High School Service

2022-08-12: St Moses the Strong

Objective:

The Transformative Power of Repentance

Key Verse:

"Return to me, and I will return to you" (Malachi 3:7)

Visual Aid:

Attached to this page.

Introduction:
  • This week, we will study the life and stories of one of the great desert fathers - our father the Strong Abba Moses (Ⲡⲓϫⲱⲣⲓ Ⲁⲃⲃⲁ Ⲙⲱⲥⲏ)
  • I hope that when we learn the stories of St Moses, we will take him for ourselves as an intercessor and remember him in all of our prayers, and follow his example
  • St Moses is widely known in the whole world as a model of repentance - even in Egypt they call him "Anba Moussa el Aswad" - Moses the Black. And you might find him called that in English sometimes... yes, he was dark in skin. But the name refers to the darkness of his life. His sinful life which was missing the light of the Lord Jesus Christ.
  • So let's take some stories from his life, including some miracles, and see what we can learn from him
Stories of Abba Moses:
  • His Early Life and Baptism
    • He was the slave of a high government official. The official could not tolerate Moses’ dishonesty and violence, so he drove him out.
    • Moses became the head of 70 leaders of robbers in the wilderness of Egypt. He was strong and fierce and committed all kinds of sins – any sin that you can think of.
    • He used to pray to the sun and say “If you are god let me know and You, the God whom I do not know, lead me to You”
    • One day, he heard a voice saying to him “the monks of the wilderness of Scetis know the real God. Go to them and they will inform you.” He went to Scetis and met with Abba Isidore who took him to Abba Macarius the Great who taught him about the Lord Jesus Christ, the Incarnation, the Redemption.
    • Moses accepted Christ, repented and confessed publicly all the sins he had ever committed, before being baptized. Abba Macarius saw a tablet that was all black and each time Moses would confess a sin, the angel would erase it from the tablet until it was white
  • The Story of the Robbers
    • St Moses entered his cell and found four robbers raiding it.
    • He overpowered them, tied them all together and lifted them over his shoulder like a bag of sand. He brought them to the church and asked St Macarius what he should do? He was still new to being a Christian and he didn’t know how he could deal with them without being violent.
    • St Macarius told him “yes let them take whatever they want! And set them free!”
      • (St. Macarius was known for another story when he found his cell being robbed and he let them finish robbing it. Then when they were done, he went in and saw that they left a jar of olives. So he ran outside and yelled to them that they forgot something).
    • When the thieves knew that St Moses was a former thief who had repented, they repented too.

  • Angels and Demons
    • St Moses multiplied his disciplines and especially in eating and in prayers.
    • But the less he ate and the more he prayed, the more he was consumed by dreams.
    • He couldn’t stand to be in his cell anymore. But Abba Isidore advised him to return to his cell. St Moses refused.
    • So Abba Isidore took him to the roof of his cell and they looked over one side and saw many devils trying to get into the cell. Then they looked over the other side and saw innumerable angels defending the cell. He went back to his cell without fear.

  • Buckets of Water
    • St Moses would go in the middle of the night to the cells of the elder monks and take their water pitchers and fill them with water without their knowledge. They lived far from one another and the cells were 2-5 miles away from the water

  • Welcoming to all Visitors
    • Abba Moses was very welcoming to all visitors and received them with joy.
    • One time a visitor came to the monastery and met with Abba Arsenius. And Abba Arsenius had taken a vow of silence. So the visitor left his cell very annoyed and offended that he received a cold welcome. Then he asked to see Abba Moses and Abba Moses rejoiced and received him and made him food.
    • Another time, there was a period of fasting in Scetis when everyone was to abstain from food. Some visitors came from Cairo to see Abba Moses. When he saw them, he started to prepare a lot of food for them. The monks around him saw the smoke coming from his cell and accused him of breaking the fast to the priests. But the priests knew his habits, so they said in front of the whole congregation of monks “O Abba Moses truly you have sacrificed the commandment of the people to fulfill the commandment of Christ”

  • Bag of Sand
    • Once the Fathers of the Scetis were holding a council to reprimand a monk who had committed a fault. St. Moses was invited, but he refused to attend. The priest went to him, and said, Come, for the people are expecting you.
    • St. Moses arose, took a basket filled with sand that had a hole in the bottom of it, carried it on his shoulder and started walking towards the council. When the monks saw him coming with the bag of sand, with sand pouring out of the hole, they asked him the reason of his behavior.
    • He said to them, The sand you see running from the bag represents my sins which are always following me, and yet, today I am coming to judge the grain of sand of my brother?
    • When they heard this, they left the council and every monk went to his own cell, as none could judge that monk.

  • Visitor for Abba Moses
    • One day a visitor was coming to the monastery and he said to Abba Moses “I am here to see Abba Moses the Black – do you know where I can find him?” Abba Moses replied “What would you want with him? He’s a sinner and nothing he can say is of any value” – the man kept walking to the monastery and asked the other monks in shock “Is it true what I heard about Abba Moses?” They said “What did the guy look like who told you that?” and he told them “Very big and strong and dark skinned” and they told him “that was Abba Moses”

  • Sickness and Healing
    • One day the devil envied him and struck him with sores on his foot. He was unable to move. When he knew it was a temptation from the devil, he increased in asceticism and worship until his body was like burnt wood.
    • God saw his patience and toil and relieved him from his pain and he was healed.

  • Ordination as Priest
    • He was elected to be ordained a priest.
    • He went in front of the Patriarch who decided to test him. The patriarch told the clergy to cast him out and reviled him saying “You think you are worthy of the priesthood, you who are black with sin?” and Abba Moses turned around and left saying to himself “It is good what they have done to you, O black one”
    • When the Patriarch saw his humility, he called Abba Moses back and ordained him to priesthood and said to him “Now you have become entirely white”

  • His Martyrdom
    • In 370 AD, St Moses went with some Desert Fathers went to visit St Macarius.
    • St Macarius said “My brethren, I see one of you worthy of the crown of martyrdom and he is going to shed his blood in the wilderness” St. Moses said “Probably me, since the Lord said that all who take by the sword shall perish with the sword”
    • When the Barbarians raided Scetis, Abba Moses was sitting with seven of his disciples. He told them to flee and that he would stay behind. Six of them stood behind and the Barbarians came and killed them all. The one monk who was hiding saw seven crowns coming down and crowning them

  • Some Sayings of Abba Moses

    • “Humility of heart precedes all virtues, and the desire of the belly is the source of all passions. Pride is the basis of all vices and love is the origin of all goodness.”

    • “Four virtues aid the young monk: Continuous meditation on the word of God, watchfulness, fervent prayer, and considering himself as nothing.”

Body:
  • The power of repentance is TRANSFORMATION
    • Abba Moses who was head of 70 heads of robbers, became head of over 500 monks
    • Abba Moses who took many lives in murder, gave his life for Christ
    • Abba Moses who used to daily eat a whole lamb, ate ten ounces of dry bread
    • Abba Moses who hated all humankind, came to love everybody
    • Abba Moses who was a giant in stature, became humble in spirit
    • Abba Moses who committed every sin, we call him Saint and Abba

  • Transformation Comes from Repentance
    • Transformation comes from the renewing of the mind, as we read in St Paul's epistle to the Romans: “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2)
    • Renewing of the mind is the definition of Repentance
      • Repentance comes from the Greek "Metanoia" which means "Change of Mind"
    • “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19)
Application:
  • It is never too late to repent of a sin and confess it
  • Repentance is not just a mental action or a thought or a decision - it is reflected in actions
  • Repentance goes hand-in-hand with the Sacrament of Eucharist
Contemplation:

Sometimes the thing that stops us from sitting in confession is the very thing that we should be repenting of and confessing about! Lord, give us the strength of Abba Moses who overcame the demons that were enslaving him. Give us the courage of Abba Moses who left behind his old life and his past self, and was reborn and consecrated to You. Give us the humility of Abba Moses who recognized and admitted his weaknesses and his sins. Give us the patience of Abba Moses who even before his repentance, did not cease to seek You. Give us the asceticism of Abba Moses who despite his size and his strength, did not focus on the physical needs as much as the spiritual. Let us be like Abba Moses, Lord, we who are black with sin, who are slaves of sin, who are lacking in our repentance. Let us be light in the world of darkness as Your Saint, Abba Moses was. Through the prayers of St Mary and St Abba Moses the Strong and St Rebekah, grant this to us, O Lord, and more. Amen.

Resources:

2022-09-09: Life of Martyrdom

Objective:

Martyrdom in our Daily Life

Key Verse:

"He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matthew 10:39)

Visual Aid:

Attached to this page.

Introduction:
Body:
Conclusion: 
Application:
Contemplation:

Lord, we have too often forgotten Your suffering on our behalf on the Cross, Your humility in emptying Yourself and taking our form, Your life of service, and all that You do for us on a daily basis. Even when we give thanks to You in our prayers, and utter words of gratitude, we find ourselves not living a true life modeled after Yours. Let us, O Lord, live a life of suffering. Let us leave behind our comforts - let us remember Your discomfort on the Cross when we have a minor inconvenience. Let us pray for those who persecute us and hurt us. Let us love them. Let us strive to serve You, even (and especially) at our inconvenience. Let us suffer for the sake of others - accept less for the sake of someone else receiving more. Lord, we can only strive to be like You, but through a life of suffering, and fellowship with You, we can know You. And may we, according to Your will, receive the reward that our fathers and mothers the martyrs received - those who truly lived in fellowship with You.

Resources:

2022-09-30: The Book of Job

Objective

Key Verse

Body

Introduction
Skit

Characters:

First Debate

Job: My friends, I am so glad that you came by to comfort me.

Eliphaz: Job, I had no idea you looked so awful. What in the world did you do for God to do this to you?!

Job: I did nothing. I am totally innocent.

Eliphaz: Yeah right... if you were innocent, this wouldn't have happened to you. But look at you, your sons are crushed and dead. Your possessions are completely gone. God is the one who does great things - who gives rain and water and children and prosperity. You DEFINITELY did something.

Job: If only God would take my life, so that I no longer have to feel this pain! But as for you - you call this coming to comfort me? What does your arguing prove? You want to rebuke me? Then show me my mistakes! What did I do wrong to deserve this?

Bildad: Look Job, I think what you need to do is ask God for forgiveness. I mean if your sons sinned, then they got their reward. But you're still here so ask God to forgive you! God is the one who holds the whole world in his hand!

Job: That I can agree on. God is almighty. I am amazed at the wisdom of God that would allow a righteous person to suffer. I am blameless, yet I do not know myself. 

Zophar: You're all talk! You want to be vindicated? Stop talking - everything you're saying is foolish. You're a liar! Oh (mockingly) "my doctrine is pure and I am clean in the eyes of God" - get out of here. What God has done to you is less than your sin deserves.

Job: Here I sit, being mocked by my friends. I, who call on God and God answers me. I, who am just and blameless - and I am ridiculed. I am as wise as you. I know that the Lord holds all of the world in his hands. (praying) Lord, I ask of you just two things - do not withdraw Your hand from me. And do not let me be afraid of You. Call out to me and I will answer. Or let me speak and then You respond to me. Make me know my transgressions and my sin.

First Debate Summary: 

Second Debate:

Eliphaz: Is this conversation even worth my time? This is absolutely pointless. Who do you think you are? I'm telling you what all the elders have told us, and what I have seen with my own eyes. The WICKED lives in pain; he dwells in desolate cities; he will not be rich; he hungers. The WICKED.

Job: You are all terrible comforters! Not one of you is wise! Lord, please give me relief.

Bildad: You think WE are stupid?! You're the one tearing yourself in anger and not understanding us. The wicked loses everything. He lives in darkness. He lives in terror. He lives without shelter. He is surrounded by traps and destruction. These are the dwellings of the wicked and this is the place of him who does not know God.

Job: How long will you torment me with your words? Aren't you ashamed of how you're treating me? No. I know that my Redeemer lives.

Zophar: But Job, haven't you seen it yourself? Haven't you seen how the wicked in this world live? They don't live happy and joyful lives. They live in misery! We've all seen it.

Job: I'll tell you what I have seen. I have seen that the wicked live and grow old and even mighty in power. I have seen that they have many children and descendants. I have seen that their houses are safe from fear. I have seen that their livestock and their animals reproduce. I have seen that they sing and dance and spend their days in wealth. Even though they reject God. How often does a wicked person live in darkness? How often does destruction come on them? Can anyone teach God knowledge? How can you comfort me with empty words that are full of lies and falsehood?

Second Debate Summary:

Third Debate:

Eliphaz: Why should God even care if you are righteous, or if you make your ways blameless. What do you think, that because you fear Him, he brings judgment on you?! That makes no sense. Your wickedness is great. Your iniquity has no end. You probably made people swear to you. You probably took clothing from someone who needed it. You probably didn't give water to the thirsty, or food to the hungry. You probably sent widows away empty and hurt orphans. You are so far into your sin that you can't even see it.

Job: My complaints are futile. If only I knew where God was, so that I could go and present my case to Him. Then, at least I would know His answer to me. Then He would take note of me. I cannot see Him, He is not here. He knows my way - I have kept His way, I have kept His commandments, I have treasured His words. But others on earth have been violent - violent on others, on animals, and even on the land - and yet they are not charged with wrongdoing. And if I'm saying something wrong, which of you will prove me to be a liar?

Bildad: How can any man be righteous? God has all dominion and fear. No one who is born of a woman can be pure.

Job: No matter what, I will not forsake God. I will not speak wickedness. I will keep my integrity. Where does wisdom come from? From God! The fear of the Lord is wisdom, departing from evil is understanding. As I was in the days of my prime, when I had everything and people would come to me for wisdom and for help - even people older than me. But now even the ones younger than I am come and mock me. My wealth has been turned into poverty.

If truly I have sinned, then let God's justice come upon me, but let it be weighed on honest scales. It's not fair.

If I have looked at a woman in lust, then let others bow down for my own wife.

If I have mistreated my male or female servant, or taken from the poor, or raised my hand against an orphan, then let me arm fall off my shoulder.

If I have put my trust in gold, or rejoiced in my wealth, or stolen food or money from someone, then let thistles grow instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley.

Third Debate Summary:

The Fourth Friend: Elihu

Elihu: Since I am younger than all of you, I waited before speaking. And I listened to all of your words. So now you listen to my words. Job, I heard you saying many times: "I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent, there is no iniquity in me. Yet God finds occasions against me and counts me as His enemy." Look, Job, in this you are not righteous.

Who are you to contend with God? How can you say whether or not God counts you as an enemy? Don't you realize that we should all be delivered to the Pit?

Self-righteousness is in itself sin! God is good and He loves everyone - the righteous and the wicked - equally. He shows no partiality to anyone.

Conclusion
Lessons

Lessons from Job

Lessons from Job's Friends

Why do bad things happen to good people?

  1. Who are good people?
    • "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)

  2. What are the bad things?
    • Sin that comes from man
      • Can we blame this on God? God has given free will to all people. When people sin against each other, this cannot fall on the shoulders of God
    • Natural Disaster
      • Nature does not discriminate good or bad - a fire might be warm to someone (favorable) and uncomfortably hot (unfavorable) to others.
      • Hurricanes are uncomfortable for Floridians, but they have ecological benefits in tropical environments. The rain gives a needed boost to wetlands and flushes out lagoons to remove waste and weeds. The winds move sediments from bays into marsh areas to revitalize the nutrients, etc. They help to balance the heat in the atmosphere.
      • But even Natural Disasters are a result of the Fall of Man
        • "For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now." (Romans 8:22)
    • Illness
      • Illness is also a result of the Fall of Man
      • However, God may use it for good

  3. Why might God let a "bad thing" happen to someone
    • Suffering might be a warning to avoid future sin
    • Suffering might be an opportunity to have faith in a difficult time and to be rewarded
    • Suffering might be to widen your perspective about something or someone and push you to repent

  4. Can we always know the reasons for suffering?
    • No - but what we know is that God uses all things for good.
    • "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)

Application

Contemplation

Lord, we cannot stand before You and compare ourselves to Job - Your righteous and faithful disciple, who lived a life of love and sacrifice for You. And even Lord in his hardship and tribulation, in his temptations, he loved You. And yet we falter at the slightest inconveniences. I consider if I have said an evil word in traffic because I was inconvenienced by a few seconds. I consider if I have fallen into anger simply because of a common cold. I consider all of my sins O Lord before You, that were not worth the time or the effort that we put into them and yet we consider them small or insignificant, while falling short of Your glory. I ask You, O Lord, to give me the repentance and righteousness of Job that I may live my life in faith and in the trust that all good things come from You and that You will use all things for good.

Resources

2022-12-02: Manhood - Integrity

Visual Aid:

Attached to page

Objective

Key Verse

"Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you." (Titus 2:6-8)

Introduction

What makes you a man?

When do you go from being a boy to being a man?

Scripture on Becoming a Man

"Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you." (Titus 2:6-8)

St Paul is writing to Titus here and giving him instructions to exhort the young men with. To guide the young men into manhood.

We can relate these to many of our topics, but one that stands out is Integrity

Integrity

The dictionary definition of Integrity is actually pretty good - The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.

We are gonna break this down into two parts for today:

  1. Being a man of your word
  2. Being a man of THE Word

In essence - Don't be Fake! One of the big attractors to non-believers in the first centuries to join Christianity was that the Christians were genuine and full of integrity. They did what they said. They believed in what they said. They acted morally and ethically even when the pagan society did not.

Nowadays, many people leave Christianity or reject Christianity because of Christians. Because they don't do what they preach. They're fake. They don't have integrity.

Today we're going to look at these two parts and take some case studies for them and decide in those case studies what the right thing to do is.

Body

Case Study 1

Kyrillos is a 9th Grade boy who loves playing video games. He hops on Xbox Live twice a week with his friends from church around 8pm, after he finishes his homework and they play 2k for a few hours. One night, Kyrillos’ mom needed to head to bed a little early because she had an early morning; so she reminded him of one of his weekly chores: “Don’t forget to take out the trash tonight!” Kyrillos responded “Bet! I got you mom – after I finish this game.” She said goodnight and went to sleep. That night, Kyrillos and his friends played until midnight. Kyrillos was really tired at the end and couldn’t even focus on what was in front of him; he knocked out on the couch. In the morning, Kyrillos’ mom woke up very early, realized the trash was still in. So she took the trash out herself.

Case Study 2

Anthony is a 10th grade boy who has a lot on his plate – he is taking an almost full schedule in High School, along with 2 College Classes. He’s also on the school’s Basketball team. He does Preservants at church. He has chores to do at home. Anthony was visited in his home by two servants – they were surprised to find his Bible Passport completely empty… they explained to him the importance of reading the Scripture on a daily basis. Anthony agreed with them. Anthony gave them his word that he would start from that day and try to read at least three times a week. That night, Anthony read 12 chapters and filled in three boxes a week for the next four weeks.

Case Study 3

Pishoy is a 9th grade boy who doesn’t have that much money. One day, he’s out with his friends and they decide to hit McDonalds for a quick lunch. Pishoy only has two dollars to spend, so he decides to grab two things from the dollar menu. He also gets a water cup. He sees that the rest of his friends also purchased a drink cup. When he gets to the soda machine, he looks behind him to make sure the employees aren’t looking, and he fills his water cup with Sprite. He takes his place with his friends and eats his meal.

Pishoy did not end up repenting from his McDonalds sin… in fact, he justified it in his mind and said “well it’s not like McDonalds needs the money.” A few days later, he’s with the same group of friends and they decide to hit the 7-11 for some snacks. Unfortunately, he didn’t have any money. All his friends would be snacking on Takis and Hot Fries without him… he realizes that 7-11 is just as rich as McDonalds and they wouldn’t feel any pain from a bag of chips. He uses the “5-finger discount” and grabs a bag of Takis.

Case Study 4

Petro is a 10th grade boy who maintains a 4.0 GPA. He is, by God’s grace, very intelligent and very hard working. This semester, he started to take a college math class in addition to his High School classes. The college class turned out to be much more difficult than any class he’d ever taken. Petro needed help. He needed to maintain his GPA… and it’s not like this class ACTUALLY matters for the career he wanted. Petro’s assignments were stacking up. He didn’t have time to focus on these difficult math assignments. Petro started googling the answers… he found a website made for his exact textbook. Just enter the numbers from your problems and you get a solution – with the work and the answer and all. Petro used this to solve all of his assignments and his online exam. Petro did not get caught.

Petro, not learning from or repenting from his past indiscretion, took another college class the next semester – English Composition. This class was even harder and more workload than the math class. He had an essay due in just a few days that he wasn’t sure where to start with it. When doing his research, he found a similar essay online about a similar topic. He took the essay and changed several of the words in it from the other topic to his topic. The new paper was unrecognizable from the old one and Petro was proud of the work that he had done. Petro submitted it. The Plagiarism Checker returned a 75% match and Petro got caught.

Case Study 5

Samson is a 10th grade boy. He attends Sunday School and Bible Study every week, and he is a deacon. He understands the principles of his faith and tries to live by them. A girl at school takes interest in Samson. She starts showing him more attention and starts to text him pretty regularly. At lunch, she sits by him and sometimes they take pictures for the ‘gram. They aren’t officially dating or anything like that, but Samson starts to spend some time with her outside of school as well. Samson starts posting some of the pictures on his social media. When confronted by a servant, Samson tells the truth – they aren’t dating; they’re just friends; even though he knows that she likes him.

Contemplation

Grant us, O Lord, to have integrity in everything that we do. Integrity in our school and work. Integrity in our homes with our wives and children and parents and siblings. Integrity in our ministry and our service. Integrity in all of our actions and interactions. Let us, O Lord, be like You - You who never wavered in doing what is right, in accomplishing Your ministry and Your goal, You who never said You'd do something and didn't do it. You, O Lord, who are the perfection of all that is good and the model for Integrity. Let us take the example of the saints before us who lived lives of integrity. The example of Job who when his friends even asked him "Why do you still have integrity" he knew to be unwavering. Let us not succumb to the temptations that test our integrity - peer pressure and image and falsehood.

Resources

2023-01-13: Offering of Incense

Objective

Key Verse

“Let my prayer be set forth before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice” (Psalm 141:2)

Visual Aid

Attached

Body

Introduction
Vessels of the Offering of Incense
The Order of the Rite
The Circuits of Incense
The Litanies

Application

Contemplation

Lord, we thank you for allowing us to experience and to live the work of salvation on a weekly and even daily basis. We thank you for giving us and preserving for us ritual practices that bring us closer to Your saints and Your heavenly ones. We ask you O Lord that our prayer is lifted up to you as incense and that You smell the aroma of our prayers as a sweet aroma of incense - well pleasing to You. Let us be dependent on Your will for us, and accepting of Your will for us - for we know that all good and perfect things come from you, and that all things that come from You are good and perfect. Let our prayer reflect this - let us continually pray that Your will be done. And in this way, we participate with You. 

2023-01-20: Theophany, Baptism, and Sanctification

Objective

Key Verse

“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)

Body

Introduction
What was the Purpose of Circumcision?
Where did Baptism come from?
What happened in the Baptism of Christ?
Baptism in the Church
What happens on the day of our Baptism?

Application

Resources

2023-02-17: Be a Peacemaker

Objective

Key Verse

"But I tell you not to resist an evil person..." (Matthew 5:39)

Body

Peace
Peacemaking & Troublemaking
Peacemaking
Troublemaking
Peacemaking is a Show of my Love to God

Application

Contemplation

Resources

2023-02-24: Spirituality of Fasting

Objective


Key Verse


Body

The Antiquity of Fasting
What is Fasting?
Fasting and the Body
Fasting and the Soul
Why Fast
How to Fast

Application


Contemplation

Resources

2023-02-24: Consecrate a Fast

Objective

Key Verse

Body

What is Fasting
Why don't we like Fasting?
Pitfalls in Fasting
How to Fast

Application

Resources

2023-06-16: Ethics and AI

Objective

Key Verse

"He who walks with integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will become known.“ (Proverbs 10:9)

Visual Aid

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zb7om5xwkp5yx8p/Artificial%20Intelligence.pptx?dl=0 

What is Artificial Intelligence

Neural Networks
Knowledge-Based AI
Probability
Machine Learning
Uses of AI

Is AI Good or Bad

What is Intelligence?
What is Artificial?
AI is a Tool

Dangers of AI

AI Can (and Will) Lie to You
AI Can Manipulate You
AI Has a Fingerprint

How to use AI

Inappropriate Uses for Artificial Intelligence
Appropriate Uses for Artificial Intelligence

Contemplation


Resources

2023-09-29: The Cross in Our Lives

Objective

  1. Learn the history of the Holy Cross
  2. Learn the importance of the Cross in our lives

Key Verse

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Body

What is the Cross to you?
The Power of the Cross: Good Friday
The Cross is our Weapon of Victory
The Cross as a Declaration of Faith
The Cross in the Church
The Cross was not Random
Conclusion

The Cross is special. It is foreshadowed and typologized and pointed to from the beginning of time, it is an integral part of the economy of Salvation, and the life of the Church, and my personal life as a Christian. I can use the Cross practically in my life by holding it in my hand, by invoking its name, by signing myself, others, food, places, etc. with it.

Application


Contemplation

Resources

2023-10-13: The Eternal Existence of God

Objective

  1. What is God like
  2. The eternal existence of God
  3. Heresies regarding Gods eternal existence and how to refute them
  4. How does Gods eternal existence affect my life

Key Verse

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8

Body

Introduction: The Name of God
What are the names of God?
What is God's Name?
ⲫⲏⲉⲧϣⲟⲡ
The Eternal Existence of God
Verses about the Eternality of God
What can we know about God?
How does God's eternal existence affect my life?

Application

Do you sometimes worry about what might happen in the future? Contemplate on how knowing that God is eternal can help us to not worry about these things and on how we should act toward God to show that we understand that He is everlasting.

2025 HSG Winter Convention (SALT): Intro Topic

Objective
Introductory Topic

The opening session will establish the foundation for the entire convention, preparing the hearts and minds of attendees for the discussions to come by covering these points:

Overview of the Stations

In addition to the introductory station, the convention will include three stations, each addressing a specific root of anxiety and offering a biblical approach and practical steps to overcoming it

Resources

Topic

Introduction
Effects of Anxiety
Cause of Worry & Anxiety
Overcoming Anxiety

2026 Spring Break Spiritual Day - Introduction (IOTA)

"There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 12:4)

Introduction

Sunday Theotokia: "You are called truly, • O blessed one • among women, • the Second Tabernacle •
which is called • the Holy • of Holies, • wherein are the tablets •
of the covenant • and the Ten Commandments • which are written • by the finger of God. •
They have directed us • to the IOTA - • the name of salvation - • Jesus Christ."

The Ten Commandments, given by God and written by His finger on two tablets, have directed us to the IOTA. And the IOTA is the name of Salvation: Jesus Christ.

We have a category of hymn in the Church called "Psalis" which are said before the Theotokia. And these Psalis typically all focus on one topic: the name of the Lord. Saying the name of the Lord.  There is great power in the name of the Lord.

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." (Proverbs 18:10)

The name of the Lord means:

  1. Enlightenment
    • Monday Psali: "Let the name of the Lord • abide within us • so that He may shine • upon our inner being"
    • Tuesday Psali: "When they uttered it • their minds were enlightened • and their hearts ascended • to the heights."
  2. Ability to Give Others
    • Wednesday Psali: "If we are needy • for the money of this world, • and we have nothing • to offer as alms; •
      yet truly we have • the precious pearl of great price • which is the sweet name full of glory • of our Lord Jesus Christ. •
      When we continue to keep Him • in our inner being • He will make us rich • that we can give to others. •
      We do not ask for • the wealth of this world • but for the salvation of our souls • by calling upon His holy name."
    • Peter and John: "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk."
  3. Nourishment
    • Tuesday Psali: "For them it was • a Living food • which filled their souls • and their bodies too. •
      For them it was • a fountain of living water • sweeter than honey • in their mouths. •
      When they called upon it • their hearts rejoiced • and their bodies • blossomed."
  4. Sweetness and Joy

    • Friday Psali: "Our hearts are happy • and our tongues rejoice • whenever we sing to the name • of our Lord Jesus Christ."

    • Saturday Psali: "The remembrance of your holy name • gives joy to our hearts • O my Lord Jesus Christ • my good Savior."

  5. Power to Purify
    • Monday Psali: "Everyone who says: • 'my Lord Jesus' • is likened to a sword • casting down the enemy."
    • Thursday Psali: "Once more my beloved • let us keep away • the evil inclinations of our heart • that lead us to sin. •
      Let us incessantly • bless the name of Salvation • that is for our Lord Jesus Christ • proclaiming and saying: •
      O my Lord Jesus Christ • who is born of the Father • before all ages • have mercy on us according to Your great mercy; •
      O my Lord Jesus Christ...

I want to focus on #5 - Power to Purify

Purity is not only "behavior"

What is my first response to a sinful thought? To a temptation? To an image I wasn't expecting to see? I come to you in the name of the Lord.

"If you celebrate a feast and are joyful, say: Jesus;
if you worry and suffering: Jesus;
if the sons and daughters laugh: Jesus;
those who touch water: Jesus;
those who must flee from barbarians: Jesus;
those who see wild beasts or other frightening things: Jesus;
those who have pain or illness: Jesus;
those who have been taken captive: Jesus;
those who were unjustly judged and suffer injustice: Jesus.
The name of Jesus alone is on their lips and is their salvation and their life: He and His Father."
(St Shenouda - A Catechesis against Apocryphal Texts)

Three Stations:

  1. Recognize: How does temptation work in the mind?
  2. Respond: Immediately with the name of the Lord Jesus, not negotiation
  3. Rule: Build a rule of life so purity becomes sustainable and becomes my way of life