthony used to go from one father to another father to learn from them. 4. **Learn from the Mistakes of Others:** - You need to learn from your own mistakes, but don't wait to repeat the mistakes of others to learn! - You know from statistics, life experience, research, etc. how drugs have destroyed many youth. So learn from this! Don't go into drugs or smoking or gambling or alcohol... learn from the mistakes of others! - If someone told you that fire burns, you don't need to put your hand in the fire to know that it burns. ##### Wisdom is Needed for Making Decisions and Choices 1. Some decisions are well known to be very very bad - Drugs and sexual immorality - I know it is bad, I will stay away from it. This decision is easy. 2. Some decisions are well known to be very very good - Fasting, Helping the poor, Visiting the sick, Attending Youth Meeting, Going to Church - I know it is good, this decision is easy to make 3. Some decisions are more difficult - I don't know if this will help me or hurt me - e.g. you are accepted to a college in a state that does not have a church. Every situation is different, and it requires discernment to figure out what is the best decision for you. - Pray about wisdom from God to help me to discern - Ask myself which one is better for my Spiritual Life? Which one is edifying? - Is it edifying or wise to live in a place where the closest church is 4 hours away? - Is it suitable for me and my family? - Go and get the opinion of others - Get counsel from wise, godly people. Don't get opinion or advice from people who are not wise, or from people who are ungodly. - Use your mind - Make a table, write the choices and the pros and cons. In writing. And this table should not be filled in one session - my thoughts are in one direction now, but tomorrow may be in the opposite direction. I need to fill out this table over a period of 7-10 days. When I remember a point, I write it down. - So at the end, when I look at the table, it will be clear (through the guidance of the Holy Spirit) which decision I should make - Don't make quick decisions. Quick decisions can be a hinderance to wisdom. - St Macarius one time had the idea to enter into the inner desert to find the anchorites. From outside, this decision looks good... but, he writes, "I examined this thought for three years to know whether it is from God or not from God." - Someone upsets you and you immediately say "okay I quit, this friendship is over... I'm not gonna talk to him anymore." - you did not use your mind, you followed your emotions. And since your emotions are negative, your decision was bad. ##### Wisdom's Benefits - Wisdom protects you from falling into false spirituality - Someone might say "I want to grow in the virtue of obedience... I will obey everyone who is older than me." - it sounds good... but it needs wisdom and discernment. If someone older then comes and tells you to do something that is sinful, or that will not edify you, or that will hurt you, and you do it "out of obedience" - that is false spirituality! You need discernment and wisdom to know NOT to obey in that instance. - Wisdom will help you in dealing with cunning and crafty people - They went to the Lord and told Him - "we know you are a man of God and you don't have any partiality and you don't fear people, so we want to ask you a question... should we pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" It's a trap. If He says yes, they will tell the Jews: "See? He is not the Prophet or the Messiah... He's encouraging you to submit to the occupying government." And if He says no, they will go to Caesar and say: "He is turning the people against your empire." It's a no-win question. The Lord, in His wisdom told them to show Him a denarii and He asked whose inscription it was... it's Caesars! He said "then it's Caesar's! So render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and render to God what belongs to God" - HHPS was attacked by crafty people like this many times because he was wise. - They asked him who will go to heaven? Christians, Muslims or Jews? And in the wisdom of the Holy Spirit he answered "he who has sound faith and does good deeds will go to heaven" - which is true. - Another time, he was asked about where a prominent Muslim leader was going after he died. Of course, HH couldn't say that he isn't going to heaven as that would cause issues between Muslims and Christians. But HH responded "he is going with his beloved Mohammad" - which was an answer that appeased both the Muslims and the Christians. - Wisdom will help you to discern when to speak and when to be silent - There are times when silence is a sin - if St Athanasius was silent at hearing Arius' heresy, that would have been sin. - Wisdom is needed in dealing with others - Some people clash with others - how to sympathize and how to empathize, requires wisdom - Rejoicing with those who rejoice, and weeping with those who weep - Wisdom is needed in studying the Scripture - Some people use earthly wisdom to interpret the text - "No one will believe if you say that this is actually Body and Blood... no it must be a symbol" - Some people take one verse - "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved" - and throw out the rest of the Bible - Wisdom will help you to know when to be submissive and when to be assertive ##### Wisdom vs Intelligence - Wisdom is not the same as intelligence - Wisdom can be acquired by the experience of life - Many people who are not educated, but are filled with the Holy Spirit, you can find wisdom in their mind and heart. - One thing that hinders wisdom is lack of knowledge - We need to read more and be particular about what we choose to read - not always just novels and stories; not wasting hours on social media; not just reading headlines. - Feed your mind with good reading - Food is the nourishment of our body - Spiritual Exercises like prayer and Scripture is the nourishment of our spirit - Reading is the nourishment of the mind - Choosing a spouse? Read books about choosing a spouse, about marriage, about the engagement period, about the role of man and woman in marriage, how to keep the bond and fellowship. - Having a child? Read about parenting, how to deal with children, characteristics of children at certain ages, etc. - People who read a lot from good resources are very wise. When you go and ask them for advice, their advice is very helpful. # Fr Mikhail Ibrahim on Prayer in Conflict Fr Boules George here is describing a story that was told to him by Fr Shenouda Maher during Fr Shenouda's 40 days in the monastery after his ordination. Fr Shenouda tells the story like this: "When I was a young servant, I served in the church of St Anthony in Shobra, but I confessed in St Mark Shobra. The Sunday School service in St Anthony Shobra at the time took place inside the main church. It was split into sections where every set of pews was dedicated to a Sunday School class. About six classes in the church all at the same time. And it was the beginning of the year, when the day came to pass out to the kids, the calendars with saints on them, as a gift. And I took what I needed for my class, and I went to them to give the lesson. There was another servant, who went to get some calendars and it seemed they were all taken by then. And looking over, he saw that I had many. And he was filled with anger. So he started to approach me and my class, as I'm giving the lesson, and he shouts from far "YOU CALL YOURSELF A SERVANT?" and as soon as he said that, the whole church was in silence and all the kids from all the classes jumped up on the pews to see what was happening, thinking there was going to be a fight in the church. "YOU CALL YOURSELF A SERVANT?" and he shouted about calendars and taking gifts and not leaving any for other people, but I stood in silence. I was speechless. And I was in silence until some other servants came and took him away, telling him "not in front of the kids" or "not in God's house." And when he had left, I continued my lesson. The next week, I was going to St Mark in Shobra to confess. And I sat with my father of confession Fr Mikhail Ibrahim. \[Fr Mikhail Ibrahim is considered by many to be a great modern-day saint. Often portrayed as meek, gentle, quiet, he was also powerful and uncompromising, and demanded a high standard for his spiritual children\]. And I told Fr Mikhail the story, how I was berated in the middle of church, how I was embarrassed in front of the kids, how I stood in silence and did not retaliate or talk back. Here, I was expecting him, as my Father of Confession, to tap on my back and say "it's ok, my son. Just endure, just endure." But Fr Mikhail looked at me and said: "Have you sinned, and come to me to complain?" And I was in disbelief! Sinned? Maybe he didn't hear the story... so I told him again. And he responded "I heard it the first time, and I asked you - Have you sinned, and come to me to complain?" I didn't know what he meant so I asked "in what way did I do something wrong?" And he explained to me: "Is this man not your brother?" Yes. "And didn't the devil trick him?" Yes. "And he fell into the sin of anger?" Yes. And then he asked: "When the devil has tricked your brother, how much did you pray for your brother, before you came to me?" and I had no answer. "How much did you fast for your brother, that the Lord removes his anger, and removes any of your sins against him, before you came to me?" and I could not answer. "How many metanoias and prostrations did you do for your brother, before you came to me?" I had done none. "Did you do metanoias?" No "Did you fast?" No "Did you pray in tears for him?" No "Didn't I tell you that you sinned, and have come to me to complain?" And he instructed me: "Go. Pray. Fast. Do Metanoias. And after that, may God absolve you to receive the Eucharist." And Fr Boules adds to the end of the story: "This is how Fr Mikhail raised saints from his spiritual children. Because the commandment of God was not taken lightly." # Fellowship - HE Metropolitan Youssef "Behold what is so good or what so pleasant, as for brothers dwelling together? It is as ointment upon the head, that came down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron that came down to the fringe of his clothing; as the dew of Aermon, that comes down upon the mountain of Zion, for there the Lord commanded the blessing and the life forever. Alleluia." - Psalm 133 (132 LXX) The ointment and the dew signify the blessing - this is the blessing that we receive when we gather together in the Holy Spirit **Fellowship = κοινωνία = Having things in common** ##### Fellowship with God and Others - "God *is* faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Cor 1:9) - The ultimate purpose and goal of our life is to be in fellowship with God (Theosis) - Fellowship is the destiny, it is the end; preaching, teaching, helping the poor, evangelism, etc. are all means of achieving the end: Fellowship with God - "that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have **fellowship with us**; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:3) - So our fellowship is in two dimensions: vertical (fellowship with God) and horizontal (fellowship with others) [![image-1719717530828.png](https://notes.morcous.com/uploads/images/gallery/2024-06/scaled-1680-/image-1719717530828.png)](https://notes.morcous.com/uploads/images/gallery/2024-06/image-1719717530828.png) - This fellowship on earth is fulfilled in the Mystery of the Eucharist: **ALL OF US** are eating and drinking from the same paten and chalice (horizontal) and we are eating the **BODY AND BLOOD OF GOD** (vertical) - This is why our life is CENTERED around the Eucharist. The centrality of all services in the Church is the Eucharist. ##### Blessings of Fellowship - Fullness of Joy (1 John 1:4) - "And these things we write to you that your joy may be **full**." (1 John 1:4) - **Fullness** of joy results from fullness of fellowship with God and with others - Cleansing from sin (1 John 1:5-10) - "This is the message which we have heard from Him and declared to you" - Divine reality that is declared to us - "God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth." - If we entertain a wrong attitude, we are in darkness and thus excluded from the light. If God is light, then we are excluded from the fellowship of God - "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" - Produces fellowship with one another and produces continual cleansing - We are all sinners, but the differences between those walking in darkness and walking in light is repentance. The Blood of Christ does not cleanse from sin those who are walking in darkness - "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." - Walking in light is NOT the same as being sinless, but the key is repentance - "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us *our* sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - John 3:19-21 - If I run away or escape from the light, then I will have no fellowship with God - But if I come to the light in order to be cleansed, then I will have true Koinonia with God and others - Isaiah 31:9b - "Says the Lord, whose fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem" - Fire and furnace refer to purification - where does purification happen? In Zion and Jerusalem = **In the Church** ##### Fellowship is the Birthplace of God's Purpose - God's purpose is revealed in fellowship, not in isolation/separation - Fellowship between the Holy Trinity - The decision to create mankind came out of Fellowship - "Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;'" (Genesis 1:26) - The decision to expel mankind from the Paradise came out of Fellowship - "Then the Lord God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and life forever" - therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden." - The decision to disperse mankind and confound their language came out of the Fellowship of the Holy Trinity - "Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” (Genesis 11:7) - In the time of Isaiah, the quest for a messenger for Israel came from the Holy Trinity - "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: 'Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here *am* I! Send me.'" (Isaiah 6:8) - - Fellowship between God and us - Acts 13, 14, 15 - John 3:6 - 1 John 5:4 ##### Fellowship's Demands from Us - "Submitting to one another in the fear of God." (Ephesians 5:21) - Commitment to walk in the fear of God - Submission to one another (in the day-to-day) - Our ego makes us rigid, stubborn, not flexible - One of the features of Divine Wisdom is "willing to yield" - "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." (James 3:17) - "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers." (Acts 2:42) - Apostolic Doctrine - Be a disciple to the Scripture, Early Church Texts, Apostolic Canons, Ecumenical Councils, Liturgical Texts - Fellowship - Coming together in fellowship (Bible Study, Midnight Praises, Aghapy meal, meetings and assemblies, etc.) - Breaking of Bread - Eucharist - Prayers ##### The Outcome of Fellowship - "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2:47) - "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35) # Life of Giving - Fr Daoud Lamei "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom." (Luke 6:38) Give a smile, give a good word, money, time, a listening ear, a warm welcome The more you give, the more you receive ##### The Giving Church: Acts 11 - "Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul." (Acts 11:29-30) 2 Corinthians 8: - "Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia" [![image-1733956960675.png](https://notes.morcous.com/uploads/images/gallery/2024-12/scaled-1680-/image-1733956960675.png)](https://notes.morcous.com/uploads/images/gallery/2024-12/image-1733956960675.png) - "that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality." - Christians in Macedonia was persecuted (as were Philippi and Thessalonica) - Despite their persecution and afflictions, they were rejoicing in their giving - Deep Poverty - Reminds us of the widow with two mites... entee na2sa fa2r?? Are you lacking poverty that you give even what you barely have? - Riches of their Liberality - Reminds Fr Daoud of a man in the service of the poor once, who seeing the poor did not realize people were living like this. So he took out everything from his wallet and asked Abouna "would God accept this from me?" and they told him "it's a lot, it's too much" and he said "if I knew people were living like this, I would have done more but this is what I have right now. Will God accept it?" This is a man who acted without thinking - he acted from the love that was in his heart. Once we introduce thinking, we start to get in the way of the giving heart - "For I bear witness that according to *their* ability, yes, and beyond *their* ability" - There is one who gives according to his ability and this is great (katar khero) - There is one who gives beyond his ability - Fr Daoud has seen people over 80 years old serving the Lord in such a way that is beyond what their body would allow, or what their age would allow and it is beyond biology and you wonder how are they doing it? Beyond their ability. - "*they were* freely willing," - You may ask someone for help with something and he says "I'll think about it" - but freely willing means without thinking. They are willing - Giving has to be from a willing heart, not forced - Don't wait for someone to say "give me" - this can even ruin the giving - Some of these Macedonians heard about the need in Jerusalem, and they encouraged each other to give as much as they could and even more, freely. They did not wait for St Paul to tell them or to ask them. - Not waiting for the church to say "come serve" but to come and serve - The day of service is the most valuable day of the week - Not waiting for the church to say "we have a project and we need funds" but to come and give - The day of giving your tithes and more than your tithes is the day of your happiness because you are laying up for yourself treasures in heaven - "imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints." - With respect and humility, they urged St Paul - The "gift" or "the grace" (al ne3ma) - it's not called money, but grace. It's God's grace - He who gives is just a middleman, taking from the hand of God and putting in the hand of someone else who needs it - And ministering to the saints - not "the poor" but the saints - "And not *only* as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and *then* to us by the will of God" - Before the giving, there was consecration to the Lord - They gave themselves to St Paul and said "whatever you need from me" - "So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well." - There is organization in what is given. Titus here is responsible for receiving their gift, organizing it, recording it, and making sure it is delivered appropriately. (as he had begun, so he would also complete) - Just like in the 5 loaves and 2 fish (those were a gift!) and yet the Lord organized. He told the disciples to separate them into groups of 50 and then each disciple took a basket and started to distribute to the groups - this is how they knew there were 5000 men! - "But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—*see* that you abound in this grace also." - Just as you hear sermons, just as you pray the psalms, just as you read the Bible, just as you serve in Sunday School, see that you abound in THIS GRACE also. Giving. - Don't say "well I attend many liturgies and I read the Bible" - yes but not without giving. - Giving is a grace that gives more to the giver than the receiver - "I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others" - He is not giving a commandment to the Corinthians here to give a certain amount or to do anything, but he is giving them the example of the Macedonians and how they gave, and how their joy was full - "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich." - Christ, who was the richest - decided to be born in a manger, to a poor family, to live as a carpenter - You will be rich by His poverty - when He became poor, He gave us the whole of the heavens - "And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; but now you also must complete the doing *of it;* that as *there was* a readiness to desire *it,* so *there* also *may be* a completion out of what *you* have." - Again, he's not giving a commandment but advice - "Shed 7elak" - what you started a year ago, complete today - Giving has a weird effect... you give at first as you are unsure. Then you see that there is a blessing, so you give more. The blessing increases and there is peace and goodness, so you are transformed from the Act of Giving to the Desire of Giving ##### What to Give Although we discussed here the giving of money or things, there are other equally important ways of giving: - Some people don't need money, but need for someone just to ASK about them - Some need a smile - Some need encouragement - Some need comfort (tab tab 3aleh) - Some need medicine - Some need visitation - Some need guidance - Some need to mourn and someone to mourn with them - All of these are needs that have in front of them the virtue of giving # HE Metropolitan Youssef: Effective Discipleship #####

[HE Metropolitan Youssef ~ عظات نيافة الانبا يوسف](https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef "HE Metropolitan Youssef ~ عظات نيافة الانبا يوسف") · [Effective Discipleship ~ LECTURE](https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef/effective-discipleship-lecture "Effective Discipleship ~ LECTURE")

##### Different Ways of Learning 1. Pupil - The word "pupil" comes from the pupil of the eye) - Pupils learn passively (e.g. by seeing, hearing) - Children in Elementary School are pupils 2. Student - The word "student" comes from the same root as "study" - Students learn by studying (e.g. experiments in a lab, research in the library, writing papers, etc.). There is more effort than just sitting in a classroom and learning by feeding. - Those in MS, HS, College, etc. are students 3. Disciple - From the root word "discipline" - Disciples learn through discipline. Followers of a teacher imitate him and he disciplines them. - Followers of a Teacher (e.g. followers of Christ, followers of desert fathers) are disciples - The Lord disciplined His disciples: - He started by teaching them as pupils - Then He sent them out to do some ministry and then come back with a report (Luke 9: "And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done" - When the disciples told Him they could not cast out a demon, He told them "because of your unbelief" - When James and John argued about who would sit on the left or right, and the disciples were jealous He told them "no, to be the first, you must be last. To be the greatest, you need to be servant of all." - Through discipline, He formed their personalities so that they became His disciples ##### Christian means Disciple Acts 11:19-26 When Barnabas and Paul went to Antioch they found there followers of Christ, and they added more to the Lord, "And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch" (Acts 11:26) The word Christian and the word Disciple are **synonymous** **The day I stop being a disciple, I have stopped being a Christian** Christianity is a religion of discipleship: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20) A servant who simply gives a lesson is making pupils. A servant who assigns homework or activities or research on top of that, is making students. But a servant who disciplines to transform others into the Image of Christ, is the one who makes disciples. Part of making disciples is to teach them as pupils and letting them do research as students; but the discipline which aims toward transforming others into the image of Christ is an essential part of the ministry. The Copy Machine Analogy - A disciple of Jesus Christ should look like Jesus Christ - "are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory" (2 Cor 3:18). - The original image is the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. The copy machine is the servant. The paper is the disciple. - The goal is to make an identical copy of the original - the Lord Jesus Christ. When you are seen looking like Christ, they will say "he is Christian" - "he is a disciple of Christ." - Challenges: - The original image is PERFECT - You can never make an IDENTICAL copy to the original in this analogy (i.e. the Lord Jesus Christ) - You don't have a perfect copy machine. - If a copy machine has a scratch, all the copies will have the same scratch - If there is a weakness in the life of the servant, you may see this weakness in all of the copies. - A servant who doesn't attend vespers, his class will be a copy of him - A servant who doesn't pay attention to prayer, his class will be a copy of him - A servant who doesn't pay attention to fasting, his class will be a copy of him - If parents don't care about fasting, their children will be the same - If parents don't care about confession, their children will be the same - If parents are smoking and drinking, their children may be the same - You don't have perfect paper. - In order to have an image as similar as possible to the original, I need a copy machine and paper that are as perfect as possible. Even with the best copy machine and the best paper, the first challenge still exists - you will never have a PERFECT copy. But you can have something that reflects the original. - The factory that produces the copy machine is the Church. So the Church needs to prepare the servants very well - A very good copy machine like St Paul, with very good paper like Timothy, Titus or Philemon, results in very good copies. Discipleship is Continuous - "And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." (2 Timothy 2:2) - Five Generations: - St Paul (2) learned from Christ (1) - St Paul is teaching St Timothy (3) to commit to faithful men (4) to make disciples (5) - The chain of discipleship of the Church: - St Mark --> St Anianus --> --> Pope Shenouda --> Pope Tawadros - We can trace our own discipleship - I was disciplined by my Sunday School service who was disciplined by this Abouna who was disciplined by this bishop who was disciplined by this pope... back to St Mark, back to the Lord Jesus Christ **In order to make disciples, you yourself must be a disciple** All of us are called to make disciples. Parents should make their children disciples of Christ. Sunday School Servants, Clergy, etc. If you are not a disciple, then you are not a Christian. #### How do I become a Disciple? How do I become a learner? “The Lord God has given Me The tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak A word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear To hear as the learned. The Lord God has opened My ear; And I was not rebellious, Nor did I turn away." (Isaiah 50:4-5) These two verses are about the Lord Jesus Christ. "I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting." (Isaiah 50:6) The Lord Jesus made Himself a Disciple before making disciples ##### 1. Developing the Heart of the Disciple “The Lord God has given Me The tongue of the learned, The Lord Jesus had the Tongue of the Learned - When Jesus was 12 years old, He sat in the Temple among the teachers, asking questions and listening to them. - "Now so it was *that* after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers." (Luke 2:46-47) - The Lord Jesus was **submissive to His Parents - St Mary and St Joseph the Carpenter**. Even though St Joseph was not His father biologically. He submitted them and obeyed them. One problem in this generation is that I know everything. - If someone gives me advice, I don't take it well. - If my parents give me advice, I say: - "I'm in college" - "I'm in grad school." - "Why are you treating me like a kid?" - "I know what I'm doing!" - We think that we know and understand more than our parents, more than our Abouna, more than our servants. - If this is how you think, then you lost the spirit of discipleship. Pope Theophilus went to the desert to listen to a word of wisdom from the elder St Arsenius. He went as a disciple (despite being the POPE!) Some people go to confession not to listen to advice, but to challenge and convince Abouna to approve their agenda. - If you're here for approval, if you think what you're doing is right, go do it. - But if you're here for advice, here is the guidance according to the Scripture and the Church Teaching. If I have the Tongue of the Learned, I will go to seek advice without intention of showing off, or of convincing someone, or starting a debate, make an argument, but with the intention of learning. The Tongue of the Learned is... - When we open the Scripture, we have to have the heart and tongue of a learner. Be a disciple to the Scripture. - Be a disciple to the Early Church Fathers and their writings. - When we go to our Father of Confession, we have to have the heart and tongue of a learner. Be a disciple to your Father of Confession. - "Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise" (Proverbs 6:6-8) If you have the heart of the disciple, you will learn even from nature. - Look at the ant - Look at the birds - Look at the lilies of the field **A true disciple, at every moment of his life, is learning something** St Antony is said to be like a bee going from one flower to another flower in order to learn spirituality and how to live the true monastic life. Parents can discipline, Abouna can discipline. But if you do not have the heart of a learner, all of this discipline will be in vain and produce nothing. ##### 2. The Purpose of Becoming a Disciple "That I should know how to speak A word in season to him who is weary." Selflessness In college to be a doctor, lawyer, engineer. Maybe I am learning to have a good career, good money, comfortable life. But how many are learning in order to serve others and to help them? The heart of the disciple, is the selfless heart. A person who denies himself. In season - If you are in a difficult time and no one asked about you and then one month later, someone came and gave you a word of comfort, you might say in your mind "it's too late. I needed this one month ago." - When the Lord spoke about the faithful and wise steward, He said: "to give them their food in due season." **The Purpose of Becoming of Disciple is to Serve Others** - "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28) - To be truly in the likeness of Christ, I must serve others ##### 3. The Discipline of the Disciple He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear To hear as the learned. It is not "I will attend seminary, graduate, and now I've finished my discipleship" - "I will go through preservants and when I'm finished, I'm done with discipleship" **Discipleship is a continuous life-long process** "Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments." (2 Timothy 4:23) - even in the last moments of his life, St Paul asked for the books and parchments so he could read, learn and continue his discipleship. St Paul who preached in three continents, saw the third heaven, wrote more than half of the New Testament, who was disciplined at the hand of Gamaliel and learned by revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ directly - and in the last breaths of his life, asked for the books and parchments to read and to study and to learn. **The Lord gives us an opportunity to learn every morning - and not just every morning, but every moment of every day** ##### 4. The Attitude of the Disciple The Lord God has opened My ear; And I was not rebellious, Nor did I turn away." **A true disciple is the one who is not rebellious and does not turn away.** Does not pick and choose "I like this, I will take it. I don't like this, I will leave it." Sometimes even with the Scripture or Early Church Fathers - I like this verse, I will use it. I don't like this verse, I ignore it "It's not fit for the 21st Century." Open Buffet style. The Lord Jesus did not turn away - The Father told the Son "You will go and be High Priest. And as High Priest, You will have something to offer. I am not pleased with the blood of animal sacrifices. You will take flesh and offer Your Body." And the Son's response: "The Lord God has opened My ear; And I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away. I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting." (Isaiah 50:5-6) - ⁵Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. ⁶In burnt offerings and *sacrifices* for sin You had no pleasure. ⁷Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God.’ ” (Hebrews 10:5-7) #### Q&A [https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef/effective-discipleship-q-a?in=his-grace-bishop-youssef/sets/d-discipleship&si=d4e6f0e4d87849b683b924a30a05591b&utm\_source=clipboard&utm\_medium=text&utm\_campaign=social\_sharing](https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef/effective-discipleship-q-a?in=his-grace-bishop-youssef/sets/d-discipleship&si=d4e6f0e4d87849b683b924a30a05591b&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing) ##### How can I, as a servant, disciple my children? 1. I must, myself, be a disciple 2. My eye is on them to see their points of strength to help them to grow, and weaknesses, to guide them in the right way. - We have activities in the Church, conventions, sports, spiritual days, trips, outings, etc. The purpose of all these activities is not to have fun or enjoy a trip or a day, but the purpose as a true servant is to watch my servant; watch their attitude, see the point of weakness and point of strength. 3. Follow-up # HE Metropolitan Youssef: Discipleship Requirements

[HE Metropolitan Youssef ~ عظات نيافة الانبا يوسف](https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef "HE Metropolitan Youssef ~ عظات نيافة الانبا يوسف") · [Discipleship Requirements (English & Arabic)](https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef/discipleship-requirements-english-arabic "Discipleship Requirements (English & Arabic)")

*Heard this live in St Mina Nashville and didn't take full notes, but wrote down these points* Discipleship - Pupil (by feeding) - Student (by studying) - Disciple (by discipline) Five ways Christ taught them: - Teaching (both private and public) - They lived with Him and watched Him (when He forgave, when He prayed, from His faith, from His care) - He let them participate in the service (like shadowing Him and participating with Him). E.g. in feeding multitude He took their opinion, then had them split the people, then had them distribute, etc. - He sent them to serve by themselves (under His indirect supervision - they told Him all that they had done and He corrected the part they missed) - Retreat (He took them to be away from the crowd, in reflection, meditation, etc) # Humility - Fr Meena Ramzy Fr Meena Ramzy talking about Joseph and focuses on his humility. He mentions it in the first half a few times, but really focuses on it in the second half. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9vchp\_D1Kc # Vice # Gambling: Resources [https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/against-the-rules ](https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/against-the-rules)- Season 4 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-manliness/id332516054?i=1000679196458](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-manliness/id332516054?i=1000679196458) ##### Is God Okay with Gambling? [https://youtu.be/gd\_NSNbM4OM](https://youtu.be/gd_NSNbM4OM) ##### Should a Christian Participate in Sports Betting? [https://youtu.be/qhyENQ-3zHo](https://youtu.be/qhyENQ-3zHo) ##### Pastor John: Is it sinful to gamble on Fantasy Sports? [https://youtu.be/WyQ8tqqts0c](https://youtu.be/WyQ8tqqts0c) - You have one life to live on this earth to glorify God. Every day is invested well, or is lost forever. No redos. ##### 60 Minutes: Sports Betting Boom [https://youtu.be/vDsLu0CWcgk](https://youtu.be/vDsLu0CWcgk) - Also, see the comments on YouTube ##### Fr Boules George Video [https://youtu.be/ukwi7hil8YA?si=a6NEODd8OKfHGtOK](https://youtu.be/ukwi7hil8YA?si=a6NEODd8OKfHGtOK) - Gambling destroys homes - Gambling is addictive - He who wins, wants to keep winning and thinks his luck is good - He who loses, wants to recoup what he has lost - Proverbs 28:22 - "A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, And does not consider that poverty will come upon him." # Battling Burnout - HG Bishop Angaelos ##### The Concept of Burnout - We've discussed the sin of laziness, and we've discussed the sin of busyness - but one thing that leads from the sin of busyness is the concept of burnout - We overcommit and become over-tired and start not to be able to cope - Four questions - Who are we? - What do we need? - Why do we burnout? - How are we revitalized? ##### Who We Are - We are created with authority and dominion - We are created to be able to take charge and subdue - We are the Image and Likeness of God - we have a spirit within us. Body and spirit, and the spirit lives on. - "The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life" (Job 33:4) - We are those made by God, and given life by God - We are more than happy to take credit and feel proud about our successes, and we forget that in our essence, we are dust. We came from nothing. We were given life and existence and spirit, by God and God alone - "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding *and* eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen *are* temporary, but the things which are not seen *are* eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) - There are different components of our life - Seen/temporary/outward - Invisible/eternal/inward - The outward man perishes; the inward man is renewed day by day - The light affliction is "but for a moment" but this is contrary to how we act today where any inconvenience that lasts more than five minutes and we get upset or we say "where is God" or "why has God left me" - We are physical and spiritual - The physical is subject to this world - The spiritual is eternal ##### What do we need? - We must need spiritual sustenance - If we are striving in our spiritual life, we will find that what St Paul talks about is true... our inward man is being renewed day by day. If we are not, then our outward man will be renewed day by day, but our inward man will perish. - We focus on ourselves, our appearance, our work, our school, our day-to-day life - But our inner man is not provided for - If I look after my Spirit, it will - Allow me to discern what to take and what not to take; what to do and what not to do; what I can say yes to and what I have to say "I don't have time" - The grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit within me will allow me to actually go through with everything I committed to - Be careful that you're not always running - ⁴²Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; ⁴³but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.” ⁴⁴And He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee. (Luke 4:42) - Retreat to Nourish the Spirit - You can't run a business without daily checking on your stock... you can't sell sell sell until your shelves are empty and then re-fill them - Regular retreat - At a retreat or convention, you stock up your shelves - but after the retreat, you are grabbing from the shelves regularly (strength, faith, etc) - One day you find the shelf empty... you need to restock it daily - Daily retreat: - Even just 20minutes a day (in the morning if your schedule allows) - Read your Bible - Pray - Give yourself time to think and reflect about what you've read and what you're going to pray about, how you want your day to progress (morning) or what happened that day and how to improve the next day (evening) - We need Peace - Peace comes from speaking to the Lord - As the disciples did on the boat and He said "Peace, be still" - Speak to the Lord and place our problems before Him, and He will stretch out His hands - Psalm 46:10 - "Be still, and know that I am God" ##### Why do we Burnout? - We are distant from what we need - "Unless Your law *had been* my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction." (Psalm 119:92) - Because Your law was not my delight, I perished in my affliction - I burnt out because Your law was not my delight - My concept of satisfaction cannot be satisfied - “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, *And* hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water." (Jeremiah 2:13) - It's nice to be ambitious and have targets, to be target-oriented, but we need to be realistic about what we want, what targets to follow and how to achieve them - Someone will say "I wanna make my first million by this age, and my second million by this age, etc." and it isn't about what you need but it's what you want to do - and it never ends. The money isn't a commodity, but an indication of my success - There are spouses who miss the best parts of their marriage, parents who miss the best part of their kids, youth who miss the best part of their parents' lives - just to get a little more money. - We have to assess our needs ##### How are we Revitalized? - In this time of burnout, God does not leave us - *"I would have lost heart,* unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!" (Psalm 27:13-14) - By waiting on the Lord, being of good courage, believing on the Lord - Revitalization comes from looking past this life into the life that is to come and realizing THAT is my target to be achieved (i.e. "the land of the living") - You'll get the most impressive car in the world, and six months later, there's a more impressive one. You'll get the newest fashion and best shoes and most incredible handbag... and two weeks later, that needs to change. - # Sacraments