St. Rebekah Service

The people had not read the word of God for a very very long time. Especially after having come back from captivity. They weren't even familiar with some of the laws and the feasts that Moses had written about. So they called for Ezra to come and to read it to them.

¹Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel. ²So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding on the first day of the seventh month. ³Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

When the deacon says "Stand up in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel" it is a message to stand and be attentive and to hear and listen to the word of God. You can test yourself now and ask "do I remember the Pauline from today? Do I remember the Catholic Epistle and the Acts and the Gospel from today?"

⁴So Ezra the scribe stood on a platform of wood which they had made for the purpose;

A platform of wood that was made specifically for this purpose - this is for us, the ⲙⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲓⲁ. And it was a platform higher than the rest - actually the ⲙⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲓⲁ should be at the highest point in the church so that all of us are standing below the word of God because the word of God has authority over us. ⲙⲁ is Coptic for "place" and ⲉⲩⲁⲛⲅⲅⲉⲗⲓⲟⲛ is "Gospel" so ⲙⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲓⲁ is the "place of the Gospel"

and beside him, at his right hand, stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and at his left hand Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

This is like when Abouna reads the gospel and we find deacons on his left and his right, holding the candles.

⁵And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. ⁶And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God.

Just as Abouna says "blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord" before reading. And he holds the Gospel above his head when he says it in order to say that "all of us - even the priest or bishop - are under the authority of the word of God" and this is why the bishop or patriarch removes the crown from his head while reading.

And all the people stood up, as the deacon says "Stand in the fear of God" - and if you enter the church and the gospel is being read, just stand in your place and don't move until the Gospel is done.

Then all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

Just as when we say "Blessed is he..." we all bow our heads toward the ground

⁷Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law; and the people stood in their place.

Sermon is to explain the gospel of today to the people, just as here the Levites when to help the people understand the law.

⁸So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.

This part is very important for readings. "Distinctly" - "Gave Sense" - there is a difference between someone who is reading and saying all the words right, and someone who is giving sense. When you read a question, it's different from reading a sentence. You have to know how to read in a way to give the sense to the people - with the right pauses, and inflections. Need to read with a loud voice and help the people to understand.

⁹And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law. ¹⁰Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

There was no screen or Coptic Reader back then, all they did was hear the word of God. And the word of God pierced their hearts even to the point that they were emotional and started to weep and mourn because they were not following the Law. It is a big responsibility for the readers. Maybe there's someone in the church who doesn't read the Bible at home... maybe this is the only time in the whole week that he hears the word of God. Give it a chance to pierce His heart. Maybe he will be like St Anthony, who heard a single verse in the church and went and sold all that he had.

All of this applies just the same with those who are serving in the sanctuary. Almost every deacon response is an instruction for the Congregation... "Pray for the Holy Gospel" - "You who are seated stand" - "Let us attend." - "Amen Amen Pray" - etc. If the congregation cannot hear you, then who are you talking to?

So when you come to say a response outside and you don't see a microphone, take the microphone and bring it to you to say your response. Or if you see the microphone is already out and the leading deacon took care of it, come close to it and say in it. And if you're on the altar, turn the microphone on, come close to it and say your response clearly.

In this way, we are giving our beloved congregation members the chance to hear the word of God clearly and to understand it, to follow along in the prayers, and to understand their role in the liturgy.

Deacons Service

2022-01-12 Deacons' Meeting

Spiritual

Acts 6-7: Contemplations on the Life of St Stephen

First of seven men to be chosen and ordained as a deacon
Ordained because the apostles needed to give their time to Spiritual work
The spiritual work is for apostles, bishops, priests. So the deacons are serving in the administrative work
The role of deacons in the church is big. It's not just serving in the altar:
- Making orban
- Cleaning the church and its facilities
- Preventing the heretics from entering the church
- Serving on the board
- etc.
The apostles gave qualifications and criteria for those servants (Acts 6:3)
- Good Reputation (inside and outside the church)
- Full of the Holy Spirit (having the fruits of the spirit)
- Full of Wisdom
The Apostles, Bishops and Priests have a different role (Acts 6:4)
- Ministry of the Word (i.e. sermons and preaching)
- Prayers
If the deacons didn't do their part, it ends up falling on the Apostles... And this happens sometimes now with Abouna
The Result of the Deacons' Service (Acts 6:7)
- The service multiplying
- The word of God spreading
When the service is organized and everyone is doing their part, the Church of God will grow and the Word of God will spread

Lessons from the Life of St Stephen

Brave Enough to Say Yes to the Call of Service

"Speak O Lord, your servant hears"
Christianity was not easy or popular in those days. The environment of service was martyrdom. It was a great risk
- St Stephen and the deacons took a risk and showed great courage.
- He didn't shy away when the times got rough, but received martyrdom
We don't have risk of martyrdom, but we have many inconveniences and difficulties in our life and service. Schedule, tired, family, work, etc.

Filled with Faith and the Holy Spirit

How could the apostles measure faith or holy spirit? It was manifested in their life and actions
St Luke mentions St Stephen full of the Holy Spirit four times in these two chapters
Conduct in our lives, in our business dealings, in daily transactions, etc.

Handled Opposition and False Accusations with Grace

He did not defend himself but simply shared his faith with grace and love, seeking their salvation
Be strong in the faith and stand up for the Truth

Good Knowledge of the Word of God

No one would dare have this conversation unless he knew the Word of God
- Acts 7 is a good A-Z summary of the Old Testament
- "Be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you" (1 Peter 3:15)
This is shown in how you read the word of God. Someone who reads well can deliver a message to the hearer.
- Sometimes the reader can delivery a clearer message than the sermon.
- Every deacon should be ready enough to give a sermon in a moment's notice

Pray for those who Persecute You

Many will stand against us and oppose us - Good intentions or bad, with knowledge or without
How do I handle this?
- Do I carry a grudge?
- Do I speak evil of them?
- Between deacons should be care and love, but we all still can grow
Pray for those who treat us badly

Strive to be of Good Reputation

When you have the urge to respond in a secular way, remember who you are and Who you are serving

Administrative

Deacons' Meetings
- These are important and require commitment
- If you have a valid reason to miss it (i.e. sick, traveling, work, school), please communicate it with Abouna
- The service of the Reader and Subdeacon is as important as Sunday School - both are services for TEACHING
You should wear your Tonia even if it's not your day for service
- "There's already a lot of people" is a reason sometimes, but if that's the case why would the Lord make thousands of thousands of angels?
- To stand and serve as a deacon is the service you are ordained for, and you will greatly benefit from it
Scheduling
- Sending availability in a timely manner on the group every two months
- Sending availability on groups for weekday liturgies (see Jonah in February)
- Sending a message when you will be unable to make it to your service
Attending the Tasbeha and standing with the deacons or in the front rows - especially during Kiahk
Father of Confession and regular confession
Proper Vestments (including Tonia, Badrashel, Taleeg) and respect for them
Arriving 15min before the Liturgy Starts, regardless of your position

Announcement - New Adult Deacons Class

Every Wednesday at 8:00-9:30pm
Arabic and English
Rituals, Dogma, Hymns, and the Deacons Service in General
Purpose:
- To remember things that were forgotten from lack of use
- To be in harmony with the rituals and practices in our church
- To serve the adult deacons
Jan Guirguis will be responsible for and serving that class
Required attendance for Saturday Altar Servants
Required attendance for Friday Altar Servants who are not already attending the Advanced Hymns
It's okay if you don't know, but what is more important is a willingness to learn
Starting Feb 2, 2022

Deacons Service

2023-08-27: Am I Spiritual?

Spiritual vs Church-Goer

What is a spiritual person?

A spiritual person is someone who, when he prays, he means it. He is not just saying words or going through motions, but he is speaking to God with genuineness.

What is a church-goer?

A church goer is someone who goes to church – they go to liturgy and Sunday school and Keraza and Bible Study and preservants and Vespers and Tasbeha.

It is important to attend the Liturgy and receive the Eucharist on Sunday because it is the day of the Lord.

Some people say “well Sunday is so crowded” or “Sunday is so long” – but Sunday is the day of the Lord!

Some people say “well I went on Friday” or “I went on Saturday” – but Sunday is the day of the Lord! It’s good to go to an extra liturgy during the week and many people are even serving in the Friday or Saturday liturgy…. But Sunday is our day and the day of the Lord that we should be spending with Him and hearing His word and receiving His Body and Blood. Actually, the Church lectionary is based on the Sunday readings! The message that the Church is trying to give you is in the Sunday lectionary! On Friday and Saturday and the weekdays, it is related to the saint of the day… so it may be the same readings every week even… but Sunday the Church has a specific message for us that is communicated in a cycle over the whole year

One of the Commandments is to keep the day of the Lord, and that is Sunday. In Egypt, their day off every week is on Friday and so every church in Egypt has liturgy on Friday… but even so, the Christians pleaded with the government and said “we need to go to church on Sunday this is the day of the Lord” and the government said “fine – Christians can go to work at 10am on Sunday instead of at 7 or 8am”

Are all church-goers spiritual?

No… you might be going to all of the services and liturgies, but you do not have any relationship with God. And actually this is called living a dual life.
Life in the church – you are a servant, you are a deacon, you attend some meetings… but in the end, you have 0 relationship with God. And maybe not just that, but you are doing bad things! This is the life of hypocrisy (Matthew 23).

Are all spiritual people church-goers?

Yes! You cannot be spiritual without the Church.

Some people think that when they grow in their spiritual life, then it becomes less important to go to church (e.g. because they are spiritual and are speaking to God regularly outside of church prayers, and are fasting and doing prostrations, etc. That is not right. Actually, the more spiritual you grow, the more you need the church. The church feeds your spirituality and your spirituality feeds your benefit from the church.

People can go to church and they are not spiritual… but you cannot be spiritual without going to church!

How to be Spiritual (and not just church-goer)

Have a Spiritual Canon and Commit to it

With your Father of Confession

E.g. You need to pray the 1st hour of Agpeya, 12th hour of Agpeya, read one chapter, write one line of meditation, fast Wednesday and Friday
E.g. When you pray, focus on the quality and the depth; connect with God; not just reading.
E.g. When you go to church, don’t be just doing things… preparing the censer, lighting candles, organizing things… but not praying!

I will ask you a series of questions and I want you to answer them with yourself... don't answer them out loud, but really answer them seriously with yourself.

Do you Pray?

Do you pray every morning and every night? If you do not, then you don’t have a spiritual life.

How can you grow spiritually without communicating with God?

You need to start your day with prayer and end it with prayer. Every day!

And not just “Our Father” – you are not children anymore. Use your Agpeya. Every morning and every night, at least!

Focus on the quality of prayer.

If you do not pray every morning and every evening... then you are just a church-goer.

Do you Read the Bible?

Do you read the Bible every day? If you are not, then you don’t have a spiritual life!

How can you grow spiritually if you are not hearing the voice of God? In Prayer, I talk to God – in the Bible, God talks to me.

If you are not reading the Bible every day, then you are a church-goer.

Sometimes we do read the Bible every day, but we get nothing from reading it. It goes in one ear and out the other. We might close the Bible and not even remember one word that we read, and have nothing to apply for ourselves and it changes nothing for us... in this way, the Bible to me is DEAD like any other book.

But instead, after you read it, ask yourself: “What is God’s message for me?”

I can find in a chapter one verse, one promise, one inquiry, one request, one prohibition, one privilege… write it down! And write one or two lines reflection/meditation. This is what we give to you in MS and HS as the Bible Passport. It is for your own spiritual growth. It's one of the ways that we want to help you to become spiritual and not just church-goers.

In this way, I change the Bible from just “words on a page” – to LIFE.

Do you Fast?

Do you fast Wednesday and Friday? Did you fast St Mary’s Fast? Apostles Fast? Great Fast? You are not young… Fasting will not hurt your health. Fasting will help you to develop self-control.

When you fast, you need to be serious in your fasting… don’t say “I’m going out with my friends so it’s okay today to break my fast… no big deal. Fast is 55 days if I break one it’s not a big deal.” This is not fasting. It’s lack of self-control.

Fasting is not just abstain from a certain kind of food, but works with repentance, prayer and bible. Not instead of, but beside.

Fast from devices instead of spending hours and hours on devices. “e.g. This fast I will completely stay away from social media”

Fasting has three dimension: abstinence, quantity, quality

Abstinence – when you wake up, wait a little bit before eating and drinking (according to your FoC… 11am, 12pm, etc.) On Sunday you don’t eat until 12 and no one is fainting! First meal in the morning is called what? BREAK-FAST
Quality – sometimes when we’re fasting, we ask our parents “I’m fasting please bring me this and this and this” – where is the self-control? Vegan meat, vegan cheese… I am not fasting! Fasting is also about the quality of food. Whatever they bring me, I will eat it with thanksgiving. Whatever in the house is prepared for me, I will eat it with thanksgiving.
Quantity – sometimes I like the food, so I eat until I am full and then I eat some more. And I might even have a stomach ache from eating too much… and this is called gluttony. Where is the self-control? If you like a food and can’t even tell yourself to stop eating it, then you don’t have self-control. And if you don’t have self-control, you will fall into sin because you can’t say no to yourself.

If you are not fasting and not developing your self-control, then you are just a church-goer.

Do you Confess?

Do you have a Father of Confession? Do you confess regularly? Are you honest in your confession? Are you living the life of repentance?

I lie, I swear, I gossip, I judge, I…. And Abouna prays the absolution, and two weeks later I come back and give him the same list. I am not fighting. I am not trying to be a godly man. I am not asking the Holy Spirit to fill me and guide me to live a godly life.

Steps before confession:

Admit to yourself that you are wrong (some people will deny that they are wrong)
You are sorry about it (some people know they are wrong and brag about it)
I will do whatever it takes to avoid it again through the grace of God (I will fight the good fight, I will complete the race) – some people know they are wrong and are sorry, but don’t want to stop
Correcting the result of sin (e.g. if I got angry at someone, I need to go and apologize and say “I am sorry, I was angry and I should not have spoken to you like that”; if I lie, I should apologize and tell them the truth)
Prodigal Son, St Paul, St Peter, Ninevites, Jonah, Nicodemus, Manasseh the King, Rahab, Thomas, Samaritan Woman, Adam and Eve, Demas the thief, Zaccheaus – restored 4 fold and gave half his goods to the poor
Have confidence that God will accept your confession and forgive you (e.g. unlike Judas, who doubted God’s forgiveness)

Then, after these five steps, sit with Abouna in confession.

If you are not living a life of repentance, if you are not confessing regularly, if you are not honest in your confession... then you are just a church-goer.

Is God the Priority in your Life?

We can sum these up with this question.

How much time do you spend with God and how much do you spend on your phones, tablets, social media or video games? If you spend 2-3min with God and 5 hours with the other things… what do you think?

For a church-goer, God is Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday morning and that's it.

For a spiritual person, God is every minute of every day. Everything that I do is for the glory of God. I like to spend time with the Lord every day. To speak to Him and to hear His words for me. To develop self-control that I may abstain myself from falling into temptation. To live a life of repentance. To mirror Him.

Deacons Service

2023-10-29: Wisdom and Discernment

https://notes.morcous.com/books/virtues/page/the-virtue-of-discernment-wisdom-he-metropolitan-youssef

Introduction

Talk about milk vs solid food
Hebrews 5:14
What is Wisdom
- Christ
- Holy Spirit
- Gift of the Holy Spirit

Wisdom the Requirement of the Deacon

Heavenly Wisdom vs Earthly Wisdom

Story of Rebecca
Example of craftiness - "I just took communion, but I know that we have an agreement in Deacons' Meeting that we don't go out to the water fountains during the Distribution... I see Morcous is standing in the front row today. Okay I'll make a plan - when he takes the little boys in to take communion, I'll sneak behind him to get to the water fountain. What a crafty and cunning plan! So clever!"
Examples of craftiness - When I use a method to "get ahead" at work or financially that is not edifying for me, or that is hurting someone else. Or making a plan to take an exam a day late so that I can cheat on it or get the answers from someone else. Craftiness.

Acquiring Heavenly Wisdom

Prayer
Reading Scripture
Consel
Learning from the Mistakes of Others
Reading

Why do I need Wisdom?

To make good decisions in my life
Protection from false spirituality
To deal with crafty people
To discern when to speak and when to keep silent
Dealing with others in general

Deacons Service

2024-02-04: Performing our Daily Vows

Introduction

We are all composed of body and spirit
Our body is taken from the earth - that's why our body tends to like the earthly (laziness, sin)
Our spirit is taken from God - so our spirit tends to like holiness and connection to God
"For the flesh wars against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh" (Galatians 5:17)
- There is always a war between the flesh and the spirit
- In order for our spirit to win this war, there must be some rule/canon/law - what we call Spiritual Rule/Canon/Law

Spiritual Rule

- If you don't have a Spiritual Rule, you will be under Spiritual Mood
  - "if you're in the mood to pray, you'll pray"
  - "if you're in the mood to read the bible, you'll read the bible"
  - "if you're in the mood to go to church, you'll go to church"
  - People who live according to their mood or what they "feel like" will go down because our natural tendency is laziness... lacking discipline
- "If anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules." (2 Timothy 2:5)
  - If I want to be crowned at the end, I need to have a rule
- "Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Cor 14:40)
  - Spiritual Rule will organize your spiritual life and put it in order
- Spiritual Growth is connected with the Spiritual Rule
  - "The main difference between the saints and us is seriousness." - HH Pope Shenouda III
    - They took their life seriously. They respected their spiritual canon. They did not break it. They started as beginners, but because of their discipline, they were able to grow.
  - For example, imagine two people who are in school together
    - One has a scheduled study time every day and a rule for studying; he takes his studies very seriously - and he is successful.
    - The other one studies whenever he feels like it, whenever he's in the mood - this person is not successful.
  - [Not HEMY] For example, imagine two people who want to get in shape
    - One takes his exercise and his diet very seriously - he has calendars and schedules, he wakes up early to hit the gym every day, he plans all of his meals.
    - The other one exercises whenever he feels like it or he's in the mood, and eats healthy if he finds something.
    - Which one will be in shape at the end?

What is the Spiritual Canon

"So I will sing praise to Your name forever, that I may daily perform my vows." (Psalm 61:8)
- No one makes a vow every day, but he is referencing here his Spiritual Rule
- Take this verse as a motto for our life
St John the Short, when attacked by Satan responded as such: "Today I am alive and I am healthy and I am able to pray; tomorrow, I don't know if I will be alive or healthy or able to pray. So let me pray today."
"For 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. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But 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 8:5-9)
- Those who live according to the flesh are the ones who do things when they feel like it
- Those who live according to the Spirit are those who have a Spiritual Rule
Barriers to Spiritual Rule
- Maybe I want to pray, I want to read the Bible, I make a Spiritual Rule, I discuss it with my Father of Confession... but to apply it? I can't. I get bored easily.
  - Satan will fight you, and you WILL get bored.
  - There is a virtue called the 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)
  - I need to force myself to build discipline... it will be difficult in the beginning, but once it becomes a habit, that's it! And you will even enjoy it.
Spiritual Rule includes:
- Prayers - How many Agpeya Prayers? How many Psalms in each hour? Personal prayers? Discuss with spiritual father
- Readings - Scripture. Spiritual Books.
- Fasting - All the fasts of the Church, besides personal fasting. How do you fast? What time are you abstaining? Unfortunately many don't take fasting seriously... No abstinence. Taking it easy (e.g. coffee with milk; pizza with cheese; etc.). Spoiling your flesh, not disciplining it.
- Prostrations
Spiritual Canon and the way we worship God is how HE wants us to worship Him, not as how WE like it.
- For example, God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son. And He appointed to Abraham a mountain that was more than three days walking away from where Abraham was.
- Abraham didn't say to God "isn't it enough that I'll offer my son as a sacrifice? And you want me to walk three days? What difference does it make??" - but rather, he respected God. God wanted him to offer in THAT place.
- Sometimes we worship God according to what we see right, not what God is asking us to do
  - I get tired, I go to school, long day of studying... I cannot do a spiritual canon.
  - 20minutes in the morning and 20minutes in the evening is indeed, tiring and not convenient. But what does it mean when the Lord said "Enter through the narrow gate" and "walk in the difficult way"
  - This is the narrow gate, when we discipline our body and bring it into subjection
  - Don't take your Agpeya and lay in bed and read the Agpeya... no. "Grant us sobriety O Lord that we may know how to stand up before You at times of prayer."
"The Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force" - you have to FORCE yourself into the Kingdom of Heaven!
- King David was a king with many responsibilities and a whole kingdom, and yet he says "Seven times everyday I praise Your holy name"
- Daniel and the three youth were in captivity, living as slaves, and the king wanted them to eat certain food which is considered unclean for the Jews. "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)
  - Sometimes we're fasting but if we're invited to a birthday party, we break our fast. We don't have the purpose and seriousness that Daniel had in his heart.
- Why did the Lord Jesus commend John the Baptist? He was serious in his life! "Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: 'What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.... Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist." (Matthew 11:8-11)
Spiritual Life is a life void of Distraction
- Like Mary (sister of Martha) - it is time to sit at the feet of the Lord and to learn. But if I am praying and I get a text message, let me answer it real quick. My phone rings while I'm praying, I will answer it. Wait until you finish before you answer. What will happen if you don't? Nothing! But let me be serious.

Fruit of the Spiritual Canon

Grow Spiritually
- "How do I overcome the sin of anger? Lust?"
- "How to grow in virtue of love? Humility?"
- I don't have other answers besides what you know... pray, read the Bible, go to Church, confess, fast, repent, etc.
- If you follow your Spiritual Canon and you're committed to it, you will grow spiritually.
- Commitment.
Discipline
- Gives structure in your life
- How to be disciplined in your life
- Sense of responsibility - you are a responsible person
Satisfaction and Spiritual Nourishment
- Every day you take your spiritual nourishment from the Lord, so you will be satisfied by your relationship with God
- Your heart will be full of peace as you communicate with the King of Peace
Bearing the Fruit of the Spirit
Living a Life of Repentance
- The Holy Spirit will rebuke and convict you when you do something wrong!
Acquiring Virtues and Overcoming Weaknesses
Strengthen your relationship with God
- Any relationship is strengthened by communication
- Spiritual Canon is our communication with God
You will know the will of God in your life
- You will hear the voice of the Holy Spirit clearly as you grow in your commitment to your canon
- You will be able to discern the voice of God

Some Practical Steps

Set a Time
- 7am I will pray the 1st Hour; 7pm I will pray the 12th Hour; 5pm I will read my Bible
- Put alarms on your phone
- Sometimes I say "I will read it later" or "After I finish this" or "After I do this" - and then I come to the end of the day and I say "I am tired... tomorrow I'll read two chapters instead of one" and then tomorrow is the same thing
- In the monastery, when the bell rings at specific times of the day, every monk drops what he is doing and goes to the church to pray. If he's asleep, he wakes up. If he is working, he drops it.
- One of the biggest excuses is "I don't have time"
  - It is not a matter of not having time, it is a matter of priority.
  - What is your priority? Ask yourself - what is the first thing you do in the morning? Check your phone? Instagram? Text messages? Play games on the phone? That is your priority.
  - When we have a convention or a Spiritual Day, we find that in a single day we have a Liturgy, we pray all hours of Agpeya, we have Vespers and Midnight Praises, we have two or three Lectures, a Bible Study, a Talent Show, and free time. How are we able to do so much in one day?? Because we have time management. There is a schedule. So everything fits.
  - When the Lord broke and gave the 5 Loaves and 2 Fish, He told the disciples to collect the fragments and they collected twelve baskets of remaining fragments. Collect the fragments of your time. 10min here, 15min here, etc. If you use these fragments of time, it will add up to hours. Want to respond to text messages or check your social media, do it in these small fragments of time so that you can dedicate time to your Spiritual Canon.
Keep a Table
- Keep it by your prayer corner with the list of your Spiritual Canon and check it off
- Challenge yourself to have a perfect record weekly
- Choose an accountability partner - a friend, or your Father of Confession, or a servant - to keep you on track
- Prayer, Bible, Prostration, Wed/Fri Fasting, Sunday Liturgy, Tithing, Confession,

Deacons Service

2024-03-30 - Let us Attend

Copy and Shadow of the Heavenly Things

"There are priests who offer the gifts according to the law;who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” (Hebrews 8:4-5)
"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar.And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.” (Isaiah 6:1-7)
Isaiah said "For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts" - who is he referring to? He is referring to the Lord Jesus Christ. And we know this because St John in his gospel quotes from Isaiah chapter 6 and then he says: "These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him" (John 12:41)
What does this scene remind us of? The Divine Liturgy! But really, it is the opposite - when we stand in the Divine Liturgy, we should be reminded of this scene. When we stand in the Divine Liturgy, we should recognize and realize that we are standing in the throneroom of God
"Whenever we stand in Your holy sanctuary, we are considered standing in heaven" - Agpeya Part 6
- We are surrounded by the cloud of saints in the iconography
- We see incense
- We see the vestments of the priest and deacons
- We see the Body of the Lord Christ and His Blood in the Chalice
- We see candles
- All of these things are there to help us realize our presence in the throne room of God
The chorus of the deacons should represent the angels that are in heaven
- God is calling us to synchronize with the angels in heaven and to join their choir
- So what is it that these angels are doing? What is it that we are expected to do? We have a hint!
- "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory" (Isaiah 6:3) - when do we say this in the liturgy? (The Sanctus)
- Now going from the Sanctus let's move backwards a little... the Sanctus is the last part of the Preface of the Liturgy. The beginning of the Anaphora.
Anaphora
- "O You, THE BEING, Master, Lord, God of Truth, being before the ages and reigning forever; who dwells in the highest and looks upon the lowly; who has created the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that is therein; the Father of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, by whom You have created all things, visible and invisible; who is seated upon the throne of His glory; and who is worshipped by all the holy powers."
  - You who are seated stand
- "Before whom stand the angels, the archangels, the principalities, the thrones, the dominions, and the powers."
  - Look toward the East
- "You are He around whom stand the cherubim full of eyes, and the seraphim with six wings, praising continuously, without ceasing, saying -"
  - Let us attend
- "Holy, holy, holy, Lord of hosts, heaven and earth are full of Your holy glory."
The Liturgy is preparing us for this moment when we chant "Holy, holy, holy, Lord of hosts, heaven and earth are full of Your holy glory." - this is the praise of the Seraphim. This is what they say when they are around the throne of God. The Church is telling us to be prepared to enter the Throne Room of God with three commands: You who are seated stand, Look towards the East, Let us attend.
Before we talk about them, one more point: they are actually said TWICE!
- At the end of "Greet one another... Offer in order. Stand with trembling. Look toward the East. Let us attend."

You who are seated stand

In Isaiah 6, we read that the Seraphim were standing
The concept of standing to pray is very important
- "And whenever you stand praying..." (Mark 11:25)
- "Forasmuch as there are certain persons who kneel on the Lord's Day and in the days of Pentecost, therefore, to the intent that all things may be uniformly observed everywhere, it seems good to the holy Synod that prayer be made to God standing" (Council of Nicaea Canon 20)
- "We pray standing, on the first day of the week, but we do not all know the reason. On the day of anastasin we remind ourselves of the grace given to us by standing at prayer, not only because we rose with Christ, and are bound to "seek those things which are above," but because the day seems to us to be in some sense an image of the age which we expect, wherefore, though it is the beginning odays, it is not called by Moses first, but one. For he says: "There was evening, and there was morning, one day," as though the same day often recurred. Now "one" and "eighth" are the same, in itself distinctly indicating that really "one" and "eight" of which the Psalmist makes mention in certain titles of the Psalms, the state which follows after this present time, the day which knows no waning or eventide, and no successor, that age which ends not or grows old. Of necessity, then, the church teachers her own foster children to offer their prayers on that day standing, to the end that through continual reminder of the endless life we may not neglect to make provision for our removal from there." (St Basil - On the Holy Spirit Ch. 27)
How do we stand?
In the Liturgy of St Gregory:
- Let us stand well
- Let us stand reverently
- Let us stand earnestly
- Let us stand in peace
- Let us stand in the fear of God, trembling and stunned
So the purpose is not simply to be standing, but to stand well, reverently, earnestly, in peace, in the fear of God. The message is to put away laziness and focus on prayer - physical laziness and spiritual laziness.
Sometimes when you see one of the elders sitting simply because the flesh is weak. But yet when he sits, it is well, with reverence, with earnest, in peace, and in the fear of God.
- Compare it with how we sit sometimes, we are sitting as if to relax. Coming to the liturgy, in the presence of God, and just lounging on the pew. It is completely inappropriate!

Look towards the East

Why do we look towards the East?
- St Basil (On the Holy Spirit Ch. 27) says: "We all look to the East at our prayers, but few of us know that we are seeking our own old country, Paradise, which God planted in Eden in the East."
- "The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed." (Genesis 2:8)
- "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." (Matthew 24:27)
- "Our holy place is the paradise - our original place. And since it was in the East, we are told to face the East when we pray." (St Ephrem the Syrian)
Liturgically, the East is wherever the altar is. In a church that is being built, it is always built with the altar facing the East. But sometimes, when a church is bought or temporary or something, it might not work to make it in the East... so in that case, the East is wherever the altar is.
In the long "Greet one another"
- O clergy and all the people, with prayer and thanksgiving, with dignity and silence, raise your eyes toward the East: to see the Altar, and the Body and Blood of Immanuel our God placed upon it.
Again, we see that looking in a specific direction by itself is NOT the main point. But to focus our eyes on the Altar, and on the Body and Blood of Christ. To look with dignity and silence. To look with prayer and thanksgiving.
Looking towards the East helps deacons avoid distractions
- Sometimes we are distracted by the deacons on the other side
- Sometimes we are distracted by the deacons next to us
- Sometimes we are distracted by the people in the congregation
- Sometimes we distract the deacons on the other side, or next to us, or we distract the people in the congregation

Let us attend

The command of "Let us attend" means let us be attentive. Let us focus. Let us put our phone away and be attentive to the Liturgy.
It is a preparation for singing the heavenly hymn of the Seraphim and attending with them around the Throne of God.

Deacons Service

2024-12-11 - Giving

Our topic for today is the virtue of Giving. The Lord Jesus in Luke 6 says: "Give, and it will be given to you"

The commandment that He tells us is "give" - there is no specific, just "give."

There are many things that we can give: a smile, a good word, money, time, energy, a listening ear, a warm welcome. And the more we give, the more we receive.

We'll read together today from 2 Corinthians 8. We read in the Book of Acts, that there was going to be a famine in the world. And the disciples determine to send relief to Judea. So St Paul, as part of his missionary journey, collects some of those funds to go back to Jerusalem.

In 2 Corinthians 8-9, St Paul talks about giving to the Corinthians, by giving them the example of the Macedonians.

"Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality."

The churches of Macedonia (e.g. Philippi, Thessaloniki) were persecuted churches. They were being persecuted by the Jews and had great trials of affliction, and on top of that, St Paul tells us "deep poverty." Yet, what gave them joy was that they were able to generously give to the brethren in Judea.
Giving Imparts Joy
- We are in the season of Christmas here, a season of giving and you see the joy on someone's face when they give a gift, and even more, the joy of the gift-giver. It is something we have all experienced.
- When you call someone to ask about them, and maybe no one has asked about them before, and they are joyful.
- When you visit someone who is mourning, and your visit brings joy to their face
- When you give appreciation to someone who has worked hard and done a great act, they have more joy from your gift of appreciation, than from accomplishing the thing itself
- When you encourage someone who is down, they are joyful
- And their joy is infectious and you too become joyful

"For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability"

There is a servant who gives in his service according to his ability. Katar khero. But then there is a servant who gives beyond his ability. This is what the Macedonians were doing.
Give Beyond Your Ability
- We can remember here the two mites of the widow. This woman only had two small coins - it was beyond her ability to give anything in the Temple. And yet, she did not hesitate to drop them both in the collection box.
- Fr Reweis told me a story once about a very elderly man in Canada who was over 80 years old, and insisted to stay in the service of Orban. And those of you who serve in the Orban know that it is not a gentle or light service. But you come out sweating and having exerted yourself. So this man was serving BEYOND what his body and his age allowed. And one day they came to the church and found him laying in the street outside the door of the church from exhaustion, after completing his service. He was giving beyond his ability.
- Many times when asked of a service, I might look at my ability and say I can't do it. But actually, I am underestimating my ability.
  - One time a youth told me that he cannot serve the service of the altar because he can't wake up that early because he sleeps late. But on the same day, another servant would work a shift the whole night, fasting from food and water, so that he can come to his service after work. Beyond the ability.

"they were freely willing,"

The Macedonians heard about the need in Jerusalem, and they encouraged each other to give as much as they could and even more, freely. They didn't wait for St Paul to tell them or to ask them for anything.
Giving is Freely Willed
- The carnal man may look at his paycheck and say "if I give from this, I won't have enough to pay my bills." But the spiritual man will look at the paycheck and say "let me give from this, knowing that God will provide for me to pay my bills."
- HE Metropolitan Youssef has said before that "man says seeing is believing, but God says believing is seeing." Believe first, and you will see.
- Freely willed means giving without thinking. Someone asks a service of you and you say yes before knowing the details. Before thinking about it. Someone says "I need a service from you" and you say "I am at your service"
  - Fr Daoud Lamei gives an example of one time they were doing a service in a place of less means, and one of the men with them was so moved by what he saw that he took everything out of his wallet and asked Abouna "will God accept this from my hand?" To the point that Abouna told him "it's too much!" and the man 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?" - He was not thinking or trying to be logical about it. He was giving with a free will.
- I can't wait for someone or the church to tell me "come serve" - but let me go and serve, and that day of service will be the most valuable day of the week.
- I can't wait for the church to say "we have a project and we need funds" - but let me come and give, and the day of giving will be for me the most valuable day of the week.
- There is a point that sometimes waiting for someone to say "give me" may ruin the blessing of giving. Sometimes we have a servant very dedicated to the liturgy on a weekday, so we tell him "come and serve" with us and we put him on the schedule and after that, he only comes on the day he is scheduled.

"imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints."

The Macedonians went to St Paul with humility and urged him to accept their gift to minister to the saints in Jerusalem.
Giving is a Grace
- See how St Paul calls the gift "the grace" (in Arabic translation... el ne3ma).
- He who gives is just a middleman - taking from the hand of God, and putting it in the hand of someone else who needs it.
- If you give a smile - where did you get that smile in the first place? Was it not from God, who imparts all joy and happiness?
- If you give from your talents - where did you acquire those talents in the first place? Was it not from God, from whom all good gifts come?

"And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God"

The Macedonians gave themselves to the Lord first, and then to the apostles - who are the ministers of the Lord.
Giving is to God
- To give yourself to the Lord means to say that all that I have is Yours. My talents, my money, my virtues, my ideas, my thoughts, my energy, my time - all is in Your hands. And then to give yourself to the ministers of the Lord - is to give all of those to the Church, represented by the father the priest, and to say "use it." Use my talents, my money, my virtues, my ideas, my thoughts, my energy, my time.
- Sometimes we want to pick and choose what to give. I was talking to a youth once who told me "when I come to the church, no one gives me the microphone to sing in it" and this is not uncommon in the service of the deacons. But it's the wrong attitude. When I come to the church and to my service, I am giving myself in the Lord. I am giving my talents to be used in the service however I am asked to use them. And in the end, it is an offering to God.

"So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well."

Titus went ahead to Corinth before St Paul, in order to start the process with them. The giving here was organized with Titus responsible for it - receiving the gift, organizing it, documenting and recording it, making sure it's delivered appropriately, etc.
Giving is with Order
- Any gift is given in order. When the Lord was given 5 loaves and 2 fish as a gift, He did not just haphazardly pass it around. But He told the disciples to organize the people in groups of 50, and then gave them baskets with which to distribute the food to those groups.
- When we come to give ourselves in service, as deacons, we come and find that the liturgy is arranged with who will serve in what position, what does each position do, etc.
- When we give from our money in the church, we find there is someone who is collecting it, counting it, documenting it, taking it to the bank, allocating it to specific services and projects and to the poor and needy, etc.
- When we give guidance, it needs wisdom and planning, and to be sound
- When we have a condolences in the church and we attend it (yes, this is giving!) we find that it is organized with prayers and psalms and songs and hymns and a spiritual word, with some other times for greetings and words of comfort.

"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."

The Corinthians were abounding (excelling) in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in diligence, and in love. And St Paul is reminding them - see that you also abound and excel in the grace of giving.
Giving is Necessary
- Someone might say "well I pray and read the Bible and I attend many liturgies. Why do I need to give?" - see that you abound in the grace of giving also.
- "Well I serve in Sunday School and I give from my time and my energy. Time is money! So why do I need to give from my money?" - see that you abound in this grace also.
- "Well I give tithes and even more than tithes. Why do I need to give from my time or my energy? Or why should I go and serve?" - see that you abound in this grace also

"I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others."

St Paul here was not giving a commandment to the Corinthians or trying to force or compel them to give, or to give a certain amount. But he was giving them the example of the Macedonians and their diligence and how it brought them joy.
Giving is Love
- I cannot give if I do not love. And by giving, I show my love.
- When I ask about someone and call them and say "we missed you today!" - this is giving, and this is out of the abundance of love for him.
- When I encourage someone and tell him "it will get better, the Lord is with you" - this is giving, and it is out of the abundance of love for him.

"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, who sat on a throne and was ministered to by angels - decided to be born in a manger, to a poor family, to live as a carpenter. He came to the earth in its poverty, so that He can give us the whole of the Kingdom of Heaven in its riches.
Giving has a Reward
- As the commandment says: "Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom."
- The Lord here used the imagery of a generous merchant. A cheap merchant may take his measuring cup and swipe it into the barley and hand it to you. But a generous and fair merchant will take the measuring cup, swipe into the barley, press it down, shake it to occupy all the space in the measuring cup, and keep doing this until the cup overflows. This is our Lord, the generous Giver who will give to us when we give.

"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."

The Corinthians had made a commitment to give to Jerusalem about a year ago, and now St Paul is telling them to finish what they started - "Shed 7elak." And again, he is not commanding them, but giving them advice.
Giving is Contagious
- When we first give, we are unsure. But then we see that there is a blessing, so we give more. The blessing increases and there is peace and goodness, so we are transformed from the Act of Giving to the Desire of Giving. It becomes second nature to us. We stop thinking about it.

Finally, what can I give?

When we think of giving, we always think of money. And it is good and right and commanded of us to give from our money and our earnings that God has given us. But some people don't just need money...
Some need for someone just to ASK about them
Some need a smile
Some need encouragement
Some need appreciation
Some need comfort (tub tub 3aleh)
Some need visitation
Some need guidance
Some need honor and respect
Some need a compliment
Some need to mourn and someone to mourn with them
Some are in need of money and other things like medicine or clothing or furniture

All of these are needs that have in front of them the virtue of giving

I should give from my time
I should give from my energy
I should give from my talents

As deacons, we are servants. The deacons in Acts 6 were chosen in order that they can serve the tables and serve the widows. We are servants of the people, and part of our role and our responsibility is to give to the people. We have a very important liturgical role in guiding the people in prayer - whether from inside or outside. But the more important role is to give.

Deacons Service

2025-11-30: Reverence for the House of God

The Church: House of God

Psalm 84

How lovely is Your tabernacle,
O Lord of hosts!
²My soul longs, yes, even faints
For the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

³Even the sparrow has found a home,
And the swallow a nest for herself,
Where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.
⁴Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;
They will still be praising You. Selah

¹⁰For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

The Dwelling of God

The First Paradise
- God and man dwelling together
- We lost this and were separated from God
The Altar
- Meeting with God
The Tabernacle & The Temple
- God dwells among us but He is still separate from us
The Church
- God abides in us and we in Him

God is Holy

Meet and right
For truly it is fitting and right, and holy and becoming, and profitable to our souls, bodies, and spirits at all times and in all places of Your dominion, to praise You, hymn You, bless You, serve You, worship You, thank You, and glorify You.
"You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy." (Leviticus 19:2)

My Response to Holiness

Moses had to remove his sandals (Exodus 3:5)
Joshua had to remove his sandals (Joshua 5:14-15)
Isaiah recognized his sinfulness when in the presence of holiness
- "Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips!" (Isaiah 6:1-5)
The High Priest would wear his bells and his robe when entering the Holy Place
- "And it shall be upon Aaron when he ministers, and its sound will be heard when he goes into the holy place before the Lord and when he comes out, that he may not die." (Exodus 28:35)
Elijah, when he heard the voice of God as a gentle whisper, covered his face with a mantle
- "¹¹Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; ¹²and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. ¹³So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave." (1 Kings 19:11-13)

Consumed by Holiness

When Moses was going to receive the Ten Commandments, God gave bounds to the people not to approach the mountain. "Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death" (Exodus 19:12)
Nadab and Abihu were consumed for disrespecting God's worship
Uzzah was struck for handling the Ark of Covenant without reverence
God's holiness is a consuming fire. When you put metal in fire, all of the impurities are consumed away and what's left is just the precious metals - the gold, silver, etc.

How to Approach God's House

What do I wear
- Clothing reflects reverence
- We dress for interviews, weddings, graduations, etc. - how much more for God's house?
- I am coming to meet the King of kings!
How do I speak?
- The Church is a house of prayer, not a house of conversation
- Guard your tongue - silence gives room for prayer
- If a conversation is needed, then quickly and in hushed tones
How do I walk?
- Walk quietly, not running, not wandering aimlessly
- I'm not chewing gum, I'm not eating or drinking, I'm not taking a phone call - honeslty - I shouldn't even take a text message
How do I stand?
- Attentively
- Not leaning
- Not sitting casually
How do i behave?
- Games?

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 1: Context of the New Testament

Readings:

None

Resources:

Dr. Jeannie Constantinou
- ACTS Intro to NT (http://actslibrary.org)

Powerpoint:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/egn8rrxt9qfv59r/2021-09-01%20-%20Introduction%20to%20Bible%20Study.pptx?dl=0

Quiz:

https://forms.gle/DDwFKyMWCzgEkEDn9

Introduction

Welcome to Bible School!

Agenda and Plan for Bible School
What do you need to bring?
How does the Bible Homework work?

Why is Bible Study important?

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
The people in Berea "were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." (Acts 17:11)
"You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me." (John 5:39)

What kinds of things will we study?

Literal - Stories, Historical Context, Cultural Context, Etymology, Numerology, etc.
Tropological - What lessons can I learn? What are the virtues? Etc.
Allegorical - What does this tell us about God? How does the OT point to Christ in the NT?

Biblical Context

Review the History of the Old Testament

Genesis
- God created the universe and everything in it
- God made man in His image, according to His likeness
- Man fell by the envy of the devil and had to be removed from Paradise lest they eat from the tree of life and live eternally in their sin
- The Lord promises that He will save them and He will trample on Satan
- The generations continue and they have some evil and some good... a line of evil from Cain, and a line of good from Seth
- From the line of Seth comes Enoch and Methuselah and Noah
- Because of the evil in the line of Cain, the Lord decides to send a flood on the earth to purge it from the evil people. Noah and his family are saved.
- Abraham comes along, a descendant of Noah and he is a righteous man who is faithful to God and God's promises. And God promises him children and descendants more than the number of stars in heaven or dust on the earth.
- Abraham has Isaac, a son of Promise who is just as faithful and just as righteous.
- Isaac has Jacob, who starts life pretty bad - deceiving his father and his brother several times, but then by the end of his life he is very faithful.
- Jacob's name is changed to Israel and he has 12 sons. Those become the 12 tribes of Israel. Unfortunately, 10 of those sons go and sell Joseph (the 11th son) as a slave. He ends up in Egypt but remains faithful to God. So God keeps taking care of him, until he becomes the most powerful man in Egypt (second to Pharaoh).
- There is a famine and the brothers of Joseph have to come to Egypt to get grain which is when Joseph tests them and then reveals himself to them. He invites them to come live with him in Egypt and to bring their father and whole family. They comply. He gives them some of the best land in Egypt to live in.
Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
- A new Pharaoh rises up and he does not know Joseph. All he sees is the Israelites multiplying and taking up their land... so he makes them slaves. And they were slaves for 400 years until God raised up for them someone to save them - Moses.
- Moses was born in Egypt and raised by Pharaoh's daughter. When he was 40 years old he killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew. So he fled from Egypt to the wilderness.
- He lived out there for 40 more years until God appeared to him in the Burning Bush.
- God told him that he would go to Egypt and demand that Pharaoh let God's people go
- Moses takes his brother Aaron and they go to Egypt and they work many signs for Pharaoh but he still won't let them go... so God sends 10 plagues on them. After the 10th plague, Pharaoh lets them leave... but even then, he chases them out.
- God splits the Red Sea for them and closes it on the Egyptian army, so they escape from Egypt.
- God gives them the Commandments before they enter their new land - the land of Canaan, the land God had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
- God also gives them instructions to build the Tabernacle and they build it.
- Then God leads them out to enter the Promised Land, but they refuse to enter when they get there. They don't have faith. They think they will lose the battles that will follow. Except for Joshua and Caleb.
- So instead, they wander 40 years in the wilderness until that whole generation dies off. During this time, they are eating Manna sent from heaven, and quail. They are following a cloud and a pillar of fire. They are getting water from rocks. They are seeing miracle after miracle after miracle.
- In the end, they reach the border of the land, Moses and Aaron both die and Joshua becomes the leader.
Joshua
- Joshua guides the people into the conquest of the land. He is positioned as Moses' replacement.
- They start with the big city of Jericho and they encircle it every day for seven days. On the seventh day they encircle it seven times and the walls of the city fall completely and crumble. They overtake the city.
- They continue the conquest of the land and take over much of the Promised Land.
- When Joshua dies, he tells them to finish their conquest, to have faith, and to not reject the Lord.
Judges
- They continue to do those things until all the elders who knew Joshua died. By then, they had forgotten everything Joshua had told them.
- And this starts the period of the Judges... the people lose faith in God, go after wives from the Canaanites, worship idols of the Canaanites, etc. So God gives them over to those other nations. Then they plead to God and He raises for them a judge... a judge is a military leader who also has a relationship with God, and to whom God speaks. The judge rescues them from captivity, then they repent and are good for a little while, then the cycle repeats.
- Some judges that are well known are Samson, Deborah, Barak, Gideon.
- The last of the judges is Samuel the Priest.
1&2 Samuel
- Samuel hears God calling to him and he ministers as His priest.
- The people come to Samuel and tell him that they want a king... he is not happy because they should be following God as their king, not desiring an earthly king like the other nations.
- God agrees with Samuel, but tells him to give them what they want.
- So they choose Saul - a good man from the tribe of Benjamin to be the king. Saul is good for a while... but one time, instead of waiting for Samuel to come and offer the burnt offerings, he did it himself. But he is not a priest. So it was a grave sin.
- From there, it was all downhill for Saul.
- Samuel anoints David when he is young, because God chose him to be king one day.
- David goes and defeats Goliath and then continues to defeat the Philistines for many years and the people seemed to love him more than Saul. So Saul starts to chase after David to try and kill him. David had many opportunities to kill Saul, but he didn't because he would not lay a hand on the Lord's anointed.
- At one battle against the Philistines, Saul's sons were all killed, and Saul fell on his sword to avoid getting captured. So David became King.
- David ruled as a good king - a man after the Lord's heart. He made many mistakes but he always repented of them. And this is why the Lord accepted him to be king. The Lord promised him that his descendants would keep the royal line.
King Solomon
- When David died, his son Solomon became king. King Solomon asked the Lord for wisdom and the Lord gave it to him. He wrote the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Book of Wisdom and Song of Songs.
- He made Israel so powerful and so rich during his reign
- He built the Temple
- God appeared to Solomon and told him that if he walks before God in the way David walked, and keep His statutes and His judgments, then his throne will be established on the kingdom forever.
- Unfortunately, Solomon did not do that... but he went after foreign women - Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, Hittittes, and even a daughter of Pharaoh. He had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. And they caused him to turn his heart after other gods. He was not loyal to God.
- Then one of his officers, Jeroboam met with a prophet named Ahijah and Ahijah told him a prophecy - that the Lord will split the kingdom. And 10 of the tribes will go to Jeroboam, and 2 of the tribes will continue in the line of Solomon for the sake of his father King David.
Split of the Kingdom
- When Solomon died, his son Rehoboam became king. And Rehoboam was not good to the people. He taxed them harder than even his father Solomon.
- Ten of the tribes revolted against him and they chose Jeroboam as their king. The other two stuck with Rehoboam.
- The rest of the Books of 1 and 2 Kings describe the period of the split kingdom... they list the kings of the North and the kings of the South. All of the kings of the North were evil. Most of the kings of the South were evil. Only a couple of Kings were good - like King Asa, King Hezekiah and King Josiah.
- During the time of the Split Kingdom is also when we see almost all of the prophets. Some of them in the North and some of them in the South.
Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian Captivity
- The Assyrian conquest came up from the North and took over the Kingdom of Israel (map). And the Assyrian king resettled people in Samaria (capital city of the North) - he brought Babylonians and other foreigners.
- Later on, the Babylonians led by Nebuchadnezzar started their conquest and they defeated the Assyrians and took over the Assyrian kingdom. They continued further south and conquered the Kingdom of Judah.
- The Israelites were all taken captive.
- Jerusalem was destroyed and the Temple was destroyed.
- After 70 years, King Cyrus of Persia conquered the Babylonian kingdom. And he said that God commanded him to build for God a house at Jerusalem so he issues an Edict to allow Jews to return to their land.
Returning to Jerusalem
- The Israelites returned in three waves:
- Zerubabel led the first wave of Jews to rebuild the Temple
- Ezra led back a second wave and guided them as priest and read to them the words of the Law
- Nehemiah led back a third wave to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem

Activity

Geography of New Testament Palestine

We will draw together the following map, each on his own paper with his own pen:

Historical Context

History of the Intertestamental Period

Greek Empire
- We left off before the drawing with the Persian Empire being in control, but letting the Jews return to their own home. And they rebuilt the Temple and the walls of Jerusalem.
- Around 330 BC, Alexander the Great set out to conquer the Persian Empire. And he was successful and he conquered even as far as India. He established his kingdom far and wide - but he ruled in a very different way than previous kingdoms. He wasn't interested in having power, but he was interested in Hellenization - the "Greekifying" of everything. So he would conquer a place, put one of his generals there to rule it. The generals want all of their Greek comforts - amphitheaters, competitions, temples, art, Greek language, etc. So they start to establish these things. And the people start to imitate the ruling class. And the Empire becomes Hellenized - Greek. The whole world starts to imitate the Greeks in their language, philosophy, thought, etc.
- Back when the Jews returned from Exile, it was... different. Many of them had decided not to come back. They had lived their lives in the Babylonian or Persian Empire and had already become accustomed to it. They didn't want to move their whole family to Judah. So this was the start of Jewish Diaspora - that means Jews outside of Judea. The ones who came back were really the religious and the strict ones. So this resulted in two changes:
  - Greek
    - And now that Alexander the Great is conquering everything and making it Greek, what language do those Jews speak? They speak Greek! But all their Scripture is in which language? Hebrew!
    - So Ptolemy II of Egypt, who had many Jews living in Alexandria and speaking Greek, commissioned the authorship of the Septuagint. He called on 70 Jewish elders to translate the Old Testament into Greek and this is the Scripture that most of the world would use in the 1st Century. This is the Scripture that the Lord and the Apostles quoted from.
  - Rejection of Samaria
    - When people came back from captivity, they found the Samaritans living in Israel. And the Samaritans claimed to be Israelites... but the Jews coming back from captivity did not want anything to do with them.
    - They considered Samaritans to be ethnically and religiously impure.
    - The Samaritans wanted to rebuild the Temple but the Jews rejected them and didn't allow them to help, because they would defile it.
    - So the Samaritans build their own temple on Mt Gerizim and start to say "the temple in Jerusalem is not the real temple"
    - This hatred and rivalry continues to the New Testament... that's why the story of the Good Samaritan that Christ tells is so effective. Because the priest and the levite left the man, but the Samaritan did not. That's why Christ's conversation with the Samaritan Woman is so important - because it's unheard of that He would speak to her. And she says the part about "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship."
Maccabbean Revolt
- Several hundred years later, during the Greek Empire, a Dynasty arose called the Seleucid Dynasty. Led by Antiochas IV - he wants the empire to all worship the same gods. So he attacks Ptolemy in Egypt and starts persecuting the Jews. He burned their Scriptures, bans circumcision, forbids keeping the Sabbath, puts an idol up in the Temple, sacrifices a pig on their altar, has immoral activities inside the Temple, etc. He sold the position of "priest" to whoever wanted to buy it. He forced the people to eat pork.
- Mattathias was a priest and did not want to do those things. Instead, when he found out a Jew was going to do those things, he would kill them and would kill the government official who told them to.
- He was older but he had many sons, so he instructed his sons to lead the revolt.
- Judah Maccabee, his son, leads the revolt and is killed. His next son takes over and is killed. His third son takes over and defeats the Seleucid Dynasty.
- They cleansed the Temple and rededicated it which is the Feast of Dedication or Hannukah as they call it now. All of this is in the books of the Maccabees.
Hasmonaean Kingdom
- The Maccabean brothers started to call themselves kings... but kings are supposed to be from the line of David. They weren't.
- They took over as high priests... but high priests have to come from the line of Aaron/Eleazar/Zadok.
- They go to Mount Gerizim and destroy the Samaritan Temple
- One of them goes down to the kingdom of Idumea and forces them to become Jews - making them circumcised.
- The point here is that the Jews were persecuted, but when they had power they turned around and persecuted everyone around them.
- They started to fight amongst themselves as to who should be king or who should be high priest... so they asked the Romans to help them decide... by this time, Rome had conquered the Greek Empire.
- Roman General Pompey came "to help them" and conquered them instead.
Rise of King Herod
- Pompey chooses Hyrcanus to be king, but after Hyrcanus dies, a rich man from Idumea who had connections with the Romans wanted his son to be king. His son's name is Herod.
- Of course, that couldn't happen because the king has to be Jewish, right? But remember that they had gone to Idumea and forced everyone to be Jewish and circumcised them... none of this would have happened if they just left the Idumeans alone!
- So Herod becomes King of Judea and is known as Herod the Great. His name becomes a title "Herod" - everyone after him is called a "Herod". He is well-known for a long and bloody reign, for his cruelty and for his building projects.
  - He expanded the Second Temple, built many palaces, etc.
  - He is very paranoid... that's why we see that he kills all the children in Bethlehem because he's afraid a "King of the Jews" will rise up. They say "it was safer to be a pig than a prince in Herod's palace" (because Jews don't eat pork).
  - He left an order upon his death that 1,000 of the leading citizens in Jerusalem would be put to death so that the people in the city are guaranteed to mourn his death.
- Death
  - When he died, his three sons split his kingdom:
  - Herod Antipas: responsible for killing John the Baptist, the one mentioned in the Crucifixion trials, etc.
  - Herod Archelaus ended up being worse than his father and killed even more people for no reason. The people complained to Caesar and he replaced him with Roman Governors instead... one of them was Pontius Pilate.
  - Philip is the third son of Herod the Great and he took over the north area.
  - "Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene" (Luke 3:1)

Religious Context

When the Jews came back from Babylonian Captivity, and not everyone came back, this was the beginning of Jewish Diaspora - not all the Jews are in the same place, or speak the same language. They are dispersed.
- After Alexander the Great conquered they all spoke Greek. So in 250 BC, the Septuagint came out which was the Greek Old Testament
- Herod the Great had rebuilt the Temple and beautified it in Israel, but it did not contain the Ark of the Covenant
- With Jews all around the world, a Synagogue system was set up so that Jews could go there for daily prayer, reading Scripture, etc. even though the only place to do sacrifices was in the Temple at Jerusalem
- All of these things led to contention and different sects of Judaism
Pharisees
- Rabbis and Scribes
- They were in charge of Synagogues
- They emphasized ritual purity and they had thousands of rules called the Oral Law which was their interpretations of the Law of Moses. For example, when Christ is criticized because He did not wash His hands before eating - where is this in the Law of Moses? It's not found. But it was one of thousands of little rules and laws that they invented based on their interpretation of the Law of Moses.
- They thought they were better than the average person because they "kept the law."
- This is the Judaism that is still around today and has even more rules and laws than before (for example, you can't use an elevator on the Sabbath; you can't have meat and dairy in the same meal; etc.)
- In the 1st Century, they accepted two categories of books as their Scripture: The Law and the Prophets (Books of Moses, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Minor Prophets). You will hear Christ refer to "The Law and the Prophets" when speaking to them
Scribes
- These are Pharisees who were experts in the Law of Moses. They went to school and memorized all the regulations and they could answer any questions based on the Law
- Sometimes they are called Lawyers
Sadducees
- They only accepted the Torah; did not accept the Oral Law of the Pharisees
- Didn't believe in angels, demons, afterlife, resurrection, etc. You will see them challenge Christ on the Resurrection and how He answers them
- They were in charge of the Temple and the systems of sacrifice. Once the Temple is destroyed in 70 AD, they disappeared.

Messianic Expectations

What were the Jews expecting/waiting for at this time?
- They all expected Elijah to come back before the Messiah
  - Malachi 3:1 - "Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming," says the Lord of hosts."
  - Malachi 4:5 - "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord."
  - The people saw John and thought he was Elijah
    - "He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, 'I am not the Christ.' And they asked him, 'What then? Are you Elijah?' He said, 'I am not.'" (John 1:20-21)
  - They thought Christ was Elijah
    - "'Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?' So they said, 'some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.'" (Matthew 16:13-14)
  - So the Jews were waiting for Elijah and during the Passover they would even leave their door unlocked and set an extra spot in the hope that Elijah would come (they do this until now). But of course, Elijah who is to come is St John the Baptist who came "in the spirit of Elijah" (which we'll talk about)
    - Zacharias identified his son, John, as the Elijah who is to come: "He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children.' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
    - Christ identified John as Elijah: "And if you are willing to receive it, he [John] is Elijah who is to come." (Matthew 11:14)
The Jews had expectations of the Messiah
- The word "Messiah" simply means "The Anointed"
- Six Messianic Expectations
  - Davidic King - As promised to King David
  - Transcendant Messiah - Like the Book of Daniel
  - Miracle-working Messiah - The Jews were looking for this and always asking for a sign
  - Prophetic Messiah - Based on what Moses said ("The Lord God will raise up for you a Prophet like me")
  - Priestly Messiah - Based on what is written in the Psalms ("You are a priest forever...")
  - Suffering Messiah - Based on the Prophecies of Isaiah
- Some thought that this would be more than one person

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 2: Introduction to the Gospels

Readings:

Mark 1:1
Luke 1:1-4

Introduction to the Gospels

What is the Gospel?

What does the word "Gospel" mean? "Good news"
- Ⲉⲩⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲓⲟⲛ: "Good News"
  - Ⲉⲩ: "Good"
    - Eulogy = Good word
    - Euphoria = Good feeling
  - ⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲓⲟⲛ: "Message"
    - ⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲟⲥ is just the Greek word for "messenger"
    - God's messengers were spirits, so now the word for them is Angels
  - Related words
    - Evangelist - writer of a gospel
    - Evangelize - to preach a gospel
- The Gospel was a message before it was a book or a genre
- First one to use the word was St Mark in Mark 1:1
  - "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God"
Importance of the Gospel to the Orthodox Church
- We put it on the altar, read it in every liturgy, adorn it in gold, kiss it, etc.

The Four Gospel Accounts

How many gospels are there?
- We say four gospels, but it is really one Gospel recorded by four people separately. It's the same "good news" that they are all sharing.
- This is why we say "The Gospel according to..." in the Liturgy
- St Irenaeus makes the argument that the Gospels must be exactly four in Against Heresies Book 3 Ch 11 Sec 8

"It is not possible that the Gospels can be either more or fewer in number than they are. For, since there are four zones of the world in which we live, and four principal winds, while the Church is scattered throughout all the world, and the "pillar and ground" of the Church is the Gospel and the spirit of life; it is fitting that she should have four pillars, breathing out immortality on every side, and vivifying men afresh. From which fact, it is evident that the Word, the Artificer of all, He that sits upon the cherubim, and contains all things, He who was manifested to men, has given us the Gospel under four aspects, but bound together by one Spirit."

Are four gospels really needed? Why not one gospel?
- Irenaeus continues his remarks in the same passage

"As also David says, when entreating His manifestation, 'You who sits between the cherubim, shine forth.' For the cherubim, too, were four-faced, and their faces were images of the dispensation of the Son of God. For, as the Scripture says, 'the first living creature was like a lion,' symbolizing His effectual working, His leadership, and royal power; 'the second was like a calf,' signifying His sacrificial and sacerdotal order; but 'the third had, as it were, the face of a man,' - an evident description of His advent as a human being; 'the fourth was like a flying eagle,' pointing out the gift of the Spirit hovering with His wings over the Church."

"And therefore the Gospels are in accord with these things, among which Christ Jesus is seated.
For that according to John relates His original, effectual, and glorious generation from the Father, thus declaring, 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.' Also, 'all things were made by Him, and without Him was nothing made.' For this reason, too, is that Gospel full of all confidence, for such is His person."

"But that according to Luke, taking up His priestly character, commenced with Zacharias the priest offering sacrifice to God. For now was made ready the fatted calf, about to be immolated for the finding again of the younger son."

"Matthew, again, relates His generation as a man, saying "the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham;" and also, "the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise." This, then, is the Gospel of His humanity; for which reason it is, too, that the character of a humble and meek man is kept up through the whole Gospel."

"Mark, on the other hand, commences with a reference to the prophetical spirit coming down from on high to men, saying, 'the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as it is written in Isaiah the Prophet,' pointing to the winged aspect of the Gospel; and on this account he made a compendious and cursory narrative, for such is the prophetical character."

- The gospels themselves are represented by the Four Incorporeal Creatures
  - Matthew - Face Like a Man - He started his gospel with the Genealogy of Christ
  - Mark - Face of a Lion - Starts his gospel with "a voice crying out in the wilderness" and focuses on Christ's might
  - Luke - Face of an Ox - Starts his gospel with the priesthood of Zechariah, talks about Christ who offered Himself for the salvation of the whole world by the blood of His sacrifice
  - John - Face of an Eagle - Starts his gospel with the heavenly "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and Word was God" - and proves Christ is Son of God in his gospel
- The Redeeming work of Christ is also Christ is also represented by the four creatures
  - Man - Incarnation of Christ
  - Calf - His Sacrifice on the Cross for our Forgiveness
  - Lion - Power of His Resurrection
  - Eagle - His Ascension
- The gospels work together to give us the full picture of Christ from several different angles:
  - Matthew: Jesus is the Messiah
  - Mark: Jesus is the Son of God
  - Luke: Jesus is the Savior of the World
  - John: Jesus is the Logos
When were they written?
- All of the Gospels were written in the 1st Century. Starting with Matthew, then Mark, then Luke, then John. That's why we have that order. The Early Church Tradition is that Matthew wrote his gospel first, then Mark and Luke, then John was last.
What languages were they written?
- Matthew's Gospel was most likely originally written in Hebrew and then translated by him into Greek. We don't have any Hebrew fragments or manuscripts of it, but we think this for some reasons:
  - It was directed to the Jews... so it makes sense it was in Hebrew
  - He, himself, was formerly a Jew and a tax collector so he would be most fluent in Hebrew
  - The Early Church Fathers seem to know for certain that he wrote it in Hebrew
    - Jerome (On Illustrius Men Ch 3)
    - Irenaeus (Against Heresies 3:1)
    - Origen (quoted by Eusebius Book 6 Ch 25 Sect 4)
- Mark, Luke and John were all written in the Greek Language
Why were they written?
- Matthew wrote his gospel in Hebrew during the time Peter and Paul were out preaching - very early on.
- When Peter and Paul were martyred, St Mark and St Luke wrote their gospels
  - St Mark was a relative of St Peter and his gospel is generally believed to be the written account of the gospel that St Peter preached (we even see in 1 Peter 5:13 that St Peter acknowledges Mark as greeting the reader). So when St Peter was martyred, it was likely then that St Mark wrote his gospel. He probably did not know that Matthew had written a gospel.
  - St Luke was a close associate and physician of St Paul. The gospel he recorded is the gospel that St Paul was preaching. St Luke was also close to St Mary (he wrote her icon) which is why he has such details like the annunciation of the birth of John and the annunciation of Christ in his gospel. So when St Paul was martyred, it was likely that then St Luke wrote his gospel. He probably did not know that Matthew and Mark had written gospels.
- St. John wrote his gospel last. He did not write it to replace the other three gospels - in fact, the Fathers tell us that he knew that the other gospels existed and he supported them and agreed with them... but he felt they were missing some things. For example, they are missing what Christ did at the very beginning of His ministry. They are also missing some of the long theological dialogues that Christ had. They also didn't document some things simply because everyone knew them! Like the Raising of Lazarus - why would Matthew Mark and Luke leave something so important out of their gospel? Because everyone already knew about it! But by the time of St John maybe some people had forgotten, or he recognized the importance of writing it down... so he did. His Gospel also aimed to give a more theological understanding of Christ - so for example, from the beginning in Ch 1 he mentions this idea of "Lamb of God" and then during the Crucifixion makes it a point to say "during the slaughtering of the lambs for Passover" - so he is making links here for the reader to understand.
Synoptic Gospels vs Gospel of John

The Good News

What is the "Good News" that these Gospels are preaching?
- The Messiah has come, was crucified and buried, and then rose from the dead and granted us eternal life by faith in Him and participation with Him in the sacraments
How did the disciples spread this "good news" in the New Testament? How did Christianity get so big?
- To the Jews they went to Synagogues, heard the Old Testament reading and preaching, and interpreted it according to the NT
- To the Gentiles, they were attracted by the level of virtue, the bravery of martyrdom, etc.

Characteristics of the Four Gospels

The evangelists did not try to give a comprehensive view of the life and ministry of Christ. But they picked and chose which stories, parables, miracles, etc. to write down to serve their purpose. They had no obligation to document everything, they were simply spreading the "good news" - telling their audience "this is what you need to know about Jesus. This is the good news." Back then it would have been impossible to write very long volumes - everything had to be hand-copied. Writings needed to be limited in length. It is not dishonest of them to leave things out.

Gospel According to St. Matthew

Author
- St Matthew (Levi) one of the 12
- Nickname: Meticulous Matthew
Audience
- Jewish Christians
Structure of the Gospel
- Narrative-Teaching Structure
  - Ch 1-2 (Bookend) Genealogy, Birth of Christ, Herod, Flight to Egypt, Return to Nazareth
  - 1 - Narrative/Teaching
    - Ch 3-4 - Baptism of Christ, Temptation, Calling Disciples
    - Ch 5-7 - Sermon on the Mount
  - 2 - Narrative/Teaching
    - Ch 8-9 - Ten Miracles
    - Ch 10 - Missionary Discourse (Instructions for the Disciples)
  - 3 - Narrative/Teaching
    - Ch 11-12 - Arrest/Beheading of John the Baptist
    - Ch 13 - Parables of the Kingdom of Heaven
  - 4 - Narrative/Teaching
    - Ch 14-17 -
    - Ch 18 - Discourse on the Church
  - 5 - Narrative/Teaching
    - Ch 19-22 -
    - Ch 23-25 - Eschatological Discourse
  - Ch 26-28 (Bookend) Arrest, Trial, Cross, Resurrection
- Balance in the Book
  - Ch 1: "He will be called Emmanuel meaning 'God with us'
    Ch 28: "Lo, I am with you always"
  - Ch 2: "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?"
    Ch 27: "And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS."
Purpose
- Jesus is the Messiah who fulfilled the prophecies
- Christ is the new Moses
- Christ is the Teacher
Common Themes
- Fulfillment of Prophecy
  - Double the number of prophecies mentioned in this gospel than in the others
  - Fulfillment formula: "
- Kingdom of Heaven
  - Gospels of Mark and Luke use the term "Kingdom of God" but St Matthew is writing to Jewish Christians! And the Jews were very sensitive to using the name of God... so he doesn't say "Kingdom of God" but he says "Kingdom of Heaven"
  - He emphasizes how do we obtain the Kingdom of Heaven
  - He emphasizes how do we preach the Kingdom of Heaven
- Authority
  - "He taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes" (7:28)
    - The scribes would teach and say "Rabbi xxx says this and that" but Christ never did that. Never quoted human authority.
  - "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth"
  - Christ always challenged: "By what authority do you do these things?"
- Christ as the New Moses
  - At the birth of Christ, Herod kills all the babies and Christ escapes to Egypt.
    At the birth of Moses, Pharaoh killed all the babies and Moses escaped to Egypt.
  - As Moses gave his law from the mountain, so Christ expounds the law from the mountain (Sermon on the Mount)
  - Christ is clear in replacing Moses' law

Gospel According to St. Mark

Author:
- St Mark (John Mark, mentioned in the Book of Acts, one of the 70)
- Nickname: The Storyteller
Audience:
- Romans
  - He explains Jewish customs (since the Romans would not already know them)
    - 7:1-4 "Now when the Pharisees gathered together to him, with some of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands, observing the tradition of the elders; and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they purify themselves; and there are many other traditions which they observe, the washing of cups and pots and vessels of bronze.)"
  - He focuses on the power and might of Christ - Romans respected this. Christ did great things and great miracles.
Structure of the Gospel
- Very rich, vivid, lengthy narrative. He's a storyteller and he's writing to the Greeks - his stories include dialogue and drama and emotions
  - The rich young ruler came and asked what should I do to inherit eternal life? And Christ told him to follow the commandments and he said "well I already do all those things from my youth" and Mark says "Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, 'One thing you lack..."
  - He includes names that the other gospels leave out
- Jesus talks very little but does very much - very powerful; a hero!
- Fast-paced
  - "Immediately" - appears 41 times in the Gospel
- Messianic Secret
  - Christ telling people "don't tell anyone" - daughter of Jairus, demons screaming, etc.
  - Why would Christ want to keep it a secret?
    - People had a different idea of who the Messiah was going to be (an earthly king, military ruler, etc). So the knowledge that the Messiah is here would have attracted the wrong crowd.
    - The first time Christ allowed them to take Him in as the Messiah is Palm Sunday... and He was dead by Friday.

Gospel According to St. Luke

Author
Audience
- St Luke the Physician and Helper of St Paul
- Author of Book of Acts
- Nickname: Luke the Historian
Characteristics
- The Great Reversal
  - Jewish thinking was very Deuteronomistic - if you are rich, it's because you're good and God is rewarding you. If you are poor, sick, slave, childless, etc. it is because you did something terrible and God cursed you.
  - St. Luke reverses all of this thinking in his gospel
    - Christ comes and tells the parable of the rich man that went to hell and the poor man that went to heaven
    - The last will be first, and the first will be last
    - The righteous Pharisee and the Publican
- Salvation for Everyone (even the outcasts, sinners and people who are ignored)
  - The sinful woman who anoints Christ's feet is the one that is praised, not the Pharisee who hosted Him
  - Many women mentioned (Elizabeth, Anna the Prophetess, Mary and Martha (no mention of Lazarus), Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, etc.)
  - Good Samaritan (Samaritans were hated by Jews)
  - Jesus loves the poor "Blessed are the poor"
  - Zaccheaus the short tax collector
  - etc.
- Prayer and Praise
  - Angels glorifying God at the nativity
  - Zechariah raising incense
  - Christ "went up to the Temple to pray"
  - Prayer of Simeon
  - Prayer of St Mary
  - Prayer of Zechariah
  - Prayer of the Publican
  - Many references to Christ praying
    - Mark "Jesus chose disciples"
      Luke "Jesus prayed and chose disciples"
    - Christ praying on the Cross
  - Gospel ends with the disciples continually in the temple blessing God
- Repentance, Forgiveness, Humility
  - Prodigal Son
  - Thief on the Cross
  - Zacchaeus
  - Christ forgiving the executioners on the Cross "for they do not know what they're doing"
- Holy Spirit
  - More references to the Holy Spirit than any other
  - Zechariah, Mary, John, etc.

Gospel According to St. John

Author
- St John the Beloved, the Apostle, the Theologian, the Evangelist, the Virgin
Audience
- Everyone
Style and Characteristics
- "I AM" statements
  - The Light of the World
  - The Good Shepherd
  - The Door
  - The Resurrection and the Life
  - The Bread of Life
  - The Way, the Truth, and the Life
  - The True Vine
- Omits well-known stories
  - Doesn't mention the Last Supper or institution of the Eucharist, but instead tells us the Theology of the Eucharist in Ch 6
  - Doesn't mention the birth of Christ or genealogy but tells us "In the beginning was the Logos"
- Long Theological Discourses

Activity

Split into four groups - each group gets one gospel account (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John)
Read some chapters/verses (you can skim) of your respective gospel and make notes of some things that are indicative of the author's style
- For example:
  - In Matthew if you find "The Kingdom of Heaven" or if you find "The prophecy was fulfilled"
  - In Mark if you find "Immediately" or explanations of Jewish customs
  - In Luke if you find prayers, or Christ being compassionate to the poor, widow, tax-collector, sinner, etc.
  - In John if you find "I am" statements or long Theological discussions by Christ
Document your findings and share with the class

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 3: Luke 1 Part 1

Readings:

Luke 1:1-38

Resources:

HG Bishop Youssef
- Luke 1:1-25 - https://castbox.fm/vb/265860698
- Luke 1:26-38 - https://castbox.fm/vb/269110090
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
- Interpretations on the Gospel of Luke - https://www.dropbox.com/s/81uupstc71zfyd9/042_Luke.pdf?dl=0
Dr. Eugenia Constantinou
- Annunciation of Birth of John - https://castbox.fm/vb/203419796
- Annunciation of Birth of Christ - https://castbox.fm/vb/205217179

Quiz:

https://forms.gle/hdUso6fs7WEexDn57

Material

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 4: Luke 1 Part 2

Readings:

Luke 1:39-80

Resources:

HG Bishop Youssef
- Luke 1:39-56 - https://castbox.fm/vb/270396322
- Luke 1:57-80 - https://castbox.fm/vb/273150287
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
- Interpretations on the Gospel of Luke - https://www.dropbox.com/s/81uupstc71zfyd9/042_Luke.pdf?dl=0

Quiz:

https://forms.gle/YTmc7tfpo9xjci6aA

Material

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 5: Nativity of Christ Part 1

Readings

Luke 2:1-38

Resources

HG Bishop Youssef
- Luke 2:1-24 - https://castbox.fm/vb/275207522
- Luke 2:25-40 - https://castbox.fm/vb/275537362
Fr. Daoud Lamei
- Luke 2 - https://soundcloud.com/frdaoudlamei/07-02-1?in=frdaoudlamei/sets/luke
- Luke 2 - https://soundcloud.com/frdaoudlamei/08-02-2?in=frdaoudlamei/sets/luke
Dr. Eugenia Constantinou
- St Luke & Christ's Identity - https://castbox.fm/vb/207090626
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
- Luke - https://www.dropbox.com/s/81uupstc71zfyd9/042_Luke.pdf?dl=0

Quiz:

https://forms.gle/yxD7GCFCqzwVffU46

Material

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 6: Nativity of Christ Part 2

Readings:

Matthew 1:18-25
Matthew 2:1-23
Luke 2:41-52

Resources:

HG Bishop Youssef:
- Matthew 1 - https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef/matthew-introduction-chapter-1-bible-study?in=his-grace-bishop-youssef/sets/matthew-bible-study
- Matthew 2 - https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef/mathew-2-bible-study?in=his-grace-bishop-youssef/sets/matthew-bible-study&si=a599a257d51e4d07a1cfce359b28b839
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty:
- Matthew - https://www.dropbox.com/s/099xalzktfoetpo/040_Matthew.pdf?dl=0
Fr. Daoud Lamei:
- Matthew 1 Part 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTpk3VSna54
- Matthew 2 Part 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1YJhHI2x88
- Matthew 2 Part 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFQ1BjInAHk
- Luke 2 Part 3 - https://soundcloud.com/frdaoudlamei/09-02-3?in=frdaoudlamei/sets/luke
St. Jerome
- Commentary on Matthew - https://www.dropbox.com/s/28c1ol2ybu6u4g5/117%20St%20Jerome%20-%20Commentary%20on%20Matthew.pdf?dl=0
Dr. Eugenia Constantinou:
- Star and Wise Men - https://castbox.fm/vb/215831053

Quiz:

https://forms.gle/Nboe1gZ21AU8xp2e6

Material:

Matthew 1: HG Bishop Youssef (Just the section titled "Nativity of Christ")
Matthew 2: HG Bishop Youssef

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 7: The Genealogy and Infancy of Christ

Readings:

Matthew 1:1-18
Luke 3:23-38
Luke 2:41-52

Resources:

HG Bishop Youssef
Dr. Eugenia Constantinou
- Genealogy in Matthew - https://castbox.fm/vb/213715232

Quiz:

Material:

Matthew 1: HG Bishop Youssef (Just the section titled "Genealogy of Christ")
Luke 3b: HG Bishop Youssef (Just the section titled "Genealogy of Christ")
The Blood Curse of Jeconiah
- 2 Kings 24:8-12
  - Jeconiah reigned in Jerusalem for just three months and did evil in the sight of the Lord
  - During his reign, Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem and all of Judah captive
- Jeremiah 22:24-30
  - God instructs Jeremiah to record a curse against Jeconiah - that none of his descendants will prosper or sit on the throne of David or rule in Judah
- But this is problematic because he's the descendant of King David. We can imagine that the devil got excited about this... because on the one hand, the Old Testament keeps talking about how the Messiah will come from the Seed of David... but on the other hand, the Lord has just cursed the descendant of David so that none of his descendants can sit on the throne. Did God make a mistake?
- This is the Divine Providence
  - In the Genealogy according to St Matthew, it goes from King David to King Solomon (the first son of Bathsheba) down to Jeconiah (Jehoiachin) down to Joseph.
  - In the Genealogy according to St Luke, it goes from King David to Nathan (the second son of Bathsheba) down to St Mary.
  - So Christ inherits the Royal Lineage from King David through Solomon and Jeconiah, but is not a descendant of Jeconiah since Joseph is not His biological father... and yet, He is the biological Son of King David through Nathan and St Mary.
Can we really say Heli is the father of Jacob?
- Jewish Inheritance Laws when a man has daughters and no sons, are described in Numbers 27 (daughters of Zelophehad) and implemented in Joshua 17
- An example of it happening is in Ezra 2:61 and Nehemiah 7:63
- Many other examples
- Basically, when a father without sons, the man that marries his daughter is adopted by him as his son
Why don't we have more stories from Christ's childhood?
- Because nothing interesting happened! He lived as an ordinary boy... He learned carpentry, He took care of His mother after Joseph departed, etc.
- We know that He was ordinary because when He started to manifest Himself, the people in Nazareth were surprised! He had never showed any indication of anything supernatural or divine!
- The exception is the story in Luke 2
Luke 2c: HG Bishop Youssef

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 8: The Forerunner

Readings:

Luke 3:1-20
Matthew 3:1-12
Mark 1:1-8
John 1:19-28

Resources:

HG Bishop Youssef
- Luke 3:1-22 - https://castbox.fm/vb/278087324
- Luke 3 Powerpoint: http://www.suscopts.org/pdf/presentations/biblestudy/NT/Luke/Luke_03.pdf
Fr. Daoud Lamei
- Luke 3 - https://soundcloud.com/frdaoudlamei/10-03-1?in=frdaoudlamei/sets/luke
- Luke 3 - https://soundcloud.com/frdaoudlamei/11-03-2?in=frdaoudlamei/sets/luke
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
- Luke - https://www.dropbox.com/s/81uupstc71zfyd9/042_Luke.pdf?dl=0

Quiz:

https://forms.gle/pn8K16dfKTTEMwMz7

Material:

Luke 3a: HG Bishop Youssef

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 9: The Baptism and Temptation of Christ

Readings:

Theophany
- Luke 3:21-22
- Matthew 3:13-17
- Mark 1:1911
- John 1:29-34
Temptation
- Luke 4:1-13
- Matthew 4:1-11
- Mark 1:12-13

Resources:

HG Bishop Youssef
- Luke 4 Powerpoint: http://www.suscopts.org/pdf/presentations/biblestudy/NT/Luke/Luke_03.pdf
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
- Luke - https://www.dropbox.com/s/81uupstc71zfyd9/042_Luke.pdf?dl=0

Quiz:

https://forms.gle/LdZRBDs3c6tPRPEv7

Material:

Luke 3b: HG Bishop Youssef (Just the section titled "Baptism of Christ")
Luke 4a: HG Bishop Youssef (Just the section titled "Temptation of the Lord")

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 10: The Lord's Ministry in Galilee I

Readings:

Jesus' Ministry in Galilee
- Luke 4:14-30
- Matthew 4:12-17
- Mark 1:14-15
Miracles in Capernaum
- Luke 4:31-44
- Matthew 4:23-25
- Mark 1:21-39

Resources:

HG Bishop Youssef
- Luke 4 Powerpoint: http://www.suscopts.org/pdf/presentations/biblestudy/NT/Luke/Luke_04.pdf
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
- Luke - https://www.dropbox.com/s/81uupstc71zfyd9/042_Luke.pdf?dl=0

Quiz:

https://forms.gle/ynvmp7fhJnEjBWQ29

Material:

Luke 4a: HG Bishop Youssef (Section titled Galilean Ministry)
Luke 4b: HG Bishop Youssef

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 11: The Lord's Ministry in Galilee II

Readings:

Calling of the Galilean Fishermen
- Luke 5:1-11
- Matthew 4:18-21
- Mark 1:16-20
Jesus Heals the Leper
- Luke 5:12-16
- Mark 1:40-45
- Matthew 8:1-4
Jesus Heals the Paralytic
- Luke 5:17-26
- Matthew 9:1-8
- Mark 2:1-12

Resources:

HG Bishop Youssef
- Luke 5 Powerpoint: http://www.suscopts.org/pdf/presentations/biblestudy/NT/Luke/Luke_05.pdf
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
- Luke - https://www.dropbox.com/s/81uupstc71zfyd9/042_Luke.pdf?dl=0

Quiz:

https://forms.gle/ns3aG5Bx9PznuVcx6

Material:

Luke 5a: HG Bishop Youssef

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 12: Jesus Responds to the Pharisees

Readings:

Calling of Levi
- Luke 5:27-32
- Matthew 9:9-13
- Mark 2:13-17
Jesus is Questioned about Fasting
- Luke 5:33-39
- Mark 2:18-22
- Matthew 9:14-17
The Sabbath
- Luke 6:1-11
- Mark 2:23-3:6
- Matthew 12:1-14

Resources:

HH Pope Shenouda II
- The Spirituality of Fasting: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ujgqs1ct6givkm4/The%20Spirituality%20of%20Fasting%20-%20HH%20Pope%20Shenouda%20III.pdf?dl=0
HG Bishop Youssef
- Luke 5 Part 2: https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef/luke-5-27-39-bible-study
- Luke 6 Part 1: https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef/luke-6-1-26-bible-study-english-arabic
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
- Luke - https://www.dropbox.com/s/81uupstc71zfyd9/042_Luke.pdf?dl=0

Quiz:

https://forms.gle/frDtScW9zet5BQe99

Material:

Luke 5b: HG Bishop Youssef
Why do we fast in the Orthodox Church?
- The Lord was not against fasting... but rather, there is a time for it and the time of the Bridegroom is not it
- This is why we are not even allowed to fast during the Holy 50 Days of the Resurrection - because the Bridegroom is with us
- We see at the Transfiguration of Christ that two people appear next to Him: Moses and Elijah
  - Moses, Elijah, and the Lord Himself all fasted 40 days
  - It's a message for us that by conquering the body through fasting, the spirit becomes manifest and the body is transfigured.
- Fasting is the earliest commandment known to mankind
  - God commanded Adam and Eve to refrain from eating a certain fruit from a certain tree
  - God set for the body certain limits beyond which it should not go
- By abstaining from food, man rises above the level of the body and above matter
  - If the first man had succeeded in triumphing over his bodily desire for food, it would have proven that his soul had overcome his bodily desires
  - Nevertheless, his own body defeated him
  - "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8:1)
- The Prophets Fasted
- The Apostles Fasted
- Whole Nations Fasted
- Fasting is a Gift
  - Not merely a commandment, but a godly gift with grace and blessing
- Fasting precedes every grace and service
  - Preparation for receiving every blessing
    - Before every feast, we fast
    - Before receiving the Eucharist, we fast
  - Precedes every Service
    - A priest fasts 40 days when he is ordained before starting his ministry
    - The Lord, Himself, fasted before starting His service
    - The Apostles fasted after receiving the Holy Spirit
- Fasting unites us as a Church
- There is joy in fasting - a spiritual person will find it
As we are approaching the Advent Fast next week, let us take some practical steps to prepare ourselves for fasting...
- Sit with your Father of Confession to arrange for the fast - what kind of spiritual canon will he give you?
- Finish the meat and dairy that is in your fridge so we don't come next Wednesday and say "well I just need to finish what we have and then we'll start fasting"
- Plan a Thanksgiving Dinner with your family for Sunday or Monday so you don't postpone the fasting until after Thanksgiving... and then until after we finish the leftovers
Luke 6a: HG Bishop Youssef (Sections titled: "Introduction", "Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath", "Healing on the Sabbath", "The Twelve Apostles")

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 13: The Constitution of Christianity I

Readings:

The Lord's Sermon
- Luke 6:20-36

Resources:

HG Bishop Youssef
- Luke 6 Part 2: https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef/luke-6-27-49-bible-study?in=his-grace-bishop-youssef/sets/luke-bible-study
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
- Luke - https://www.dropbox.com/s/81uupstc71zfyd9/042_Luke.pdf?dl=0
Story about Turning Other Cheek:
- http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/2011/01/turn-the-other-cheek-from-the-desert-fathers/

Quiz:

https://forms.gle/ZUvgN5tX29QDRepd6

Material:

Luke 6a: HG Bishop Youssef (Sections titled: "The Beatitudes", "The Woes")
Luke 6b: HG Bishop Youssef (Section titled: "Love Your Enemies")

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 14: The Constitution of Christianity II

Readings:

The Lord's Sermon
- Luke 6:37-49

Resources:

HG Bishop Youssef
- Luke 6 Part 2: https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef/luke-6-27-49-bible-study?in=his-grace-bishop-youssef/sets/luke-bible-study
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
- Luke - https://www.dropbox.com/s/81uupstc71zfyd9/042_Luke.pdf?dl=0
Story about Turning Other Cheek:
- http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/2011/01/turn-the-other-cheek-from-the-desert-fathers/

Quiz:

https://forms.gle/BptGnynXGWHXfhAv6

Material:

Luke 6b: HG Bishop Youssef (Sections titled: "Do not Judge", "A Tree is Known by Its Fruit", "Build on the Rock")

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 15: Luke 7 Part 1

Readings:

Luke 7:1-50

Resources:

HG Bishop Youssef
- Luke 7 Part 1: https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef/luke-7-1-28-english-arabic?in=his-grace-bishop-youssef/sets/luke-bible-study
- Luke 7 Part 2: https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef/luke-7-29-50-bible-study-english-arabic?in=his-grace-bishop-youssef/sets/luke-bible-study
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
- Luke - https://www.dropbox.com/s/81uupstc71zfyd9/042_Luke.pdf?dl=0

Quiz:

https://forms.gle/U4iG5iyFZMick6NZ7

Material:

Luke 7a: HG Bishop Youssef
Among those born of women...
- St Ambrose:
  - If Jesus is born of a woman, how is John the Baptist the greatest among those born of women?
  - If Jesus is the Prophet spoken of by Moses, then how is John the Baptist the greatest prophet?
  - "I maintain both that the Lord is the Prophet of prophets and that John is greater than all, but of those born of a woman, not of a virgin. He was greater than those to whom he could be equal in the condition of birth. Another nature is not to be compared with human generations. There can be no comparison between man and God, for each is preferred to his own. There could be no comparison of John with the Son of God, so that he is thought to be below the angels." - St Ambrose
- St Cyril of Alexandria:
  - How and in what manner is he greater? In that the blessed John, together with as many as preceded him, was born of woman, but they who have received the faith are no longer called the sons of women, but as the wise Evangelist said, "are born of God." (John 1:12) - St Cyril of Alexandria
Luke 7b: HG Bishop Youssef (Section titled: "John the Baptist sends Messengers to Jesus")

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 16: Luke 7 Part 2

Readings:

Luke 7:36-50
Luke 8:1-3

Resources:

HG Bishop Youssef
- Luke 7 Part 2: https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef/luke-7-29-50-bible-study-english-arabic?in=his-grace-bishop-youssef/sets/luke-bible-study
- Luke 8 Part 1: https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef/luke-8-1-25-bible-study-english-arabic?in=his-grace-bishop-youssef/sets/luke-bible-study
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
- Luke - https://www.dropbox.com/s/81uupstc71zfyd9/042_Luke.pdf?dl=0

Quiz:

Material:

Luke 7b: HG Bishop Youssef (Section titled: "A Sinful Woman Forgiven")
Luke 8a: HG Bishop Youssef (Section Titled: "Many Women Minister to Jesus")

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 17: Hear the Word of God

Readings:

Luke 8

Resources:

HG Bishop Youssef
- Luke 8 Part 1: https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef/luke-8-1-25-bible-study-english-arabic?in=his-grace-bishop-youssef/sets/luke-bible-study
- Luke 8 Part 2: https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef/luke-8-26-56-bible-study?in=his-grace-bishop-youssef/sets/luke-bible-study
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
- Luke - https://www.dropbox.com/s/81uupstc71zfyd9/042_Luke.pdf?dl=0

Quiz:

Material:

Parable of the Sower
- Read verses 4-8
- Explain the parable
- Read verses 11-15 - The Lord tells us what the Parable means
- Some points:
  - The Lord used images that were familiar to them... sower, fishing, vineyard, servant/master, etc.
  - The seed is the Word of God..
    - Without a sower, what good is the seed? This is because the word of God is actually the words of God, and words backed up by the power of God
    - Seeds and plants are living things just as "the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)
    - The same seed is being used in all of the different soils, but having a very different effect
  - The soils
    - Each soil produces a plant that's progressed more than the one before it
    - The point of the parable is not for me to see which soil I am and then lament because I'm Rocky or Thorny or by the wayside... but for me to ask "how can I be the good soil"
  - Wayside
    - Those who hear and then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts
    - These are the people who only get as far as hearing the word, but don't even receive it with joy... someone who will hear a sermon and criticize the person who is giving it, or those who hear and doubt. Satan knows the power of the word of God, so he will try to quench it as early as possible.
    - Example: I hear a lesson about tithing, and I think "well he just wants money" or "well I don't trust what the church is doing with my money so I'm not going to do that"
  - Rock
    - Those who hear and receive the word with joy, but have no root and fall away in time of temptation
    - Many times we will hear a sermon, or a Bible verse, or a Sunday School lesson, and we will say "wow what a great lesson I really liked it" or we walk out of the lesson very happy - but in the end, there is no fruit. We go home and don't do it.
    - Example: I hear a lesson about tithing, and I think "wow these are all good points" but I don't take an action for myself
  - Thorns
    - Those who hear, go out and are choked with cares, riches and pleasures of life, bearing no fruit
    - This person hears, and agrees to do it, but gets distracted by the chores of life
    - Example: I hear a lesson about tithing, and I think "I'm gonna start next week!" and then next week the bills come in, or the new game I'm waiting for comes out... and I say "well the tithes can wait"
  - Good Ground
    - Those who hear and do and bear fruits
    - This person hears, and does. He bears fruits.
    - Example: I hear a lesson about tithing, realize I'm not doing my part, so I start to do it immediately. And from the tithing I grow spiritually, and the Lord blesses me in my work, and the Church can better help the community
Purpose of Parables
- Read verses 9-10 again
- An easy way to learn the lessons in a language and with illustrations that they can understand
- Seeing they may see, and hearing they may not understand
  - This seems harsh but it is related to the parable!
  - The Lord is referencing Isaiah 6
    - Isaiah saw a great image of the Seraphim glorifying God to one another "Holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts and then he stood in shock and a seraphim came and put a coal on his lips... and the Lord said "whom shall I send?" and Isaiah said "Here I am! Send me!"
    - Then the Lord told him "Go and tell the people - keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive. Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and be healed."
    - So Isaiah asked "Lord, how long?"
    - And the Lord said: "until the land is desolate"
  - The Lord knew their stony hearts and how they were not accepting His message, but they are accepting His miracles and are enjoying His parables. They are like the Rock, who receive the parable with joy, but have no foundation.
  - But to the Disciples, it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God
    - The disciples will be priests who need to spread the faith throughout the whole world
    - The disciples will need to be discerners of people - to understand who is Wayside, who is Rock, who is Thorns - and to give the message to each one in a way they will accept it.
  - The Lord is laying the foundation for the Church - He will perform the act of salvation on the Cross, but He gives it to the Disciples to spread the faith through the Church throughout all nations
  - The disciples doesn't just mean "the twelve disciples" - but all of those who were following Him. Including the women that we read about in the beginning of the chapter. The twelve, however, will have the role of priesthood
Parable of the Light
- Read verses 16-18
- Explanation
  - You wouldn't light a flashlight and throw it under the bed...
  - Especially in those days, oil wasn't free... so lighting a lamp and putting it under a basket would be a waste of oil and money and everything
- Therefore, take heed how you hear
  - This is a continuation of the message from the Parable of the Sower
  - If you're gonna light a lamp, you do it for people to see. Jesus isn't preaching to hear Himself talk... He is telling them these things for a reason.
  - There will be accountability down the road... everything that we hear, we will be accountable for it.
  - What did I do with what I heard?
    - Did I ignore it?
    - Did I say "wow good speech" and then do nothing?
    - Or did I bear fruit?
- Whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him
  - Who has: the person who really hears... to him, more will be given
    - If we are seeking understanding and seeking His wisdom, and trying to put it in practice, then that will be rewarded.
    - "But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)
    - God will never turn someone away who is pursuing Him, or trying to put into practice what He said
    - More what?
      - More understanding
      - More knowledge of Him
      - Closer to Him
      - etc.
      - Not more money, better job, etc.
    - Salvation is a continual process of drawing closer to God and growing in these things. And when we receive more, we are responsible for it.
  - Whoever does not have: the person who doesn't really hear...
    - Sometimes Lisa talks to me while I'm on the computer or something and I'll nod my head and say "uh-huh" and "yeah" and it ends up that I didn't hear a word she said...
    - Sometimes we do this with God.
    - We hear a Sunday School lesson and nod our head and stare at the screen and repeat some answers back... but in the end
    - Even what he seems to have... even what he thought he heard will be taken away.
Jesus' Mother and Brothers
- Read verses 19-21
- These verses are a continuation of the previous stories... all of them are related
- Jesus is saying that what really makes them My mother and brothers is that they hear the Word of God and do it.
- Who are the brothers?
  - Relatives of the Lord - cousins, etc.
  - James the "brother of the Lord"
  - It was common in those days to call a close relative "a brother"
  - St Mary did not have other children after the Lord Jesus Christ
Wind and Wave obey Jesus
- Read verses 22-25
- This story reminds us of the story of Jonah
  - Jonah is called by God to go to Nineveh... so he went the opposite direction. Sometimes we give him grief, but it's like telling one of you to go to Iran and tell ISIS that in three days God will destroy them... it's not easy
  - But as he's going the opposite direction, he's on a boat and a big storm comes... and all the mariners, who are pagans, start praying. And they go to Jonah and find him sleeping and ask "what do you mean by this?"
  - And Jonah says "I know why this is happening... it's my God because I disobeyed Him. Listen, just throw me off the boat and you will be completely fine."
  - They do it and the storm subsides
  - Now, we have the disciples of the Lord on a boat, and a windstorm comes, and the boat is filling with water... They were in jeopardy... and they go to the Lord and how do they act? They are panicking!
    - They don't say "well Lord, come and take care of this storm"
    - Or "Lord, we know that we will be fine because You are with us"
    - They don't even stand and pray as the pagan mariners did
    - But they go to the Lord and say "We are perishing" as if to say "and you are perishing with us!"
  - The Lord rebukes the wind and water and it stops and He asks them "Where is your faith?"
- Where is your faith?
  - The disciples had heard more than anyone else, from the teachings of the Lord... but when reality hit them.. panic!
  - So what do they know about Jesus? Who do they think He is? If He's the Messiah, how would He perish with them and drown?
  - St Luke juxtaposes this with the previous stories
    - First he tells us what we need to do (be the good soil, etc.)
    - Then he shows us how most of us act in reality
  - Do I act like this?
    - I go out to my car and it doesn't start... my first thought isn't to pray. Not to trust God... but to try to fix it myself, or to think of "how much money is this gonna cost" or "ugh this will be such a hassle." Maybe in a few days after it actually runs, I'll say "thank God" - and I won't really mean it but I'll say it
      - We might be judgmental of the disciples, but car not starting is minor compared to being in a boat in a storm with water coming into the boat
Demon Possessed Man
- Read verses 26-39
- In contrast to the disciples who asked "Who can this be?" - the demon knows "Jesus, Son of the Most High God"

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 18: Do not be afraid, Only Believe

Readings:

Luke 8

Resources:

HG Bishop Youssef
- Luke 8 Part 1: https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef/luke-8-1-25-bible-study-english-arabic?in=his-grace-bishop-youssef/sets/luke-bible-study
- Luke 8 Part 2: https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef/luke-8-26-56-bible-study?in=his-grace-bishop-youssef/sets/luke-bible-study
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
- Luke - https://www.dropbox.com/s/81uupstc71zfyd9/042_Luke.pdf?dl=0

Quiz:

https://forms.gle/mccwBeP8Ebe27S3L8

Material:

Luke 8b: HG Bishop Youssef

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 19: The Disciples Start Their Ministry

Readings:

Luke 9

Resources:

HG Bishop Youssef
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
- Luke - https://www.dropbox.com/s/81uupstc71zfyd9/042_Luke.pdf?dl=0

Quiz:

https://forms.gle/ABpbhthpBXNFHNTKA

Material:

Luke 9a: HG Bishop Youssef

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 21: Luke 10

Readings:

Luke 9:57-62

Resources:

HG Bishop Youssef
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
- Luke - https://www.dropbox.com/s/81uupstc71zfyd9/042_Luke.pdf?dl=0

Quiz:

https://forms.gle/T2bR4mkK261caRJL8

Material:

Read Luke 9:57-62
- "I will follow You wherever You go"
  - People thought the Messiah was coming to be a king, and a military ruler, and take away the wrath of the Roman Empire and overthrow them...
  - So some people wanted to follow Him with the expectation to be royalty in this new Kingdom
    - Like in the days of King David - King David was roaming when running away from King Saul, but at the end of the day, he became king and those who were good to him before he became king, were rewarded
  - The Lord tells him that he won't be getting a palace or a mansion or anything out of this. No possessions
- "Follow me"
  - If you are going to follow the Lord, you may need to turn your back on the things of this world... including family
  - Some people accuse the Lord of ignoring the commandment to "honor thy father and mother" - but that's not what He's saying. He's saying that if you follow Christ, you will find conflicts.
  - This is especially true of St Luke's audience... Gentiles.
    - In those days, if you're a Gentile who decided to become a Christian it wasn't just "I'm giving up my Sunday mornings" - your whole life was going to change
      - No more social functions and city-wide festivals because they sacrifice to idols there
      - No more politics
      - Can't hang out in your family's house because they have household gods and they sacrifice to them
      - Can't eat at their table anymore
      - You might become a vegetarian because all of the meat at the market was sacrificed to idols
      - You'll be criticized as not doing your duty to your family or ignoring your city
      - You might lose your job
      - You might lose your home
    - You had to give those things up
    - If any of those things was more important to you than Christ, then you won't be able to enter the Kingdom of God
  - The same is true for us today
    - We have been blessed not to face that kind of persecution in the US (compared to the Middle East, for example) but that can change at any time
    - In Russia in 1910, no one would have ever thought they'd be persecuted for being a Christian... by 1918 - only 8 years later - the communists had taken over and there was a Civil War and they went around and killed Christians. They took away the rights of Christians to own property, to teach religion, to practice their faith.
    - And now we're seeing the rise of communism in the USA and lots of people thinking it's a good idea
    - We must be prepared to choose between our faith and our possessions
    - And even now, we sometimes have to choose - between coming to Vespers or going to a Soccer game... between coming early for confession and staying home playing video games... between waking up early for liturgy, or staying up late the night before watching movies. What am I going to choose?
Read Luke 10:1-15
- The seventy are a group of followers of Christ. We have the inner circle (Peter, James, John) and the Twelve (the disciples) and the Seventy and in the book of Acts, the 120
- He sent them to the places that He was about to go
- He gave them very similar instructions to the Twelve in chapter 9
- Don't go from house to house, don't go out looking for food, don't carry money with you... but take what you are given
- Heal the sick and say to them "the kingdom of God has come near to you"
- The city that doesn't receive you, will receive the same message that we saw in Ch 9 - wipe the dust of our feet off
  - "The very dust of your city we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you"
  - Even if they reject you, preach the message and leave
- "But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city"
  - What is "That Day"? - Judgment day
  - What happened to Sodom? - Fire and brimstone
  - In the last chapter, James and John asked the Lord to command fire to come down on the Samaritan village and consume them and the Lord rebuked them... is this a contradiction?
    - James and John wanted to do it now... they weren't being merciful
    - The Lord is talking about Judgment day - they have a chance to repent even until the day they die
  - Sometimes people try to pit God's mercy against His Judgment but the fact is that God is both perfect in His mercy and compassion, and perfect in His justice
    - We see two extremes in society
    - Atheists who complain about God's wrath and judgment and all of that and say "God is not merciful" - and they will look at a verse like this and say that.
    - Protestants or other Christians who focus on God's mercy and compassion and say "everyone will be saved" or "Be merciful like God and accept everyone"
- Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum, Tyre, Sidon, Sodom
  - Unrepentant Cities
  - Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum are Jewish cities
  - Tyre and Sidon are Gentil cities
  - Sodom is the Gentile city from the Old Testament that was destroyed by fire and brimstone
  - Matthew 11: "And you, Capernaum, who^[e] are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”
  - The Jewish cities that saw the signs and wonders of the Lord in them will be judged more harshly because of their greater unwillingness to repent
Read Luke 10:16
- He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me
- Three parts
- He who hears you hears Me
  - The Lord was giving full delegation to these disciples
  - When we hear the words written by St Luke in the gospel here, we are hearing the word of God
  - When we read the epistles of St Paul, we are reading the word of God
- He who rejects you rejects Me
  - This is the opposite side of the first one
  - Many nowadays say "I read the New Testament but not the Old Testament" - but if you reject Moses and the prophets, then you reject Christ
  - Or some say "I read the words of Christ but not Paul or Peter" and they "read the words in red" and reject and don't even consider the "words in black" - they are rejecting Christ
  - Or we might read a verse and someone says "well Jesus didn't say that, St Matthew did" or "St Paul did"...
- He who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me
  - The obvious one is the Jews who thought they were accepting God and His Law but rejected Christ... but for us to know God, we must know Christ. We will know God the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ
  - Some also say "I believe in God but not in Jesus" - but how can you say that when Jesus is God?
Read Luke 10:17-20
- The seventy returned rejoicing
  - Don't rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven
- "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven"
  - The Lord reveals who He is
  - Who was there when Satan fell from heaven?
    - God and the angels
    - "Behold I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you"
      - Angels would not have this power... let alone be able to give it out
      - So He must be God
Read Luke 10:21-24
- Hidden these things from the wise and prudent
  - In those days, people thought Christianity was the religion of the undesirables - slaves, women, fishermen, poor people, etc.
  - In reality, it was those who humbled themselves and considered themselves sinners and made themselves disciples, that the Lord revealed everything to
  - Those who considered themselves better than others, did not understand or comprehend the Kingdom of God
- No one knows the Son except the Father and who the Father is except the Son and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him
  - How can I know God?
  - To know and to be like the Lord Jesus Christ
  - To become a disciple of the Lord
  - I know the Father through the Son
  - Some people say "The Father is in the Old Testament and the Son in the New Testament"
    - But if you read the Bible and understand it (and attend Bible Study) you'll find that even the whole Old Testament is about God the Son; the Lord Jesus Christ
- Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it"
  - Familiar? Litany of the Gospel.
  - Those in the Old Testament desired to see the Incarnation; the Messiah
  - Moses wanted to see! But He didn't get to see. King David waited and wrote so many psalms... but he didn't get to see. Isaiah and Jeremiah and Ezekiel all wanted to see... but they didn't get to see.
  - The disciples got to see.
  - And we get to see even more.
  - Why do we pray this before every Gospel reading?
    - Because the words we will hear in the Gospel are the words of Christ that those in the Old Testament wanted to hear.
    - We get to hear the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. We get to see and even to eat His Body.
    - We are receiving this same great blessing and honor that the disciples received.

2021-2022 Bible School

Week 22: Luke 11

Readings:

Luke 11

Resources:

HG Bishop Youssef
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
- Luke - https://www.dropbox.com/s/81uupstc71zfyd9/042_Luke.pdf?dl=0
Fr. Daniel Fanous
- Taught by God: Chapter 6 - https://www.amazon.com/Taught-God-Making-Difficult-Sayings/dp/0881416630/

Quiz:

Material:

A House Divided Cannot Stand (Taught by God: Chapter 6)
- The Lord Makes a Logical Argument
  - You accuse Me of casting out demons by Satan
    - If this is true, then Satan as a divided kingdom
      - If this is true, his kingdom should have fallen
      - But we both know it hasn't fallen because souls are still captive in Satan's possession
    - Since it has not fallen, then it is not divided
  - If it is not divided, then I cannot possibly be in league with Satan
  - Thus, who am I in alliance with except God?
  - If I work by the power of God, then the finger of God displaces the kingdom of Satan
  - If Satan's kingdom is displaced, then the kingdom of God has surely come upon you
- "Finger of God"
  - This word is only ever used one other time in the Scripture: Exodus 8:16-19
    - ¹⁶So the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the land, so that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.’ ” ¹⁷And they did so. For Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod and struck the dust of the earth, and it became lice on man and beast. All the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
      ¹⁸Now the magicians so worked with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not. So there were lice on man and beast. ¹⁹Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had said.
    - The Magicians were unable to replicate the miracle and thus conclude "this is the finger of God"
      - In the first two plagues, the magicians were doing the work of something other than the power of God (i.e. using demonic spirits) and they knew it!
      - But when, in the third plague, they couldn't replicate it, they knew that it was from God
      - The Lord uses the reference to make the same connection with the Pharisees... they know that if it is not from Satan, then it is from God.
- The Unforgiveable Sin
  - In the Gospel of St Matthew (12:22-32), this miracle and explanation are followed directly by the Lord's statement about the Unforgiveable Sin. In the Gospel of St Luke, the Unforgiveable Sin comes later:
    - "And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven." (Luke 12:10)
    - To understand the unforgivable sin "Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit" we need to see it following this event
  - Two questions arise from this
    - What is this blasphemy that will not be forgiven? Is God not merciful and capable of forgiving any sins for which repentance is given?
    - Why is blasphemy against the Son of Man okay, but not the Holy Spirit? Is the Holy Spirit greater than the Son?
  - What is the blasphemy that will not be forgiven?
  - Why is blasphemy against the Son of Man forgivable but not against the Holy Spirit?

2021-2022 Bible School

2022-04-27

Review of the Gospel of St Luke

Chapter 1
- Annunciation of the Birth of St John
- Annunciation of the Birth of Christ
- Visit of St Mary to St Elizabeth
- Birth and Circumcision of St John the Baptist
Chapter 2
- Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ (Shepherds and Angels)
- Circumcision of the Lord
- Presentation of the Lord in the Temple (Simeon and Anna)
- Boy Jesus Teaches in the Temple
- Jesus grows in wisdom and stature, in favor with God and men
Chapter 3
- St John Preaches Repentance
- Baptism of the Lord
- Genealogy of Christ
Chapter 4
- Temptation in the Wilderness
- Jesus is rejected in Nazareth
Chapter 4-9
- Jesus teaches and heals and casts out demons in Galilee and Capernaum
- Jesus chooses 12 disciples and sends them out to minister
Chapter 9-19
- Jesus travels from Galilee towards Jerusalem to be lifted up
- Jesus continues to teach and heal and cast out demons
Chapter 19
- Jesus enters Jerusalem in Glory
- Jesus cleanses the Temple
Chapter 20
- The Pharisees, Scribes, Sadducees Question Jesus to try and trick Him
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
- The Last Supper
- Betrayal of Christ
- Arrest of Jesus
- Peter Denies the Lord
- Jesus faces mocking, beatings and the Sanhedrin Trial
Chapter 23
- Jesus faces Roman Trials with Pontius Pilate and Herod
- Crucifixion
- Jesus dies
- Jesus is buried
Chapter 24
- The Resurrection
- Disciples of Emmaus
- Jesus appears to His disciples

Bible School

2024-04-10 - Hebrews 6-8

Introduction to Hebrews

Start with a review of the structure and contents of St Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews
Remember that St Paul is writing this epistle to the Hebrews - a nation of people whose religion is based on the Torah. The Law of Moses. Those who would worship in the Temple, practice animal Sacrifices, have Levitical Priesthood, celebrate Feasts, etc. And St Paul wants to convince them that the Lord Jesus is the Messiah and He is God, and He is the fulfillment of everything they are doing. Christianity is not seeking to abolish Judaism, but to preach its fulfillment. He is going to take them systematically through their religion, and show how the Lord Jesus fulfilled it.
Chapter 1-2: Christ is Superior to Angels and Prophets
- He is the Son of God, the Lord, the King, the Anointed Messiah, the Creator, the Pantocrator, the Ruler - in just a few verses, St Paul shows all of these characteristics of the Lord Jesus Christ, and shows how the Old Testament prophesied of those characteristics.
- These show that Christ is superior to Angels and Prophets who were previously sent to Israel
Chapter 3-4: Christ is Superior to Moses
- Moses built the tabernacle; Christ created the Universe
- The Israelites who rebelled against Moses failed to enter the Promised Land... so how much worse when they rebel against a greater than Moses?
- And what is the Promise from Christ? What is the equivalent to the Promised Land? It is God's Rest... the Kingdom of Heaven.
Chapter 4-5: The Priesthood
- From there, St Paul transitions to talking about the priesthood. It is the priesthood and the system of Sacrifices that the Jews depend on for atonement. So St Paul will go back to basics with them - what is the priesthood? And then show that Christ is the Great High Priest, and the fulfillment of the Priesthood.
- Qualifications for Priesthood
  - Taken from among men
  - Appointed for men in things pertaining to God
  - Offer gifts and sacrifices for our sins
  - No man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God
- He now wants to talk about Christ as the High Priest according to the Order of Melchizedek, but it is "hard to explain since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you need milk and not solid food." (5:11-12)
Chapter 6: The Promise of God
- 1-2
  - First Principles: Repentance, Faith, Baptism, Laying of Hands, Resurrection of the Dead, Eternal Judgment
  - An unbeliever will start with repentance and faith (believing in Christ). From there, he will move on to the necessary sacraments - Baptism and Chrismation (delivered by Laying of Hands). Belief in the Resurrection is necessary (or else our faith is futile). Belief in eternal judgment is necessary because it will motivate us in doing good works and in our spiritual progression in defeating Satan.
- 3: "And this we will do if God permits" - going on to perfection
- 4-8:
  - St Paul is talking about those who leave the faith and return and says it's impossible. He does not mean theologically impossible. All sins are forgivable with repentance. But he means the practically impossible.
  - "once enlightened" - "have tasted the heavenly gift" - "have become partakers of the Holy Spirit" (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation)
  - "if they fall away" - apostasy, not just falling into sin
  - "Crucify Him again" - refers to re-baptism (which is not possible). If someone falls away they need to return via repentance and not via baptism
  - "the earth which drinks the rain" - we are all like land and we drink the grace of God. But if we don't bear fruits, and rather bear thorns, we will be rejected and near to being cursed. Near because repentance is possible.
- 9-10:
  - After a difficult message, the people need a word of encouragement and support
  - "We are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation"
  - His confidence comes from two things: God's justice ("God is not unjust") and their "work and labor of love"
- 11-12:
  - Do two things: Be diligent until the end; imitate those who inherit the promises
- 13-20:
  - We can have full assurance in the promises of God, and the example is the promise God made to Abraham
  - "Blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you"
  - God makes an oath by Himself because He is the highest power
  - And now look! You Hebrews are everywhere - you are all the fulfillment of the promise God made to Abraham.
  - 18 - What are the two immutable things? God's word and God's oath.
- 20: "where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."
  - St Paul now returns to the prophecy of Christ as High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. He mentioned it in Chapter 5, but now he will go deep into it. He has established for them the assurances of God, and that the Word of God and the Oath of God are immutable (unchangeable). One of those words comes from the Psalm 110:4 - You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Chapter 7: Christ a Priest according to the order of Melchizedek
- 1-10:
  - Melchizedek the Type of Christ
    - Melchizedek = King of Righteousness
    - King of Salem = King of Peace
    - King & Priest
    - Offered bread and wine
    - Abram tithed to him (i.e. he is greater than Abraham)
    - He blessed Abram (who is the father of Jacob and Levi and the Levitical Priesthood)
    - His blessing to Abram was in the name of the Most High God
    - His father, mother and genealogy are not known
    - His priesthood is without beginning or end (contrast with Levitical priesthood which started with Aaron and ended with the destruction of the Temple)
  - St Paul is making the argument that the priesthood of Melchizedek is superior to that of Levi. And if he can show that, and show (by Psalm 110:4) that Christ's priesthood is according to the order of Melchizedek, then the priesthood of Christ is Superior to that of Aaron and the Levitical Priesthood
- 11-14
  - If perfection could be attained by the Levitical Priesthood, then what is the need for another system of priesthood? If God's goal for all of us to be saved was accomplished according to the order of the Levitical Priesthood, then why would another order of priesthood be needed? It's because the Levitical Priesthood failed to fulfill and accomplish the goal of God in saving humanity. So a new order is needed.
- 15-21
  - Christ's priesthood is legitimate as being made by oath from God (which is immutable)
- 22-28
  - The superiority of the priesthood of Christ over that of the Levitical Priesthood
    - In the OT there were many priests because they were mortal, so eventually they would die and someone else would take their place. Christ's priesthood continues forever and is unchangeable because He is Immortal.
    - Christ is unique and superior in His Priesthood (and thus, elevates the Order of Melchizedek)
      - Holy, Harmless, Undefiled, Separate from Sinners (i.e. without sin)
      - Thus, because of these characteristics, He did not need to offer up sacrifices for Himself and then for the people, but He offered one Sacrifice for all. Once.
    - Christ Levitical Priests
      Appointed by an oath Appointed by the law
      Incarnate Son of God Man
      Perfected With Weakness
      Forever Temporary
Chapter 8: Superior Covenant
- 1
  - Now St Paul is going to star this conclusion which will go from Chapter 8 to Chapter 10. He started with Christ being superior to angels and prophets, then superior to Moses, then Christ as High Priest and His Priesthood being superior to that of the Levitical Priesthood - now we get to the climax.
- 2-5 - A Superior Tabernacle
  - Being a superior High Priest, the Altar or Sanctuary or Tabernacle that He Ministers is a Superior Tabernacle. It is not a tabernacle made by hands like Moses' Tabernacle of Meeting or Solomon's Temple, but it is a Heavenly Tabernacle
  - The word "Minister" here in Greek is Leitorgous - this is a Liturgical Priesthood
  - The tabernacle on earth was a copy and shadow of the heavenly tabernacle. It was a shadow of what was to come. God, on the Mountain, showed Moses what he was to build and told him "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."
  - Christ is not a Priest on Earth, since He is not from the Tribe of Levi or the line of Aaron, but He is from the tribe of Judah. So He must be a priest elsewhere.... if not on earth, then in heaven!
- 6-13 A Superior Covenant
  - Not only does He Minister in a Superior Tabernacle, but He Ministers to a Better Covenant
  - In the old days, there was a ritual for establishing a covenant:
    - They would take an animal and cut it in half and place the halves down leaving a line of blood between them. Then, they would walk hand in hand down the middle signifying that if one of them broke the covenant, the punishment is shedding of blood – death.
      We see this in Genesis 15 when God makes a covenant with Abram:
    - “So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.”
    - But God gives this covenant a twist:
      “Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.”
    - If Abram broke the covenant, who would die? The person who walked down the path. And who walked down the path? Abram didn’t walk… so it’s God. And this is what happened – when the descendants of Abraham broke the covenant, who died? God died. The Lord Jesus Christ, after His Incarnation, was crucified and shed His Blood.
    - So our relationship with God is a covenant relationship
    - When we break the covenant, who mediates between the sinner that broke the covenant, and God? The priest. When someone sinned, they went to the priest who would offer the sacrifices and do the rituals and mediate.
    - But Christ, who serves in a Superior Sanctuary, is the Mediator of a better covenant
  - What is the Old Covenant?
    - God established the covenant with Adam based on a promise: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:15)
    - God renewed the covenant with Noah with a sign: “I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth… The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” (Genesis 9:13)
    - God renewed the covenant with Abraham with a sign in the flesh: “This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.” (Genesis 17:10-11)
    - God renewed His covenant with Moses with the blood of animals: “And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words.’” (Exodus 24:8)
    - So the covenant was established by a promise, then a sign in nature, then a sign in the flesh, then the blood of animals. And the new covenant, by the precious blood of the Son of God.
  - A Superior Covenant
    - The old covenant was based on the righteousness of the law. You needed to keep the entire law, not break any of its commandments. If you follow the entire law without violating any of its precepts, then you are righteous and can enter into the covenant with God.
    - The starting point is as a sinner… and to become righteous, you must fulfill the whole Law.
    - No one was able to keep all the commandments of the law
    - The new covenant is based on accepting the Lord Jesus Christ, turning our lives towards Him, being baptized into a new nature in the Lord Jesus Christ.
      The starting point is righteousness and you maintain it by refraining from sin and increasing in virtue! And if you sin again, go to Christ – confess and repent, receive the Eucharist.
    - “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16)
    - Was the covenant, in itself, faulty?
      - No! It was faulty because of our weakness - because we couldn't keep the commandment of God

Hymns School

Message to the Hymns Servants 2021

I consider last year's hymns classes to be a huge success: We had more classes than ever, more servants than ever, taught more hymns than ever. We had many new servants who didn't teach hymns rise up and teach hymns (Amanda, Merna, Sandy, Mark, Andrew, Jan). Many dedicated servants who continued to teach hymns. God bless you.

Every year, we will try to move into a little bit more structure as a Hymns School. Last year, the goal was to get accustomed to the new classes - now we are separated by age and smaller classes, and a loose curriculum. This helped inform finalizing the curriculum for this year - understanding the levels of the kids at each age group... seeing where we are and where we want to be. This year, we will start to keep track of what each class learned at the age group to help inform the next years. Also this year we will start with the curriculum website.

We are not just teaching hazzat, but we are teaching rituals, we are teaching theology by the words of the hymns, and very importantly, we are teaching confidence. We have to instill confidence in our boys and girls when they sing hymns, but to do that, we as servants have to be confident. I want you to feel empowered in your class, to know what you are doing and what you are saying, to be prepared. Hymns class is not something I show up for without any preparation... I have to listen and practice and listen again and grab a pen and write something down and practice some more. I have to be ready when I enter the class.
Don't waste time with lectures... we all had it at some point where it's a lecture about behavior and maybe we all gave it at some point. But if you ever gave a lecture twice, that means it's not effective! Or the first time would have worked. So don't waste time on it - either during class or after class. It's not worth it. Use that time to focus on the hymns.
If you have a talkative group, don't leave time for talking! No silent moments! And actually, this is much easier if you are prepared
Encourage your kids to come to Vespers and Praises every week. And you come to Vespers and Praises every week. Come and see them and even stand by them. Let them see you. Encourage them to sing along. Tell them "You know this!" - we really need to work on this.
Don't hesitate to ask me a question, or ask me for a recording, or ask me to send you the words, or ask me where to find it on Coptic Reader. Don't hesitate and don't feel embarrassed. Let's all work together for the enrichment and growth of our boys and girls.
Don't worry when Abouna or I come in your class... we are not coming to judge you or to see if you're a good teacher. All of us are learning - sometimes I want to come and listen to the kids and see what they are doing. Sometimes I want to come and see your style of teaching - I get many ideas from you guys and I learn a lot watching you teach. For example I never served G1 before, and I like to go and see Carol and Sandy's enthusiasm for example. Or I like when I go in G3-4-5 girls and I see that the girls are invested in the hymn they are learning... they are debating different ways of saying ⲁⲥⲱⲙⲉⲛ and debating pronunciation of the Coptic word! I love to get to know the children and to see their talents. Just to come and enjoy God's creation and the talents He gave them. So don't get nervous or embarrassed or anxious when I come in the class or when Abouna comes in the class!
It is very important for me to tie the Hymns Classes with the Liturgical Services. So I like to say a hymn in liturgy when a class has just finished learning it. I try to pay attention, but sometimes I don't - either to the classes or to the hymns that were said in liturgies... So if you find us neglecting a hymn during liturgy or tasbeha, and you learned it in class, please let me know! "Hey we're learning Praxis Response in Coptic but we didn't say it in a few weeks do you mind saying it this week?" And I will let the leaders in the deacons know and we will incorporate it. So our children can see and feel the liturgical use of the hymns they learned.

MS & HS Summer Youth Retreat

2021 MS and HS Summer Youth Retreat

Goals:

Answer and address hidden concerns, doubts and questions
To lay a foundation for defending our faith
To instill the idea that for any question, there IS an answer
To give comfort that they can come to any of their servants with any of their questions judgment-free

Outline

Sunday night Introductory Topic
- What is Apologetics?
- Can we know anything for certain?
- How is faith involved?
- What will we learn in this convention?
Day 1: Does God Exist?
- Station 1: Creation
  - How does the Creation account match with what we know?
- Station 2: Science
  - How can we refute the false ideas presented as fact by science?
- Station 3: Philosophical
  - What is our purpose in life? How does this convey the existence of God?
- Station 4: Historical
  - What extra-biblical evidence is there for Christianity?
Day 2: Which God? Proofs for Christianity
- Station 1: Prophecy
  - How does the Old Testament point to the New?
- Station 2: Logic
  - It is illogical that Christianity would have survived this long... unless it is true
- Station 3: Resurrection
  - The Resurrection is the fundamental basis of Christianity... is there any proof for it?
- Station 4: Miracles
  - Are there any signs in the modern day and time of the truth of Christianity?

Resources

Timeless Truth in Truthless Times (George Bassilios)
Evidence for Christianity (Josh McDowell)
The Historical Jesus (Gary Habermas)
The Resurrection of the Shroud (Mark Antonacci)
Intelligent Design 101 (H. Wayne House)
Case for Christ (Lee Strobel)

Below are some ideas for the above outline... they are just potentials and nothing is set in stone. It is impossible to cover all of the below, but we should cover at least one or two items in every station.

The important thing will be interactive delivery, activities, etc.

Introductory Topic:

"Pretest": I think it would be good to give them a handout or something that has some of the below questions phrased as yes or no questions. We know that they will say the right answer for all of them. But then after they are done, tell them "Now go through each question you just answered and prove it."
- "Does God exist?"
- "Did God create the world?"
- "Did God create man or did man evolve from animals?"
- "Did Jesus rise from the dead?"
- "True or False: Jesus is God"
- "True or False: The Holy Spirit is God"
What is Apologetics? When do we use apologetics? What are the categories or levels of apologetics?
- Christ used apologetics!
- The disciples taught us to be ready to give an answer (e.g. 1 Peter 3:15)
- We see examples of defending the faith in Scripture (St Stephen's speech, Elijah)
Can we know for certain?
How is faith involved?
Is probability involved? Difference between possible and probable

Day 1: Does God exist

Goal: At the end of the day, we have arrived at the conclusion, from four different and independent perspectives, that God exists.

Station 1: Creation (Bible)

In this station, we will read the Creation account in Genesis 1-2
Activity: Everyone goes outside and examines nature from the smallest to the biggest of things, from the different seasons, different materials, patterns, colors. Then sit down and write what order the world was created in based on your observations.
We can compare the Creation account and especially the order of creation with what science has told us (i.e. light and then water, plants and then animals)
Also the importance of time - science tells us that millions of years were needed for the world to get to what it is now... does the Bible Support that? Or is it seven 24 hour days
This Genesis account that was written thousands of years before the first telescopes and microscopes were invented... what are the odds that it got it all right?

Station 2: Science

What is science? What is the scientific method? What does science look like? Can science form a conclusion about something that's outside the physical realm?
Activity: Do some experiment that collects data of some sort... and then let everyone form a conclusion from that data. Compare conclusions... see how the data is linked to the conclusion?
How do we argue against science?
- Challenge the Integrity of the Data
- Identify a gap between the data and the conclusion
- Offer an alternate conclusion based on the Data
Origin of Life:
- What is Evolution? What does science KNOW? What does science THEORIZE?
- Challenge the data, identify the gap, offer an alternate conclusion
Origin of Matter:
- What is the Big Bang? What does science KNOW? What does science THEORIZE?
- Challenge the data, identify the gap, offer an alternate conclusion

Station 3: Philosophical (Patristic)

If God exists, why did He create man?
What is my purpose in life?
How does the existence of God give me purpose in life?
What is free will? How do I know I have free will?
Why does God allow people to suffer?
George Bassilious covers this area very well in Timeless Truths
We don't have to cover all of these points (since time is limited)

Station 4: Historical

Extrabiblical sources of Christ
Archaeology, Historical Documents, etc.
Maybe the Shroud of Turin and Sudarium of Oviedo?
Biblical Manuscripts (as compared with manuscripts of any other writing in the history of the world)
https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/youth-writings/the-case-for-jesus-from-a-well-prepared-15-year-old/

Day 2: Which God?

Goal: At the end of the day, we know how to defend our Christian faith against some of the common attacks

Station 1: Prophecies

As part of Engagement/Activity, we can liken this to fingerprint evidence... maybe some sort of game where they are detectives and they have to find all the fingerprints
How does the Old Testament point to Christ?
- Typology
- Shadows
- Prophecies
What are the odds

Station 2: Logical

There are three ways to spread a message for it to be successful:
- With Deceit (i.e. in secret) - Mormonism
- With Power and Compulsion (i.e. forcefully) - Islam
- Openly, with conviction, tolerating the consequences - Christianity
It is illogical that Christianity would have survived or flourished:
- The message was difficult to accept
- You cannot join the group unless you believe the message
- The message was spread at a time of no "freedom of speech" or "political correctness"
- Christianity had many powerful opponents
  - Religious opponents in the Jews
  - Philosophical/Intellectual opponents in the Greeks
  - Political opponents in the Romans
- Punishment is severe torture, imprisonment or death
- Started with very few people (just 120 or so)
- All of the leaders were martyred and killed publicly
  - If it was a lie, why would they die for it?
  - If it's a mass lie... really, no one gave in and said the truth? What did they gain?
- To join you had to forsake your riches and forsake worldly pleasures

Station 3: The Resurrection

What are the proofs of the Resurrection?
What are the arguments against the Resurrection and how do we answer them? (e.g. Mass Hallucination... Jewish argument, etc.)
“I know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Every one was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weren't true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world-and they couldn't keep a lie for three weeks. You're telling me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely" - Charles Colson

Station 4: Modern-Day Miracles and Saints

St Mary Zeitoun happened in the late 60s, went on for two years, there are photographs from before the days of Photoshop (some of them taken by Muslims), many people came from around the world to witness it
Pope Kyrillos and the multitudes that witnessed to his miracles

MS & HS Summer Youth Retreat

2022 MS and HS Summer Youth Retreat

Key Verse

“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
(John 8:31-32)

Goals

Give them an opportunity to discuss, vent, and ask questions related to the modern day push of homosexuality, transgenderism, abortion, etc.
Day 1
- Provide a structure of defense against the issue of homosexuality in society
- Provide some answers about where homosexuality comes from, the history and negative social effects
- Address Current Events (e.g. House Bill 1557 "Don't say Gay Bill", Disney Supporting it, Schools Protesting it, etc.)
Day 2
- Clearly detail the role of men and women and their equality in God's eyes and in the Church
- Provide a structure of defense against the issue of abortion in society
- Address Current Events (e.g. Roe v Wade overturning)

Day 1 - Homosexuality

Resources

2022 SMF College book
HG Bishop Youssef on Truth
- Truth - HG Bishop Youssef
- Very systematic lecture about the Truth, how the Truth is defined, how to deal with someone sick with homosexuality, etc.
HG Bishop Youssef on Homosexuality
- Homosexuality - HG Bishop Youssef
Fr Antony Paul on Homosexuality
- https://stbasil.net/the-st-basil-podcast/2015/10/30/homosexuality-and-the-orthodox-church
- This lecture has a discussion on the role of "Nature" vs "Nurture" in homosexuality (among many other things)
Dr Julie Harren Hamilton
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C54CIxm-w44
- This lecture discusses the psychological aspects of why someone may develop homosexual tendencies. How does genetics play a role (i.e. only in the sense that your genetics may make you more sensitive). How does early childhood development play a role? Etc.
Voddie Baucham
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkL3lT95vOU
- Dr Voddie Baucham is a Protestant Pastor who has been outspoken about the harm of Homosexuality, the fact that it is sin, and spoken against Christians who accept it
- This lecture is about the political side of the argument, and why Christians should not support them, and more importantly HOW TO ANSWER the common arguments that come from that side
Voddie Baucham
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJG9CtaBXeM
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2nPRV8dmOk
- These two videos are about how homosexuality harms society, children/families, persons practicing it, etc.
Serving the Lost Sheep (STLS) 2019 Convention Material
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHD5sSnvcwQ
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oySpetaj6c
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMuFjGPZg18
- https://www.dropbox.com/s/n6s88x23hazmtip/Understanding%20Same-Sex%20Attraction-STLS.pdf?dl=0
- Fr Makary Ibrahim (may the Lord repose his pure soul) presented these slides at the convention

Outline

Introductory Topic: Truth
- Responsible Servants: Morcous
- What is Truth? What is Absolute Truth? Where do we get Truth?
- What about "that's just your opinion"?
- The goal is not to convince you that homosexuality is a sin - most of you are already convinced of that. The goal is to equip you with the tools and information needed to support your stance and to give a defense for your faith.
- Outline of the Day
Station 1: Where does Homosexuality Come From?
- Responsible Servants: Lisa, Maria, Andrew
- Nature vs Nurture
- How does genetics play a role?
- How does the role of parents play a role?
- How does society and the media play a role?
- Is there a spectrum of sexuality?
- Don't forget to include Bisexuality and Transgenderism in this discussion
Station 2: Biblical View of Homosexuality
- Responsible Servants: Morcous, Christy, Mark
- What is Sin?
- Homosexuality in the Old Testament
  - A common argument is that Christians "pick and choose" from the Old Testament. HG Bishop Youssef addresses this in the "Truth" Q&A and Voddie Baucham in his lecture
- How is it addressed in the New Testament?
  - A common argument is that the New Testament Greek words for homosexuality are a bad translation and should be "pedagogy" or "paedophilia"
Station 3: Social Effects of Homosexuality
- Responsible Servants: Mina, Reham
- Many people use the argument now of "it's not hurting you"
  - - Homosexuality DOES hurt everyone; it hurts the person practicing it, it hurts the children and families (homosexuals and heterosexuals), and it hurts the whole society.
  - Homosexuality harms the person practicing it (check SMF college book)
    - Spiritual harms
    - Social harms
    - Physical harms
  - Homosexuality harms children and families
    - Distorting the meaning of a family
    - Many homosexuals end up alone or without a family due to their lifestyle
    - Preventing children from having the benefit of Father and Mother
    - Imparts homosexuality in the minds of their children
  - Homosexuality harms society
    - Oversexualizing society and pushing their agenda
    - When the idea of a family is distorted, moral values are also distorted
    - Advocating and enticing many to sin under the idea of "finding their identity"
- Now that we know the harms of homosexuality .... what should we do?
- How do I hate the sin and love the sinner?
  - How about supporting the sin? (Romans 1)
  - By not being dragged into the claims that victimizes homosexuals
  - There are some ways that we support the sin without knowing (e.g. by putting pronouns on our profiles)
  - Marching for causes we do not understand (i.e. school marching against Do not say Gay bill)
  - Supporting celebrities/movies/shows with homosexual agenda
- Station 4: The Holiness of Marriage
- Responsible Servants: Jimmy, Mirolla, Ehab
- Definition of Marriage
- Biblical Marriage (Genesis + the Lord quoting Genesis)
- Church Rituals about Marriage
Closing Topic: Final Debate and the Apologetics of Homosexuality
- Responsible Servants: Susan + All Servants Participation
- Common arguments and fallacies and how to answer them
  - Starting at 40:36 in the Voddie Baucham Video
- We should prepare certain questions to ask them and await their response
- If they are unable to answer, then we will give them the answers and the way to respond to them
- How to deal with the ad hominem fallacy

Day 2 - Feminism

Resources

Feminism and Tradition - Fr Lawrence Farley
St Mary & St Phoebe Consecrated Sisters
- https://sisters.suscopts.org/2016/04/06/a-response-to-feminism-2/#
St Mark ATL Lectures
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bFj9Nn88kc - The Role of Men and Women
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRF593rNNtM - St Paul's Attitude Towards Women
- https://youtu.be/4FS5GBExt7U
- Third video to come 5/29
- This is a very good series from St Mark Atlanta titled "The Church has a Woman Problem??"
- It is very basic about the equality of honor and dignity, and the difference in roles
Stephanie Gray
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGPudL_GQ3Y
- Abortion Apologist
- Most Anti-Abortion arguments center around the fact that the Embryo is a living human being and terminating him/her is murder. Unfortunately, now many pro-abortion people are saying "yes the Embryo is a living person, but the right for bodily autonomy is more important" - how do we answer that? - Stephanie Gray addresses that here
- Orthodox talks
- https://youtu.be/fwCNj7elM-A

Outline

Introductory Topic: Introduction to Feminism
- Responsible Servants: Morcous
- Relate Homosexuality to Feminism via Transgenderism - many feminists are supporting Transgenderism even to the point of not being able to "define woman"
- What is Feminism
  - Feminism is defined as "Advocacy for women's rights" and yet it has devolved to oppressing women...
  - They want men who call themselves women to use girls bathrooms, to play in girls' and women's sports, etc.
  - They want abortion and argue that it is a fundamental right and they can't function without it
- Importance of studying the topic of Feminism for Boys and for Girls
- Outline of the day
Station 1: Does it fight for women's rights?
- Responsible Servants: Lisa, Mark, Mina
- God made man and woman
- The role and equality of man and woman designed by God in the church
- Priesthood only for men?! Deaconship only for men?!?!?
  - The apostles would go to St. Mary for prayers and blessings, but St. Mary would go to them for Eucharist. I feel that if the servants and the youth have this concept clear in their minds, it's a good door for the rest of the topic
  - And this is the equality God has for us. And equality doesn't delete the fact that women has a role as well as men. No person on earth was/is greater than St. Mary, but she was never a priest, never administered any sacraments. The apostles also know and appreciate St. Mary so much that they would go for her opinion/blessings/prayers. St. John never left Jerusalem until her body's assumption.
  - God picked men to be the apostles, but also the women to anointed his body.
    But He also picked EVERYONE to be His disciple (you mentioned this part)
- Similarities and differences in men and women
Station 2: Does it fulfill God's will?
- Responsible Servants: Morcous, Mirolla, Andrew
- Feminism is the advocacy of women, and God's will is for the equality of men and women... so is feminism fulfilling God's will?
- This station should focus on the topic of Abortion
- Some believe that abortion is fundamental to the functioning of a woman... (e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZYQpge1W5s 12:00 "I think abortion rights are fundamental to women being able to function as full humans in society") and they call this feminism
- Some people ask why do we let a person live without a father? abortion is a solution for this. Why would someone that got raped live with a baby that she didn't want? abortion is a solution
  The real answer for these is that God has a plan (even if it seems unclear)
Station 3: Is it fair to everyone?
- Responsible Servants: Rafeek, Maivel, Maria
- Historically, Christianity was the first institution in the world to be openly for women and liberating to women...
  - Jesus accepted women to be His disciples, they had a very specific ministry (i.e. Luke 8) in providing financial support, meals, etc. He appeared to them first after His Resurrection
  - Christianity was open about accepting women and this attracted many women to join the faith in the Early Church
  - "There is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28)
- The feminist movement disregards all of this and calls the Church unfair to women and oppressive to women
- The feminist movement is unfair in its judgmental attitude towards the church
Station 4: Does it help build society?
- Responsible Servants: Jimmy, Christy, Ehab
- Promotion of independence and individuality
Closing Topic: Final Debate
- Responsible Servants: Susan + All Servants Participation

MSB Sunday School

2022-03-03 Parents Meeting

Topic: The Role of the MS Parent

Introduction

We are here today because we all love our Middle Schoolers and all of the children and youth of our church, and we want to work together and support each other in their upbringing
Purpose of Parents Meetings
- To see how we can work together - servants and parents - in the lives of these children
- To shed some light on some of the things that we, the servants, are seeing in the church that maybe you are not seeing at home
- Many parents are regularly communicating with us one by one about their children - this is a great thing. In those conversations, sometimes we noticed common themes among all of the children so we wanted to address them here
One of the common themes is regarding the role of the parent
- Please don't take this the wrong way!
- All of you are wonderful parents who have raised amazing children - these kids are extremely smart (sometimes too smart), and very kind - they love one another, they help each other, they make friends... God bless you and may they grow to be successful in every aspect of their life.
- But the reason that we chose this topic is because sometimes there is a HESITANCY in the role of the parent
  - One might say "Well America is different from Egypt"
  - Another might say "Well the times are different from when I was young and my parents raised me"
  - And some might confuse or mix the role of the parent with the role of the Church
- So we want to clarify today some of the most important roles of the parent in the upbringing of their children
We all want to see our children successful and growing in every aspect of their life
- to grow healthy, to grow mentally, to grow emotionally and socially, to grow spiritually
- "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." (Luke 2:52)
We have to keep in mind what St Paul described for the Corinthians:
"So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase." (1 Cor 3:7)
- So whatever we discuss today, it will be practical applications and exercises and examples, but in the back of all of it, we have our God who loves us and who is always working and bringing the increase, and we must depend on Him for the fruits. We can plant and water, but He will bring the fruit.
- But we still need to plant and water and do our part - both as parents and as servants

The Parent: The Spiritual Enabler

Exercises
- Read the Bible with your child
- Stand in prayer with your child
- Follow-up with their spiritual education - what are they learning in Sunday School? What are they learning in Bible Study?
- Ask about their hymns class, and learn the hymn with them
- Bring your child EARLY for the Liturgical Services and stay until the end (i.e. of the Praises)
- Bring your child on the day of Confession and remind them with the sacrament of repentance and confession
- Make vegan food at home during the fasts of the church including Wednesday and Friday
- Give them an allowance to use for alms and tithing
This is the very basic necessity in the job of the parent
- The Middle Schooler cannot drive... that's on the parent
- The Middle Schooler cannot cook... that's on the parent
- The Middle Schooler cannot bring in income... that's on the parent!
The Middle Schooler needs encouragement to read the Bible and to stand in prayer... at this point in their life, they may not yet be finding benefit in prayer and in Scripture, but this is the point in their life to build good habits
Enable them in their good habits instead of in their bad habits
- If the kid is addicted to his phone, and the parents are getting the latest upgrades and newer phones for him
- If the kid is struggling to wake up for the liturgy, and the parents say "well I can't wake him up" - so what? Will we leave him to perish? Are you expecting someone else to come and wake him up? This is the time to build good habits!
- If the kid doesn't want to fast... make vegan food! And make GOOD vegan food! A middle schooler will not survive on salt and water during Lent, they are not an ascetic! Build the habit of fasting and when they get older, they will find the ascetic part of it
- If the kid has some friends that are negatively influencing him... why do you let them hang out with those friends? And we do sleepovers for them and go to the park or whatever and they miss liturgy or Vespers with their friend... why enable the bad habits?
One of the major roles - and the easiest role - of the parent is to Enable Good Habits and Spiritual Habits

The Parent: The Spiritual Model

But to enable and to do it with them is not enough - the parent must also be a spiritual MODEL
- "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)
If you tell your son/daughter to pray, or to read the Bible, they won't listen. But if they see you doing it, then it's a different story... if you're telling them to pray but you are not praying, then it is not authentic. If you, yourself, don't believe in the power of prayer, then how will you convince your child to believe in it?
- This is exactly what happened in Luke 11
- "Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.' So He said to them, 'When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name..." (Luke 11:1-4)
- The disciples saw Him praying first... and then they asked: "Lord, teach us to pray"
Exercises:
- Let them see you pray
- Let them see you read the Scripture
- Let them see you sit down for confession
- Let them see you attending the liturgy from the beginning - not dropping them off and going home
- Let them see you fasting! It's not enough to make vegan food for them, and you are eating something else... actually this will have the opposite effect
On the other hand, our children sometimes see and hear things from their parents that they shouldn't
- They hear you on the phone with your friend or your sister or your mom - are you gossiping? Criticizing?
- They hear the kind of music you listen to in your car and in the house
- They see the kind of TV Shows and Movies you are watching
- One of the things we are seeing in the Middle School boys and girls now is they are "shipping" each other - "shipping" comes from "relationship" - "Oh flan and flanna look good with each other" - and they start to develop inappropriate relationships with each other... and when we tried to address it with them they said "no no our moms agree! My mom was telling the other moms" - Excuse me?
Our children - especially in the Middle School age - are following the MODEL that is being set for them
We expect that when we give a lesson in the class, the parent will model it in the home
- We give the lesson about Repentance and Confession, but it's not enough - we need Abouna to make time to accept their confession, we need the parent to bring them for their confession date, and we need the parent to be a model for them
- We give a lesson about alcohol or about dancing in parties... but then if the parent takes their child to a wedding reception and exposes them to all of those things, and more than that the parent is doing those things - then the lesson was useless... actually the lesson had the opposite effect now.

The Parent: A Guard and Protector

Monitor their phone and their social media
- This is very important
- Read their messages between their friends - what kind of language are they using, and what kind of language are their friends using?
- See what is coming up on their social media and their Instagram - what kind of pictures and videos are they being exposed to?
- See what apps are on their phone, and what apps they are using the most
Learn
- Learn how to use these apps
- Learn how to use these phones
- Learn the language that your kids are speaking
- If there's something you don't understand - ask them!
- Following them on these apps is not enough!
Get to know their friends
- Invite their friends to your house
- Listen to the kinds of conversations they are having
- What kind of language are they using?
- When you bring them to your house and under your watch, you are controlling the environment
Know what is going on at school and at church
- Who are their teachers?
- What values do their teachers have?
- What is being taught at school?
- What agenda does the school or the teachers have?
- What kind of friends and classmates do they have?
- They know more than think
  - Don't think you are exposing them to worldly things
  - Don't be surprised with what they know
  - Let them come to you with their questions
    - Don't tell them they're too young, etc or else they will go elsewhere with their questions that is not a parent or servant.
Protect them from evil at night
- The devil's domain is in darkness - when the rest of the house is sleeping, and one is awake in the house, the devil would love to attack
- Encourage an early bed time
- No phones in the bedroom
Teach your child to stand up for themselves and to stand up for the TRUTH
Teach your child about boundaries
- What boundaries need to be between boys and girls, and what boundaries between their friends of the same gender
  - Boys will want to play rough with each other - and that's okay
  - Girls will want to hug each other and walk arm in arm - and that's okay
  - It's NOT okay for a boy to play rough with a girl
  - It's NOT okay for a boy to lay his hands on a girl - either in a violent way or in an endearing way
  - It's NOT okay for a girl to walk arm in arm with a boy
  - It's NOT okay for a boy to take a picture of another boy - especially a compromising picture - and show it his friends or to the girls
  - There are some conversations between boys and girls that are NOT appropriate
- We are starting to see some of these boundaries being crossed between our boys and girls - and it is happening on Wednesday nights after the Bible Study when the parents are late to take their children. This is why we are stressing the pickup times - we do not have servants to be with the kids at that time, because we have other services that day. We have a time for playing and hanging out in the church which is Friday for almost 1.5hr. So we need the parent to do their part in guarding and protecting their children from these things, as well as teaching them about boundaries.
Don't be afraid of "losing the trust" or "losing the friendship" with your child
- If they like you, but they perish, then what have you gained?
- It is good for them to trust you, for them to feel comfortable talking to you, for them to enjoy spending time with you - but not at the expense of protecting them from evil

The Parent: In Correction and Reproof

Make sure they understand how the punishment fits the crime
- If they are using their phone inappropriately - take their phone for a set time
- If they are using bad language on XBOX - take the XBOX for a set time
- If they get a bad grade at school - what's the reason? Find the reason first before going to the discipline part, or else the punishment may not fit the crime
Discipline in a way that is befitting of you (as a Christian) and of them (as your beloved son/daughter)
- Sometimes we forget that we are Christians when it comes time to discipline
- Sometimes we forget that we love our son and daughter when it comes time to discipline
Correction by encouragement as much as possible
- "the carrot not the stick"
- "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21)
What is the result of your disciplinary action?
- Anger, Fighting, Tears?
- Joy, Peace, Growth, Connection, Understanding?
It is more important for your child to know that what they did is wrong, or the path they are walking leads to death, or that they have made a mistake - than to fear what happens if they make another mistake
Set an example in the way that you correct and reproof and discipline

The Role of the Church

What is the role of the Sunday School Servant?
Spiritual Teaching
- To give the clear teaching of the Church to our children
- We are teaching them the Sound Doctrine, the Interpretation of Scripture, the Church History, the Saints, the Rituals, the Hymns.
- We are teaching them about what to be careful of and how to deal with certain situations at school
- We are teaching them how to identify with themselves and understand their identity
- We are teaching them how to grow in virtue and how to reject vice
- We are teaching them to obey their parents after they obey the commandment of the Lord
- As we read in Deuteronomy 6, spiritual teaching is really the role of the parent, but by God's grace, we are helping
Koinonia (Fellowship)
- To pray as a group
- To deal with each other in a group setting
- To deal with spiritual brothers and sisters
- To play together in a Christian Environment
- To help resolve disputes among our children
Supporting the Parents
- We have a symbiotic relationship - we have to work together
- It is very nice when we see parents who are so concerned for their children and they are meeting with the servants and following up with them and taking advice and asking about their child, etc. but more importantly than that - taking ACTIONS after those conversations
- We are here to support you in the upbringing of your children

Conclusion

We all gathered today because we all share a common interest - your children. Abouna loves your children, we love your children, and of course, you love your children.
Our children are living in a world that is moving in the wrong direction, and that has many problems, and we want them to grow mentally, physically, spiritually and socially
We want them to find success in every aspect of their life
We want them to be a light of the world that shines before all men
We are working together - the parents, the servants, Abouna - remembering that "neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase." (1 Cor 3:7)
Let us depend on the Lord for the upbringing of our children, all the while doing our part and supporting each other in our roles

Technology Tutorial

We will talk a little bit about how to check and monitor some of these apps
As a parent, you are responsible for knowing how to use these apps and for monitoring what your child is looking at, who they are talking to, what they are talking about

Not Recommended

Needs Monitoring

TikTok

Snapchat

Discord

Instagram

iMessage

Signal

What to look for
- What are the group names?
- Who is in the group?
- What kind of pictures are shared in this group?
- What kind of language is being used in this group?
- One on One Conversations - especially between opposite genders
- Who are they following on Instagram?
How to Monitor
- Instagram following
- Instagram DMs
- iMessage, WhatsApp, Signal
- Photos
- Hidden Photos
- "Recently Deleted"
- Web Browser History

MSB Sunday School

Responsibility as a Deacon

Introduction

Deaconship is a RESPONSIBILITY
- We typically take being a deacon for granted
- We might treat it like a costume that we wear on Sunday morning, or a privilege to do certain things (e.g. enter the Sanctuary, say certain responses, stand in a chorus, etc.)
- We might think it's "a blessing on Sunday"
- It is certainly a privilege and a blessing... but more than that, it is a RESPONSIBILITY
The idea of a deacon is present in the Scripture in the New Testament, but it is also in the Old Testament with the concept of the Levites. The Levites played the role that we would now call "Deacon"
The word Deacon means "Servant" in Greek
We will examine the Responsibilities of the Deacon from three angles
- The Responsibilities and Duties defined in Scripture
- The Responsibilities and Duties assigned to you at your ordination
- The Responsibilities and Duties in the history of the Church as recorded in the Canons

Activity

Split into three groups
One will examine the Scripture, one will examine the rites of ordination, the third will examine the Canons
Each group needs to arrive at a list of responsibilities that are entrusted to us as deacons
Share with the rest of the group
Each individual can rate himself 1-10 on his responsibility as a deacon

Scripture

Sources (Coptic Reader/Bible)
- Acts 6:1-7
- 1 Timothy 3:8-13
- Nehemiah 8:5-8
Responsibilities of the Deacon
- To maintain a good reputation (Acts 6:3)
- To be filled with the Holy Spirit and Wisdom (Acts 6:3)
- To be reverent and watch our tongue (1 Timothy 3:8)
- To refrain from alcohol and money and the lusts of the world (1 Timothy 3:8)
- To keep the faith with a pure conscience (1 Timothy 3:9)
- Be found blameless (1 Timothy 3:10)
- Reading in a way that "gives the sense" and "helps the people to understand the reading" (Nehemiah 8:8)

Rites of Ordination

Sources (Coptic Reader)
- Special --> Consecrations --> Ordinations --> Chanter --> Litanies
- Special --> Consecrations --> Ordinations --> Reader --> Litanies
Responsibilities of the Deacon
- To sing the hymns, chants and spiritual songs
- To chant from the heart
- To chant with understanding
- To refrain from pride and boasting
- To read and meditate on the Scripture
- To proclaim the words of the Old and New Testament
- To expound to the people the right precepts
- To learn each one of the readings of the Scriptures

Church Canons

Sources (To be printed)
- https://www.dropbox.com/s/q1i66ewg6fozmyb/Canons%20of%20Diaconate.pdf?dl=0
Responsibilities of the Deacon
- To care for the spiritual life
- To receive the Eucharist in the Liturgy
- To guard oneself from sins but especially public sins that are stumbling blocks
- To accept the repentant sinner
- To avoid sinful places
- To speak good of the Clergy
- To speak good of those who have disabilities (e.g. don't make fun of "autism")
- To fast the Great Fast and Wednesdays and Fridays
- To chant with intelligence and constancy (faithfulness)

MSB Sunday School

Responsibility in Boundaries

Introduction

Everyone has boundaries
- There are certain things you would not be okay with someone doing to you (e.g. hitting you) or saying to you
- There are certain things you are not willing to do with someone
- These are boundaries
We have to know how to:
- Set Boundaries
- Maintain Boundaries
- Enforce Boundaries

Activity: Circle of Trust

Describe the concept of concentric circles
Fill out the Circles of Trust
- https://www.dropbox.com/s/jwdbb1al529o08o/Circles%20of%20Trust.pdf?dl=0
We have to be able to differentiate between these groups and where every single person fits
Then we have to know which Boundaries to set
This decision is influenced by:
- The Scripture (e.g. the Books of Wisdom, Proverbs, and Sirach)
- Our Orthodox Faith
- Lived experience
- Guidance from parents, servants, priest
Within each of these circles of trust, there are even subcategories and different boundaries with different people
- I cannot have the same boundaries with my male friends as with my female friends
- I cannot have the same boundaries with my brother as with my sister

Boundaries with Friends

There is a difference between how I act, talk, etc. with my male friends than with my female friends
Boundaries in Touch
- It is okay to play rough with your male friends
- It is not okay to play rough with a female friend
- It is okay to greet your male friend when you see him with a "pound hug" (dap + embrace)
- A playful touch with a male friend is okay... with a female friend is not okay
- It is not okay to greet your female friend with a hug
- Your anatomy is different from her anatomy
- There are parts of your body that are only available to the center circle - to yourself
- The same goes for your friends' bodies
Boundaries in Speech and Messaging
- It is not okay to talk about puberty or sex with a female friend
- It is not okay to comment on a girl's looks or her body - positively or negatively
- It is not okay to comment on a girl's clothing or makeup - positively or negatively
- It is not okay to use sexual language or discuss sexual acts with anyone - male or female
- It's not okay to "ship" people
Boundaries in Time
- It is not okay to be one-on-one with a girl at any time
- It is okay to go out with a group of your male and female friends (with parental approval)
- It's not okay to text a girl one-on-one for long periods of time, or after certain times of day (e.g. 9pm)
- It's not okay to have group chats without a specific purpose that contain both males and females

Setting, Maintaining, Enforcing Boundaries

Boundaries define us. They define what is me and what is not me. A boundary shows me where I end and someone else begins, leading me to a sense of ownership. Boundaries help us keep the good in and the bad out. Setting boundaries inevitably involves taking responsibility for your choices.
Remove yourself from situations that cross the line
Address Conflicts head-on with kindness
- If someone tries to get you to cross a boundary, address it
- Just say no
Reporting to an adult

Virtuous Women Fellowship

2025-11-16: Virtuous Women

Parable of the 10 Virgins

Matthew 25:

¹¹“Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ ¹²But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
What does it mean to be known by God?
- "But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him."

To Love God is the main goal of our Spiritual Life

Love God

St Basil says people follow God out of fear, obedience or love. I still need to fear and obey God, but need to love Him.
- “Who can please God? Either we please Him fearing tortures and then we are in the state of a slave; or we fulfill the commandments of God in hope of reward, for our own benefit, and therefore we are like hirelings; or we do good for the sake of good itself, and then we are in the state of a son. For, when a son reaches mature age and reason, fulfills the will of his father not because he fears punishment, and not in order to receive a reward from him, but because he cherishes a special love for him and reveres him as his father, he loves him and is convinced that all the possessions of his father belong to him also. Such a one is able to hear (Gal. 4:7), Thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. Surely he no longer fears God, as we have said, by that initial fear, but he loves Him, as also St. Anthony said, "I no longer fear God, but I love Him."
“But who are those who love Him? They are, so to speak, such as are like-

minded with Him, and anxious to follow in His footsteps” - St Cyril (Commentary on Luke)
“If the clear proof of love for Him is keeping His commands or His word, the opposite surely also would be true. The proof of refusing to love Him is to pay no attention to His command and to thrust aside what He has ordered as if it came from those who habitually do evil.” - St Cyril (Commentary on John)
“So the person who chooses to live without love is not in God, instead

lying outside of a relationship with God” - St Cyril (Commentary on the Twelve Prophets)

How to Love God

Purity of Heart
- "For the sake of the principal goal, which is purity of heart or love" - St John Cassian (Conferences)
Repentance
- St Ephraim “for she loved much”
With all your soul, mind. Strength
- Emotion/faith + Actions (see HHPS 10 Concepts)
Discernment (St Peter)
- St Peter Loved but without discernment. He didn’t know his limits.
- St Antony quote
Love others
- "Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’" (Matthew 22)
  - If I love the Lord with all my heart, then there won't be anything left in my heart to love others with.... because my love for others is THROUGH my love for God.
- If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

How to Love Others

ACTIVITY
- Split into groups and each group take 1-3 of the characteristics of Love and share some examples of it in womanhood, marriage and motherhood
- Share what the difficulty is
- Share one thing we can do THIS WEEK to grow in love with this characteristic
1 Cor 13
- Even moving mountains without love is nothing
- Love suffers long (patient) and is kind
  - Someone who suffers long, for the sake of loving God, he endures insults against him or bad behavior against him.
  - So if I love my kids and my young child is having a meltdown - instead of yelling, I am patient.
  - If I love my husband and he is working on improving in certain areas for himself and for our marriage, then I have to be patient with his growth and give him time to grow
  - If I love my friend and she is venting to me and she keeps repeating the same thing over and over again and it's long, let me be patient and give her the chance to vent
- Love is Kind
  - Bringing a meal to someone going through illness or stress.
  - Writing a note of encouragement to someone feeling discouraged.
  - Speaking gently even when correcting someone.
  - Smiling at a stranger who looks upset or lonely.
- Love does not envy
  - He who loves will rejoice and be glad for the growth of others (spiritual, intellectual, physical, social, emotional)
  - Jonathan loved David to the point that he said to him "You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you" (1 Samuel 23:17)
  - Celebrating another woman’s success — pregnancy, promotion, spiritual gift — without comparing.
  - Rejoicing when someone else is praised, even if you feel unnoticed.
  - Not feeling threatened when another servant is loved or talented.
- Love does not Boast
  - Apologizing first, even if you believe you’re only partly wrong.
  - Being willing to learn from someone younger or less experienced.
  - Accepting advice without defensiveness.
- Is Not Rude
  - Mean-spirited, insulting of others
  - Not interrupting during conversations.
  - Not speaking harshly or sarcastically to make a point.
  - Respecting boundaries and personal space.
- Love does not seek its own
  - Doesn't act pushy
  - Giving someone else the preferred seat or last piece of food.
  - Supporting your spouse or friend even when it’s inconvenient.
  - Serving without expecting anything in return — not even a thank you.
- Love is not provoked
  - Angered
  - Choosing not to take offense at small things.
  - Letting go of overreacting when children make mistakes or messes.
- Love thinks no evil; - in other translations "Does not keep records of wrongs"
  - Doesn't keep score
  - Do I keep score of my husband or my kids? Or my friends? How many times they didn't wash the dishes, or clean their room, or put their shoes away, or didn't listen. What if they didn't listen 7 times or even 7x70 times,
  - Not bringing up past mistakes during arguments.
  - Forgiving without reminding someone of their failures.
  - Erasing the “list” of hurts rather than storing them in memory.
- Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth
  - Does not rejoice when others fall into sin
  - Is joyful when righteousness prevails
  - Not enjoying gossip or bad news about someone you dislike.
  - Being happy when a person repents or changes instead of saying, “I told you so.”
  - Speaking truth lovingly even when it’s hard to say or hear.
- Love bears all things
  - Handles the burdens of others
  - Defending someone’s reputation when others speak negatively.
  - Praying for your family’s spiritual and emotional safety.
  - Keeping confidences instead of sharing private matters.
- Love believes all things
  - Giving someone the benefit of the doubt instead of assuming bad intention.
  - Believing in your children even when they struggle.
  - Trusts in God, no matter what
- Love hopes all things
  - Keeps looking up, does not despair
  - Encouraging a friend who wants to give up.
  - Believing that God can restore a difficult marriage or rocky friendship or a troubled child.
  - Seeing potential in someone others have given up on.
- Love endures all things
  - "puts up with everything" and doesn't wear out
  - Staying faithful in prayer for someone for years.
    - A mother who is waiting for her son to come back to the Lord, or to come back to her - she doesn’t reach a certain point and stop waiting. Or she says “I’ve waited long enough” - because she loves him. So she is patient. Even if she is suffering - she waits. She suffers long. Because she loves her son.
  - Continuing to serve even when tired or unappreciated.
  - Holding on through sickness, financial hardship, or spiritual dryness.
- Love never fails
  - Will never be destroyed
  - Lasts forever
Discussion:
- Which of these is the hardest one to practice

Youth Meeting

2022-10-04: Dealing with Burnout (OCCM)

Visual Aid

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1dd74ty6rcbm8vg/Dealing%20with%20Burnout.pptx?dl=0

Introduction

I’m very happy to be joining you here today at OCCM and here at UCF – I graduated from UCF in 2013 and I haven’t actually been back on Campus since then. And we didn’t have OCCM back then, we had OCF (Orthodox Christian Fellowship). OCF at UCF – not sure if that is still around or not. The topic that we have for you today is one that most college students struggle with these days. Dealing with Burnout. Raise your hand here if you’ve experienced burnout before… yeah, let me tell you – it doesn’t get easier.

But today, God willing, we’ll talk through some of the causes of Burnout and some exercises to help deal with burnout.

Exodus 18 - Burnout is Not Good

Let's start by opening the Scripture and reading together from Exodus 18. At this point in the story of the Exodus, Moses has taken the Israelites - the people of God - out of Egypt and they’ve crossed the Red Sea and God is sending them manna from heaven and God gave them water from a rock. God has been doing wonders in their sight. And now we'll read about Jethro - Moses' father in law - coming to visit Moses and the Israelites from his own land.

⁷So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him. And they asked each other about their well-being, and they went into the tent. ⁸And Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them on the way, and how the Lord had delivered them. ⁹Then Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the Lord had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. ¹⁰And Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. ¹¹Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them.” ¹²Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and other sacrifices to offer to God. And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

¹³And so it was, on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening. ¹⁴So when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit, and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?”

¹⁵And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. ¹⁶When they have a difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.”

¹⁷So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good. ¹⁸Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself. ¹⁹Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you: Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God. ²⁰And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do. ²¹Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. ²²And let them judge the people at all times. Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for they will bear the burden with you. ²³If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their place in peace.”

²⁴So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. ²⁵And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. ²⁶So they judged the people at all times; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves.

²⁷Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way to his own land.

So in this chapter we see that Jethro, Moses' father in law, came and spent time with Moses. Moses told him all the things God did with them. Then Jethro offered a burnt offering to God. Then he kind of just observed Moses. He saw that Moses stood "from morning to evening" listening to the people's problems and judging between them.

So Moses basically had a never-ending todo list. Do you know how many Israelites walked out of Egypt with Moses? It's estimated 2.4 million. Moses is standing from morning to evening with the people lined up. It would be impossible to ever finish. And it's not like he's doing things that are pointless or of no value. They're important! He's helping people. He's serving God. He's being a leader.

How many of us have a todo list of things that never seems to get shorter? As you get older it only gets longer. I remember my to-do lists...

When I was in College, I had my schoolwork, my Sunday School Service, my deacons service. I kept telling myself “wow I can’t wait until I graduate, I’m gonna have so much more time”
And then I graduated and I started working… and work takes way more time than school ever did… and the service kept increasing, and I started to serve in the Asaph Hymns Institute
And a year later I started grad school
Then I bought a house, got married, had kids
The list NEVER gets smaller. I remember when I was doing grad school and I told my wife the same thing I said in College "I can't wait to finish grad school I'm gonna have so much extra time." And she said stop talking crazy. You're just gonna find something else... sure enough I joined LEAD right before graduation and started looking into Seminary right after.

So Moses was in that same situation but x100! And Jethro was clear with him "the thing that you do is not good. Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out." Jethro was clearly telling Moses - you're going to get burned out. And he recognized that burnout is NOT a good thing. Remember that by this time Moses was over 80 years old. So he gave Moses some advice - write out God's law for the people, and put judges over them - rulers of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. And Moses heeded his father in law's advice.

So it's established here pretty early in the Bible - and pretty early in human society that burnout is a bad thing. And we aren’t the first ones to experience burnout. And there are solutions and exercises to burnout.

Outline

One strategy that I learned from Abouna Daoud a long time ago was to treat something like burnout as a disease.

A disease manifests as symptoms, and then you find out the Diagnosis (in this case Burnout) and you start to look for the root cause while pursuing treatment plans. It's the same with burnout. We will look at the Symptoms, some common Root causes and some treatment plans.

And in general, I’ll say that we’re going to look at it holistically – we’ll see the Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual Symptoms, Root Causes, Treatments.

Let’s start with Symptoms. I’m going to show you two very short videos - about 10 seconds each - of people who are burned out. People of completely different backgrounds, ages, genders, etc. They are burned out for completely different reasons, but they respond to burnout in exactly the same way.

Symptoms

Video 1 (Alexandra)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9k73p2kpy4sm1ve/Alexandra%20Burnout.mp4?dl=0

This is my daughter Alexandra about 3 years ago. She had a very long and difficult day with a very hectic and full schedule. She had to wake up at the crack of dawn - 11:30am. She then was forced to change her diaper and eat breakfast. She had about two hours of play time. And then had to go down for a nap. After a three hour nap, she had about two more hours of play time before having to eat dinner. Then another hour of play time before her dad came home. Then she had another four hours of play time with him. At that point the day was long and she was burnt out. We’ll watch a few seconds of her reaction here

Video 2 (Malcolm in the Middle)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xi1yq8ubc41l4nh/Hal%20Lightbulb%201080p.mp4?dl=0

This second example is from an old show called Malcolm in the Middle.

I love this clip. It's hilarious; it gets me every time. But look how he responded to his wife - "WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE I'M DOING??" This is a man dealing with some real burnout. He's been changing a lightbulb for probably four hours.

Symptom 1: Stress

Stress is a bad thing that is not normal; not created for us by God. God created humans and didn't intend for them to have stress.

Stress is closer to being a sickness - like the flu. And sometimes you won't feel stressed out and think "oh I need to do more" - can you imagine if you didn't have the flu and thought "oh I need to go get the flu" - of course not!

So stress is a physical symptom of Burnout, and one that I’m sure all of you are familiar with.

Symptom 2: Lack of Productivity

Another symptom of burnout is being less productive. And this is a mental thing – it’s the Law of Diminishing Returns.

The more you try to do in less time, the less productive it will be. The higher the quantity, the lower the quality.

Imagine you are reading 30 pages of a book in an hour and it's taking the whole hour. Then you up it to 40 pages in an hour. You’ll get less from the 40 pages than you got from the 30 pages.

It’s like a farmer who has two people help him run the farm and they get everything done in a timely manner. So he hires two more... he starts to make less money! Because even though he has more employees, he only has three wheelbarrows! Each person is doing less work than before.

When we are burned out - doing too much, trying to fill our time, etc. we become less productive.

This happens to me all the time. I look at the list of things I have to do - I have this and this assignment for work, I have assignments for school, exams to study for, sunday school lesson to prepare, and whatever else - sometimes I will look at this list and I’ll stare at it for like 10min, I’ll write it out in ten different ways, and then I'll go play video games.

Symptom 3: Sacrificing Relationships

We also find that we sacrifice relationships with others when we’re burned out. Someone asks you to go out or to spend time together and we say “I wish I could man but I’m so busy. I have to study for this and that and I have work and etc.” And actually we start to isolate ourselves and this isn’t good for us.

Symptom 4: Deaf to the Voice of God

Probably the most important, most common, and most affected symptom is that we simply can't hear God's voice.

The Lord said in the Psalms "Be still and know that I am God" – but when I’m burnt out, there is no “being still” or “knowing God.” When I’m burnt out, the first thing I’m going to sacrifice is my prayer and Scripture time. It’s the first thing I won’t have time for. Sometimes I may even sacrifice my Church time – I don’t have time for Vespers this week, I need to study. I don’t have time for Tasbeha this week, I have exams. Or I may be standing in the Church and I'm physically there, but mentally I am somewhere else completely... I'm thinking about all the things I need to do.

Conclusion

We saw these symptoms in both videos. Alexandra was definitely stressed. And standing there crying about it wasn’t going to make her any more productive. And she wasn’t about to stop crying on my behalf. And I don’t think she was thinking of God at that moment (or being still). The same with our friend Hank – stressed, less productive, not bothered by his relationship with his wife.

So we’ve essentially defined burnout. And usually when you are burnt out, we said the first thing you sacrifice is your Spiritual Life. Usually the second thing is sleep or your health – “I’m gonna stay up all night to get this done”; or just chowing down on fast food and chips. Usually the third thing is relationships. And the last thing we’ll sacrifice is the things that are burning us out in the first place.

Root Causes

So now we’re going to go through four root causes. These are not all the root causes. And our goal today isn’t that you memorize them, but try and see what you relate to. You may relate to one or more of them. You may not be burned out right now, but you feel burnt out at other times. So try and relate to one or more of these.

For each one, we will see some examples of it, and then we’ll see the appropriate Treatment for it, of course using the Scripture and the Church Fathers as our guides.

And you’ll notice that most of our treatments are spiritual in nature. We’ll have some practical applications, of course, but do you have any idea why our treatments must be spiritual in nature?

Because we are spiritual in nature! We are physical and spiritual. Outward man who is perishing, is physical. Our inner man who is being renewed day by day is spiritual. And we focus on nourishing our outward man; our physical, but we forget to nourish our Spiritual. And it’s unfortunate because it is our Spiritual Man that will help us navigate the world and give us strength to complete the things we commit to, and revitalize us from burn out.

In any case, let us go through each of these root causes one by one.

Root Cause 1: Fast-Paced Life

Fast food - when it came out it was revolutionary. Walk in, pay, get food quickly. No sitting or waiting. A little while later they got rid of the walk-in step! Even faster. Now they're making it even faster! In the app, you put in your order so they know what it is before you even get there. All of this to shave off a few seconds. These apps cost thousands of dollars to produce... and probably millions to distribute and implement. And all of that to save you a few seconds.
Internet – obviously revolutionary. Most revolutionary invention of the 20th Century – completely changed the course of humanity. We have answers at our fingertips. Ask a question, translate a word, find a picture of something, remember the name of an actor in a movie and you don’t even remember the name of the movie. Fast-paced life. Sometimes when we don’t have signal on our phone, or the internet is slow, we get so anxious. We might even get mad at the phone. We’re not used to waiting.
Social Media and Texting – we no longer have to call someone and exchange pleasantries or anything like that. Shoot off a text “Hey man hope you’re doing well. I was wondering…” and put it in the back of your mind. And if someone doesn’t reply within a few minutes – God forbid if your phone tells you that he READ the message and still didn’t reply. We have these crazy thoughts going through our head. And actually this also contributes to burnout because we are not satisfying our social needs to actually see people and read their faces and hear their voices and feel their touch.
Driving – People (especially in Orlando) are willing to risk their lives and limbs to shave off a few seconds. Weaving through traffic, cutting off 18 wheeler trucks, whatever it might be. All of that to save a few seconds. Sometimes not even because they get stuck at a red light and everyone they passed comes right back to them.

This fast-paced, always-busy life leads to being overtired or fatigued which are other words for burnout.
We are ALWAYS running

So what do you think the treatment is?

Treatment 1: Rest and Retreat

Rest: Remember that the fourth commandment in the OT is to honor the Sabbath. Keep the Sabbath holy. The day of rest. So this is a commandment from God and not just any commandment it's one of THE ten commandments. Like the top ten list. Raise your hand if you've never murdered. Raise your hand if you've never stolen. If you've never committed adultery. Great. We always say those are the important ones. But keeping the Sabbath and resting - we never really consider that one. But God had it right there in the top five. That means it's important!

Some people say "I don't rest because the devil never rests" - when did the devil become your role model?? God, Himself, rested. He took time - 1/7 of the time to admire His creation and rest on the seventh day. Are we more capable than God??? This was also the solution for Moses - delegate so that he can rest. So how do we rest? What do we mean by rest?

We ALWAYS get this wrong. The true concept of Rest that was assigned by God for the Sabbath and performed by God in the 7th Day of Creation is not what we think it is today. Today we think Rest is sleeping all day, or rest is playing video games and just numbing our mind. But the true concept of Rest is to Delight. When God rested on the seventh day, He didn’t just leave humanity and the world to do what they wanted - He admired His creation. Genesis tells us that God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. Rest doesn't mean running errands, or numbing our mind, or just going to sleep. It means delight. Delight in three things...

Delighting in ourselves – The Physical and Mental Rest come from delighting in ourselves.
- Physically resting of course is the Physical rest - this is what even Moses had to do.
- Mental rest comes from doing something you love - if you love painting, reading, cooking, programming, singing, playing games, solving puzzles, playing sports, woodworking. Having healthy hobbies to do in moderation and that give you rest. It's important to have time to ourselves to do the things we love. And we use those things to glorify the Lord in His Creation and in using and revitalizing the mind and the talents that He gives us.
Delighting in others - Emotional Rest comes from delighting in others.
- Spending time with family or friends. Talking to them, sharing with them, relating to them. Sometimes we let Social Media numb this idea for us, but it hits different when you’re physically with someone. You see their facial expressions, hear their voice, feel their touch. And it’s healthy – we need it.
- Sometimes you spend time with family or friends and you get home – even though it was a long day, even if you did something labor intensive – and you just feel rested. Delighted.
Delighting in the Lord – This is Spiritual Rest.
- Reading His word. His Psalms. Singing hymns. Speaking to Him. Remember that the true rest comes from God.
- Giving yourself retreat. Look what St. Paul writes in Hebrews: "For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls." (Hebrews 12:3)
- Remember the words that David wrote in the Psalms - "Be still and know that I am God" - to hear God's voice, and to rest spiritually means to be still. To have some quiet time to hear God's voice and delight in God's presence.

If life is fast-paced, then the solution is to Be Still.

How do we do it Practically? A concept called “Retreat”

The Lord, Himself, practiced the concept of Retreat.
- We read in Luke 4, after the Lord cast out a demon in the Synagogue of Capernaum, and then healed Peter’s Mother-in-Law the same day, and then that night, “all those who were sick with diverse diseases were brought unto Him and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them”, what did He do the next morning?
- He departed and went into a deserted place.
We need to practice Retreat. We need to escape the fast-paced life and we need to do it on a regular basis.

Imagine if someone was running a business and didn’t take inventory every day… he would just wait until his shelves were empty, and then order more stuff. The business would fail! He wouldn’t be ready for customers. No, he needs to take stock every day and see what needs to be ordered. So by the time the shelves are empty, he can restock them. This is the purpose of Retreat, to take inventory.

You can practice Daily Retreat in a very easy way every morning (or if your schedule doesn’t allow, then every evening). 20 Minutes per day. Read your Bible. Then give yourself some time to think and reflect about what you read, what you’re going to pray about, how you want your day to progress, what happened the last day and how to improve it, etc. And then stand for prayer.

As the Saint, HH Pope Kyrillos VI says, "there aren’t good or bad days – there are days with prayer and days without prayer."

Root Cause 2: Improper Concept of Satisfaction/Success

Some people have their whole lives mapped out based on salary.

I was visiting one of my 8th Grade Boys one year and I asked him what he wants to be when he grows up… he said “I wanna have passive income” – and I’m like “okay…. What’s the plan for that” – “well I wanna make my first million by 25 and then buy a bunch of real estate, hire someone to manage it all, and basically let it be passive income.” I was so surprised…
Another common one that I hear from Middle and High School Youth nowadays– they want to make YouTube videos and TikToks. Or they want to play Video Games on Twitch. And there’s no backup plan.

Sometimes we have an improper concept of satisfaction and success. We think that Success means having the most money or having fame – TikTok fame or YouTube fame. How many followers I have. But these things have no end. This is what the Lord says to Jeremiah about the Israelites.

“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)

The Lord is the fountain of living water. He is the satisfaction and the quenching of our thirst.
And we forsake Him, and then build for ourselves cisterns that cannot hold water. Standards that cannot be satisfied.

Goals that cannot be met.

I want to make my first million by 25 and my second million by 27, etc. It doesn’t end. There’s no upper limit to money.
We can get the most impressive car, and six months later there’s a more impressive one.
We have the best iPhone but the next year there’s a better iPhone.
Newest fashion, best shoes, most incredible handbag… and two weeks later it all needs to change.
We are concerned about our self-image – what do other people think of how I dress or what I drive or what phone or watch I have.
Or what headphones I have! Part of the reason Apple changes the designs of things so often is because now people can tell which version of Airpods you have in your ear. And you don’t want to be caught using the old ones.

All of these behaviors stem from an improper concept of satisfaction and success, and lead directly to burning out. In this case we burn out because we can’t keep up – and more than that, no matter how hard we try to keep up and if we do actually keep up, it doesn’t give us the Satisfaction that the Lord gives us.

People miss out on the most important parts of their life simple because they’re “grinding”

Husbands and wives miss out on the best parts of their marriage, because they want to work extra hours in the beginning and save up.
Parents miss the best parts of their kids’ upbringing, so they can work extra hours
Youth miss the best parts of their parents’ lives – the time when they live with their parents and can sit with them and talk to them and actually communicate and learn from their wisdom and teach them new things and establish a real relationship – just to take extra classes and finish a semester or a year early. Or to take a job on the side and have expendable income.

You won’t get these days back. It’s good to be goal-oriented and to have goals and to strive for them, but they should be reasonable, and you have to weight them against what you’ll be missing out on.

So what do you think is the Treatment for this one?

Treatment 2: Set your eyes above

The treatment here is to focus on Eternal Life. We read throughout the Scripture

“Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Colossians 3:2)
“Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you.” (Proverbs 4:25)
“For 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.” (Romans 8:5)
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

Set your eyes on the final goal. Look past this life that we are in, and into the next life that is to come and realize that THAT is your target to be achieved. The land of the living.

So what’s a practical exercise here? If you’re sitting here and you’re relating to this root cause and you want to change, what is your next step? In reality, whether you relate to this or not, we should all be taking this step which is to ask ourselves this question – “Is this for God’s glory?”

When I make a big purchase, when I decide on my major, when I choose what to wear, when I decide where to celebrate my birthday party, when I am picking places to go with my friends, let me live with this question: “Is this for God’s glory?” By doing this, wearing this, buying this, going there, will I be glorifying God? I wish we had bracelets that instead of “What would Jesus do” they said “Will this Glorify God?”

Set your eyes above the things of the earth.

Root Cause 3: Comparing Myself to Others

Another thing that I may be doing that is causing me to burnout is comparing myself to others. And this one is very dangerous. Just like the last one, comparing myself to others has no end.

We read in the Scripture that "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones." (Proverbs 14:30). Envy rots the bones.

When I compare myself to others, I can never find peace.

I want to be a manager because so-and-so is a manager, and I won’t rest until I’m a manager like so-and-so.
Well I work myself to the bone and I finally become manager, but guess what? There’s a district manager! Now I wanna be district manager, no matter what it takes… And if I’m really unlucky, so-and-so is the one who got promoted to district manager.
I want to switch my major to Biomedical Sciences because so-and-so is doing it. So-and-so got an internship, so I need to look for one. So-and-so is volunteering at the hospital, so I need to do that too. Our goal becomes to match or beat so-and-so and we lose sight of what is important.

We see this in the service as well

I want to serve in Sunday School because so-and-so is serving Sunday School. I want to be better than him or her!
I want to be ordained as a reader or a subdeacon because so-and-so is, and I know more hymns than him.
I can’t believe I got placed to serve in Kindergarten when so-and-so is serving in Middle School. I know more Bible than her

We also see the opposite where comparing myself to others gives me lower self-esteem

She’s serving in Middle School but I’m serving in Kindergarten. Maybe Abouna doesn’t think I can handle it. Maybe he thinks I’m not strong in the Bible.
All my friends my age got ordained Oghnostos except me… maybe it’s because I have a bad voice.
And all of these non-existent things live rent-free in my mind and this leads to Burnout

There is no peace and no end to envy. Envy rots the bones.

Of course envy itself can be its own discussion or series and can be studied very deeply, but here we are looking at Envy that leads to burnout.

So what is the treatment for that?

St Paul tells us to “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2)

Root Cause 4: Giving from what I don't have

Don't have time but still try to give it - Burnout
Don't have physical strength but still try to give it - Burnout
Don't have knowledge but still try to give it - Burnout

It ends up being a grind. Just excessive work. Basically trying to live a life that God has not given us - trying to do something that God didn't give us. Everyone is given something. Gifts, passions, capacities, etc. If we try to give outside of those capacities it leads to burnout.

Sometimes it's because others place expectations on us that are not in our capacity.

I was riding with HG Bishop Youssef in the car once and he was on a phone call with someone and HG sounded very frustrated. And after he hung up, he started to tell me "the people are expecting too much... the man has a legal problem. So I told him to consult a lawyer. I'm not a lawyer I'm a bishop. So he says I cannot afford a lawyer. So I told him to find a paralegal. He said 'I don't know any paralegals. Can you send me the phone number for one?' Again... I'm a bishop!!!' So I told him 'go on the internet and search paralegal in your area' And he said 'I don't have internet' - can you believe this? I told him take your computer and go to starbucks and search for a paralegal in your area."
Can you believe the expectation this person was laying on HGBY - HGBY who is managing the geographically largest diocese in the world, with almost 100 priests and 50 churches and even more communities? Who is shepherding thousands and thousands of people.
HG also told me another story about a man who called his priest and said "Abouna my wife kicked me out of the house can you go over there and get my suitcase with clothes in it" or a man who called his priest and said "Abouna can you take my wife to the airport“
Sometimes people place expectations on us that are outside our capacity.
- Is HGBY capable of looking up paralegals? Of course! But it would mean that something else that's more important falls through the cracks.
- Is Abouna capable of taking someone to the airport? Definitely! But it will mean something else doesn't get done.

Sometimes it's because we want to please others.

We want to satisfy others or make other people happy. It’s coming from a good place – maybe from Empathy or just a desire to see others happy. We look at others' needs and say “I have to fulfill them" and it leads to us burning out.

See what Solomon writes to us in the Proverbs – “it is a trap to dedicate something rashly and only later consider one’s vows” (Proverbs 20:25)

So what do you think the treatment is for this one?

Treatment 4: Learn to say no

It's much easier to get INTO a situation than to get out of it.

trouble
debt
relationship
weight problems
bad grades
fill up schedule as opposed to emptying a full schedule

Before making any decision or taking on anything new, I need to carefully consider it as Solomon wrote. I need to pray about it and let the Lord guide my decision. I need to see if it’s the right thing to do. I need to recognize that I have limits. I have bandwidth

Something that I do all the time:

I walk into the grocery store and I know EXACTLY what I'm getting. I'm getting milk for my kids, and a couple steaks for my wife and I.
So I walk into the store and I know I'm getting a gallon of milk and two steaks. I can carry that in my hands… I don’t need a cart. I don’t even need a basket. I walk right by them.
And I'm heading for the steaks when I see the specials right there at the front of the store... pasta is buy one get one free. Let me grab a few of those. Honeycrisp apples are on sale maybe a bag of those. I know the milk is coming so I'm saving room in my arms. But then I see the chicken is on sale - would be good to get it now instead of next week when it's more expensive. Let me pick that up.
And I'm balancing all this stuff and it's too much for me to carry. I finally get to the steaks and grab two. I go to the milk aisle and I don't know how I'm gonna carry this milk.
Why didn't I grab a basket? I didn't want to admit that I have limitations.
If I grab a basket, I will know when it's full. But if I don't have a basket, I could theoretically keep stacking things on top of each other infinitely. No limits!
And we do the same thing with our time and our capacities. We don't want to recognize that we have limits. That our bandwidth is limited.

So we need to recognize that. If I agree to something that is one hour... I need to also drop something else that's one hour. Always ask yourself "what is this going to cost me? What am I going to have to say no to by saying yes to this?" If we don't ask ourselves this question, what do you think will be most impacted? What is always the first to be impacted? My spiritual life. My bible time. My prayer time. My quiet time. And then my sleep and my physical health. So it's important to ask this question - if I take on this thing that will take an hour, then I'll lose an hour of studying today. Then maybe tomorrow to make up that hour, I'll have to buy a lunch instead of making my lunch.

With this also means learning to say no. If you can't say no... you're gonna have a bad time. It's much better to say "I'm sorry I can't" than to say yes and not do it. Remember the parable Christ told about the servant who did the will of his master.

Don’t say no to everything! But carefully and prayerfully consider something before saying yes to it.

Actually, if your keep your Spirit Nourished, then God the Holy Spirit will guide you to say no, and give you the strength to say no. Or guide you to say yes and give you the strength to complete what you obliged to yourself.

Conclusion

Review

So let’s go back to the Root Causes. What is the Treatment for each one?

Fast-Paced Busy Life – Rest and Retreat
Improper Concept of Satisfaction/Success – Set your eyes above – “Is this for God’s glory?”
Comparing ourselves to others – Share the Burden
Trying to give from what we don’t have – Learn to say no

What if I can't?

What if...

I don’t have time for rest…
I don’t have time to share the burden…
I don’t have time to consider every little decision…

“The thing that you do is not good.” (Exodus 18:17)
The Lord has an escape plan! Stop and assess!!
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6)

If you can't do these things, then you're too busy and that's unacceptable. As Jethro told Moses - "What you are doing is wrong." A change is needed.

Something has to give. God always has an escape plan so place your trust in Him.

Concluding Prayer

We pray that God, the Holy Spirit, Who abides in us would give us comfort when we are burned out, guidance to say no when we should, strength to humble ourselves and share our burdens with others, and wisdom to nourish our Spirit through rest and daily retreat, continually delighting in the Lord so that our inner man may be renewed day by day.

Youth Meeting

2025-01-02: Discipleship

Sources:

HE Metropolitan Youssef: Effective Discipleship
HE Metropolitan Youssef: Discipleship Requirements
HH Pope Shenouda III: Discipleship

Different Ways of Learning

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
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
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.

Into the Same Image

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.

Principles of Discipleship

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)

We will take these two verses are our guide. 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)

Life of Discipleship

So far, we have been talking about discipleship in a vague sense. One should be a disciple of:

From HH Pope Shenouda III Book Discipleship

Learn from the Scripture
Learn from the Lives of the Saints
Learn from the Writings of the Early Church Fathers
Learn from the Faults of Others
Learn from silence
Learn from books
Learn from nature
Learn from the rites of the Church
Learn from the events and happenings of our life
Learn from a Spiritual Father

HH Pope Shenouda goes into far greater detail and many examples in his book, and I recommend for you to read those chapters.

Now let's shift our focus to the discipleship of a spiritual father. Learn from a Spiritual Father.

Discipleship of a Spiritual Father

Firstly, our discipleship is to the Lord Jesus Christ. And we are called Christians meaning "Disciples of Christ." So how can I be discipled to another person as a spiritual father?

The answer to this is in 2 Timothy 2:2 "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." - How many generations of discipleship do we see here?

The Lord Jesus
St Paul
St Timothy
"faithful men"
"others also"

St Paul writes: "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ."

We are talking here about how you can be a disciple to your father of confession, or another spiritual father, or your father the bishop, or your parents, or your servants

How did Christ Disciple the Twelve?

The Lord Jesus used five methods to teach the disciples and prepare them for their ministry:

Active learning
- He would take them on the side and teach them in private, or he would give a sermon publicly and they would be present to hear it.
Passive learning
- They lived with Him and watched Him
- When He forgave
- When He prayed
- From His faith
- From His care for others
Direct Supervision
- He let them participate with Him in the service (e.g. shadowing)
- Feeding the multitude, He took their opinion, then had them split the people, then had them distribute, collect the fragments, etc.
Indirect Supervision
- He sent them to serve by themselves, gave them all that they needed, and when they came back, they told Him all that they had done; He corrected the part that they missed
Retreat
- He took time with them to be away from the crowd
- He had time for prayer and reflection and meditation with them

Why am I mentioning these points?

To see the seriousness of the Twelve in their discipleship.

Imagine if the Lord wanted to take them to give them a sermon or a lesson and someone said "I don't feel like it right now." This happens today when our spiritual father is giving a sermon and I am sleeping, or I am on my phone. Or my Youth Meeting servant is giving a topic and I'm coming late, after the topic.
Imagine if a disciple only showed up when there was a sermon; or he skipped all the meetings and got the "notes" from someone else, but he didn't have any relationship with the Lord. He didn't spend time with the Lord, He didn't see the miracles, He didn't see how the Lord interacted with people, etc. He would be missing an integral part of the discipleship.
Imagine if every time the Lord told them "I need your help with a service" one said "sorry, I can't today" or just didn't respond
Imagine if one disciple went on his missionary trip and when he came back and the Lord asked him "give me a report" he said "oh sorry it's confidential"
Or if a disciple attended all of those events, but when the Lord did a spiritual retreat or a time for prayer, the disciple skipped it. He would be missing a big part of his discipleship... but how many times do we skip prayer in Youth Meeting or Servants Meeting, or miss Matins, or during the Agpeya prayers of the Liturgy, we don't even recite a single psalm?

When being a disciple to a spiritual father, all of those aspects are necessary. The Life of Discipleship requires all of those things

Characteristics of Spiritual Fatherhood

Secure in his faith, experienced; reflects the Lord Jesus
- "If the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch" (Matthew 15:14)
- Remember the copy machine - you can expect to become like the spiritual father you are following
- You want a spiritual father who has experience - personal experience, in that he has gone through the spiritual life, and also experience from other people he has mentored over many years. Many people when a new priest is ordained flock to him to be their father of confession, but it's better to wait and to give him time in his service first. And NEVER change spiritual fathers or father of confession without first asking your original father of confession for his guidance and blessing in doing so.
Gives sound guidance and advice supported and reinforced by the Scripture and the lives and sayings of the saints
- You want to have a spiritual father who gives you sound guidance and advice
- A good spiritual father will give you good advice, and this advice will be backed by the Scripture and the lives of the saints
Accessible
- You want a spiritual father that you have access to on a regular basis. You see him weekly, you have several opportunities during the week to meet with him or to ask him for 5min of his time. You don't want a priest who lives in a different state or Timezone than you. You don't want a priest or a bishop who is responsible for a thousand other things and may take a few days to get back to you. Of course, you can have more than one spiritual father, but the main father of confession should be someone who is accessible
- There is a story about Fr Mikhail Ibrahim when his wife departed and that evening he was taking confessions and meetings and consoling a man whose wife had departed six months prior
Open to questions and asking for explanation
- A good spiritual father will always be open to questions and asking for explanations
- This is different from one who entertains debates and arguments and controversy
Gives principles to apply according to the character of the disciple, knowing that (s)he will not be the exact copy
- A good spiritual father knows your strengths and weaknesses, your character, your personality. He does not want to erase your personality. He knows you are your own person.
- He also knows that he is his own person with his own personality, psychology, etc.
- He knows you will never be an exact copy of him or of some ideal
A person can have more than one spiritual guide
- Take the example of St Antony who was said about him that he was like a bee going from flower to flower

What do I need Guidance In?

Spiritual Life
- Confession and spiritual guidance
  - Do not use the spiritual father as a means of implementing spiritual desires (i.e. with your mind made up). Some people use the time of confession to “inform” the Father Confessor about their plan – “during the fast I am going to eat this and this, I’m going to pray this and that” - “I have started to pray seven times a day and it’s working out good for me”
  - Maybe these things all seem like the right thing to do. But it is for your Father of Confession to try and assess your motivation, your intentions, your spiritual level, your readiness. The Scripture says: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12)
- Cultivating virtue
  - It is not good to travel rapidly along the spiritual road. A virtue acquired easily can be lost just as easily… and then it is harder to reacquire.
- Books to Read
  - You should take the guidance of your Spiritual Father before starting to read a new book. Maybe he gives you general guidance like “read any Pope Shenouda book” or maybe he tells you “for now stay away from books written by Eastern Orthodox or Catholics” – this kind of advice is for your own good! He may tell you not to read a Book of Scripture like Song of Songs, or Revelation because you are not well equipped for them; obey him.
- Prayers to Pray
- Service Opportunities
  - Not everyone is ready for every service
  - Or maybe accepting a new service would interfere with your current service; and maybe you don't see how
Education and Career Choices
- Imagine someone who goes to Abouna and says “By the way, I’m moving to such and such state for school starting next week” – and it’s the first time Abouna is hearing of it. Did you seek his advice? Maybe you are not ready to move out from your parents house. Maybe you are not ready to live in a place that does not have a church. Maybe you are not ready to leave the life of service that you are just starting. Everyone is different. Or someone all of a sudden says “I can’t serve anymore because I’m gonna start working overnight” – maybe you are not yet at the spiritual level to work overnight…
Events to Attend; Places to Go
Friends, Courtship, Relationships
Mental Health

Youth Meeting

2025-01-21: My Role in Liturgy (OCCM)

Visual Aid

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/r2zej2ljh8y5c778a8dn9/My-Role-in-the-Liturgy.pptx?rlkey=1cws6xytdbtbhvac5464m8ikz&dl=0

Introduction

Every Sunday, we come to the liturgy, we attend, we take communion, we go home. Same prayers, same time, same routine, say "Lord have mercy" 100 times, metanoia here, bow down here, sign of the cross here, etc. And it's easy for that to get boring. We might think of the Liturgy as being unchanging or static. Show of hands, who here has gotten bored in liturgy?

I had the idea for this topic because I was standing in liturgy the other day and I was standing with the young children in the deacons' section. And Abouna was praying the Thanksgiving Prayer, and I looked down to the kids and saw that many of them were just looking out at nothing. Some of them are looking at their friends. Some of them are fidgeting. And I thought to myself, as Abouna is saying "Let us give thanks to God the Pantocrator" - how many of us are actually giving thanks? And I looked over to the section with HS and College and saw the same blank expressions, some people on their phones, some people yawning, some people on their watches.

We don't understand the purpose of liturgy. Is the purpose of liturgy just to take communion? If that's the case, why does it have to be so long? Why does it need so many words? Are the words needed to transform the bread and wine into Body and Blood of Christ? Is the Liturgy some magical incantation that can change bread and wine into Body and Blood? Why do I have to be there for that? Why don't we have the priest say the words, make it into Body and Blood, and then we come for the Distribution part? People when they are sick receive Communion without attending the Liturgy - Abouna just brings it to them. Why do we need to attend liturgy to receive Communion?

On top of that, if we're gonna be there for so long, why not make it more exciting? Why don't we borrow from the Protestant Churches with their guitars and drum sets and worship teams? Why don't we sing the songs that we like instead of those old Coptic Hymns that don't "match the times"? Maybe I hear those other songs and I can feel them moving my spirit, sometimes even bringing me to tears. Wouldn't those songs be more effective?

Today we will discuss and explore these questions.

Agenda:

What is Liturgy
- Liturgy is the work of the people
- Liturgy is given by God through the Church
- Liturgy is holy
  - Set apart from time
  - Set apart from space
  - Set apart from self
What is my role in Liturgy
- Participation of the Mind
- Participation of the Body
- Participation of the Spirit

What is Liturgy?

Some characteristics of Liturgy:

Liturgy is the work of the people
Liturgy is given by God
Liturgy is Holy ("Set Apart")

Liturgy is the Work of the People...

The word "Liturgy" comes from the Greek λειτουργία meaning "work of the people." λαός means "people" and ἔργο means "work" (like the word ergonomics which is the study of work or specifically the study of work efficiency).

As with many Greek words, this word was used with a specific meaning prior to Christianity. Ancient Greeks used the word to describe a "public service" which was done for the people, by the people. When the Old Testament was being translated to Greek in the early centuries Before Christ, the term was adopted to refer to the ministry of the tabernacle, the temple, God and the name of God.

Some people treat the Liturgy as a show that they watch... they come to the Liturgy, stand in their place and become silent observers. If we treat the Liturgy like a show, not only will we miss out on the actual experience, but we're more likely to just get completely distracted. The Liturgy is not a very entertaining show to watch! So if it starts to get boring, I start to divert my attention elsewhere and get distracted with my social media, or a game on my phone, or reading the news, or trying to "multi-task" during the Liturgy.

But we are not meant to be watchers or observers of liturgy, but rather active participants. When you go to a show, the entertainer is facing you and he's trying to make you laugh or invoke an emotional response - but when you come to the liturgy, the priest is not facing you, but he's facing east WITH you, because he, LIKE you, is a participant. He, like you, needs repentance. He, like you, needs to eat of the Eucharist. He, like you, needs salvation. So I, like him, need to participate in the Liturgy.

This is why the word "Liturgy" is used - because it means "work of the people." And actually we can expand the definition to be "work of the people FOR the people"

Liturgy is Given by God

Liturgy is how God wants to be worshipped.

The concepts of liturgy, sacrifice and ritual were not invented by man, but have been the expression of worship that is acceptable to God since the beginning. As early as Cain and Abel, we see that God distinguishes between what is acceptable worship, and what is unacceptable worship. In Noah, we see that he is to distinguish between clean and unclean animals, take 7 each of clean animals and 2 each of unclean animals, and the purpose was because only clean animals were to be used for worship and sacrifice. It was God who laid out in Exodus how the tabernacle should be constructed - what materials, how much of each material, how they were arranged, etc. It was God who in Leviticus ordained specific instructions for each of the burnt offerings, gave them feasts, detailed the rituals for the day of atonement, gave them a daily raising of incense morning and evening, the showbread and the lighting of the candles, the vestments of the priests. It was God who told Moses how to anoint Aaron for the priesthood, and Samuel how to anoint Saul and David for the kingship. It was God incarnate, the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, who instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist and the New Covenant and the Liturgy with the twelve disciples and told them "do this in remembrance of Me." It was the Lord Jesus who then taught the apostles HOW to do it during the 40 days after the Resurrection. In turn, those disciples and their disciples would be the ones who authored the Liturgies that we still use today.

"Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle" (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

Greek word for traditions here is παραδόσεις which is different from διδάχ which means "teachings" (in this verse ἐδιδάχθητε is the Greek for "you were taught")

The Lord is particular about:

Who is doing the worship
Where they are doing the worship
How they are doing the worship

How did God respond to those who wanted to worship in other ways?

Their sacrifice was not accepted by Him - such as is the case with Cain who was not intentional about his offering to the Lord. Such is also the case with King Saul who offered a specific sacrifice that it was not his role to offer. These, who did not intend to profane God but did it out of ignorance or even out of haste, were offered many chances for repentance but unfortunately, they did not until the end of their lives.
They profaned God - such is the case with Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron, who were deliberate in offering profane fire, or the sons of Eli who the Scripture says "were corrupt and did not know the Lord". Or Korah, Dathan and Abiram who rebelled against God's choosing of Moses. These, when they profaned God by intention, and from a position of leadership, were killed. Nadab and Abihu were consumed by fire, the sons of Eli were killed in war, and Korah Dathan and Abiram were swallowed by the ground.

What we have in our hands with Liturgy is something that is given to us by God. It is not for us to change to adapt to our desires.

Liturgy is Holy

What does the word "holy" mean? Set Apart

If I have towels that are used for the drying of the liturgical vessels, they are set apart for that use. Or if I have towels set apart for the Korban, they are set apart for that use. I cannot take those towels and use them to dry my body after a shower. I cannot take the Paten or the Mysteer or the Chalice and use them for my lunch. These things are holy. They are set apart for God.

The Sabbath was set apart for rest and worship
The Tabernacle and its furnishings and utensils were set apart for God's worship
Israel as a nation was set apart to serve and obey God

Liturgy is set apart from the rest of the world in almost every aspect

Set Apart From Time

The world is fast-paced - we have Instagram Reels, and YouTube shorts. We have fast-food and we have drive-thru. We have classes scheduled back-to-back and they have a start time and an end time. We are almost always in a hurry. If you drove to Seattle, it would take 45 hours. If you walked there it would take 45 days. We have planes that can take us there in 6 hours but God forbid it's even 1 hour late. And if it's 3 hours late, I'm complaining and writing an email and demanding my money-back. This is the world we live in.

But the Liturgy transcends all of that. We step out of the world's clock and enter God's time.

For example, when Abouna prays: "Therefore, as we also commemorate His holy Passion, His Resurrection from the dead, His ascension into the heavens, and His sitting at Your right hand O Father" - we are commemorating events that happened in the past. We are remembering them and keeping them as a memorial... but then Abouna continues "and His Second Coming which shall be from the heavens awesome and full of glory." - this is an event that hasn't happened yet! So how can we commemorate it?

It is because in that moment, we are not in the world's time. If you check your watch or look at a clock or look at your phone, yes you will see that time is progressing. But in the Liturgical Ritual we are seeing past, present and future converge to one point.

God, Who is timeless and eternal, Who is not bound by time as we are, Who is the creator of time itself, is inviting us to be present with Him. If I understand my role in the liturgy, then I will find myself in His presence, and His presence is outside of time.

Set Apart From Space

When I look around my campus, I'll see flyers for events, I see people tabling for random clubs and hear them calling out, I see people playing games like frisbee or hackie sack at the mall, I see advertisements for restaurants or products, I hear music of the world playing. When I look at my phone, there are notifications to watch a YouTube video or to go back and scroll Instagram, or of news in the world that I might be interested in, or a text from a friend about nothing, or a reminder to do my homework. Again, this is the world we live in.

But the Liturgy transcends all of that. We step out of the world and enter the heavens.

You have heard the term "Liturgy is heaven on earth" - everything in Liturgy is meant to transport you to the heaven. You are surrounded by the icons of the saints and angels - these are not just pictures or decoration, but they are windows into heaven, showing us the saints and angels who are worshipping with us even in that moment. The sound of the hymns and the aroma of the incense are glimpses of the heavenly worship. The architecture, icons and layout of the church are designed to lift you up from your earthly concerns to the heavenly reality.

God, Who is outside of space and matter, Who is not bound by space as we are, Who is the creator of the universe and all that is in it, is inviting us to be present with Him. If I understand my role in the liturgy, then I will find myself taken out of this world and dropped in His world. I leave behind the distractions and I can focus on Him.

The church is not just a physical building, but it is a spiritual space that unites us with the Divine.

Set Apart From The Self

We talked about the external distractions and noise that are related to our space in the world. But what about the internal distractions, noise and chaos?

In the world, I am overwhelmed by my responsibilities - juggling school, work, personal goals, family expectations, friendships, relationships, church service, extracurriculars, etc. I feel like I am spread too thin. I don't have the mental space to focus or even to breathe. I am worried and anxious - about the future (career, health, success, getting into grad school, etc.) and about the past (did I say the right thing, did I make a mistake). I feel regret and guilt from wronging someone, or saying the wrong thing, or falling into sin. I am restless - doom scrolling, keeping up with trends, etc. I have doubts about my faith or my purpose or my identity. I have emotions. I have perfectionism. And on top of all that, I have FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) so even if I had more time, I would fill it with something else, lest I miss out. Even if I am quiet on the outside, the inside is raging with all of this chaos!

The Liturgy transcends all of that. In the Liturgy I can find peace - and specifically, inner peace. The Lord Jesus Christ, who is the King of Peace, will abide in me and I in him. Liturgy gives me a chance to have silence. To have calmness. To have reflection. To surrender all of my stresses and anxieties and the noise of my life into the hand of the Lord. When I am still, I can open my heart to hear God's voice instead of my own.

If I know my role in the liturgy, then I can leave behind the stress of this world - of work, home, school, and even the stress of entertaining myself. And I can find peace.

What is my Role in Liturgy?

"And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30)

We are going to discuss four points here:

Participation of the Mind
Participation of the Body
Participation of the Spirit
Go in Peace

Participation of the Mind

An imperfect analogy: If I know nothing about Soccer, and you ask me to sit down and watch a 2 hour soccer game, I'm going to get bored. But once I learn about Soccer, and I learn the game, then I will be able to follow what's happening in the game, and I am less likely to get bored. What does it mean to learn the game?

Experience it
Be taught about it
Read about it
Play it

The same goes for the Liturgy. If you know nothing about the Liturgy or about the Scripture or about the Church History, or about the Gospel - then you will come to the Liturgy and you will be bored.

So our first point here actually starts BEFORE the Liturgy. What is my role BEFORE liturgy.

Learn the Liturgy, Read books. Watch videos. Be observant. Ask questions. There are many ways that we can engage with the Liturgy and with the worship of God intellectually.

If you learn about the Liturgy and its structure and flow, the more you will follow it and be able to follow the story and the rhythm of worship. The more you learn about the different rituals and motions, you will have a better understanding of what is happening. The more you learn of the Scripture, the better you will understand the readings of the day. The more you learn about iconography, the more you will see how the stories of the saints relate to the themes of the Liturgy. The more you immerse yourself in the teaching of the Church - whether it is theology, apologetics, biblical studies, patristics, etc. - the more you will be able to see the coherence of the line between what the Lord Jesus taught, the disciples preached and the Fathers kept.

Worship is not an action that is void of intellect. Many atheists make this accusation against Christians - that we have foregone intellect and science in favor of faith. No, but rather we recognize that God is the source of all intellect and of all wisdom.

Everything in the Liturgy has a purpose, has a meaning, has a symbol - but it is only with our intellect and our mind, can we recognize these symbols and meanings and purposes.

Be careful of the danger of focusing only on your mind and intellect, without giving any attention to your spirit: “If you are a theologian, you will pray truly. And if you pray truly, you are a theologian.” – Evagrius Ponticus

Participation of the Body

The Body is an instrument of worship

"But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." (1 Cor 9:27)

My body begins to participate even from the night before, when I start my Eucharistic Fast, and when I make sure I get good sleep before Liturgy. If I deprive myself of a healthy amount of sleep before the Liturgy, I will do myself a disservice - my body and my mind will be tired.

Fasting: The Eucharistic Fast serves as a way of reminding us that our physical needs should not overshadow our spiritual needs. By fasting, we are bringing the body to the same level and desire of the spirit, which desires for communion with God. We deny ourselves physical nourishment for a time, to recognize the spiritual nourishment of the Liturgy and the Eucharist

Prostration, Bowing Head: When we prostrate or bow our heads, we perform an act of humility, we lower ourselves before God as a putting off of our ego.

Standing: St Basil, when talking about the traditions we have received, talks about standing as being a sign and recognition of the Resurrection.

Look Towards the East: Looking toward the East is about looking back to our old home which was the Paradise of Eden "in the East" (Genesis 2) and looking towards the Second Coming of Christ who will come from the East.

Sign of the Cross: Making the sign of the cross engages us in the sacrifice of the Cross. As we say in the Doxology for the Feast of the Cross: "The cross is our weapon, the cross is our protection"

Participation of the Senses: The Liturgy intentionally engages all of our senses:

Seeing the iconography, iconostasis, crosses, vestments, ritual actions
Hearing the hymns, prayers and readings
Smelling the incense
Tasting the Eucharist
Touching the icons, the crosses, doing the sign of the Cross

Singing: The biggest role that I have in the Liturgy is to sing the hymns and chant the responses. Do you know that a Liturgy cannot be prayed if there isn't a congregant? Abouna cannot pray the liturgy by himself. Abouna and a deacon cannot pray a liturgy by themselves, but they need at least a third person to be the congregation.

Let me sing every "Lord have mercy" and every "Amen" and every response.

Participation of the Spirit

What did the Lord Jesus Christ say to the Samaritan woman? God is Spirit, and those who worship God must worship in… SPIRIT AND TRUTH. If I am worshipping in Spirit and Truth, then each Lord have mercy will be different. In the first one I will be pleading with God for the peace of the one holy Catholic and Apostolic Orthodox Church; in the second one for Pope Tawadros, Anba Youssef, Anba Basil and Anba Gregory; in the third one for Abouna Aaron and Abouna Jerome and the my hegumens and priests and deacons BY NAME; etc.

Because if I say the same Lord have mercy time after time then not only am I not worshipping God in Spirit and Truth, but I am falling into one of the traps the Lord mentioned in the sermon on the mount: “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.” (Matthew 6:7)

Another important aspect of “Worship God in Spirit and Truth” is to take it personally. Imagine that in church I say "pray for the peace of the Church..." and then I go outside and I complain a lot, make problems, argue with the servants or Abouna, disagree about everything, talk about people behind their back, etc.

Or I say in the liturgy "pray for our archpriest Pope Tawadros and Anba Youssef" and "pray for the heguments, priests and deacons..." and then I leave and go on Instagram to say things against HH The Pope or HE the Metropolitan or the priests

Or I stand in liturgy and say “pray for the air of the heaven” and I walk outside and smoke a cigarette.

How would the Lord Jesus Christ respond? Am I really worshipping in Spirit and Truth?

Participating in the Spirit means to close my eyes and pray.

I mentioned in the beginning the reason that I thought of this topic to give to you all today - ask yourself in every liturgy. While Abouna is praying the Thanksgiving Prayer, what am I thankful for? How can I express my Thanksgiving to the Lord? And pray those words.

When you find yourself in the litanies and the deacon tells you "pray for the peace of the Church" - pray for the internal peace of the Church. Pray for the external peace of the Church. Pray for the unity of the Only Only Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Pray for those who have separated themselves from the Orthodox Faith.

When you hear the deacon telling you "pray for the holy gospel" - pray for the spread of the gospel message to those who haven't heard it; pray for the hearts of those listening to be opened to the gospel message (starting with your own heart);

When you hear the deacon telling you "pray for the Pope and Bishops" - pray for them by name. "Remember O Lord Your Servant HH Pope Tawadros II. Protect him, guide him, give him Your wisdom, let him do your will, keep him for many years on his throne, extend his life. Remember O Lord Your Servant HE Metropolitan Youssef. Protect him, guide him, give him Your wisdom, let him do your will. Give him more time in the day. Calm the hearts of our diocese. Give him a time for rest. Take care of his health.

When you hear the deacon telling you "pray for the salvation of the world"

When you hear the deacon telling you "pray for our kings and leaders, our government and our military"

When Abouna says “He will appear to judge the world in righteousness and give each one according to his deeds” the congregation cries out “According to YOUR Mercy O Lord not according to my sins.” Because this sentence is dealing with MY salvation. It’s a prayer – Lord I don’t agree with this judging according to deeds because if you judged me according to my deeds alone I would not have eternal life. But judge me with YOUR MERCY. – I am saying this out loud and I am pleading with God. I am not just singing a hymn

This is my main role in the Liturgy. The participation of my spirit. This is why the liturgy starts with: "Lift up your hearts"

Go in Peace

At the end of Liturgy, Abouna says "Go in peace"

Communal prayer enhances personal prayer; personal prayer enhances communal.

Sometimes I make the excuse not to pray at home because "I don't know what to say" or I pray but I find that my words are few and they just feel like empty words. Let me influence my private prayer with communal prayer - I can remember the Litanies and pray based on them. I can also just pray Psalis and hymns from the liturgy or the praises!

At the same time, this will enhance my time in liturgy because I become conditioned to prayer and to the words of prayer.

Embody the peace you received and go out and carry it in your life and interaction. I can't leave the liturgy and go argue with my brother. I can't leave the liturgy and go and curse and watch inappropriate movies or listen to music unbecoming of me as a Christian. My mom used to say "omal betroo7 El kenesa leh" (well in that case, why are you even going to church).

Sunday being the day of the Lord, it's good for us not to have work and that isn't just so we can attend liturgy, but so that we can go in peace after. To visit our brethren and visit the sick and serve the poor. To go and help our parents and our friends. This is how we take the peace that we received, double it and give it to the next person!

Youth Meeting

2025-12-11: Discernment (SALT)

Introduction

Διακρίνω (diakrino): Separate one from another; decompose into elemental parts; distinguish; decide
The ability to perceive what is from God, what is from myself, and what is from the enemy - and to choose the path that leads to life
To see reality truthfully
- See yourself truthfully - what are my strengths, what are my weaknesses, what are my motives, what are my biases
- See others truthfully - without judgment and without idealization
- See events truthfully - without deception or passion
To see everything as the Lord sees it
“Some have afflicted their bodies by asceticism, but they lack discernment, and so they are far from God" - St Anthony
- St Anthony put discernment even above asceticism. And most of the desert fathers see discernment as being the most important virtue!
- What about love??!
- Discernment is what guides all other virtues
  - Without discernment, other virtues can be displeasing to God
  - Love can be misguided if it isn't accompanied by discernment/wisdom
    - Love without discernment can go wrong - and it can't be corrected because there is no discernment.
    - Discernment without love, however, can be corrected
- Example: St Peter
  - St Peter loved the Lord. But he lacked discernment.
  - "This led him on little by little to self-confidence. Christ then, out of a desire to put down this, permitted his denial. For since he neither submitted Him, he is instructed by deeds.
    
    The Lord said to Peter "I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not," sharply reproving him, and showing that his fall was more grievous than the rest, and needed more help. For the matters of blame were two; both that he gainsaid; and, that he set himself before the other; or rather a third too, namely, that he attributed all to himself."
    
    From where did this come to him? From much love and from much pleasure."
    (St John Chrysostom Homily 82.3 on Matthew)
  - He didn't discern his thoughts and his speech
    - "Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble." (Matthew 26:33)
    - He didn't consider how these words would be with the disciples - "even if all of them stumble, I won't" - are you better than them?
  - He didn't discern the will of God
    - "Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear." (John 18:10)
  - He didn't discern his ability and his weakness
    - "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" (Matthew 26:35)
    - He did not discern his own abilities and his weakness and his inability under pressure
    - So when he was in the courtyard of the High Priest, he denied the Lord three times

Discernment of Thoughts and Speech

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1)
Origin of a thought
- From man: "The Lord knows the thoughts of man, That they are futile."
- From God (Holy Spirit abiding in us): "But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you." (Matthew 10:19-20)
- From the devil: "And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son to betray Him." (John 13:2) and "But Peter said, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?'" (Acts 5:3)
Discern the Origin of a thought
- One challenge is that a thought from God can be immediately followed by a thought from Satan
- Matthew 16: "You are Christ the Son of the Living God... flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven... far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" ... "Get behind Me, Satan!"
How to Discern a thought
- Question it
  - “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (1 Cor 10:5)
  - Is it filled with the fear of God?
    - I have the urge to forgive someone... this is the Holy Spirit's work in us. God's voice.
    - Then, I get a thought "well, he needs to apologize first" - "how is it gonna look if I forgive him without an apology" - "I would enable him in not apologizing" - "Honestly, this will teach him a lesson and it will be better for him"
    - Thoughts from God humble us, point us to obedience, reverence, etc.
  - Is it filled with goodness towards every one?
    - Your colleague gets a better grade than you, or a better job than you. You're happy for him... and then a thought comes. "I deserve more than they do." - "They didn't even work as hard as me."
    - Thoughts from God encourage love, compassion, concern for others. If a thought stirs envy, resentment, harm, etc. it is not from God.
  - Does it agree with the actions of the Lord and the Apostles?
    - You see someone who is in need. I feel a desire to help him... but then a thought. "What if he's a drug addict? What if he's going to buy alcohol? I bet if I offer him food, he won't even take it. He just wants money. Honestly, in this economy, he should go and get a job."
    - Thoughts from God will NEVER contradict the Scripture or the teaching of the Church or the model of Christ
  - Does it evoke peace, tranquility? Or anger, bitterness or turmoil?
    - Gossip. I am tempted to gossip about a friend. To reveal their shortcomings or their struggle or even (God forbid) their past sin. Why? To get someone to laugh? To fill the time? To make them look bad? To make myself look good?
  - Does the thought come with a sense of urgency?
    - If you feel compelled to do it right away, say it right away, etc. then it is likely from the Tempter!
    - Stirrings of the Holy Spirit come gradually and gently, not impulsively
    - It might even be a pious thought - "starting today I will pray the whole Agpeya every day." - this sounds pious. But its path is to failure or worse, pride.
- Reveal it to your Father of Confession
  - Story of Fr Athanasius Iskandar and the church building project
  - Again, the thought might even seem PIOUS!
Discerning Speech
- "In the multitude of words sin is not lacking,
  But he who restrains his lips is wise." (Proverbs 10:19)
- "So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;" (James 1:19)
- "The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, And adds learning to his lips." (Proverbs 16:23)
- "Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few." (Ecclesiastes 5:2)

Discerning the Will of God

Why is it important to know the will of God?
- Because it is good and acceptable and perfect. It lacks nothing. It will satisfy my spiritual, physical, psychological and emotional needs.
  - "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2)
- God knows what will be good for me in the long term
  - My own will is not perfect
  - I look for benefit in the short term without considering the long term
- So a wise person seeks the will of God
How to Discern the Will of God
- Renounce my self-will
  - Show God that I am really seeking His will
    - Sometimes I ask God to reveal His will but I've already made up my mind
    - Or I seek the will of God as long as it agrees with my will (I'll keep asking servants and priests until I get the answer I'm waiting for)
    - God will NOT reveal His will to me if I am acting this way
  - St Theophan the Recluse: If you have a glass full of vinegar and you want to put honey, you must first throw away the vinegar, wash the glass, put it out in the sun for the vinegar smell to go away, and then put honey in it.
    - Vinegar - my will
    - Honey - God's will
  - Neutralization of my self-will
    - Intentionally identify and magnify the negative aspects of the decision that I WANT to take
- Go to my Father of Confession
  - Ask him to pray for you that God reveals His good and perfect and acceptable will to you
  - Reveal to him what is in your heart and the decisions in front of you
  - Ask him if he identified anything you didn't see or think of
  - This is an act of humility and a prerequisite for God to reveal His will to me
- The Lord will reveal His will to me - and it might match my will!
Life is like two people sitting in a boat. One rows and one holds the rudder (to steer). The wise man rows and gives the rudder to God to steer his life. Many times we want to hold the rudder and for God to row.

Discerning My Abilities

What can I do physically and spiritually? What am I not able to do [yet?] physically or spiritually? Need to be honest about my strengths and my weaknesses and understand my limitations.
Without discerning my abilities I might:
- Overconfidence: Taking more than I can handle
- Discouragement: Avoid doing something good because I underestimate myself
- Misguided zeal: Acting without God's guidance, exhausting myself, exhausting others
Video Game Analogy
- You can't fight the boss until you've leveled up and gained experience
- And if you find a hack that gets you lots of experience points, so that you can get to the boss right away... you haven't built up the skills yet to actually beat him.
Gym Analogy
- If you go to the gym for the first time and load up on weights, you will injure yourself. Start small, with what you can handle, and increase slowly.
Boat Analogy
- If I row too hard, I capsize. If I row too slow I won't be able to gain momentum.
How to Discern my abilities
- Recognize my limits
  - Can I maintain this without pride, anger, despair?
  - Fasting too much too soon can lead to failure and eventually despair
  - An imbalanced spiritual canon too quickly will lead to the same
  - I am balancing schoolwork, church, service, a job. Don't overload yourself just to impress. Don't take on leadership positions if you can't commit to it. Don't join new clubs or events if you don't have time (or energy or mental capacity).
- Prioritize Quality over Quantity
  - Spiritual progress is not measured by how much we do but how well and how faithfully we do it
  - Patience and endurance develop lasting virtues
  - "But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience." (Luke 8:15)
  - What I gain quickly, I can lose quickly. What I gain with patience, will be harder for me to lose
  - Fasting: Instead of abstaining for longer and longer - maybe my FoC will tell me that I need to contemplate more on the Lord in my abstinence (or to wake up earlier).
    - There are plenty of starving people, made to unwillingly fast, that don’t have a deep
      relationship with the Holy Trinity; performing a godly external action will not help us in
      our relationship with the Holy Trinity if we do not also have a godly purpose in our soul
      as the root of the action.
  - Prayer: Instead of praying more and more hours or more and more psalms, maybe I need to be more mindful in my prayers
  - Doing one act of kindness with focus and with love is better than doing many acts of kindness haphazardly
- Align my abilities with God's will
  - What is God calling me to do in this season of my life?
  - What is my motive?
  - Sometimes I'm taking easy classes just to get an A - and then I finish college and realize I barely learned anything. I'm ill equipped for the real world. I'm ill equipped for grad school. I'm even ill equipped for the applications and exams that will get me into grad school. Why? Why did I go for easy A classes? Why didn't I challenge myself? Why didn't I develop myself?
- Learn from Failure
  - This week I tried to add xyz to my plate - it was too much. Next week I'll excuse myself.
- Seek Guidance from your father of confession

Ask the Lord for Discernment

King Solomon asked for wisdom and discernment
- "Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” (1 Kings 3:9)
Conscious Purpose of Mind - Intention
- Abba Anthony said, “Whoever hammers a lump of iron, first decides what he is going to make of it, a scythe, a sword, or an axe. Even so we ought to make up our minds what kind of virtue we want to forge or we labor in vain.”
- “Do not think or do anything without having a purpose directed to God; the person who journeys without direction will have labored in vain”
Always always always seek the guidance of your father of confession

Youth Meeting

2026-03-03: Means of Temptation (Arabic Youth Meeting)

Introduction

Why does Satan tempt us?
- Envy
What does Satan tempt us with?
- “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.” (Genesis 3:6)
- Temptation on the Mount (Matthew 4)
- “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” (1 John 2:16)
  - The Lust of the Eyes
  - The Lust of the Flesh
  - The Pride of Life
How does Satan tempt us?
- From All Sides

1. From Behind: Past Sins

Satan may tempt us from behind by bringing up past sins

Nostalgia
- "It wasn't that bad"
- "Those were fun days"
- "I miss that lifestyle"
- "Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” (Exodus 16:2-3)
  - They remembered the food, but they didn't remember the slavery
- I remember the days when I had that job that took me away from God and away from my family and away from righteousness, but I made more money... and I could buy whatever I wanted.
Re-Engaging
- Lot's Wife (Genesis 19)
- I might be tempted to re-engage the sin in other ways
  - e.g. someone leaves an inappropriate relationship, but he still checks her social media or looks at old photos or reads old messages
  - e.g. someone eaves a particular sin (lust, violence, drugs, etc.) but continues to watch movies/shows/videos/music that glorifies that sin
  - e.g. re-living a sin through stories... "remember when we used to..." - "back in the day, I would..."
  - e.g. someone struggled with alcohol, they quit, but still hang around environments that smell like alcohol, people are drinking alcohol, or even talking about it
  - e.g. imagination
Despairing
- After sin, the devil switches tactics:
  - Before sin: "It's not a big deal"
  - After sin: "You're disgusting. God is done with you. God will not accept you."
- Judas Iscariot
  - After sin: Despair and Suicide
- St Peter
  - After sin: Repentance and Return
Identity Confusion
- I am "the guy who messed up"
- I am "the girl who ruined her salvation"
- St Paul
  - Opposite of this - he had persecuted the Church. He could have lived in guilt forever... but he did not allow those past actions and sins to define him or his direction in life

2. From the Front: Anxiety

Satan may tempt us from the front - through worrying about the future, fear of what will come, etc. This is called Anxiety.

Anxiety is a problem with PERCEPTION and NOT reality.

All of these are temptations to loosen our faith. But the Lord answers anxiety in Matthew 6.

3. From the Left: Obvious Sins

Sometimes, Satan tempts us from the left side with the obvious sins.

Instant Gratification
- "Turn these stones into bread"
  - Feed the appetite
  - Satisfy the urge
  - Take what you want now
- Lust
- Cheating
- Substance Use
- Explosive Anger
- Gossip
- Revenge
- Dishonesty
Normalized Behavior
- "Everyone is doing it"
- "You're the only one not doing it"
- "It's 2026!"
Targeting Weak Moments
- Hungry
- Lonely
- Tired
- Stressed
- Insecure
- Bored
False Understanding of Grace
- "You can just confess about it tomorrow"
  - This lie assumes: I will have a tomorrow, I will still care tomorrow, my heart will be soft tomorrow, I will want to repent tomorrow
- Pharaoh
  - "Entreat the Lord... and I will let the people go."
  - As soon as he is relieved and comfortable and the plague is gone, his heart is hard again

4. From the Right: Good Deeds, Bad Motives

If the left side is sin and evil, then the right side is good! Sometimes I am tempted to do good deeds, but with the wrong intention or motive. Or I justify my bad motives by good deeds.

Vainglory/Praise
- “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly." (Matthew 6:1-4)
- The Pharisees did this
- Sometimes I do a good deed in order to be seen by men
For Position or Fame
- In Acts 8, Simon was very well known for his sorcery and was known by all the people. But when the apostles came and preached Christ, all of the people were baptized and rejected sorcery and accepted Christ. Even Simon, himself, believed and was baptized. And he was amazed by the miracles.
- Then, Simon desired the power of laying hands. He wanted to go back to having power and people knowing him and astonishing people
- So he offered money to the apostles to give him that power also and they rebuked him
- YouTube Influencers...
  - Clothing the homeless, only when there's a camera.
  - Helping someone in need, but only if the camera is running.
  - Donating to a charity, but only when it is publicly disclosed.
For Personal Benefit
- King Saul is called in 1 Samuel 15 to destroy the Amalekites and all that they have, but he keeps King Agag alive and all of the best of the sheep and the goats.
- And when Samuel comes to question him he says "We kept the best of the sheep and goats so that we could make a sacrifice to the Lord your God"
To Maintain my Image
- Ananias and Sapphira

5. From Below: Laziness

Satan may tempt me by pulling me downward, like gravity making me heavier and harder to move... laziness.

Physical Laziness
- Oversleeping
- Gluttony
- Not wanting to leave the house
- Not wanting to do anything (e.g. on a day off)
Mental Laziness
- I don't want to think deeply
- "Just tell me what to do"
- Scrolling/YouTube Shorts
- ChatGPT/AI Overuse
Spiritual Laziness
- Avoiding prayer because it feels like effort
- Avoiding confession in order to be comfortable
- Avoiding reconciliation because it's hard
- Avoiding discipline because it requires sacrifice
- "Wicked and lazy servant" in Matthew 25 who buried his talent
"Productive" Laziness
- I avoid doing something... by doing something else (less important)
- I feel productive and feel I've done something
- Everyone is always "busy" but what are they busy doing?

6. From Above: More Than I Can Handle

Satan can also tempt me from above, pulling me up and raising me up with pride to take on more than I can handle

Ascetic Practices
- Fasting beyond my ability
- Prayer beyond my ability
- Reading Scripture beyond my ability
- This will lead either to failure or feeding the ego
Services
- Is there such thing as too many services? YES!
- If I take on too much, I will leave something incomplete, insufficient, or ignored
Knowledge
- The Mysteries of the Holy Scripture and the Church and Theology
- These are not simply academic endeavors, but they require a strong foundation and spiritual life
- Many "Biblical Scholars" have become Atheists because they did not have the right foundation
Spiritual Independence
- I can do it all by myself! I don't need God, I don't need the Church
- Someone will try to overcome a sin by himself and say "I won't go to confession until I've overcome it" - NO! Going to Confession is PART of the process of overcoming!
- Tower of Babel
  - Build a tower so next time there's a flood, we won't be affected
  - Make myself independent from God

7. From Outside: The Senses

I can be tempted by my senses from the world around me.

What I see/hear
- What media do I consume
- What kinds of places do I go to
- What kind of music do I listen to
- What kind of language is in the movies I watch or the videos I watch
- What kind of images are in the movies or videos I watch
- YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, TikTok, etc. - all of these are DANGEROUS
It's not just about profanity
- What about the subject matter?
- What about the ideas?

8. From Within

Sometimes, I am tempted from within. The devil is not within me - but I can be tempted by my human thoughts, desires, passions, dreams. Many times, these are also shaped by what I take in and what media I consume (#7)

Thoughts
- Negative self-talk
- Pride
- Planning sin
- Thoughts of revenge, envy, comparison
Desires/Passions
- Lust
- Greed
- Ambition
- King David and Bathsheba
Dreams
- Culmination of what I've seen
Speech
- What kind of language do I use
- What kind of conversations do I engage in
- etc.

Youth Meeting

2026-04-27: God in my Daily Life

Introduction

"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:1-3)

What does it mean to "set your mind on things above?"

I was talking to someone who said "I wish I could just leave my job and pray all day" - that is NOT what "set your mind on things above" means.
St Antony, himself, who had gone into the desert and lived in a cave an ascetic life; who lived his life in prayer and fasting and scripture and meditation... got bored. And then the angel appeared to him wearing the monastic garbs and sat and weaved palms into baskets. Then the angel stood up to pray, and then returned to his work. And he kept repeating the process. Then, the angel said to him "Do this, and you will find rest for your soul."

We are living in the world with many responsibilities... work and career, school and education, service, relationship, family.

On top of that, I want to have some leisure, some relaxation, I need time for myself.

How do I fit all of this in 24 hours? How do I fit God in with all of this? Even harder, how do I PRIORITIZE God in all of this?

We will look at the day as three different times and three levels...

Time Set Apart for God
Time Offered to God
Time Received from God

1 - Routine: Time Set Apart for God

Sometimes I try to do the MINIMUM to calm my conscience... things I've heard in confession... "I pray throughout the day" - GREAT! But what does that mean? Usually it means I don't pray with the Agpeya, I don't pray in the morning, and I don't pray in the evening. But I want to calm my conscience.

But if I am SERIOUS, the attitude will be different.

"The difference between us and the saints is seriousness." - HHPS
“What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet." (Matthew 11:7-9) - SERIOUS
The reality is that there is certain time of day that needs to be SET APART for God.
- David was a king - many responsibilities... but he said "Seven times every day I will praise Your holy name."
This is called a Spiritual Canon. Spiritual Rule. Spiritual Law. (vs. Spiritual Mood)
- Structure that you follow in your spiritual life (prayer, Bible, prostration, fasting, etc.)
- Structure/Discipline in life will extend to the rest of my life
  - 7am I will pray the 1st Hour
  - 5pm I will read the Scripture
  - 7pm I will pray the 12th Hour
  - The rest of the day fills itself around my spiritual canon
- Imagine a trip to the monastery... 40 days

Components of the Spiritual Canon

Accountability Partner
Diary
Daily
1. Morning Prayer
2. Evening Prayer
3. Prostrations
4. Scripture Reading
Weekly
Monthly

2 - Faithfulness: God in my responsibilities

Work and Career - and not just the day-to-day but navigating a changing career landscape and being a little anxious about what's coming (e.g. AI, larger labor pool, less jobs) and trying to figure out how I will progress or get promoted or achieve my goals.
School and Education - things I still want to learn - specializations I want to enter - apprenticeships or fellowships or internships I want to participate in
Service - serving in the Church; serving my community; volunteering in any organization
Relationship - my wife, or my fiancee, or the person I am courting for marriage, my children
Family - my parents and my in-laws and my cousins and my siblings and their families

How is success defined?

Lots of money?
Happy wife? Happy husband?

Faithfulness

Being honest in my work - not taking someone else's work as my own; not using AI where it's not appropriate; not trying to do "just the minimum requirements" but going above and beyond; not cheating on my timecard; not cheating in my work from home
Being honest in my school
Being honest in my service - doing the best of my ability; not taking shortcuts; not trying to do the "minimum"
Being honest with my wife - giving her the time that she deserves; giving her the listening ear; giving her love and showing her love and loving her in front of others; not keeping secrets from her; doing my role as a husband to lead her in the spiritual life and being a man saying "let's read the Bible together" - "come and pray with me before we sleep" - "I'll pray for us before this meal."
Being honest with my husband - not being lazy; not criticizing him in everything he does; being thankful for him and showing him my gratitude; submitting to him - especially when he is leading me in the way of godliness. Imagine a husband who wakes his wife for church and she says no or "I'm gonna sleep a little longer." Respecting him.
Giving time to my parents; going and helping them when they need it

3 - Rest: Sinless Leisure Time

St Anthony story

Lawful?
Edifying?
Controlling?
Stumbling Block?

Hobbies

Hookah bar?
Drinks at a restaurant?
Music and Dance concerts?
Sin...

Vacation = vacation from God? From Church? Definitely not...

When I'm traveling, I search in advance for the nearest church and check their schedule
I'm going to a place that doesn't have a church? Then I'm going from Mon-Fri - not missing Vespers or Liturgy
When I travel on vacation, I wake up for my spiritual canon every day
Can you imagine that there are people who go to Egypt and don't attend a single liturgy, or don't visit a monastery? They are going to eat Shawarma and go to the beach and all that
- Or go to Egypt and don't fast on Wed and Fri or go during the Apostles Fast and don't fast at all
- Or go to a Cruise during the Great Fast...
I'm going to Egypt for 3 weeks but I serve a Sunday School Class
- I'm checking on the kids while I'm gone
- I'm offering to help remotely with an activity or with a homework or a phone call or a follow-up

Youth Meeting

2026-05-07: Courting Q&A

Should family issues be considered red flags in a relationship? For example, if a guy has a lot of conflict or drama with his family, could that affect his relationship with the girl he’s interested in? Is that something she should be concerned about?

No one chooses their family background - we live in a broken world and no family is perfect.
There’s a difference between:
- someone who comes from a difficult family but is humble, self-aware, peaceful, and trying to grow
- someone who constantly lives in chaos, fuels conflict, refuses accountability, or brings that dysfunction into every relationship
At the same time, someone may come from a very healthy-looking family externally and still struggle deeply personally.
Warning signs or red flags:
- Speaks about family with constant bitterness, dishonor, or hatred.
- Patterns of uncontrolled anger, manipulation, dishonesty, or disrespect.
- Unable to set healthy boundaries.
- Family drama dominates their emotional life and spills into the relationship.
- If they expect the future spouse to “rescue” them emotionally from unresolved wounds.
So the issue is not simply “Does he have family problems?” but:
- Is he emotionally and spiritually mature?
- Does he take responsibility for himself?
- Is he pursuing healing and growth?
- Does he know how to maintain peace while still honoring family?
A healthy relationship usually needs: honesty, boundaries, emotional stability, humility, and the ability to handle conflict in a godly way.

When one goes to court another person, is there a specific age difference between each person (same age, 1 year, 2 year difference, etc.) that is best or is this dependent on each couple? Is this a big deal when you are considering courting someone?

In general, it is advised that the man is older and that the age gap is not too large
Woman is a few years older than the man - generally not an issue
- If there are no other issues involved, it is typically okay
- If she is five years older, it typically requires permission from the bishop; even then, it is usually granted but the purpose is to make both people aware of the challenges that may be faced because of age.
- Challenges:
  - Jealousy
    - Insecurity about aging, attractiveness, attention from others, differences in life experience
  - Inverted Roles
    - he's marrying his mom... she's gonna clean up after him and cook for him and take care of him
  - Inverted Submission
  - Maturity Level
    - Readiness to settle down... a young man may be in the "I want to travel" stage and a woman may be in the "I need to have kids ASAP" stage
    - He's in the "let's order takeout" stage and she's in the "let's have a home cooked meal at the dinner table"
  - Physical Activity
- Imagine a woman with a strong personality who is more "financially successful" than her husband and who is also older than him... it makes it very difficult on that man and he may feel emasculated at every turn. Especially if she has a strong personality and he has a more quiet personality
Man significantly older than woman
- Power imbalance, financial imbalance
- Parent-child dynamic... I married my dad
- Different life stages
- Differences in energy or lifestyle
- Jealousy or insecurity
- Long-term realities...
  - Aging, caregiving, raising children, timing of retirement, health
- What are the motives?
  - She may be looking at financial comfort
  - He may be looking at admiration

If a girl is not really interested in a boy but she thought of maybe giving him a chance and she started courting him… or vice-versa, is that considered ghosting?

That is not ghosting
Ghosting is when you are talking to someone and then all of a sudden, you stop responding, answering, etc. this is disrespectful (especially if unprompted)
The person you are talking to is A PERSON
It's okay to give someone a chance and to see if there is compatibility, to get to know him, etc. It is NOT okay to ghost someone without giving them notice...

If all sins are the same, me thinking a lustful thought is considered committing a sin so how does that differ from doing physical actions with someone (not sex)

"All sins are the same" is NOT accurate
All sins separate us from God
But sin differs in
- Impact on others
- Level of intention
- Habit
- Public vs. Private
- Consequences
- Scandal, Reputation
A lustful thought is a sin in the dark box of your mind and heart - it is like a small seed planted. It is good to uproot it in the sacrament of confession before it grows.
- It impacts me, but it has not yet impacted someone else
- It may be unwanted temptation - no intention behind it
- It is private
- There is no material-world consequence (e.g. getting arrested or jailtime)
- There is no risk of scandal or damaging reputation
Physical expressions of lust are:
- Impact me and the other person
- No longer an "unwanted temptation" - but an action I am taking against my purity
- Become habitual and addicting and difficult to refrain - also continues to be "not enough" and escalates
- Has consequences in the material world
There's also a difference between:
- STRUGGLE
- Giving In (deliberately feeding the sinful thought with fantasy, physical affection, escalating behavior)

What are the most important qualities to look for in a future spouse?
What are some good qualities we should look for in men/ women we want to eventually marry?

Honesty, boundaries, emotional stability, humility, and the ability to handle conflict in a godly way
Close with his Church, Service, Father of Confession
Desire to serve others

What are early red flags people tend to ignore but shouldn’t?

What is your opinion on long distance courting?

How do we know for real that this person is serious in her/his relationship with me?

Long distance can work but needs more discernment
Also needs more in-person time before marriage
Risks: Texting relationship
- Text messages do not convey emotion
- A 30min text message convo is a 3 minute in-person convo... don't measure texting as "time we spent together"
Red Flags:
- Avoids meeting in person without a clear reason
- Inconsistency
- Secrecy or compartmentalized life
- Strong words - weak actions
  - Especially in the age of AI

When should one start praying about this? How do you know that marriage is the calling God is giving you and not something else?

From now
This is a more general question about knowing the will of God in my life...
- There is the general will of God which is my salvation
- There is the personal will of God in my life - which job or which college, which spouse or monasticism, etc.

How to know if the person likes you

Consistency in effort
Make time for you (even with a busy schedule)
Engage you personally, not just generically (e.g. small talk)
They pay attention (e.g. to details - what you said before, what matters to you)
Body language (eye-contact)
They try to move things forward
- From casual to more intentional
- From vague to clear intentions
they include you in their world (gradually)
- Talking to their FoC about you
- Mentioning you to their parents or their close friends (at the right time)
- Sharing certain parts of their life with you
BUT:
- Don't overread the signals... don't look at any small kindness as "interest" - it may be basic human decensy
- Don't ignore patterns (e.g. inconsistency)
- Don't expect ALL of them all at once
  - Someone may not be good at eye-contact
  - Someone may have a bad memory
  - Someone may not know HOW to move things forward even if he wants to...

How long should one get to know another person before marriage?

The purpose of courting and engagement
- Nowadays people think the purpose of engagement is to plan a wedding together... it's true that planning a wedding together is the first "big thing" you have to work on together, manage some family dynamics together, handle some finances together, make some hard decisions, etc.
- Not to prepare for a wedding - to prepare for a marriage
Interdependence
- Not dependence
- Not independence
- Interdependence - being able to function and interact and be successful TOGETHER - appreciating each other's contribution and recognizing your own self-worth
Need ample time to discern (honestly) someone's character, consistency, family dynamics, conflict resolution, spiritual life, emotional maturity
Need time to discern compatibility
- In decision making
- In school of thought (e.g. politics)
You need enough time to experience each other
- Stressed
- Dealing with disappointment
- Dependableness
Be Sober
- Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8)
- Sometimes attraction is MASKING incompatibility. I am attracted to her, so I see everything about her is perfect. Or if I see something lacking, "it's not a big deal" or "I can overcome it."

How can I prepare to be a good wife even before I meet someone?

Keep your purity
Grow yourself
- Spiritual growth (Triangle)
- Skill growth (e.g. cooking, cleaning, sewing, etc. - especially from your mom)
- Intellectual growth
- Physical growth (stay in shape, keep healthy)

How do you know if it’s appropriate to start a court?

At what age should one start to court a potential spouse?

Confer with your Father of Confession
Everyone age is different
- Based on maturity (financial, intellectual, career, emotional, spiritual)
- Based on career (e.g. engineering vs. medical school + residency + fellowship)

What role do finances play in relationships?

Money is a stewardship and a tool
Money typically exasperates certain interior qualities
- Someone who is generous, when he has a lot of money will be more generous; Someone who is stingy, when he has a lot of money, will still be stingy... maybe even more stingy
- Money can show you if someone is disciplined or very impulsive
- Money can reveal if someone is honest, or more hiding/deceiving
- Money can reveal if someone is responsible or not
In the same way, money can exasperate relationship dynamics
It's important to be on the same page regarding:
- Saving vs. Spending
- How to make big financial decisions
- Debt - acquiring debt, paying off debt, debt coming into the relationship
- Financial planning, retirement, etc.
- There is a RIGHT WAY to handle finances and there are WRONG WAYS
Shared Expectations matter more than income
- Are the lifestyles aligned...
  - Someone may be very well-off, driving the nicest car, very expensive accessories, keeping certain comforts
  - Someone else may be very well-off but he prefers no-name brands, simplicity, driving a car to the ground, etc.
  - Someone may have no money... but likes the appearance of being well-off
- Someone may be used to a certain lifestyle with their parents who have accumulated a comfortable life over many years and decades... getting married may mean a drop in income and a drop in lifestyle
Part of "getting ready for marriage" is financial readiness

What advice can you give about dealing with a heartbreak?

How to deal with rejection?

Don't call it rejection
- Rejection means "I was rejected" or "I am rejected"
- In reality, it is the relationship that was rejected and that may have NOTHING to do with you
- Say "it wasn't mutual"
- "We weren't a match"
- "It didn't work out"
- "We aren't moving forward."
Rejection says nothing about your worth or your value
- Rejection might be about timing
- Rejection might be about compatibility
- You will reject someone too
- It doesn't mean you are unworthy of a relationship or of love or of marriage
Let it be Disappointing without over-interpreting
- I take rejection to a conclusion and fill the gap with narratives...
- "Something is wrong with me"
- "I'll never find someone"
- None of that happened
Don't chase closure
- This is not a job interview... "What am I lacking? How can I improve?" - questions like that are best left for your Father of Confession
It's important that I don't play out huge fantasies and scenarios in my mind...
- Someone might approach someone having already in their mind a huge romantic story
- "I'm gonna say this cute joke" - "she's gonna laugh" - "I'm gonna ask her out for coffee" - "it's going to be wonderful" - "I reckon we can be engaged within six months" - "It would be perfect timing to attend the pre-marital retreat in January together" - "We could be married by February" - "I'll start looking for houses in Celebration" - sir, this is a Wendy's
- When I have a fantasy in mind, and a huge scenario and marriage and children all played out... the rejection doesn't feel like a small "I'm not interested" but it feels like my marriage has been destroyed!
- I am setting myself up for failure
Don't overcorrect
- "I'm not good enough" - self-rejection
- "I don't care about anyone" - hardness of heart (esp. after heartbreak)
Reflect, without obsessing
- "Where can I grow" - not "How do I become perfect so this NEVER happens again?"

Youth Meeting

2026-06-20: Lamentations Conclusion (AYM Microconvention)

"Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old," (Lamentations 5:21)

Lamentations on Good Friday

The 12th Hour of Good Friday is focused on the Paradoxes
- The One who is the Resurrection and the Life... is buried in a tomb
- The Light of the World... is now in Darkness
- The Way, the Truth, the Life... Dead
- The Judge of all... judged and condemned
- The King of Glory... without a throne
The Paradox is reflected in the rites and tunes of the hour
- Tune of ⲡⲉⲕⲑⲣⲟⲛⲟⲥ
- Rites:
  - Switching to the red curtain
  - Group in the sanctuary chanting antiphonally with the ones in the nave
  - 400 ⲕⲩⲣⲓⲉ ⲉⲗⲉⲏⲥⲟⲛ, followed by a procession
- The reading of Lamentations of Jeremiah
All of this is a reminder that the Cross and the Suffering of the Cross is not without the glory that comes after
- "Searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow." (1 Peter 1:11)
  - The sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow
  - There is no resurrection of the dead, without first having death
  - There is no Glorious Resurrection Feast without Good Friday and the Crucifixion
- "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor." (John 12:26)
  - Whoever follows the Lord Jesus Christ into suffering (The Cross), in the end "My Father will honor."
Sufferings
- Struggle against Sin
  - Repentance
  - Fighting passions
  - Breaking bad habits
  - Obtain virtue
  - To be holy
- Sufferings of Keeping the Commandment
  - Commandment of Love (enemy, difficult people, those who hurt us)
    - Christian heart is called to love always: love "despite" not love "because of"
    - "He who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?" (1 John 4:20)
  - Commandment of Modesty
  - Commandment of Purity (of the senses and of the flesh)
  - Commandment of Honesty and Integrity
  - Commandment of Obedience
- Sufferings of Service
  - Washing the feet
  - Humility
  - Sacrificing time, comfort
  - Carrying responsibilities that no one sees (e.g. caring for aging parents, while trying to juggle my own life)
- Intellectual Struggles
  - Questions about God
  - Doubts about the faith
  - "Why did God allow this"
  - "Where is God"
  - "Does God really love me?"
  - The whole book of Lamentations is the cry of a believer trying to understand catastrophe and refusing to let go of God
- Relationship or Social Struggles
  - A friendship that falls apart
  - Conflict within the family
  - Difficult marriage or struggling to find the right person
  - Loneliness
  - Rejection
  - Feeling misunderstood
  - Betrayal
  - Losing someone you love
  - Difficulty in work, finding a job, financial pressure, etc.

Everything is Ruined

These are real struggles and real sufferings in our lives... and the devil wants me to think "Everything is ruined." Or "it's over."
- A relationship that falls apart
- Losing a job, or a set back in my career or education
- A hidden sin that I told myself I will overcome, but I failed again
- Failing to grow in a virtue
On Good Friday, everyone thought it was over...
- The disciples
- The chief priests
- The Romans
They were wrong!
This reminds us of Jeremiah in the beginning of the Lamentations
Chapter 1
- How lonely sits the city
  That was full of people!
  How like a widow is she,
  Who was great among the nations!
- Judah has gone into captivity,
  Under affliction and hard servitude;
  She dwells among the nations,
  She finds no rest;
  All her persecutors overtake her in dire straits.
- All her gates are desolate;
  Her priests sigh,
  Her virgins are afflicted,
  And she is in bitterness.
Chapter 2
- Same thing
What is the greatest tragedy in Lamentations? Why is Jeremiah weeping?
- Burned city? Destroyed Temple? Famine? Captivity?
- God's people lost communion with God
- The other stuff is the external manifestation (or symptom) of this underlying tragedy
- The Temple can be rebuilt. The city can be rebuilt. The economy can recover. But if communion with God is lost, everything is lost.

1. Change Your Perspective

Halfway through the book, Jeremiah changes his perspective. Nothing changed externally, the city is still destroyed, the people are still in exile - but Jeremiah changed his perspective
Stop looking at the ruins!
Jeremiah spent two chapters looking at the broken walls, the empty streets, the suffering, the captivity and then suddenly...
Chapter 3
- ²¹This I recall to my mind,
  Therefore I have hope.
  
  ²²Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
  Because His compassions fail not.
  ²³They are new every morning;
  Great is Your faithfulness.
  ²⁴“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
  “Therefore I hope in Him!”
Jeremiah throughout Lamentations, gradually stops describing the city and starts speaking about God
The turning point is not when the circumstances improve, but they are when my perspective changes
- Instead of dwelling in my failure or my fear or my regret, I look instead at God's mercy. I look instead at how the Lord uses something evil or something hard, for good
Instead...
- Count the blessings and the mercies
- Look for God in the middle of the story
- Gratitude... Give thanks to the Lord
Examples
- If I am struggling with some questions or doubts...
  - My focus is on "My questions separate me from God" - "I cannot pray or go to liturgy until I have answers."
  - Instead... "My questions can become a path toward knowing God more deeply."
- If I am struggling in relationships...
  - My focus is on "Look how this person treated me" or "I will never find anyone" or even "God forgot about me"
  - Instead... "What did I learn from this relationship?" or "God's timing is right. He wants the best for me and the best is not here yet."
- If I am struggling with loneliness...
  - Sometimes my focus is on "No one cares about me..." and "See how this person treated me, and this one didn't invite me, etc." - sometimes I actually miss those who do care about me. And many times, I am isolating myself. L
  - Let me shift my perspective... "The Lord is my portion."
  - I will attend liturgy, go to the Youth Meeting, sign up for conventions. I will stay connected to the Church. I will focus on the even just one faithful friend that I have.
- If I am struggling in my marriage...
  - Sometimes I focus on "He will never change." or "She will never change." - and actually I miss all of the good qualities in my spouse
  - Instead... Look for the things to appreciate, focus on my own repentance
- If I am struggling physically...
  - "Why is this happening to me"
  - "How can I encounter God in the middle of this"

2. Turn us back to You, O Lord

"Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old," (Lamentations 5:21)
Lamentations ends with Jeremiah's prayer for God to restore us to Himself
- He isn't praying for a better city
- He isn't praying for more wealth
- He isn't praying for the destruction of Babylon
- He is praying for us to be restored in communion with God
He puts it in God's hands to turn us back... he doesn't say "We will turn back, O Lord." but rather - we NEED your grace.
How does God turn us back?
- Sacrament of Confirmation: The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit
  - He rebukes us, convicts us, comforts us
  - Produces in us the Fruit of the Spirit (Love, Joy, Peace, etc.)
- Sacrament of Repentance and Confession
  - "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10)
  - Turning back, like the prodigal son
  - Examining myself
  - Continuous growth
- Sacrament of the Eucharist
  - Abiding in Christ and He in me
  - Remember COVID? When we couldn't have communion and it was difficult time
- In the Scripture
  - Hearing God's voice again
- In Relationship with God
  - Pray the Psalms
- In Fellowship with the Saints
  - Christian life is not meant to be lived alone

3. And We will be Restored

What is restoration?
- Someone might think restoration is...
  - Restored finances
  - Health back to normal
  - Restored relationships
  - Circumstances back to normal
- Nope.
- Jeremiah did not get those things... Jeremiah himself did not live to see the full restoration of Jerusalem... no one did. And even the ones who rebuilt it, it did not have the original glory!
Examples
- A sinner is turned to repentance
- A virtue is sown and grows
- A broken heart finds peace
- A lost sheep returns to his fold
- Joy in service
  - Serving Christ rather than needing recognition
- Doubt leads to greater faith and understanding
- Reconciliation
- Patience
- Someone consumed by fear or anxiety, learns to trust
- Enslaved to a passion, experiences freedom
- The lonely one begins to feel the presence of Christ with him

Conclusion

On Friday, everyone thought it was over. The disciples, the chief priests and the Romans thought that's it... He is dead. But God was not finished, because the sufferings of the Cross come before the glories of the Resurrection.

And the Lamentations teaches the same mystery. Jeremiah saw the destruction of his city, after he had even prophesied about it. After he tried to stop it by bringing about repentance. After all of that... and the Temple is destroyed, the city is brought to the ground and the people are taken. And all he can do is Lament.

He starts by looking at the city and its desolation, for 2.5 chapters. Then, halfway through the 3rd chapter, he changes his focus to be on God. And by the end of the 5th chapter, he is singing a song of hope and a song of renewal and restoration.

"Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old," (Lamentations 5:21)

The problem was not the ruins and the city, the problem was the loss of communion with God.

When I face:

struggling against sin
struggling to keep the commandment
struggling in service or in relationships

The temptation is always the same "Everything is ruined." and "It's over."

Take three steps:

1 - Change my perspective (stop looking at the ruins, lift my eyes to God)

2 - Allow the Lord to turn me back to Him (grace of the Sacraments, the Scripture, the Relationship with Him)

3 - Trust that He will restore, and experience His restoration and renewal

Newsletter

12/2025 - Kiahk Article

Kiahk Sunday Midnight Praises

Praise is the work of angels - they stand before the Throne of Grace praising God without tire or boredom; it is their utmost pleasure, fullness and joy to praise their Creator! Praise in the church is the HIGHEST level of prayers and talking to God. It is participation with those angels and heavenly hosts.

During the blessed Coptic month of Kiahk, the Church comes together in PRAISE to prepare for the Nativity Feast and for the Advent of Christ, the Logos and only-begotten Son of God.

7 Theotokia & 4 Canticles

Sometimes, you will hear of Kiahk Praises being called “7 & 4.” This is an old name that references the praises of the Sunday Kiahk Vigil: 7 Theotokia and 4 Canticles (or Hos). Along with each of the Theotokia and Canticles, the Church arranges several associated Psalis, Lobsh, Melodies and Expositions.

Theotokia: Greek word that means glorification to the Theotokos (Mother of God).

Hos: Coptic word meaning “praise.” The English word “Ode” is sometimes used.

Canticle: English word that means a hymn whose words are taken from the Bible.

Psali: Greek word that means “chant.” These hymns are typically acrostic or alphabetic poems composed in Greek or Coptic.

Lobsh: Greek word that means “explanation.”

Melodies: These hymns are typically poems composed in English or Arabic.

Exposition: These are explanations that are chanted and then read.

During Kiahk, vigil is kept for the whole night in prayer, chanting, reading Scripture, and praising! Our flesh is weak; alone, who of us can do this without boredom, tire or sleepiness? But when we come together as a Church, through the Holy Spirit, we receive strength and encouragement and energy!

The Order of Praises

Examine the order of the Sunday Kiahk Vigil below - for each of the 4 Canticles and 7 Theotokia, it refers to all of the associated praises in order: first the Psali, then that Canticle or Theotokia, then the Lobsh, then the Melodies, and finally the Expositions.

Introduction to the Midnight Praise
- ⲧⲉⲛⲑⲏⲛⲟⲩ (Arise O Children of the Light)
- Great Kiahk Ode
- Midnight Alleluia
- “Amen Alleluia” Melody
1st Canticle (Exodus 15)
Monday & Tuesday Theotokia
2nd Canticle (Psalm 135)
Wednesday & Thursday Theotokia
3rd Canticle (Daniel 3)
Friday & Saturday Theotokia
Conclusion of the Watos Theotokia
4th Canticle (Psalm 148, 149, 150)
Sunday Theotokia
Conclusion of the Kiahk Sunday Vigil
1. Exposition of the Laborers
2. Antiphonary
3. Conclusion of the Adam Theotokia
4. Concluding Litany
5. Conclusion of the Midnight Praise

Major Themes of the Praises

Praise is due to the Holy Trinity

“Worship befits the Holy Trinity • the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit • we worship, we praise, and glorify • One God, Creator of all souls. •
To Him is due all glory and praise. • Worthy of all honor and heaven. • Without beginning, existing before the ages. • Eternal, Omnipotent and Immortal.
Kiahk Praise on the Holy Trinity (see Article on this hymn!)

The Incarnation of the Son of God

“The Incorporeal was incarnate • resembling us in the flesh • for the Word became flesh • and dwelt within us. •
For the ever-existent Being • has appeared in the last days • and the One outside of time • came and was subject to time. •
The Incomprehensible was touched • and the Unseen has been seen • the invisible Son of God • became a perfect Man.”
Second Lobsh on the Wednesday Theotokia

The fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies

”Isaiah prophesied • about the birth • of Immanuel•the Almighty King • Ezekiel saw a door • through which the Lord entered • He sealed the door and claimed it • highly exalted. •
Highly exalted are you • and your Son Jesus • when He was born of you • the earth was adorned • and also Daniel • prophesied and said • I saw the high throne • highly exalted.”
O M A R Y - Melody on the 8th Part of the Sunday Theotokia

The fulfillment of Old Testament types and symbols

”The burning bush seen by Moses, • the prophet, in the wilderness; • the fire inside it was aflame • but never consumed or injured it. • The same with the Theotokos, Mary, • who carried the fire of divinity; • nine months in her holy body • without blemishing her virginity.”
Melody on the Thursday Theotokia

Glorification of the Virgin Mary

”Come all today • O orthodox people • that we may glorify • Mary the Virgin.
Everyone honors • the pure one • Who is full of glory • Mary the Virgin.”
Psali on the Monday Theotokia

St Mary’s Acceptance of God’s Will and Her Given Role in Salvation

”Virgin Mary, the wise Theotokos, saved Adam through her beloved Son” … “You are the rational hook that catches Christians and raises them up to heaven.”
Exposition on the Friday Theotokia

Melismatic Hymns of Kiahk

Melismatic refers to hymns that have many melisma (hazzat) - when a word or syllable or sound is musically extended for several seconds (or minutes). During the month of Kiahk, several melismatic hymns are offered to the Lord in praise, in addition to those of the standard Midnight Praise, enriching the Sunday Vigil.

Great Kiahk Ode

The Great Kiahk Ode is a collection of excerpts from the Psalms arranged in order about: Praising the Lord, St. Mary, the Heavenly Orders, the Apostles, the Martyrs, the Saints, the Patriarch and Bishops, Praising the Lord. The first verse is chanted in a melismatic tune of about 20 minutes.

Midnight Alleluia

The hymn of Midnight Alleluia is two words: “Alleluia. Alleluia.” These two words are extended to almost 30 minutes of melisma arranged as a medley of the entire body of Coptic Hymns and Praises. It is a small taste of heaven and the work of angels who “praise Him and exalt Him above all, forever.” (Daniel 3)

Third Canticle Hymns

The hymns ⲥ̀ⲙⲟⲩ ⲉ̀ⲡϭⲟⲓⲥ (Bless the Lord…), ϩⲱⲥ ⲉ̀ⲣⲟϥ (Praise Him) and ⲁ̀ⲣⲓϩⲟⲩⲟ ϭⲁⲥϥ (and exalt Him above all, forever), similarly, allow us to experience a glimpse of the heavenly praise to the Lord that “endures forever!” (Psalm 111)

ⲧⲉⲛⲉⲛ

The hymn of ⲧⲉⲛⲉⲛ is the Praise of the Three Saintly Youth - the hymn continues the theme of offering a perpetual sacrifice of praise of the Lord: “They praise and glorify God at all times.”

The Exposition of the Laborers

The Exposition of the Laborers is read, detailing the laborers of Matthew 20:8 (“Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first, a denarius for each.”).

Who are the laborers? The patriarchs, the prophets, the apostles, the martyrs, the confessors, the cross-bearers, the virgins; the archbishops and bishops; the hegumens and priests; the archdeacons, deacons, subdeacons and readers; the archons and the sinners who repented; and finally, “the brothers who labored with us in this psalmody” — all of those who labored in offering the sacrifice of praise in the vigil.

The conclusion is chanted melismatically: ”O Christ our Savior • grant them their rewards • for their labors • in the heavenly kingdom.”

Servants Meeting

Liturgical Theology

Introduction

Takes the slides about "What is ritual" from Liturgical Theology V (Liturgy of Time)
Then introduce the concept of Liturgical Theology
Take intro slides from Liturgical Theology I

Liturgy of Time - Introduction

Characteristics of the Liturgy of Time
Daily Cycle, Weekly Cycle, Yearly Cycle
Historical Development (Cathedral vs Monastic Rite

Liturgy of Time - Agpeya I

Introduction to the Agpeya
Importance of Praying with the Psalms
Themes of each hour
Recurring Prayers (Intro to the Creed, Creed, Trisagion, Holy Holy Holy, Hail to you, Conclusion of Every Hour)

Liturgy of Time - Agpeya II

1st Hour
- Let us praise with the angels
3rd Hour
6th Hour

Liturgy of Time - Agpeya III

9th Hour
11th Hour
12th Hour
- Graciously Accord

Liturgy of Time - Agpeya IV

Veil
Midnight Hour

Liturgy of Time - Raising of Incense I

Use of Incense (OT, NT, Heavenly Church)
Characteristics of the Raising of Incense
Ritual Order
Thanksgiving Prayer
Verses of Cymbals
Minor Circuit of Incense

Liturgy of Time - Raising of Incense II

Litanies (Four)
Doxologies
Major Circuit of Incense

Liturgy of Time - Raising of Incense III

Litany of the Gospel
Litanies
Absolution and Conclusion

Liturgy of Time - Weekly Cycle I

Saturday as the Sabbath and Day of Rest
Sunday as the Day of the Lord
Fasting on Wed and Friday

Liturgy of Time - Weekly Cycle II

Hymnody
Introduction to Tarteeb el Bay3a
Concluding Canons and hymns for each day of the week

Liturgy of Time - Weekly Cycle III

Psalmody - Introduction
Canticles
Commemoration of the Saints

Liturgy of Time - Weekly Cycle IV

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday

Liturgy of Time - Weekly Cycle V

Thursday
Friday
Saturday

Liturgy of Time - Weekly Cycle VI

Sunday

Liturgy of Time - Yearly Cycle I

Church Calendar
Liturgical Calendar
Introduction to the Lectionary

Liturgy of Time - Yearly Cycle II

Sunday Lectionary

Liturgy of Time - Yearly Cycle III

Daily Lectionary
Great Fast Lectionary
Holy 50 Days Lectionary

Servants Meeting

Liturgical Theology: Theophany Feast

Historical Development of the Theophany

Egypt Before Christianity

Herodotus (Greek Historian c. 5th Century BC): "Egypt is the gift of the Nile"
The Nile was the source of life for Egyptians - survival depended on the Nile. If the Nile rose and flooded, crops grew, taxes could be collected, society survived. If the Nile didn't rise and flood, then famine followed and society could collapse.
The Egyptian calendar was based on the cycle of the Nile - three seasons: Inundation (Flooding, Waters), Planting (Seeds), Harvest (Fruits)
Hapi - God of the Nile Flood
- This is a dual-depiction of Hapi representing Upper Egypt (left - the lotus plant) and Lower Egypt (right - papyrus plant). Blue represents life-giving water. Vegetation, breasts, belly symbolize fertility.
The Nile was celebrated by procession, offerings, festivals, etc.

1st Century

Christianity entered Egypt and did not abolish Egypt's ancient reverence for the Nile, but instead transformed it by giving it Christian meaning.
- Nile gives life? Christ is the giver of life
- Flood renews the land? Baptism renews creation
- Hapi provides abundance? God blesses the waters
- Nile maintains order? Christ restores true order

2nd-3rd Century

Earliest documented celebration of this Feast in Egypt is reported by St Clement of Alexandria (150-215 AD)
- "And the followers of Basilides hold the day of His baptism as a festival, spending the night before in readings. And they say that it was the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, the fifteenth day of the month of Tubi; and some that it was the eleventh of the same month." (The Stromata, Book 1)
- Basilides: Gnostic leader (120-140 AD)
Celebrating Theophany (Epiphany) as multiple epiphanies of Christ:
- His Nativity according to the flesh
- His Baptism in the Jordan
- (In some places) His first miracle at Cana of Galilee
Rising Gnosticism taught that:
- Matter is evil or corrupt, only spirit is good
- Thus, God could not POSSIBLY have taken flesh
- At the baptism of Christ, the Divine Logos descended upon the human Jesus temporarily

4th Century

The Nativity Feast is celebrated separately from Theophany
- The Nativity Feast became a witness to the correct doctrine:
- Christ was born and took real flesh
- Matter is not evil or corrupt, but is redeemable
Theophany's focus is now on the events of the Baptism of Christ and His Sanctification of the Waters
- This also refutes Gnostic ideas since water is material; it is sanctified by Christ
Theophany becomes one of the days for administering baptism (with Pascha and Pentecost)
- "And consider how Solomon reproves you who are too idle or lethargic, saying, 'How long will you sleep, O sluggard, and when will you arise out of your sleep? You rely upon this or that, and "pretend pretenses in sins;" I am waiting for Epiphany; I prefer Easter; I will wait for Pentecost. Is it better to be baptized with Christ, to rise with Christ."
- St Gregory Nazianzen in Oration 40 is attempting to convince people to be baptized and to stop delaying

5th Century

Rituals for Sanctification of the Nile
- St Shenouda the Archimandrite and his disciple Abba Wise do a sanctification of the Nile waters
Water may be brought from the Jordan River (Palestine) and used to sanctify the Nile River
Theophany is celebrated with lighting torches, processions, dipping into the Nile, etc. around 10pm
- There are 3rd and 5th Century sources that say that the Lord was baptized in the night and that at 10pm is when the heavens opened
- After celebrating the sanctification of the Nile and dipping in, they would go back to the Church for the Vigil and Liturgy of the Feast

10th Century

Fatimid Caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah persecuted the Christians and forbade Christians from celebrating Theophany on the banks of the Nile
Christians are forced to celebrate inside, so they develop large fonts ("maghtas") - this is also the origin of the baptismal font
Later on, in the 20th Century, the large fonts will be replaced with lakkan basins

The Baptism of Christ

Circumcision and Baptism

Circumcision came as a sign of the covenant made between God and Abraham in Genesis 17
A Covenant has two sides - on God's side, He will establish the descendants of Abraham as a nation, He will give them the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession, and He shall be their God. On Abraham's side, they must be circumcised
God deigned to bring salvation upon the world through the incarnation of the Logos IN THE BEGINNING. And He foreknew everything.
Part of this economy of salvation was that God would not take one of the existing nations and become their God - for example, He did not go to the Canaanites and become their God. He did not go to the Hittites or the Amorites or the Amalekites. Of the 70 nations listed in Genesis 10, the descendants of Noah and those that were scattered after Babel, God did not choose any of those families. But rather, He chose Abraham and brought from him a new family. God's family. And Circumcision would be the sign of participation or membership in this family. It would be a sign that you forsake everything else and become one of God's family.
Circumcision was participation with God in His covenant with Abraham
Together with the Passover, they are a sign that you forsook everything else and became part of God’s family
“And when a stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it.” (‭‭Exodus‬ ‭12‬:‭48‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Where did Baptism Come From?

If you read the Old Testament, you won't see baptism mentioned anywhere.
- We have types of it like Noah's flood and Moses' crossing the Red Sea and Joshua's crossing the Jordan River - salvation through water.
- We have other hints like the four rivers that flow into the Garden of Eden that water the Tree of Life, or the Spirit of God that hovered over the waters in the beginning.
- But Baptism itself is not a regular practice in the Old Testament.
In the New Testament, St John the Baptist started to baptize people in the Jordan a baptism of repentance
- Actually, this was not an abnormal practice
- By the time of the New Testament there are a lot more Jews than before - a lot of people who have a lot of ritual washings to practice. They had the idea of Ritual Impurity and before you could become ritually clean, you had to offer sacrifices and you had to have ritual washings.
- Around the time of the Hasmoneans, many Jews would come for pilgrimage on the feasts and required ritual washing to enter the Temple
- When Herod renovated the Temple, he added many pools (including Solomon’s pools, including expanding the Pool of Siloam)
- But there were so many people that it would have been impossible for everyone to wash every day
- So they setup in the Temple several pools that were used for ritual washings. The people would get in in large groups and come out the other side ritually clean.
So when John started baptizing, people were not surprised by the practice. But what John was doing was very different
- He was baptizing in the Jordan on the other side away from the Temple - some people (especially the Sadducees were offended by this and took it as a sign that John was against the Temple)
- He was baptizing a baptism of repentance - he called the people to "bear fruit worthy of repentance"
- He was announcing the coming of Someone after Him - the Messiah
- He was not doing it on his own authority, but he was instructed to by God
  - And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” (John 1:32-34)
John's role was forerunner - to prepare the way for the Christ

The Baptism of Christ

The Lord Jesus Christ went to be baptized before beginning His ministry
He approved of the work that John was doing and asked John to baptize Him, himself
When Christ entered the water, some things happened:
- The Father spoke from heaven and affirmed that the Lord Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah
- The Holy Spirit showed Himself as a dove and came upon the head of Christ anointing Him as High Priest, as King, as Prophet. These are the three roles that were expected of the Messiah.
  - When the Holy Spirit came upon the Lord, He opened the door for God the Holy Spirit to dwell in humanity, Who we will accept on the day of our Baptism
- Christ, in the water, conquered the demons and the chaos and renews the Creation
  - "You have crushed the heads of the dragon hidden therein [in the Jordan]" (Lakkan Liturgy of Water)
  - "You divided the sea by Your strength; You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters. You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces" (Psalm 74:13 - used in the Tasbeha Canticle for Theophany)
  - Creation in Genesis 1 came "out of the waters"
  - God's salvation for Israel through the Red Sea is a type of "new Creation"
  - Christ sanctifies the NATURE of water (St John Chrysostom)

Themes of the Theophany

The Manifestation of the Holy Trinity

"This is My beloved Son in whom I am pleased. He has performed my will; obey Him, for He is the Giver of Life." - Verses of the Cymbals

"You have seen the Holy Spirit • coming down from heaven • and you have heard the voice of the Father • proclaiming and saying: •
'This is My beloved Son • with whom My soul is well pleased • He does My will; hear Him • for He is the Life-giver." - Second Doxology

The Sanctification of the Waters

"The sea beheld and fled, • and the Jordan turned away. • O sea, why have you fled? • Stand firm that you may be blessed. •
Behold the waters have seen • the Maker and Creator • and they feared; • agitation and confusion overtook them." - First Doxology

"The only-begotten God • came to the Jordan • and the portrait that was destroyed • and ruined by sin, •
He restored it once again • by the baptism of water; • He demolished the head of the dragon • upon the waters of the Jordan." - Second Doxology

Veneration of St John the Baptist

"A proud name is your name, • O kinsman of Immanuel. • You are great among all the saints, • O John the Baptist" - Verse of Cymbals, ⲟⲩⲣⲁⲛ ⲛϣⲟⲩϣⲟⲩ

All of the Theophany Psalis

Rite of the Theophany

The Readings

Paramoun Vespers	Matthew 4:12-22	Jesus beings His ministry; prophecy from Isaiah "The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light..."
Paramoun Matins	John 3:22-29	John the Baptist exalts Christ ("He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled."
Paramoun Liturgy	Luke 3:1-18	John preaches to the people
Feast Vespers	Matthew 3:1-12	John the Baptist Prepares the Way
Feast Lakkan	Matthew 3:1-17	John the Baptist Prepares the Way; John Baptizes Jesus
Feast Matins	Mark 1:1-11	John the Baptist Prepares the Way; John Baptizes Jesus
Feast Liturgy	John 1:18-34	John's testimony of Christ
Second Day Vespers	Luke 3:21-22	John Baptizes Jesus
Second Day Matins	Matthew 3:13-17	John Baptizes Jesus
Second Day Liturgy	John 1:35-51	"Behold the Lamb of God" -

Theophany Paramoun

The Rites of the Paramoun are identical to that of the Nativity.

Theophany Feast

Vespers Praises & Vespers if the Feast is on Sunday or Monday (because it means the Paramoun was prayed early)
Veneration for St John the Baptist
Midnight Praises
- Great Canticle
- Midnight Alleluia
- 7 & 4 - Psali and Exposition for each Theotokia
Liturgy of the Waters (Lakkan)
- On Covenant Thursday and Apostles' Feast, the Lakkan is prayed AFTER Matins (as all church services are - wedding, baptism, etc.). On Theophany it is prayed before Matins. This is a remnant of the original practice that the Nile waters were sanctified and THEN the people went to Church to pray the Feast
Matins
- Like Nativity and Resurrection Feasts
Divine Liturgy

Lakkan

Order of Lakkan

Thanksgiving Prayer, Incense, Verses of Cymbals
Prophecies
Incense & Pauline
Ⲟⲩⲣⲁⲛ ⲛϣⲟⲩϣⲟⲩ, Ⲡⲁϭⲟⲓⲥ and Trisagion
Psalm & Gospel
Ⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲛⲁⲛ
Gospel Response
Litanies (Sick, Travelers, Seasons, Leaders, Departed, Oblations, Catechumens)
Supplications
Litanies (Peace, Fathers, Assemblies) - Can be Inaudible
Creed
Aspasmos Adam
Anaphora
Absolutions
Distribution
Concluding Prayer

Prophecies

Habakkuk 3:2-19
- Christ sanctifies the Creation through His Baptism
  - "The everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills bowed"
  - "You walked through the sea with Your horses, through the heap of great waters"
- God reveals Himself in the Theophany
- Baptism
Isaiah 35:1-2
- "The desert shall blossom abundantly and rejoice"
- "The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it" - Lebanon is known for cedar (trees). So if the glory of Lebanon is given to a desert, that means the desert that was dry and dead will become fruitful and full of life - symbol of baptism, but also of water.
Isaiah 40:1-5
- "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'"
- "The glory of the Lord shall be revealed... for the mouth of the Lord has spoken."
Isaiah 9:1-2
- "Beyond the Jordan. In Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined."
Baruch 3:36-4:4
Ezekiel 36:24-29
- "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them."
Ezekiel 47:1-9
- "Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar... he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles... the water came up to my waist... the water was too deep, water in which one must swim; a river that could not be crossed.

Anaphora

Addressed to the Son
Meet and Right
- Focuses on the Son as Creator, who created all from nothing, and to whom all Creation submits
Ⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ
- Focuses on the Incarnation
  - "come to the likeness of men"
  - "were not pleased to behold the human race overpowered by the devil. Behold, You have come and saved us."
  - "You have blessed the natural births and purified the virginal womb by Your birth"
  - "You, while still God, did show Yourself upon the Earth and walked among men."
Sanctification
- Invoking the Holy Spirit
  - "Sanctify this water"
  - "A loosing from sins"
  - "A chaser away of diseases"
  - "A terror unto demons"
  - "May all who drink from it obtain purity of soul, spirit, and body"
- Renewal of our nature by water and Spirit
  - The water of Noah
  - The water of Moses (The Red Sea)
  - The water of Elijah
Concluding Prayer
- "You have made us worthy to fulfill this holy mystery."
- "Reveal to us the knowledge of this mystery."
- The Lakkan is a Mystery! A Sacrament! Per HEMY, it falls under the Sacrament of Repentance and Confession

Servants Meeting

Preaching & Evangelism

In the Name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. One God. Amen.

Who, What, Where, When, How of Evangelism

Introduction

Background

The first idea for this topic came over a year ago after the 2024 OCAD. Many of our youth - most are servants - came to me in the Youth Meeting and talked about their struggles at OCAD. They felt ill-equipped for some of the conversations that happened or the people who approached the table. Some were even discouraged at the end of the day...

At the same time, there was a lot of excitement around OCCM and the influx of catechumens and the potential to baptize youth. And a lot of excitement about bringing catechumens and inviting them to every meeting and every convention and every outing, etc. but without seeking any guidance.

And there were several other interactions that I had with various youth since then that felt a little off...

One time there was a guy who came into the Church because he was just looking for someone to talk to. He wanted to talk to the priest... so I sat with him for a little while in private, and then he left. That evening, I heard the youth talking and excited and someone asked me about "the new catechumen."

One time I was telling the youth on Thursday that we have a baptism tomorrow before liturgy, try to make it! And there were excited faces as they asked "is it an adult baptism??" But a look of disappointment when I said "no, it's a baby."

We all rejoice when there is a new member in the Body of Christ, and when someone has gone through the catechism and decided to dedicate his life to Christ and to the Orthodox life. But the process itself requires a lot of wisdom and a lot of cooperation with the Holy Spirit to do it right.

At the same time, many youth - and especially young men - are coming to the Orthodox Church inquiring and seeking. Many of them are seeking something different than what the society in the US has to offer... the society is emasculating them and diminishing their value because they are men. So how are we to interact with these people? How are we to respond to them? Should we just baptize everyone who comes our way? Will that save them?

These are some of the ideas we will discuss in this Retreat

First topic: Who, What, Where, When, How of Evangelism

Second topic: Characteristic of the Evangelist

What is Evangelism

We'll start with the word itself: Evangelism.

εὐαγγελίζω - euangelizō - Evangelism - Preaching the Gospel

εὐαγγέλιον - Good News - (eu = good, angelion = message (like angelos = messenger))

Gospel - Godspel - God (Good) Spel (News, Narrative, Speech - reciting/speaking something)

Evangelism refers to the preaching or spreading of the Gospel - good news.

Every time that I give a sermon, I am preaching the Gospel == I am Evangelizing.
Every time I give a Sunday School lesson, I am preaching the Gospel == I am Evangelizing.

Why?

Why Preach the Gospel?

(See “The Harvest is Plentiful”)

Evangelism is a Commandment
- ”Go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15)
- ”As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.” (John 17:18)
- ”You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Matthew 5:14)
- ”You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” (Matthew 5:13)
Evangelism is Love
- If we love God, then we must love our neighbor; and if we love our neighbor, then we must care for their salvation. We would do all we can to rescue them!
Evangelism is the Mission of the Church
- The Book of Acts!
- Some people say that the time of Evangelism is ended… that’s preposterous!
- ”And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:16)
Evangelism is the Outcome of the New Life
- Evangelism is for the sake of those we are serving… I don’t gain anything from it. Is that not the outcome of my dedication to the New Life of Baptism? Is that not denying myself, taking up my cross and following Him?
Evangelism is the Greatest Mission
- Think of worldly missions… a doctor is trying to prolong life. A lawyer or judge is trying to bring about justice. A Software developer is trying to facilitate communication and knowledge. Artists are trying to bring joy to people.
- All of this is temporary… but the mission of the Evangelist is eternal life. So it is greater than those other missions.

"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; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20)

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

St John Chrysostom - "There is nothing colder than a Christian who does not try to save others."

Are we Slacking? Why doesn't Orthodoxy recruit? Why doesn't she advertise? Why doesn't she evangelize the way others do? Why doesn't she simplify? Why doesn't she scale?

A world saturated with marketing, messaging and "growth strategies" Orthodoxy is obscure...

Quiet Churches
Long services
No Slogans
Not compromising in its teachings
Entrance requires time, patience and submission to a way of life

The Church is NOT an organization or an institution... it is not a place that is trying to have many numbers and big quantity, but it is a place focused on quantity. It is the Body of Christ - not metaphorically, but literally. And it accepts members who want to join it, and then heals them. The Church is a hospital for sinners - when the sinners approach the Church, they get the treatment they need through the Sacraments.

John 6

What?

Why Bring People In?

Activity: Why do you want to bring others into the Church?

Some say "I don't want them to go to Hell."

"if you don't do xyz you will go to Hell." It boils down my relationship with God to be that of a slave - owner. I obey because of fear of punishment. This is preaching a fear (scaredness) of God.

Some say "I want them to have a Heavenly Reward."

"If you do xyz you will get all these blessings and reward" This boils my relationship with God to that of an employer-employee. I obey because of anticipating a reward.

According to St Basil, both of these are missing the mark...

“Who can please God? Either we please Him fearing tortures and then we are in the state of a slave; or we fulfill the commandments of God in hope of reward, for our own benefit, and therefore we are like hirelings; or we do good for the sake of good itself, and then we are in the state of a son. For, when a son reaches mature age and reason, he fulfills the will of his father not because he fears punishment, and not in order to receive a reward from him, but because he cherishes a special love for him and reveres him as his father, he loves him and is convinced that all the possessions of his father belong to him also. Such a one is able to hear (Gal. 4:7), Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Surely he no longer fears God, as we have said, by that initial fear, but he loves Him, as also St. Anthony said, "I no longer fear God, but I love Him."

Activity: What is the Gospel Message?

Every religion, every faith, every worldview, has and tries to answer these questions about the human condition:
- What is the problem? (undesired effect) - symptoms
- What is the cause of the problem? (undesired cause) - diagnosis
- What is the solution? (desired effect) - prognosis
- What is the way to the solution? (desired cause) - treatment plan
Plato
- Problem: Vice, we are not good
- Cause: Ignorance
- Solution: Virtue, be good
- Way to Virtue: Knowledge (opposite of cause)
Buddha
- Problem: Suffering
- Cause: Greed and Selfish Desire
- Solution: Extinction of the Selfish desire (Nirvana)
- Way of extinction: "Noble eightfold path" of purification
Marxism
- Problem: Alienation
- Cause: Capitalism
- Solution: Classless Society
- Way to Solution: Socialism
Freud
- Problem: Neurosis & Psychosis
- Cause: Conflict between identification and superego
- Solution: Balanced Personality
- Way to Solution: Psychoanalysis

What is the Gospel?

"Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." (Mark 1:14)
Whenever Christ met someone, He was turned that meeting into an encounter with God's Kingdom. He would enter into a conversation or respond to a question or an obvious need, and begin opening that person to the presence of God. He never talked down to or judged the person He encountered, and He never pushed them to do anything.
- Samaritan Woman - He led gently, point by point, to a recognition of who He was
- Wealthy Young Man (Matthew 19:16-30) - could not accept the call to follow Jesus, the Lord was saddened by his reaction but did not condemn him
- Nicodemus - His conversation with Nicodemus was presenting the Gospel of the Kingdom to Him
- NOTE: Might need an appendix on the Syro-Phoenician Woman
How can we, who are fallen and living in sin, enter this holy and eternal Kingdom?
Christian Answer (Good News)
- Problem: Death
- Cause: Sin
- Solution: Life
- Way to Solution: Christ
Christ
- "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)
- "as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5:21)
- The preaching and evangelism of the Apostles in the 1st Century was three focuses: Christ Died, Christ is Risen, Christ will Come Again.
- Christ Died for Us
  - "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:6-8)
  - We were separated from God, but Christ died that we may be reconciled with Him
- Christ is Risen
  - If Jesus had come, shared life with us, and then died... it would have been a story of great tragedy, but we would not be restored to God
  - Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and gave eternal life to those who were in the grave
- Christ will come again for Us and for Our Salvation
  - This focus was so strong that some first-century believers expected it to happen any day now. Some of them stopped working and were living off of others (Thessalonica) and St Paul had to remind them that the Second Coming would occur in God's good time
    - 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
  - Christ will do two things:
    - Judge the living and the dead, determining who will go to Paradise (sheep) and who will go to Hades (goats)
      - Matthew 25:31-33
    - Bring about the final reconciliation between God and His Creation
      - Revelation 21:1-4
The Gospel Message is very simple. It's not complicated apologetics. It's not theological minutiae.
- Sometimes our evangelism is talking about other things...
  - Why Orthodoxy is the True Church
  - Icons
  - Councils
  - Styles of Worship
  - Ecumenical Councils
- We conflate Evangelism and Catechism, preaching up front what should not be taught until someone has decided to join and are being shepherded into the Church.
- Evangelism is about taking those first steps toward a relationship with God - proclaiming that God is with us. If we are not preaching Christ, but instead trying to persuade people, we will fail.

How?

How to Preach Christ

Luke 4:17-21 - Christ goes to the Synagogue where He reads from Isaiah. He closes the book, gives it to the attendant, sits down. And He says "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
Apostles did the same thing... go to the Synagogue, read the Scripture of the Jews, and answer them: "This prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus Christ."
St Paul did the same things... passing through the pagan city of Athens... "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you." (Acts 17)
St Mark did the same thing...
St John did the same thing... Greek Philosophy taught the concept of Logos - the universal mind, the divine reason, the source of all truth; Stoicism saw Logos as the active and rational principle that organizes, permeates and governs the entire cosmos. So what did St John say? "In the beginning was the Logos, and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was God. He was in the beginning with God." (John 1:1-2). You are looking for the Logos? I'm here to tell you that the Logos is Jesus Christ.
Evangelism in the Early Church - Michael Green
- "The content of their proclamation was none other than the person of Jesus Christ. They made use of all the cultural and intellectual pathways which would facilitate the reception of this message. Intensely sensitive to the felt needs of the listeners, the thought world in which they moved, the very language which would strike the clearest note in their minds, their aim nevertheless remained both simple and direct; to introduce others to Jesus Christ. It is the same if we are listening to the apostle Paul on Areopagus or the monk Macarius in the Egyptian deserts." (pp. 383-384)
St Paul met them where they were at
- “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.” (1 Cor 9:19-23)

How the Church Preaches the Gospel

The Church has a responsibility towards every single person in the world - not only toward the believers. Three groups of people in the world. Active Believers, Lost Sheep (who are believers but are lost) and the Non-believers.

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8)

The Church service can be classified into three ministries - Jerusalem, Samaria, End of the Earth:

Ministry of Spiritual Care (Active Members)
- Preventative: How to prevent them from being lost
- Nurturing: How to nurture them to grow into spiritual maturity
Ministry of the Lost Sheep
- Outreach: Searching for the Lost Sheep
- Healing: The Lost Sheep who returns will be full of wounds - how to accept him and prepare a godly and therapeutic atmosphere to promote his healing
Ministry of Evangelism (Non-Believers)
- Preaching the Gospel
- Grafting (Catechism)

What about Apologetics?

Apologetics is more of a discipline than a formal "service." It is relevant in ALL categories of church service.
- 1a because it's tackling difficult topics that may arise in the future.
- 1b and 3b because it prepares faithful to be able to "give a defense"
- 2a & 2b because many of Lost Sheep drift because of doubt, intellectual confusion, etc.
- 3a because when preaching the gospel, some may desire to debate or to raise points of confusion
There is a BIG difference between Apologetics and Preaching & Evangelism
- Although Apologetics involves "Speaking the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15), it is focused more on an intellectual or logical discussion, debate. That's why it's only ONE component of any service - because the pastoral is MORE important
- Apologetics can help someone overcome any intellectual barriers to the faith, but it CANNOT (on its own) bring someone to the faith.

Who?

Who is the Evangelist?

Tomorrow we will discuss the characteristics of the Evangelist, but for now it suffices to know that NOT EVERYONE is called to Evangelize in every way or at all times.

All Christians are called to Evangelize by our good deeds, actions, words, manner of speech, manner of dress, modesty, virtue, etc.

NOT All Christians are called to Evangelize by the word…

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11)

On top of that, some wisdom is needed when getting into Debates or Discussions. These require a different setting (e.g. NEVER Alone, NEVER with Multiple People). I have heard from many of our youth: “I attend a Bible Study with my Protestant friends and I am trying to bring them to the fullness of the faith.” What can come out of this setting? And it’s usually someone who is NOT consistent with Sunday School or Bible Study or even Liturgy. And as they are “trying to bring people” they are getting further and further from the Church. They are having more and more questions.

NOT All Christians are called to Evangelize by the word, and the one who is, needs some characteristics and some preparation which we will talk about tomorrow.

Where?

Where to Evangelize

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8)

Jerusalem: Your circle; your workplace; your school/classes
- "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)
  - By your good deeds, clean language, modesty in dress, high moral standard, smile, peace even in tribulation, joy even in suffering, patience even with a difficult personality
- We, as Christians, permeate our society...
  - Careers: Medical Field, Engineering, Retail, Real Estate, Business, Law, etc.
  - Hobbies: Gyms, Fields/Clubs, Stores,
  - Think of all the places you go, all the people you interact with... how many of them do you see regularly? How many see something different in you?
  - Like Christmas lights
- We will be asked...
  - "What is the reason for the hope that is in you?"
  - "How are you able to smile so much?"
  - "How are you able to be so patient with that person (e.g. my boss, my coworker, my employee, etc.)?"
  - "Why aren't you eating meat?"
  - "Why aren't you going out drinking with us?"
  - "What are you doing this weekend?" - "What did you do last weekend?"
Judea and Samaria: Your community
- "Come and See" - needs someone to "Go and Tell"
- E.g.
  - Nursing Homes
  - Prisons
  - Orphanages
  - Women's Shelters
  - Homeless Shelters
- Find those who are "in need" and show them Christ, who will satisfy their needs
  - “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
    Because He has anointed Me
    To preach the gospel to the poor;
    He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
    To proclaim liberty to the captives
    And recovery of sight to the blind,
    To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
    To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
  - Do I know someone who is poor? Or if I don't, do I know where to find the poor?
  - Do I know someone brokenhearted? Struggling... just lost someone in their family, or just found out about a hard diagnosis, or just lost their job, or going through a difficulty? Lonely? Did I preach the Gospel to them? Did I go and tell them about the Lord Christ who can satisfy their needs?
  - Do I know someone in captivity? Or do I know where to find the captive? Or someone who is spiritually captive?
  - Do I know someone who is oppressed?
The end of the earth: Global Missionary Work

Process of Catechism

Inquirer
- Bring him/her to the Divine Liturgy.
  - Not the Youth Meeting. Not Sunday School. Not Servants Meeting. Not Bible Study. Liturgy. "Come and see."
- Prepare them in advance (communion, men and women seating, hair covering, appropriate attire, etc.)
- Be there and ready to accept them
- Let them meet Abouna!
Catechumenate
- After many weeks of attending liturgies, asking questions, forming a relationship with the priest, they may be ready to become a catechumen
- Catechism has three components:
  - Doctrinal Formation (catechism classes)
  - Liturgical Formation (liturgical praxis)
  - Spiritual Formation (spiritual canon)
- Later in the Catechumenate
  - Community Integration
  - Service Integration
- No less than one year
  - Discipleship
  - Liturgical Experience
  - Adequate time to learn
  - Scriptural Study
  - Time to get to know them
  - Moral Transformation
  - Doesn't end in baptism
  - Giving the best chance to succeed as a Christian
    - "And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. ⁴⁸But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more." (Luke 12:47-48)
    - "Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep." (1 Cor 11:27-30)
    - "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Ephesians 4:4-6)
Christian Initiation
- Sacrament of Confession
- Sacrament of Baptism
- Sacrament of Chrismation (Myron)
- Sacrament of Matrimony*
- Sacrament of the Eucharist
Catechism after Initiation
- Receiving the Sacraments
- Cultivating friendships
- Discovering the imperfection of Orthodox faithful
- Dealing with Convert Burnout
  - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFrgS81Dlog

Workshop #1

Activity #1

A man enters the Church. You introduce yourself, and welcome him. He says "My name is Jack, I go to a non-denominational Church." How do you respond?

Scenario from work

Scenario from school

Scenario from tabling

Activity #2

For each category of church service, list services that would fall under it that you can think of.

Confession - 1a
Liturgy - 1a
Bible Study - 1b
Sunday School Class - 1b
Visitation - 1a
Aghapy Meal - 1a
Liturgy Sermon - 1b
Youth Meeting - 1b
Phone Calls - 1a
OCCM GBMs - 1a, 1b, 2a, 3a
OCCM Tabling - 3a
OCCM OCAD - 3a
Catechumen classes - 3b
Sports Ministries (CFCBL) - 1a, 2a
Global Coptic Day - 3a

Who is the Evangelist?

Introduction

Evangelizing to Non-Believers

From George B. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkAmEY2cfD0 around 40min

How do we know what we know? Epistemology...

Senses (Material)
Mind (Concepts)
Heart (People)

How do we know God?

Senses? No
Mind (Reason)
Heart (Faith)

Evangelizing to Non-Believers, which eye do we use? Only the 2nd.

"Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there." (Acts 17)

He cannot be seen by the 1st, and the Atheist does not know Him with the 3rd. But we must know Him by the 3rd in order to effectively talk about Him with the 2nd.

People must see Christ in your life before they hear about Him from your mouth.

Development of the Evangelist

Be a Good Christian
Be Merciful
Be Ready to Answer
Be a Wise Evangelist

These are steps in order… none of them is ever complete, but unless I first show progress in the first one, I can’t go to the second one. Unless I show progress in the second one, I can’t go to the third one. Unless I show progress in the third one, I can’t go to the fourth one. Sometimes I am jumping to the third or fourth one and completely neglecting the first or second.

First step is to work on myself…
- ”Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify Your Father in heaven…” - but my light is extinguished. If my light is off, then I have nothing to offer. If my cup is empty, I cannot fill others. If the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?
- Personal Experience with God
  - The Apostles when they went out to preach, they were preaching from their personal experience. See what St John says at the beginning of his first epistle:
    - That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 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. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.“ (1 John 1:1-4)
  - Have I heard, seen, looked upon, handled, tasted, the Word of Life? Do I have a Personal Experience with God? Do I walk with God? Do I KNOW Him as a Person? Or I only know “of him” from reading books and hearing sermons?
  - Imagine...
    - T-Mobile Salesman who has AT&T
    - Honda Salesman who drives a Toyota
    - Someone who has depression trying to convince you to be happy
    - Someone who is single trying to tell you how amazing marriage is
  - The fact of the matter is that no one likes a salesman, because of how much that role has been abused… no one likes being manipulated or coerced or pressured. No one likes to be approached and trying to be forced to buy something that they don’t want or need… salespeople that do a good job say “I’m not here to push something on someone that they don’t need… I’m here to expose them to an opportunity they may not have been aware of. And if it makes sense, then great!”
- Seeking Virtue
  - Being good, honest, humble, happy, loving, serving, pure, self-controlled
  - Turning away from money, lust, pride and worldly pleasures
  - ”But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.” (1 Timothy 6:11)
  - ”… that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” (Philippians 2:15)
- Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake
  - ”Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 5:10)
- Trusting in God
  - Behold, God is my salvation,
    I will trust and not be afraid;
    ‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;
    He also has become my salvation.’ (Isaiah 12:2)
  - We sing this in Pascha all the time, and it’s easy to say, but do I do it?
  - Do I trust God with my finances, with my health, with speaking a word, with my problems?
  - If I do not trust God, then I will be afraid… and if I am afraid, how will I evangelize?
- Led by the Spirit
  - Being Spirit-led means I know my mission. Every activity in my life is guided by the Holy Spirit. Is Spiritual first.
  - At the level of the parish church
    - Every activity in the Church is subservient to the Sacramental Life. Every event, activity, meeting, outing, lecture, zoom meeting, etc. is subservient to the Sacramental Life.
  - So every action in my life is subservient to the Kingdom of Heaven
  - “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25)
  - And I will bear the fruit of the Spirit
- Holy
  - Set-apart to God
  - Separate, Different from the world
- Profound Sense of Forgiveness
  - Confident in the Sacrament of Repentance & Confession
  - I know that I am forgiven
  - If I do not have the sense of my forgiveness, then I will be loaded with anxiety, fear, guilt.
  - “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1)
That is the most important step
- The Evangelism to the circle CANNOT happen or be effective unless I am doing this step
Second Step is to be merciful
- Now I will take my “be good” and apply it relationally… to start to have mercy with others and show love to others.
- Again, if I am not already in the love of God, overflowing with God’s love… then I will struggle to show love to others (especially to the stranger, the enemy, the different one, the difficult personality, etc.)
- Treat People Decently
  - Good manners
  - Listen
  - Sensitivity to others and to their feelings
    - If there’s no sensitivity, then I am just imposing my agenda on someone
    - If I speak without listening first, I am talking to someone who isn’t willing to listen
- Understand the Human Condition
  - Human Condition is good, bad and ugly… sometimes all at the same time!
    - People can be loving and devious, noble and petty…
  - Be wise as serpents, gentle as doves… trust, but verify
    - Don’t assume the worst about someone… but also don’t assume that everyone is a saint.
  - Be involved in the joys and sorrows and frustrations of real people in a real world
    - Visited someone who is working in a restaurant 60-75 hours per week… he gets one day off per week and it’s usually on Monday, when we don’t have liturgy. Him and his wife have a young son who finishes school at 2pm. His wife can’t find a job because she has to find one that is 9am-1pm. She’s willing to do anything… But she needs to be able to take her son to school, then go to work, then get off, pick her son up, and take him home. And if she finds a job, she’ll get a car so she can do that. But without a job, she won’t be able to afford a car, nor will she need one. And the guy wants to study and get back to his career that he had in Egypt… imagine that I go to this family and my response to them is “you have to attend Vespers.” - it will be as if I didn’t hear a single word that they said.
    - People in the real world are a single mom trying to raise and support her children
    - A veteran with PTSD trying to drink his memories away at a bar
    - The elderly woman who goes and walks around Publix because she doesn’t have anything else to do during the day
- Joy… Lighten Up
  - Relate to someone with a smile
  - Sense of humor - we don’t have to train to be stand up comics, but we should be able to see the humor in a situation and the humor in the human condition
  - Sometimes we are very solemn and off-putting when speaking of God
    - NOTE: We do not make light of the Holy Things, or be irreverent
  - “A merry heart does good, like medicine,
    But a broken spirit dries the bones.” (Proverbs 17:22)
- Honesty
  - I need to be honest about my experience with God and how God has worked in my life - with discernment
  - And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.“ (1 Timothy 1:12-14)
  - I need to be discerning about what I share, and with who - for example, it may not be okay to share with my child in Sunday School about my personal sins.
  - But we have all dealt with failure, pain, and loss, as well as joy and gain. These are common factors among us. If we are honest about our own needs and how God deals with them, that is enough to relate to anyone.
Third Step is “be ready”
- “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15)
- Many times, we skip to this step. I want to be ready. I want to know the Apologetics frameworks and concepts and ideas. I want to learn how to defend the faith, and then I want to go out and do it! But this is not the first step… and all we have to do to see that is to read the next verse.
  - “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.” (1 Peter 3:15-17)
  - So before be ready, comes
    - A hope that is in you
    - Meekness and fear
    - Good Conscience
    - Revile in good conduct in Christ
    - Suffer for doing good
- The commandment to “always be ready” is the one we are excited about. It’s the one where I read books and intellectually convince myself and I can help people overcome barriers to faith, etc.
- But we already saw…
  - Unless you are LIVING the faith, you will not be effective in PREACHING the faith.
  - Unless you have a HOPE in you, no one will ask you a reason for the hope that is in you
  - Unless you are preaching with meekness and fear, with mercy and love to your neighbor, you will not be effective
- Apologetics
  - Arguments for the Existence of God
  - Answers to “Science” questions about Evolution, Cosmology
  - The Problem of Evil and Suffering
  - Reconciling God’s Foreknowledge and my Free Will
  - History of the Church
  - Reliability of the Bible
  - Evidence of the Resurrection
  - Uniqueness of Christ
  - Truth Claims
  - Comparative Religions
  - Good understanding of modern issues and politics around them
    - Sanctity of Life
    - Marriage, Sexuality, Gender
    - Immigration
Fourth Step is “the wise evangelist”
- So far, in the first three steps was the passive evangelism. I am living out my Christian life and calling, I am a light in the world. If someone sees me, they are directed to God. If someone asks me or debates me, I answer. Now, the fourth step is the one who goes out - the active evangelism.
- ^”The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
  And he who wins souls is wise.” (Proverbs 11:30)
- ^”Those who are wise shall shine
  Like the brightness of the firmament,
  And those who turn many to righteousness
  Like the stars forever and ever.” (Daniel 12:3)
- “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.“ (James 5:20)
- We CANNOT go to the first four steps without the first three.
- The fourth step requires WISDOM
- Wisdom of Self-Awareness
  - Someone who struggled with alcohol may not be the best person to go preach in the Nightclub
  - Someone who is struggling with lust should not go and evangelize to the harlot
  - Someone who is not well-versed in Islamic Apologetics, should not go and preach in an Islamic country, or go debate the Muslim Student Association
  - St Peter did not know his limitations, and so he fell
- Wisdom of Timing - know when to speak
  - “To everything there is a season,
    A time for every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3)
  - If someone is grieving or mourning, that’s not the time for theological debate or philosophical discourse
  - If someone is angry, that’s not the time to correct him
- Wisdom of Context - know the situation
  - Doesn’t make sense to go preach in a prison and tell them to abstain from food until 3pm… their schedule has them waking up at 6am for breakfast, work, exercise, etc. then lunch at 11am, then free time. Maybe dinner is at 5pm. So what is he supposed to do? He doesn’t have the freedom to eat at 3pm…
  - Does it make sense to preach about fasting and abstaining from food and how that leads to Christ? What about to a Muslim during Ramadan? Context matters.
- Wisdom of Moral Boundaries - don’t compromise
  - If someone is not wise and he reads “to the Jews I became as a Jew” - maybe he takes it too literally… “I should try vaping to show them that I can be like them and then I can minister to them.” Of course not… I have forsaken the Law of Christ, and the result is that they will think I became like them - not the other way around.
  - Wisdom means to be able to say to someone “this is okay, but this needs adjustment.”
- Wisdom of Discernment in Growth - don’t overload someone
  - “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.” (John 16:12)
  - Milk before solid food
  - Christ and the love of Christ and relationship with Christ - before Theological Minutiae
- Wisdom of Knowing the Audience - deal with different people differently
  - Samaritan Woman - Relational
  - Nicodemus - Philosophical/Theological
  - Rich Young Ruler - Confrontational

Resources

St Habib Girgis
- Preaching: Its History and Importance in the Christian Church Generally, and in the Coptic Orthodox Church Specifically
Fr Tadros Yacoub Malaty
- Evangelism and the School of Alexandria
- Preaching in the Post-Apostolic Era
- Evangelism: 1 Corinthians
- Evangelism: 2 Corinthians
Michael Keiser
- Spread the Word
Fr Daoud Lamei
- The Harvest is Plentiful
HG Bishop Antonios Marcos
- Theology of Mission
When you fast
- Page 29
Alexander Schmemann
- Church, World, Mission
Eugene Gotwalt, PhD
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFVQIN1uQ-s - Why Orthodoxy does not recruit - and why that matters
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFrgS81Dlog - Convert Burnout

Servants Meeting

2026-02-15: Benefit from the Fast

Introduction

“From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness – besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.” (2 Corinthians 11:24-28)

Fasting is distinguished from hunger and thirst... hunger and thirst is involuntary. It's when he's traveling and has no food, or imprisoned and not given any water. But fasting is voluntary. It's an offering made to the Lord Jesus Christ willingly
It feels like fasting doesn't belong in this list- why does he include fasting with beatings and shipwrecks?? Because it is a CHOSEN suffering for Christ.

What is Fasting?

Read "...by bread alone" chapter from Fr Alexander Schmemann's "Great Lent" book
- https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/cc1sc6yndf23vf5mr9b3v/Great-Lent-Fr-Alexander-Schmemann.pdf?rlkey=f3s7tugj87pweekrp7p579w99&dl=0
Fasting is not:
- Symbolic "giving up" of something (esp. Catholic)
- Obligatory or customary "community practice"
- Scrupulous observance of dietary regulations
- Deprivation of the body - not a virtue in itself, but only a means by which the soul can grow
- Some fast for self-approval to feel pious or gain approval in church
- Some fast to avoid neglecting the biblical commandment
- Some fast for self-glory from others' praise
The Lord Jesus Christ, when He was fasting, was tempted by the devil to turn a stone into bread and eat. He responded with "Man shall not live by bread alone"
- What does this mean?
- What does it mean to live "by bread alone"
- Actually, what does it mean to live? What is life?
The Lord Jesus Christ is Life
- "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." (John 1:4)
- "I am the Resurrection and the Life" (John 11:25)
- "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6)
- "I am the Bread of Life" (John 6:48)
- Food in itself has no life, but only by God does it give life to the body
Adam was given life
- "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."
- Death was not yet introduced into the world; Adam would have lived forever - not because he had life in himself, but because he was with God. Because he depended on God.
Adam decided instead of depending on God, he could depend on the fruit
- The devil tempted them telling them they could "be like God" - they could have Life in them.
- Instead of depending on God, he depended on the bread of the world
- And death entered into the world - because the bread has no life in itself; and so when we depended on the daily bread and the bread of the world, we depended on something that had no life in it.
- The biggest lie that Satan told us is that "life can exist apart from communion with God"
Christ came to repair the damage Adam did
- Adam refused the fast; The Lord Jesus comes and before starting His ministry, fasts 40 days without food; and overcomes Satan. He embraces hunger and defeats the lie.
- "When He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He became hungry." (Matthew 4:2)
Hunger
- Hunger is the state where we realize that our dependence is on something else
- It is when we urgently and essentially need food - which shows us that we do NOT have life in ourselves
- I face the ultimate question: On what does my life depend?
- Fasting means to be hungry - to go to the limits of hunger and discover the whole truth - that man is not hungry for food, he is hungry for life. He is hungry for God. And that is a SPIRITUAL State, not a PHYSICAL state
- And if the hunger for God is a SPIRITUAL STATE, then it needs a SPIRITUAL effort along with the physical effort
Prayer
- Physical fasting is meaningless (and even dangerous) if it's disconnected from the spiritual effort - prayer and concentration on God.
So what is fasting for a Christian?
- It is a way to recover our true spiritual nature by being HUNGRY
- "A drastic reduction of food so that the permanent state of a certain hunger might live as a reminder of God and a constant effort to keep our mind on Him. Everyone who has practiced it knows that this ascetical fast rather than weakening us makes us light, concentrated, sober, joyful, pure." - Fr Alexander Schmemann (Great Lent)
- The Christian Fast is the way that the Lord:
  - Makes us free - liberates us from our dependence on food, matter and the world
  - Makes us fruitful - fruits of repentance
  - Prepares us - for tribulation, for temptation, for communion

How to Fast?

"Four times a year the Church invites us to purify and liberate ourselves from the dominion of the flesh by the holy therapy of fasting, and each time the success of the therapy depends precisely on the application of certain basic rules." - Fr Alexander Schmemann (Great Lent)

The Gospel for the Pre-Fast Sunday talks about: Fasting, Prayer and Almsgiving. These three things ask us to consider our relationship with ourselves (via Fasting), with God (via Prayer) and with others (via Almsgiving).

When I fast, there will be an aspect with myself, with God and with others.

Myself: Food Aspect

Abstinence
- To feel hunger - and thus open my eyes to my dependence on God
- To eat like the angels, the spirits
- Everyone abstains differently
  - Based on spiritual level
  - Based on age
  - Based on state of health
  - Based on type of work
  - Gradual Progression
- What to do during the period of abstinence
  - Don't think about food - what you will eat, preparing the meals, etc. Elevate your mind beyond the food and materialism
  - Don't anticipate the end of the abstinence period
  - Let the spirit guide you, not the clock
  - Be hungry! Don't abstain until you feel hungry, but be hungry and then abstain some more. ENDURE HUNGER - every day.
    - "Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled." (Luke 6:21)
    - He who hungers becomes aware of his weakness and defeats his self-delusion, self-reliance, self-confidence. When the body is humbled, the soul is humbled. Feeling the need for support, the soul pleads with God.
    - Do not escape from hunger by wasting time, idle talk, sleeping
    - Be wise and NOT extreme in hunger
Quality
- What kinds of food? Vegan
  - "I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth," (Daniel 10:3)
  - To eat like Adam and Eve before the fall
- What kinds of meals? Simple ones
- Don't eat out if you can avoid it
- Be bored by your menu from time to time
- Spend less on groceries and give what you save to the poor
- Fasting should SIMPLIFY shopping, meal planning and cooking, NOT complicate it.
Quantity
- How much food?
- How often? How many meals?
- How full am I? Half-Hungry, Satisfied, Full

God: Spiritual Discipline Aspect

"Consecrate a fast,
Call a sacred assembly; Gather the elders And all the inhabitants of the land Into the house of the Lord your God,
And cry out to the Lord." (Joel 1:14)
- Is the Lord the aim of your fast?
- Fasting out of love for God
- Fasting because it brings us closer to God
Prayers
- More frequent
- Maybe longer
Scripture
- More time with God's word
- Less time with phones and scrolling
Worship
- Attending liturgies (i.e. a weekday liturgy)
Readings
Prostrations
- Participation of the body
- "But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection" (1 Cor 9:27)
Thoughts - the Hidden Fast
- This is where I often fail in my fast
- Does God occupy my thoughts while I fast, or worldly concerns?
  - Labor, news, conversations, politics, etc.
- Liturgy: "Lift up your hearts" - "We have them with the Lord"
  - Same with fasting... "Lift up your hearts."

Others: Mercy and Charity Aspect

"Blessed are those who have mercy, who give to the poor and fast and pray" - Great Fast Distribution
Mercy
- "Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy." (Matthew 5:7)
Charity
- Isaiah 58
  - Whole chapter
Attitude
- Hangry, irritated, short-tempered
- True Fasting produces PATIENCE
- Hunger reminds me of my own weakness, so I can be merciful to others

The Fruit of Fasting

Fasting is NOT the fruit.

Humility
Repentance
Mercy
Detachment
- Dependence on God not on the world or the "bread alone"
Joy
- Clarity
- Lightness
- Sobriety

Servants Meeting

Liturgical Theology: Covenant Thursday

Introduction to Covenant Thursday

Events of the Day

The Lord, on this day, instituted TWO Mysteries: The Mystery of the Eucharist and the Mystery of Washing the Feet
1st-11th Hours
- Preparing the Passover
- Washing the Feet of the Disciples
- Eating the Passover Meal
- Institution of the Eucharist
1st Hour of Eve of Friday
- Paraclete Gospels

Name of the Day

Covenant Thursday
- The Lord established the New Covenant
Maundy Thursday
- Catholic name for it... from Latin mandatum meaning "Commandment"
Great Thursday, Holy Thursday

Gospel Accounts

Preparing the Passover

References
- Matthew 26:17-19
- Mark 14:12-16
- Luke 22:7-13 - Read Out Loud
The location of the Passover was hidden from the disciples (except Peter and John) so that Judas would not betray the Lord to the chief priests before the Lord instituted the Eucharist
Peter and John took care of all the preparations of the Passover
The Lord directs them to a man carrying a pitcher of water (like how He directed them to find the donkey and colt on Palm Sunday). “The master has need of it.”

Eating the Passover

Washing the Feet

John 13:1-17

Judas' Betrayal

Matthew 26:20-25 - Read Out Loud
- The Lord says "one of you will betray Me" and is intentionally vague... he's giving Judas a chance to repent
- And all the disciples ask "Lord is it I?" except Judas
- Then He makes it a little more public: "He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me." - maybe if He exposes him a little bit, he will repent, he will change his mind... he doesn't.
- "The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born!" - maybe if He warns him about the consequences, he will repent... he doesn't.
- Finally, Judas says: "Rabbi, is it I?" And the Lord said to him "You have said it."
Mark 14:17-21
- Same notes as above
John 13:18-30 - Read Out Loud
- Gospel of John gives us the detail that St Peter motioned to St John to ask the Lord who He was talking about
- St John leans on Jesus' breast and asks Him
- Jesus dips the bread, gives it to Judas, and when Judas takes it, Satan enters him and he went out immediately
- All of these are important details when we come to understand the Passover meal

Eucharist

Matthew 26:26-30
Mark 14:22-26

Gospel of Luke

Luke 22:14-23 - Read Out Loud
More details
They ate the Passover
Mentions a cup before the Eucharist
Mentions Judas AFTER the Eucharist

Passover History

Given that we read the Gospel accounts of that night, now let's connect them with some of the historical context of the Passover and see if we can reconstruct the events of the Lord's Supper and see how we can benefit from it.

Original Passover
- Exodus 12
  - Lamb without blemish, a male of the first year of the sheep or goats
  - The whole assembly shall kill it at twilight on the 14th of the month of Nisan
  - Take the blood and put it on the lintel
  - Roasted in fire
  - Unleavened bread
  - Bitter herbs
  - None of it should remain until morning
  - Belt on your waist, sandals on your feet, staff in hand - in haste
- Exodus 13: “And you shall tell your son in that day, saying, ‘This is done because of what the Lord did for me when I came up from Egypt.’ It shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the Lord’s law may be in your mouth”
Other Passovers in Scripture
- Numbers 9 (Second One)
- Deuteronomy 16
  - From the flock and the herd
  - You may not eat within any of your gates – in the morning you shall turn and go to your tents
- Joshua 5 (First One in Promised Land)
- 2 Chronicles 30 (Hezekiah)
- 2 Kings 23, 2 Chronicles 35 (Josiah)
- Ezra 6 (First One After Exile)
- Although the Lord commanded the Passover to be celebrated every year, it seems that throughout the Old Testament it was rarely kept - or even if kept, not done correctly. By the time of the 1st Century, with the 2nd Temple, it has become a big event and celebrated every year. We know that the Lord Jesus celebrated it every year and St John mentions in his gospel three times.
  - Before Nicodemus in John 3 (Passover is mentioned at end of John 2)
  - Before Eucharist in John 6
  - The Last Supper in John 13
1st Century Passover
- Centered around the drinking of four cups of wine
- 1st Cup: Cup of Sanctification
  - Drinking the Cup
    - Luke 22:17 - “Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, ‘Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’”
  - Seder Plate (Appetizer)
    - Karpas - Greens
    - Bitter Herbs
- 2nd Cup: Cup of Deliverance
  - Maggid - Retelling the Passover Story with the “Four Questions”
  - Only the younger was allowed to ask the questions... Why is this night different from all other nights?
    - Why do we eat leavened bread on all other nights, but unleavened today?
    - Why do we eat vegetables on all other nights, but bitter herbs today?
    - Why on other nights do we not dip our food, but tonight we dip twice?
    - Why do we eat meat cooked in any way on all nights, but today roasted only?
      - This question is substituted in modern Passover with "why do we sit upright on other days but today recline" because of the destruction of the Temple
    - It became very strict that only the youngest would address the elder or the patriarch of the family. And some comment and say this is why St Peter motioned to St John to ask the Lord about the betrayer. Because St John, being the youngest, would be the one who is allowed to talk and ask questions during the Passover meal. (John 13)
  - Drinking the second cup
  - Washing the hands
    - This is likely when the Lord washed the feet of the disciples
    - Although John 13:2 says: "And supper being ended", it seems the Greek means more "during Supper" or "Supper having commenced"
      - Greek Interlinear: https://biblehub.com/text/john/13-2.htm
      - All Versions: https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/John%2013%3A2
      - See also the Arabic "During Supper"
  - Eating a small piece of bread
    - This is the bread that Judas took and ate and left (John 13)
  - Eating the Festive Meal
  - ”After they had supped”
  - Eating the “afikoman” Bread
    - ”Take eat, this is My Body which is broken for you and for many”
    - St Matthew and St Mark write "As they were eating" - showing that the Eucharist was instituted DURING the grand Passover meal, but AFTER the completion of the Passover "proper" and the eating of the Lamb and Bitter Herbs
- 3rd Cup: Cup of Blessing
  - “The cup after supper”
  - “Take drink, this is My Blood”
  - ”The cup of blessing which we bless..." (1 Cor 10)
  - Psalm 115-Psalm 118
    - Psalm 116: "I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving"
    - Psalm 118: “The Lord is my strength and son, and He has become my salvation”
- 4th Cup: Cup of Consummation
  - ”And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives”
    - They sang the hymn but did NOT drink this cup
    - This cup concludes the Passover.
    - The Lord Jesus did NOT drink this cup
    - "Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” (Mark 14:25)
    - "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:29)
    - "for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” (Luke 22:18)
  - One opinion is that after this, the Lord goes to the Garden of Gethsemane and He prays the Father
    - "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."
    - "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done." (Matthew 26:39-42)
    - And a third time he prays with the same words...
    - Why is He using a cup analogy to refer to the Cross, specifically? The fourth cup indicates the end of the Passover... the Lamb is dead and eaten.
    - And then when He is carrying the Cross, they offer Him wine and he refuses it and doesn't take it... but when does He take it? Right before His death.
    - And He drinks it at the Cross and immediately says "It is finished" and gives up His Spirit
      - "After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit." (John 19:28-30)
      - Now the Passover is complete

Rites of Covenant Thursday

Readings of the Day

1st Hour	Exodus 17:8-16 Moses lifts his hands	Acts 1:15-20 Replacing Judas	Luke 22:7-13 Prepare the Passover
3rd Hour	Exodus 32-33 Consequences of the Golden Calf		Matthew 26:17-19 Prepare the Passover
6th Hour	Jeremiah 7:1-15 Ezekiel 20:39-44 Sirach 12:13-13:1		Mark 14:12-16 Prepare the Passover
9th Hour	Genesis 22:1-19 Slaughter of Isaac Isaiah 61:1-7 "Spirit of the Lord is upon me" Job 27-28		Matthew 26:17-19 Prepare the Passover
Liturgy of the Waters	Genesis 18:1-23 Proverbs 9:1-11 Exodus 14, 15 Joshua 1, 3 Isaiah 4:2-4 Isaiah 55:1-56:1 Ezekiel 36:25-29 Ezekiel 47:1-9	1 Timothy 4:9-5:10	John 13:1-17
Liturgy of the Word		1 Corinthians 11:23-34	Matthew 26:20-29
11th Hour	Isaiah 52:13-53:12		John 13:21-30

Matins

Prophecies
Open the Curtain
Paschal Praise
Offering of Morning Incense
- Thanksgiving Prayer
- Verses of Cymbals (should be without saints)
- Psalm 50
- Litany of the Sick
- Litany of the Oblations (feast)
- Gloria
- Trisagion (Cross only… some say Nativity + Cross)
- Doxologies (Shouldn’t be… focus is on Christ and His Passion)
- Creed
  - Don’t mention the Resurrection
- O God have mercy
- Hymn of the Cross
- Praxis
  - St Peter speaking to the 120 about Judas hanging himself, falling in a field and his entrails gushing out - so he needs to be replaced as was prophesied.
  - The Church is arranging all of the Judas things to happen before the Eucharist for two reasons:
    - To indicate that Judas did NOT eat of the Eucharist
    - So that our focus is not split… remember that many events are happening at the same time. While the Lord is having his last discourse with the 11, Judas is out betraying him. While Jesus is at the garden, Judas is bringing the chief priests. Etc. The Church does not want our focus to be split - so she dedicates that we finish everything related to Judas by the 1st hour so when we come to the Lakkan and the Eucharist, our focus is not on Judas at all.
- Procession of Judas
  - Clockwise, reverse of all other Processions
  - Judas went “with the world”
  - Some traditions:
    - Process around an inverted chair; the chair represents his empty throne that he forsook (“Let his place be made desolate”)
    - Process around the church holding an inverted chair? Never heard of it
  - Hymn of Judas
    - It’s kind of odd in the Coptic rite… addresses Judas directly; mentions the Resurrection when the Church is going out of her way to avoid mentioning the Resurrection on this day (e.g. creed, Trisagion, Liturgy of Faithful).
    - No information about where it came from or when it was introduced in the Church
- Trisagion
  - Crucifixion
- Litany of the Gospel
- Psalm (Avchnon)
  - About Judas… as well as all the other psalms of the Eve of Thursday
  - 3rd Hour Eve: ”His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords. Give ear to my prayer, O God, and do not hide Yourself from my supplication.” (Psalm 54:18)
  - 6th Hour Eve: ”Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men; preserve me from the violent men, who plan evil things in their hearts. They continually gather together for war.” (Psalm 139:1,2)
  - 9th Hour Eve: ”O Lord my God, in You I put my trust. Save me from all those who persecute me, and deliver me lest they tear me like a lion.” (Psalm 7:1,2)
  - 11th Hour Eve: “In God is my salvation and my glory, and my refuge is in God. He is my defence, I shall not be greatly moved.” (Psalm 61:1,4)
  - 1st Hour Day: “His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords. For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, then I could bear it. Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me, then I could hide from him.” (Psalm 54:21, 12)
- Gospel (Preparation of the Passover)
- Exposition
- Daytime Litanies
- Conclusion
- Close the Curtain
The Gospel of Luke is read inaudibly

3rd, 6th, 9th Hours of Thursday

Regular Pascha Rite
Gospels are about the preparation of the Passover
3rd Hour
- Exodus: Moses attempts to go between the people and God to intercede for them after the golden calf.
6th Hour
9th Hour
- Prophecy from Genesis 22 - the slaughter of Isaac, the Akedah.
- Jewish link between Akedah and Passover

Liturgy of the Waters

Annual Tune
Rite of Laqqan (we discussed in Theophany)

Liturgy of the Eucharist

Annual Tune
No Lord have mercies in Offertory
- Lord have mercies are related to the Agpeya
- Original was Alleluia of Oblations which is “Alleluia this is the day…” but that’s a hymn about the Resurrection
- So we stay silent
No “Saved Amen”
No Hitens
No Catholic Epistle, No Praxis, No Synaxarion
- Some old manuscripts have a Catholic Epistle (1 Peter 2:20-25)
  - For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
    
    “Who committed no sin,
    Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;
    
    who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”
- Praxis was read in Matins - used to be for Liturgy but was moved to Matins so that the focus is not divided
No Reconciliation Prayer
- The Reconciliation between God and man is not done until the Crucifixion and is not revealed until the Resurrection. So we will not pray this on Thursday OR Saturday but will pray it again on the Resurrection Feast
No “He rose from the dead…” and instead “He came to the slaughter as a Lamb.”
No Commemoration of the Saints
- How would we say “Those O Lord whose souls you have taken repose them in the Paradise…” Liturgically, Paradise is not open yet, and those souls are in Hades.
- But we will pray this on Bright Saturday because the Lord will go and take them from Hades to Paradise
Fraction for slaughter of Isaac
During Communion, no distribution hymns but rather, the 11th Hour is prayed
No “Our Mouth is filled with joy and our tongues rejoice for partaking of Your immortal mysteries.” Instead “We thank You, O Lord, Lover of Mankind, beneficent for our own souls, O You who - on that very day - made us worthy of Your heavenly and immortal Mysteries. For that which no eye has seen…”

11th Hour of Thursday

During Communion with the veil shut
There is no liturgical reason for closing the veil and praying the 11th hour. This practice was likely introduced in the 12th Century for the sake of time because in those days, the Myron was prepared on Covenant Thursday

Contemplations, Interpretations and Meanings

Judas' Betrayal

See St John Chrysostom
Did Judas take communion?
- No consensus among the Fathers
- St Ephraim, HH Pope Shenouda, others: no
- St John Chrysostom, Origen, others: yes
- Not doctrinally important
Did Judas have to betray Christ?
- No. His betrayal was free will
- Some may argue "he did it that the Scripture would be fulfilled."
  - If Judas did not freely choose this path, then the Holy Spirit in His Foreknowledge, would not have prophesied it in the Old Testament
- St John Chrysostom answers this with his intention
- But also if that was the case, the time of repentance was still available
- The Lord would still have been crucified and fulfilled the salvation without Judas' betrayal...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIxQ5W2DKNU

Washing the Feet and the Mystery of Love

Sacrament/Mystery (Repentance & Confession)
Spiritual Meaning (See "Washing of the feet" Lev Gillet)
- Christ gives them His Body and Blood, and gives them His Word (Paraclete Gospels) but before doing either of these, He washed their feet.
- I cannot deliver the spiritual word unless I first, like my Master, kneel before others in humility and service and wash their feet.
- “If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:14-15)
- “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)
- “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:28)
- The Mystery of Washing the Feet is the calling of every servant of God
- https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/jp1hnyg278t42g2v4tyjc/Serve-the-Lord-with-Gladness-Fr-Lev-Gillet.pdf?rlkey=ap3bz7ne8oxp22040ybcwhh1m&dl=0
  - Starting on Page 82
  - Not seeking prestige or authority
  - Humble servant of everyone
  - I live for you and belong to you because I belong to Jesus Christ
  - Patient and loving in every conflict
  - Humbly offer his own opinion, but equally concerned with recognizing others' thoughts or words
  - Committed to the Orthodox message but not hostile to others
  - Strive to correct misunderstandings
  - Patient and loving in insult or persecution
  - Never resist evil with evil
  - Never use or advise violence
  - Turn the other cheek
  - Give his cloak to him who needs
  - Go two miles with him who wants to go one
  - Devote himself to those who suffer
  - Must be, himself, purified first.
"Do as I have done"

The New Covenant

What is a Covenant?
- Promise/Agreement/Contract
- Covenant with Blood
  - And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words.” (Exodus 24:8)
  - "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you." (Luke 22:20)
- Who breaks the covenant dies
- Covenant with Abraham
What is the Old Covenant?
Insufficiency of the Old Covenant
- Old Covenant is based on human effort
- Human Effort Cannot Save from Original Sin
  - Is there anything I can do by my human effort that would save me from Original Sin?
- Human Effort Cannot Keep the Entirety of the Law
  - "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." (James 2:10)
  - Even the prophets, who lived righteously... could not keep the WHOLE Law
- Human Effort Cannot Forgive Sins
  - If you break a commandment, can you do something to wash away that sin?
  - Did Old Testament Sacrifices forgive sin?
    - Sacrifices were preparing them for the New Covenant
    - "For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins." (Hebrews 10:1-4)
    - If sacrifices forgave sins, then the prophets would all have gone to heaven... but they all went to Hades.
    - But by doing these sacrifices, they received the PROMISE of forgiveness because they are believing in the sacrifice of the New Covenant and are forgiven by the sacrifice of the New Covenant on Good Friday
      - "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." (Hebrews 11:13)
      - How do they accept the sacrifice of Christ 3000 years before Christ? God gave them a symbol - and when they believe in this symbol, they are believing in the sacrifice to come. And once they believe in this symbol and do the necessary works, they receive a Promise of forgiveness. And this promise is fulfilled on Good Friday.
- Human Effort Cannot Raise me from Death
  - Punishment of breaking a covenant is death... if I break one, death. If I broke 100, death. So is there a difference if I break one or 100?
  - "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." (James 2:10) - why? Because breaking one is death...
- Is the Old Covenant Bad?
  - No, but it is insufficient with our Human Effort.
Promise of a New Covenant
- “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah – not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34)
New Covenant is Grace
- Grace
  - Free gift given based on the goodness of the giver, and not on the worthiness of the receiver
    - Free Gift
    - Goodness of the Giver
    - Not on the Worthiness of the Receiver
  - You give $100 to a homeless guy outside
    - You don't check to see if he deserves it or anything, you just give it to him... that's grace!
  - What happens if it's based on the worthiness of the receiver?
    - Back to the Old Covenant!
- God gave me His Spirit to dwell in me because of His Goodness, not because of my worthiness
- "And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."
  - St John Chrysostom: Homily 14 on the Gospel of John
  - But what have we received? 'Grace for grace,' he said. What for what? The new for the old. For, there was justice before and there is justice now: 'As regards the justice of the law, leading a blameless life.' (Philippians 3:6) There was faith before and there is faith now: 'from faith unto faith.' (Romans 1:17) There was adoption of sons before and there is adoption of sons now: 'who have the adoption as sons,' (Romans 9:4) he says. There was glory before and there is glory now: 'If that which was transient was glorious, much more is that glorious which abides.' (2 Corinthians 3:11) There was a law before and there is a law now: 'The law of the Spirit of life has delivered me.' (Romans 8:2) There was worship before and there is worship now: 'Whose worship,' [Paul] says, and again, 'Who serve God in spirit.' (Philippians 3:3) There was a covenant before and there is a covenant now: 'I will make a new covenant with you, not according to the covenant which made with your fathers.' (Jeremiah 31:31) There was holiness before and there is holiness now. There was a baptism before and there is a baptism now. There was a sacrifice before and there is a sacrifice now. There was a temple before and there is a temple now. There was a circumcision before and there is a circumcision now.
  - So also there was grace before and there is grace now.
  - But the first-named as types, and the others as the reality, have kept the same name, but not the same meaning.
  - Thus, even in pictures and images one that is done in black and white shades is said to be a man, and likewise one that has been done in realistic colors. Similarly, in the case of statues, both the gold one and the clay one are called statues, but the one as a model, the other as the real statue.
  - Do not, then, judge that things are the same because they have identical names, but do not decide that they are altogether different, either. In so far as a thing was a type, it was not completely divorced from truth. But, in so far as it continued to be shadow, it was less than the truth.
  - …
  - Accordingly, what is the difference between all these pairs? Should you like us to choose one or two of the pairs I have mentioned, and to examine them? In this way the others also will be clear to you. And we shall all see that the types taught lessons suitable for children, while their realities belong to noble and great men; further, those precepts were given as to men, these as to angels.
  - After saying: 'of His fullness we have all received,' he added: 'and grace for grace.' 'Not on account of your increase in numbers,' Scripture says, 'have I chosen you, but because of your fathers.' If, then, it was not because of their own good deeds that they were chosen by God, it is evident that they obtained this honor by grace.
    And we, too, have all been saved by grace, but not in the same way as they. It was not for the same reasons, but for much greater ones, and more sublime. Therefore, [the working of] grace in us is not the same as in them. Not only was pardon for our sins granted to us, since we shared in this with them -since all have sinned-but also justice, and holiness, and adoption of sons, and grace of the Spirit, much more splendid gifts and richer by far. Through this grace we have become dear to God, no longer merely as servants, but as sons and friends. That is why he said: 'grace for grace.'
The New Covenant is Sufficient
- Human effort cannot save from original sin
  - Sacrament of Baptism
  - Christ with Nicodemus (John 3)
    - Even if you entered your mother's womb and are born again, you will be born with original sin again!
    - Genesis 1:2 - "And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." and from this, the whole world was born.
    - So you will die in baptism - and rise a new Creature in Christ
  - When I am born again in Baptism, and the Original Sin is removed - is that grace or works?
    - A way I receive the grace of God
    - A baby who is baptized... what did he do? What action did he do to remove Original Sin? Nothing! So it is grace!
  - We are not saved by works, but we cannot be saved without works. Initial action shows my faith in the grace of God.
  - Protestants who believe in grace... reject infant baptism! Although if it is grace, then it doesn't matter if child or adult... if I say "when they grow up and understand" so now it's not grace! It's based on the worthiness of the receiver!
- Human effort cannot keep the entirety of the Law
  - Sacrament of Confirmation
  - "I will send you the Holy Spirit"
    - Bring to your remembrance all things that I have said unto you
    - Helper: He is the Helper who will help you do those commandments
    - If you are tempted to do evil, the Holy Spirit will convict you (of sin, righteousness and judgment)
    - Comforter: If Satan gives you a hard time, the Holy Spirit will comfort you
    - If you commit a sin, the Holy Spirit will sanctify you
  - In the Old Covenant, the Holy Spirit was working externally; in the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit dwells in you
  - In the Old Covenant, the Holy Spirit was helping with certain roles: prophet, judge, king, priest; in the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit is working for my salvation
- Human effort cannot forgive sins
  - We all resist the Holy Spirit, grieve the Holy Spirit, quench the Holy Spirit, break the commandment of God, sin...
  - How is our sin forgiven in the New Covenant?
  - "By My Blood, I will open an account for each one of you in the bank of forgiveness. And this account has enough forgiveness to forgive all sins for all peoples in all ages. My Blood is sufficient to cover all sins for all peoples at all times in all places. Grace! Free gift. I do it because I love you."
    - So what should I do?
    - Can I withdraw forgiveness from this bank?
    - Go to the bank and tell them "I need money." He'll check your ID to make sure you're the person. He'll ask how much you want, and he'll give it to you.
    - The Lord said "I will appoint tellers in the bank of forgiveness."
      - They will check your ID
      - They will ask how much money (forgiveness) you want
      - They will give you the money (forgiveness)
    - Teller: Priesthood
    - ID
      - Only those who believe in Me can withdraw from this account.
      - Children of God got rid of their Original Sin
      - They have the Seal of the Holy Spirit
      - They live the life of repentance
    - How much money?
      - I need forgiveness for my lying
      - I need for swearing
      - I need for judging
      - If I don't tell him that I need for lustful thoughts, then he won't give me for it
  - Grace of forgiveness of sin through:
    - The Sacrament of Repentance and Confession
    - The Sacrament of Priesthood
  - "Why can't I go to God directly?"
    - God will tell you go back to my tellers and my bank! I want to forgive you! It's free! Go and get it!
    - And when I sin... I separate myself from God. There is no communion between light and darkness, between sinfulness and righteousness
- Human effort cannot raise from death
  - If you have a dead battery, you recharge it. If you connect it to a live battery, the life will transferred from it to the dead one.
  - God says Every time you sin, you die. So I will leave to you my Life-Giving Flesh, given for us for salvation, remission of sins and eternal life to those who partake of Him.
  - Eucharist
Superiority of the New Covenant
- "I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." (Jeremiah 31)
  - Eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth --> Right Cheek? Turn the other
  - Love your neighbor, hate your enemy (Cain killed his brother) --> Love your enemy
  - Do not commit adultery (David couldn't keep this) --> Don’t even look with a lustful eye
  - Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce...
    - Hardness of heart in the Old Covenant was the only option... no grace yet!
    - Non-believers have a hard heart... they don't have the Holy Spirit yet!
    - Believers who have quenched the Holy Spirit, have a hardened heart.
- “None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.” (Hebrews 8:11, Jeremiah 31:34)
  - No Mediator (prophet, priest, king) but you can approach God directly
    - Talk to God? Priest
    - God talk to you? Prophet
    - God's rule executed? King
- “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” (Hebrews 8:12, Jeremiah 31:35)
  In the New Covenant, our sins are forgiven

Appendix

History of Preparing the Myron

Who?
- The Pope of Alexandria
- Cannot be made in the time of a vacant Papacy
- Cannot be made by a regular bishop or metropolitan
- Thus, it was typically made in the Papal Residence wherever that was (e.g. Alexandria, St Macarius, Al Muallaqah, etc.)
Where?
- St Mark Alexandria - 2 Times
- St Macarius Monastery - 13 Times
- St Mary Al Muallaqah - 6 Times
- St Abu Sefein Old Cairo - 2 Times
- St Mary Haret Al Rum - 3 times
- St Mark Azbakiah - 4 times
- St Bishoy Monastery - 6 times (Pope Shenouda), 4 times (Pope Tawadros)
- Eritrea - 1 time (Pope Shenouda)
When?
- Letter of Macarius
- Early Church: No particular time; associated with baptismal seasons (Canons of Hippolytus 19)
- 4th - 6th Century:
  - As needed on Last Friday of Lent (which would be Friday of the sixth week of Lent in the old days).
- 6th - 10th Century:
  - With addition of preparation week, Friday of the sixth week is now the weekend BEFORE the end of the Great Fast. So that weekend becomes known as Sunday of Baptism - Myron is consecrated on Friday, baptisms happen on Sunday
  - Friday acquires anointing of the sick instead (and in all years)
- 10th Century:
  - Consecration of Myron moved to Great Thursday (Pope Macarius I, early 10th Century)
  - Compromised to once sixth Friday (Baptism weekend), and once Great Thursday (Pope Mina II, late 10th Century)
  - Remained on Great Thursday under the influence of Pope Abraam Ibn Zareh (late 10th Century)
  - The Eastern Orthodox (Byzantium) consecrate on Great Thursday even until today
    - More than likely, we adopted this practice because it was being done on that day in Antioch (common center between the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox... especially that Pope Abraam was a Syrian).
- 20th Century:
  - Pope Kyrillos VI held it on Palm Sunday after the General Funeral prayers to give people a chance to attend - he was intending to do it in Al Muharraq but for people to attend, he held it in St Mark's Cathedral
  - Pope Shenouda always did it during the Great Fast prior to Holy Week
- 21st Century:
  - Pope Tawadros followed the same custom and made it a consistent "every three years" (2014, 2017, 2021 (because COVID), 2024) - planned for 2027 - on the first Monday of the Great Fast, doing the final step of adding the Old Myron to the new Myron following the Divine Liturgy.

Resources

Cited

Covenant Thursday
- Holy Pascha, Book 3 Covenant Thursday - Fr Athanasius El Makary: Amazon Purchase Link
- ACTS 3045 Course with Fr Arsenius Mikhail (Lectures, Slides and Notes below)
  - Lecture Part 1
  - Lecture Part 2
- Treasures of the Fathers of the Church - Holy Thursday:
  - Amazon Purchase Link
  - PDF (Old Version)
Passover and the Eucharist
- Coptic Reader --> Special --> Pascha --> Thursday --> Insights
  - Passover Ritual
  - Passover Eating Place
  - The Four Passover Cups
- Asaph Lectures by Fr Victor:
  - Lecture 2 - Passover in Exodus vs. Deuteronomy: Video
  - Lecture 3 - Passover in the Time of the Lord: Video
  - Lecture 4 - Passover in the Gospels; Four Cups: Video
  - Lecture 5 - The Meaning of Eucharist and Haggadah Pascha of the Jewish Tradition: Video
- Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist (Brant Pitre): Amazon Purchase Link
- Modern Passover Seder (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover_Seder
- COA Podcast (~38min): YouTube
Judas
- Fr Matthias Bible Study on Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, John 13: YouTube
- St John Chrysostom Homily 82 on Matthew: Online
- Predestination, Providence & Prayer - Fr Thomas Hopko: Podcast Link
  - This doesn't talk about Judas specifically but it's a very good presentation of the topic of God's Foreknowledge and our Free Will (and effectivity of Prayer)
Washing the Feet
- Serve the Lord with Gladness - Lev Gillet: PDF Link
Old Covenant vs New Covenant
- St John Chrysostom Homily 14 on John: Online, PDF
- Old Covenant & the New Covenant - HE Metropolitan Youssef: SoundCloud
Making of Myron
- History of Making the Holy Chrism (Deacon Roshdi): PDF Link

Referenced

Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Info Link
- Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
Welcoming Gifts - Jeremy Davis: Amazon Purchase Link
Offerings, Sacrifices & Worship in the Old Testament: Amazon Purchase Link
2021 Priest Meeting Lectures on Pascha by Fr Victor
Holy Week Contemplations - HH Pope Shenouda: PDF
Crucifixion of the King of Glory - Dr Eugenia Constantinou: Amazon Purchase Link

Servants Meeting

Liturgy of Time: Importance of the Psalms

Notes

How do we answer the "vain repetitions" accusation
- We value personal prayers
- But if we leave our personal prayers to ourselves, we will find that we are focused on earthly things and rarely on heavenly or spiritual things
- The Church gives us the prayers for spiritual things to pray ON TOP of the personal prayers
- The point of the Lord's words here is to attack the hypocrisy
- The key word is "vain" not repetitions
  - "vain" = mindless babbling, empty words
  - And He continues by saying "In this manner, therefore pray..." and then gives us a prayer to repeat
Is the Lord's Prayer a model, or something we repeat? Prayer should be natural not formulaic?
- Didache Chapter 8
  - Let not your fasts be with the hypocrites, for they fast on the second and fifth day of the week; but ye shall fast on the fourth day, and the preparation day (Friday).
  - Neither pray ye as the hypocrites, but as the Lord commanded in His Gospel, so pray ye: "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us this day our daily (needful) bread. And forgive us our debt as we also forgive our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (or, from evil). For Thine is the power and the glory for ever."
  - Pray thus thrice a day.
- Christ, Himself, repeated prayers
  - Matthew 26:39-44
  - "So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words."
  - If repetition is bad or the problem... He wouldn't have done that!
Real relationships are more "spontaneous" and not "repetitive" (Romans 8 - Pray by the Spirit, Luke 18 - Pharisee vs Tax Collector)
- The problem with the Pharisee was his arrogance and self-righteousness... not that he used "ritual prayers"
- Someone asking God for something isn't going to ask once... he's going to keep asking until he gets what he is praying for
  - Parable of the persistent widow - the purpose of the parable is to continue to pray with persistence without losing heart (Luke 18)
  - Persistent friend (Luke 11 - right after the model prayer)
- Repetition is how the heart learns
  - If you love someone, you don't say "I love you" one time and that's it... you keep saying "I love you" every day but the important part is that it's from the heart
Why did the Church specifically choose the Book of Psalms for daily personal prayer?
- Christ prayed the Psalms
  - Matthew 27:46 - on the Cross "Eloi Eloi Lama Sebachthanee" (Psalm 22:1)
  - Luke 23:46 - on the Cross "In your hands, I commit My Spirit" (Psalm 31:5)
  - Psalms is the book the Lord quoted the most
  - Christ also attended Synagogue and the worship in the Synagogue was using psalms in the prayer
  - After the Last Supper "When they had sung a hymn, they went out" - Psalms of Hillel
- Apostles Prayed the Psalms
  - Acts 4:24-26 - Prayer for Boldness
  - James 5:13 - If anyone is cheerful, let him sing psalms (commandment in Scripture!)
  - Colossians 3:16, Ephesians 5:19 - teach and admonish one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs
  - 1 Corinthians 14:26 - How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm
Psalms as a spiritual weapon against demons and darkness
- David, as a young shepherd, was a musician and would sing the psalms
  - When King Saul had distressing spirits, his servants would look for someone to play the harp to release him
  - "And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him." (1 Samuel 16:23)
  - We are in constant warfare against demons... they are always fighting us and the Psalms are a weapon against them
- Fr Joshua tells a story when he was young in Egypt and there was a priest with the gift of exorcism and they brought him someone who was demon possessed. So he said "before we start praying for this man, I want everyone to take an Agpeya and pray the psalms - so that when the demon leaves this man, he is afraid to approach any of you." and Abouna rushed to grab the nearest Agpeya
Fixed times of prayer
- St Paul commands to pray without ceasing... but how many can start here? Most people forget to pray at all, let alone without ceasing
- The fixed times are a starting point... when I excel in them, it will start to push my unceasing prayer
- The routine begins the relationship, and the rhythm becomes the heartbeat of unceasing prayer
- Acts 3:1 - Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
- Acts 10:9 - The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.
How does repetition help someone in recovering from addiction
- Psalms create structure
  - Addiction thrives in CHAOS - having structure for prayer; praying in certain hours - this creates STRUCTURE
  - Chaos - lose routine, lose sleep rhythm
    - Alcoholic doesn't say "I'm gonna start drinking at 6pm..." no - whenever he feels lonely, he drinks
    - Pornography doesn't say "I'm gonna do it from 4pm-4:15pm" no - whenever he feels stressed, he does it
    - Video game addiction - missing meals, missing sleep, etc.
    - Pills, marijuana, etc. - binging some days, crashing some days... no pattern; no structure
  - CHAOS moves inside the person
  - Chaos removes accountability - do whatever you want to do whenever you want to do it
- Psalms give words to express emotions
  - Addicts have emotions that are difficult to express so instead of expressing, they try and numb the emotions (with using, watching, drinking, etc.)
    - Fear of relapse, fear of exposure, fear of the future
      - Psalm 34: "I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears."
      - Psalm 27: "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?"
      - On the one hand, these are the words of God - the Holy Spirit inspired these words, and the Holy Spirit will work in the person saying these words
      - On the other hand, these are the words of King David - so I'm not the first one to feel this fear, and actually God answered his prayer and delivered him from this fear
    - Anger at themselves, anger at God, anger at people around them
    - Guilt
    - Shame
    - Hopeless
      - Psalm 50: "Create in my a clean heart, O God" - "Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." - "Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me."
      - God can cleanse me! He can forgive me!
    - Embarrassment
  - There are many who desire to pray, and they stand to pray and realize they have nothing to say... they have the desire, they took the initiative and came up empty... "God, I'm sorry, forgive me..." run out of words. Psalms!
- Repetition of the Psalms rewires the heart and breaks old habits
  - Addiction builds mental pathways - neuroplasticity
  - When I repeat the psalms, I am rewiring my brain
  - Recovery is not just abstaining from bad habits, but to make changes in multiple areas - difficult, but essential
  - Building new habits
  - Breaking patterns
    - Before I look at social media I'm going to pray the psalms. Out of habit, I forget... but as soon as I remember, put the social media down and pray the psalm. It's not too late
    - Someone who drinks at night... he starts to say I'm gonna pray 11th hour in the evening once it starts to get dark. After some time of doing this, night becomes the time when I pray, not the time when I drink
    - Certain times I get triggered... before that time comes, I will pray psalms

Resources:

Healing Power of Psalms: Repetitive Prayer that Breaks Addiction
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI42osHVcIY&t=264s - Fr Joshua Guirguis

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:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBrZk_YPzHA - Fr Luke Maher on Abba Moses the Strong
https://abbey.suscopts.org/about-us/saint-moses-the-strong/
Synxarion: Paone 24 (July 1)
Encyclopedia of the Saints and Fathers of the Church - Volume 3 - Fr Tadros Yacoub Malaty
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers (The Alphabetical Collection)

High School Service

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:

This week we will be celebrating the Feast of Nayrouz which is the Feast of the Martyrs... and these martyrs lived a drastically different life than we do
In our modern day, we want fame and status and comfort…
- If we had a convention and we said “sorry but everyone is gonna have to sleep on the floor for one night," we would hear complaints and no one would register and parents would call Abouna or Sayedna and it would be chaos.
- We have spiritual days and people complain about the food.
- We want to plan a monastery trip and someone says "they don't have wifi there" - anywhere I go, if I can't get the wifi password, I'm upset
- I come to the Liturgy and say "the pew is uncomfortable" or complain that the Church is not giving me a meal afterwards
We are so attuned to being comfortable. We don’t want to feel uncomfortable.
We want to gain status and fame and ranks and we wouldn’t give them up for anything.
But in these things, there is no fellowship with God.
- When was the Lord Jesus Christ concerned about His status? It’s the opposite – He emptied Himself and took the form of man, despite being God. He left His throne and His chariots of Cherubim and was born in a manger – a feeding trough for animals in a barn.
- When was the Lord Jesus Christ concerned about being famous? It’s the opposite – He would flee from the large crowds.
- When was the Lord Jesus Christ concerned about comfort? Was it when He had “no place to rest His head”? Was it when He allowed Himself to be arrested and beaten and spat on? Was it on the Cross?
Fellowship with God can come from a variety of ways (Prayer, Scripture, Service, etc.) but in all of these there is a common denominator – Suffering.
- Fellowship with God means to suffer. Means to leave your comfort zone. Means to offer yourself and your body as a sacrifice to God.
- It means that I stand for prayer even if my legs hurt, or my voice hurts, or I'm tired
- It means that I read the Scripture even if I don't have time, or if I don't understand it
- It means that I stand in prayerful silence during the Liturgy even if I don't know this hymn
- It means that I go and do my service even if it means I will be driving out of my way, or going to a bad area in the city, etc.
Take the examples of the saints
- The Martyrs who suffered with physical death for the sake of the Lord Jesus
  - St Rebekah who had to first endure watching her children get beheaded and then she was beheaded, herself
  - St Abanoub who endured many kinds of physical torture
  - Sts Cosmas and Damian who after studying medicine and surgery, offered their services for free and then were tortured and killed by Diocletian
  - Millions of martyrs who suffered for the sake of Christ
- The Ascetics who inflicted on themselves suffering for many years in the desert without food or water, in the heat, in prayers and fasting
  - St Anthony
  - St Paul
  - St Macarius
  - Etc.
- The Bishops and the Patriarch who take upon themselves the responsibility of all of the people and their problems and their issues
Martyrs
- The first of the saints are these Martyrs - those who gave their life to the Lord Jesus Christ and received for it an additional crown in heaven
- That's why whenever we have hymns in the Church, we always start with worshipping God and then venerating St Mary and the angels, and then the martyrs are first line. Followed by the Confessors, and the rest of the Saints.
- What lessons can we learn from the martyrs? How can we experience a hint of martyrdom in our daily life?

Body:

Martyrdom in our Service
- "But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." (2 Timothy 4:5)
- Here we can consider the example of our Shepherd HG Bishop Youssef.
  - If you look at his schedule for the year you will see that every month he is visiting Texas, Tennessee, Florida and Georgia. In the 52 weeks of the year, he is trying to visit as many churches as he can, and minister to them.
  - If you look at his schedule for the week that he visits a church
    - Thursday night he does visitations
    - Friday night and Saturday morning he visits a community in the same area or a few hours driving. He gives a Bible Study and a Sermon.
    - Saturday night and Sunday morning he visits the Church and He gives Bible Study and then a Sermon (different from the ones he already gave)
    - Saturday after his Bible Study, he would love to attend the tasbeha, but he sits in the office and meets with the congregation one by one and listens to all the people's problems
    - Sunday night to Tuesday night he goes on visitations and by Wednesday he flies to the next state to do it all over again.
  - And he still makes time in the middle of the week to go to the Monastery in Texas and hear the confessions of the fathers the monks, and to go to the Convent in Georgia. When he has a long drive or a long flight, he is answering the countless emails and texts that he gets. And despite all of this, every day he prays all the hours of the Agpeya and every night he prays the Tasbeha and every morning the Morning Praises. He doesn't always have a place to lay his head. He is doing interviews for TV and answering questions for a whole diocese. He's managing 50 churches and 75 priests and several monks and nuns. He is called to serve on Clerical Councils... and all of this he does for the sake of the service. For you and me and the rest of the diocese. All of this he dies to himself for the Lord.
  - HG Bishop Gregory told a story one time that in the days of HH Pope Shenouda's departure, HG Bishop Youssef was in Egypt for a lot of the time just trying to figure out how they're going to pick the next Pope... and one day he called the monastery and said "I am coming to take confessions" and he got there very late around midnight, he sat with each monk one by one and took their confessions and the next morning he was back on a flight to Egypt.
- HG will be visiting us next week for the Feast of St Rebekah and I hope that you will make as much time as you can to spend with him, to sit at his feet, to listen to the words of the Holy Spirit by his mouth, to ask for his wisdom, to tell him your name and ask him to pray for you
Martyrdom in our Daily Life
- Scripture:
  - "Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter" (Psalm 44:22, Romans 8:36)
  - "But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24)
  - "always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body" (2 Cor 4:10)
  - "as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed;" (2 Cor 6:9)
  - "Are they ministers of Christ? - I speak as a fool - I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often." (2 Cor 11:23)
- Practical:
  - Wake up early to stand in prayer and to read the Scripture
    - Even though I'm in High School now and I have to be up at 6 - let me die to myself and my desire for sleep and wake up at 5:45 so that I can stand for prayer
    - Even though I have a ton of homework in the evenings, let me die to myself a little bit and read the Scriptures first
  - Fasting
    - Wednesday and Friday are fasting days - I can die to my desires on those days by fasting, abstaining from food in the morning even if I'm hungry, and then eating a vegan diet even if my friends or my school are not. Even if it's my favorite food at school.
    - At Lockheed Martin, we have Sushi day in the cafeteria on Wednesday. I've had it one time which was during the Holy Fifty Days - for me it is one of the ways I die to my desires especially when I see all my coworkers and friends at work having sushi.
    - Schools throw Pizza Parties and they're always on Fridays, or during Christmas time or before Spring Break (Lent) - can I die to myself on that one day?
  - When there's a line to eat a meal (e.g. at a convention, family gathering, school lunch, etc.) - I may be tempted to try and be first in line to get the freshest food. Let me die to myself every once in a while and resist that temptation, and instead be last and get the leftovers or get the food after it has sat for a little while.
  - When I enter a room and I see that there are many comfortable chairs and some uncomfortable chairs - let me sit in the uncomfortable one first, so that others may have the chance to be comfortable. And if everyone comes and there is space on the comfortable, then maybe I can take it.
  - I'm in Liturgy and my friends go to the Bathroom. Let me die to myself and my desire to socialize (which is a natural desire that is given to us by God) so that I can instead spend time with the Lord and honor His House
  - Let me die to myself and my desire (sometimes addiction) to have my phone at all times. And let me just have time with the Lord, or with my family, or with myself in silence without those distractions.
  - Let me die to myself and my desire to have the most expensive shoes and clothing and stuff, when I know there are others without clothes or shoes. Instead of 200 dollars on shoes, I can spend 100 on two pairs and donate one of them. Or 50 on four pairs and donate three of them. Or do I only give from the bottom of the barrel to those in need? Do I only give the things that are ripped and used, after I've gotten all the use out of them? No, let me die to myself.
  - When I am rebuked or challenged, let me deny my desire to fight back. Whether it's my parents, or someone at school, or my SS Servant, or my friend.
  - When I have an idea and I share it, or I give someone advice, and they ignore it or disregard it, or ridicule it, let me deny my anger.
  - Dying to yourself is more than just avoiding sin, but it's denying yourself pleasures and desires in order that you may better serve God and serve others.
Blessings and Rewards
- The Lord has promised us many blessings and many rewards - some on earth, and some in heaven.
- Fear God and not man
  - We might wonder how in the world these martyrs were not scared to give up their life... where did their fear go? If I was in their place, I would be terrified.
  - The fear of God casts out the fear of men.
    - "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts our fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love" (1 John 4:18)
  - They contemplated on the heavenly and the glory of the heavenly, so their hearts clung to those things, and the worldly becomes valueless.
- Genuine faith is tested
  - "that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:7)
- Crown of Life
  - "Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life." (Revelation 2:10)

Conclusion:

Living a life of suffering or a life of martyrdom is difficult. It can't happen overnight
We should slowly find desires and passions and temptations in our life to die to, in order that we can grow in fellowship with the Lord
And we will receive the Crown of Life

Application:

Each person should decide in what way they can die to their desires this week and document it in their Bible Passport
Honor the martyrs by attending the Nayrouz Vespers and Feast on Saturday and Sunday

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:

Legacy Curriculum: https://suscopts.org/ssc/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Grade11.pdf
Elements

High School Service

2022-09-30: The Book of Job

Objective

To know the story and basic structure of the book of Job
To take the example of Job

Key Verse

“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You” (Job 42:5)

Body

Introduction

Job is considered to be one of the Poetic books of the Old Testament (along with Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Wisdom, Sirach)
He lived after Abraham, but before Moses
- We know because his friend Bildad the Shuhite is from the sons of Shuah (son of Abraham by Keturah)
- No mention of Aaronic Priesthood, Mosaic rites
- No mention of Exodus
- Mention of Creation, Fall of Adam, Flood, Sodom and Gomorrah
- He lived 140 years which is atypical for Moses time
42 Chapters
Job was righteous
- "blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil" (Job 1:1)
- He was blameless, but he knew that. And this led to self-righteousness and pride. ("I am blameless, yet I do not know myself; I despise my life" (Job 9:21)
God allowed Job to be tempted by the devil in some extreme ways, to help Job work through his pride, and to defeat Satan
- Possessions - he lost all of his wealth
- Children - his children all died
- Bodily Disease - he was struck with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head
- His friends - the devil used them to move him in the wrong direction. They all came to try and comfort him, but their worldly comfort had the opposite effect.
Structure:
- Chapters 1-3: Job is tempted
- Chapters 4-14: First Debate
- Chapters 15-21: Second Debate
- Chapters 22-31: Third Debate
- Chapters 32-37: Elihu the Wise
- Chapters 38-42: The Lord speaks to Job
The Book of Job asks a very important question: Why do bad things happen to good people?
- This question is the pinnacle of Atheism and we should know how to give a good answer for it
- The Atheist will say:
  - If God is all-loving and all-powerful then He will not allow any evil or pain or suffering to happen in the world
  - But the Atheist falls into the same pitfalls as Job and his friends here
We will act out the story of Job, then we will discuss this question - Why do bad things happen to good people?

Skit

Characters:

Job
Eliphaz the Temanite
Bildad the Shuhite
Zophar the Naamathite
Elihu

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:

Job's friends argue the following:
- God is just
- Therefore, God runs the whole world in a perfectly just way
- Therefore, Job sinned and is being punished
Job is arguing the following:
- God is just
- But Job is blameless and has not sinned
- Therefore, God's justice in the world is not as black and white as we think
- But still, Job does not deserve to be punished

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:

The friends are telling Job of their experience of wicked people having bad things happen to them
But Job tells them the truth - good things happen to bad people, a lot.
We see it in our lives:
- Someone who doesn't know God, and finds themselves rich and famous. But someone who loves God, and finds themselves poor.
- Or someone who doesn't know God and is living in good health, but someone who loves God and serves Him, and finds themselves with cancer.
- Someone who doesn't know God, and has many children, but someone who prays to God with their whole heart to have just one child, and they don't get pregnant.
If we ask "Why do bad things happen to good people" - then we also ask "why do good things happen to bad people?"

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:

Job is questioning God's fairness. He admits that if he has sinned, he needs to be punished, but doesn't think his punishment is fair.
What about the people who murder? Or the people who rob the widows? Those who are committing violence in the world and their punishment is not as severe.
"The words of Job are ended. So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. Then the wrath of Elihu was aroused against Job; his wrath was aroused because he justified himself rather than God. Also against his three friends his wrath was aroused, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job." (Job 31:40-32:3)

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

After everyone had spoken, God Himself spoke to Job through a wind
God explained to Job that He holds the whole world in His hand, and that executing justice in the world is not as easy as he thinks. It's complex. Job doesn't see the bigger picture that God sees. Job sees a miniscule slice.
God asks where Job was when He was forming the foundations of the world, or the sun and moon and stars. God reminds Job that He is the one who stops the sea from approaching on the land, tells the sun when to come up, brings snow and hail in the winter and rain in the summer, etc.
God asks what Job knows about the animals - when does a deer or a wild mountain goat give birth? How many months should it be? What about a wild ox? Will he serve you? The strength of a horse
Job repents and listens to what the Lord says to him
Then the Lord restores to him all of his losses. He got the same number of sons and daughters, and double all his possessions. And He gave him a long number of days.

Lessons

Lessons from Job

Do not give up - the Lord is with you
Trust that all things are in God's hands
Live a life of integrity and honesty and righteousness - no matter your circumstances
Look for the future eternal reward

Lessons from Job's Friends

When your friend is hurting or going through something difficult, give them good comfort

Why do bad things happen to good people?

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

This week, let us remember the "bad things" and give thanks for them
- Let us give thanks to the Lord in faith, for the Hurricane that came on us
- Let us give thanks to the Lord in faith, for the illnesses and diseases of our loved ones

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

High School Service

2022-12-02: Manhood - Integrity

Visual Aid:

Attached to page

Objective

The value of having integrity in "Being a Man"
Even the world values Integrity, but our integrity is different
To be a man of my word, but more importantly a man of THE Word

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?

The world tells us so many different things:
- Some will say "When you turn 18"
- Some will say "When you've gone through puberty... you have a deep voice, you have a beard, you gain some height and muscle mass, etc.
- Some will say "When you have a career" or will base it off some measure of success
- Some will say "When you have sex"
This is our third lesson in this series so we must know some things by now
- We talked about the Godly View of Success and what it means to be successful - it's not about fame or fortune. We know people who are famous grown adults who we wouldn't consider them to be "men" - they don't act like "men." We know people with a lot of money, who don't act like "men"
- We talked about how to deal with anger - this is a big part of being a man. When you see someone at a restaurant berating the waitress and yelling at her because she got the order wrong or she dropped something, you never think "wow he's such a man." Rather, you think "why is he acting like a child?"
- And that's the thing about being a man: you can instantly recognize someone who is a man. And it's not by how they look, but by how they act.
Today we're going to talk about Integrity and what that means for us as Orthodox Christians and as men

Scripture on Becoming a Man

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

Sober-minded
Pattern of good works
Integrity
Reverence
Incorruptibility
Sound speech that cannot be condemned

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:

Being a man of your word
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.

Did Kyrillos act with integrity?
- Kyrillos did not act with integrity. If this is the first time, then hopefully Kyrillos will apologize and will make it a point to take out the trash every week. Maybe even without being asked. Integrity means giving priority to small things and not just big things. The Lord talks about going the extra mile – imagine taking out the trash without being asked at all!
What are the consequences of this scenario? (For Kyrillos, his mom, and in general)
- She was giving him an opportunity here to be a man and help around the house and stick to his word. She trusted him, and this incident can start to form cracks in that trust.
What should Kyrillos have done differently?
- He could have done it on the spot so he doesn’t forget
What would you say about someone who puts video games above helping his mom, helping his house, and keeping his word? Would you say that he's a man?

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.

Did Anthony act with integrity?
- Integrity is not always just about results – it’s about how you get there. It’s about being honest with the end AND the means.
What are the consequences of this scenario?
- Anthony missed out on the blessing and grace of daily Scriptural reading. Anthony also may find himself receiving a gift or a reward for something he didn’t do faithfully. Anthony does not build a habit of reading Scripture in this way, and loses the whole point of the Bible Passport. Anthony’s servants, unaware of what is happening, will consider him to be growing and may serve him in a way that is different, but not what he needs.

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.

Did Pishoy act with integrity? What are the consequences of this scenario?
- Sometimes we use the excuse “well no one got hurt” – It’s true that McDonalds isn’t going to suffer a loss from the one drink Pishoy didn’t pay for. But someone got hurt here: Pishoy did. Pishoy is not being honest with himself and he has fallen into the sin of theft. And his integrity is in question.

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.

What do you think of Pishoy's progression?

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.

Did Petro act with integrity? What are the consequences of this scenario?

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.

What do you think of Petro’s progression?

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.

Is Samson acting with integrity? What are the consequences of this scenario?
- Integrity doesn't just mean saying things that are truthful - it means telling the truth; the whole truth. Without omission.
- Samson did not act with integrity because even if there’s no official title of “dating” or “girlfriend” or anything, there is clearly a 1:1 relationship happening where at least one side is romantically attracted to the other. Samson is also not acting with integrity with the girl – he is leading her on. She may think that he likes her or that he will eventually “give in” and start dating her.

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

High School Service

2023-01-13: Offering of Incense

Objective

A greater appreciation for the rites of the Offering of Incense

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

The use of incense in Scripture
- Used in the Old Testament at the Altar of Incense
- Used in the New Testament for Jewish worship
- Used in Revelation in the heavenly church
Where does the Offering of Incense fit in the grand scope of the Divine Liturgy
- Agpeya Prayers
- Offering of Incense
- Divine Liturgy
Offering of Incense was a big part of the daily life of early Christians
- They would wake up in the morning and go attend Matins in the church before work
- Then they would go to work
- Then they would come to the church and attend Vespers before going home
- Then they would go home
Now let's head into the church and go through the rite of Vespers and Matins Offering of Incense

Vessels of the Offering of Incense

The boys can sit/stand in the women's altar at first, and then in the deacons area on the right side
The Censer
- Review what does it represent and how
The Cross
- The use of the Cross
- How the Cross and the Gospel book are used together and represent the Lord Jesus Christ
The Book of the Gospel
- Readings of the Offering of Incense

The Order of the Rite

Thanksgiving Prayer
Verses of Cymbals
Minor Circuit of Incense
Litanies [Order of the Litanies]
Doxologies
Major Circuit of Incense
Creed
Ⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲛⲁⲛ
Psalm and Gospel
Short Litanies
Absolution

The Circuits of Incense

Two circuits of incense - minor circuit during Verses of Cymbals, major circuit during Doxologies
Demonstrate the route that Abouna takes when he goes around
Read the prayers that Abouna prays in both
- The Three Litanies (Peace, Fathers, Assemblies)
- Incense Prayers to the Trinity, on our behalf, with the angels and the saints
- The blessing of the morning/evening incense, may its holy blessing be with us. Amen.
- Prayer of Confession

The Litanies

Offering of Incense Litanies
Five Minor Litanies

Application

Attend Vespers and Matins and try and pay attention to those things, remember that at all times you are praying and being prayed for
2023 Resolution - to attend Vespers and Matins

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.

High School Service

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

Objective

Understanding the place baptism has in the Scripture, History and Tradition
Understanding the preciousness of the gift that we have received in our baptism

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

When you are a kid, we always learn "Christ was baptized in order to set an example for us to be baptized and baptism is removing our sins."
None of this is wrong, but as high school seniors, we want to go deeper. We might have questions like "if Baptism replaced Circumcision, why was Jesus Circumcised AND Baptized?" or "if Baptism is to remove sin, why was Jesus baptized?" or "what is baptism and why did St John start doing it"
We want to understand what was happening in the Old Testament with Circumcision, where did Baptism come from? what happened at the baptism of Christ, what the Apostles and the Church taught about Baptism, what happens when I am baptized, etc.

What was the Purpose of Circumcision?

Circumcision came as a sign of the covenant made between God and Abraham in Genesis 17
A Covenant has two sides - on God's side, He will establish the descendants of Abraham as a nation, He will give them the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession, and He shall be their God. On Abraham's side, they must be circumcised
God deigned to bring salvation upon the world through the incarnation of the Logos IN THE BEGINNING. And He foreknew everything.
Part of this economy of salvation was that God would not take one of the existing nations and become their God - for example, He did not go to the Canaanites and become their God. He did not go to the Hittites or the Amorites or the Amalekites. Of the 70 nations listed in Genesis 10, the descendants of Noah and those that were scattered after Babel, God did not choose any of those families. But rather, He chose Abraham and brought from him a new family. God's family. And Circumcision would be the sign of participation or membership in this family. It would be a sign that you forsake everything else and become one of God's family.
Circumcision was participation with God in His covenant with Abraham
Not to get off topic, but we'll see later on another covenant with Moses at the time of the Exodus, and this would be remembered by the Passover

Where did Baptism come from?

If you read the Old Testament, you won't see baptism mentioned anywhere. We have types of it like Noah's flood and Moses' crossing the Red Sea and Joshua's crossing the Jordan River - salvation through water. We have other hints like the four rivers that flow into the Garden of Eden that water the Tree of Life, or the Spirit of God that hovered over the waters in the beginning. But Baptism itself is not a regular practice in the Old Testament.
In the New Testament, St John the Baptist started to baptize people in the Jordan a baptism of repentance
- Actually, this was not an abnormal practice
- By the time of the New Testament there are a lot more Jews than before - a lot of people who have a lot of ritual washings to practice. They had the idea of Ritual Impurity and before you could become ritually clean, you had to offer sacrifices and you had to have ritual washings. But there were so many people that it would have been impossible for everyone to wash every day
- So they setup in the Temple several pools that were used for ritual washings. The people would get in in large groups and come out the other side ritually clean.
So when John started baptizing, people were not surprised by the practice. But what John was doing was very different
- He was baptizing in the Jordan on the other side away from the Temple - some people (especially the Sadducees were offended by this and took it as a sign that John was against the Temple)
- He was baptizing a baptism of repentance - he called the people to "bear fruit worthy of repentance"
- He was announcing the coming of Someone after Him - the Messiah
- He was not doing it on his own authority, but he was instructed to by God
  - And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” (John 1:32-34)
John's role was forerunner - to prepare the way for the Christ

What happened in the Baptism of Christ?

The Lord Jesus Christ went to be baptized before beginning His ministry
He approved of the work that John was doing and asked John to baptize Him, himself
When Christ entered the water, some things happened:
- The Father spoke from heaven and affirmed that the Lord Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah
- The Holy Spirit showed Himself as a dove and came upon the head of Christ anointing Him as High Priest, as King, as Prophet. These are the three roles that were expected of the Messiah.
  - When the Holy Spirit came upon the Lord, He opened the door for God the Holy Spirit to dwell in humanity, Who we will accept on the day of our Baptism
- Christ, in the water, conquered the demons and renews the Creation
  - "You have crushed the heads of the dragon hidden therein [in the Jordan]" (Lakkan Liturgy of Water)
  - "You divided the sea by Your strength; You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters. You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces" (Psalm 74:13 - used in the Tasbeha Canticle for Theophany)
  - Creation in Genesis 1 came "out of the waters"
  - God's salvation for Israel through the Red Sea is a type of "new Creation"
All of these points are important for us in our own baptism

Baptism in the Church

The Lord Jesus instructed the apostles to baptize all the nations: "Go therefore and make disciples of all 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; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20)
Since the beginning, the Church has baptized all believers
- Acts, the Ethiopian Eunuch who asks "There is water, what prevents me from being baptized now?" and is baptized
- St Paul was baptized by Ananias

What happens on the day of our Baptism?

Exorcism
- "look upon Your creation, this oil, and let it become for the casting out of demons and their magic, sorcery, and all idolatry" (Baptism Prayers)
- "In the name of the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, may [this body] be delivered from every demon and every uncleanness. Let all darkness flee from this body, and let all unbelieving thoughts flee from this soul. In the name of the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, you shall be purified, and be delivered from all demons forever. Amen." (Baptism Prayers)
- "I renounce you Satan, and all your unclean works, and all your wicked angels..." - "Come out O unclean spirit." (with the breath of the priest) - (Baptism Prayers)
Renewed Creation
- "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (1 Cor 5:17)
- "Take off the old man and put on the new and superior one" (Ⲁⲣⲓⲯⲁⲗⲓⲛ)
- "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3)
- "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:6)
Sanctification
- The abiding in us of the Holy Spirit
- The oil of the Myron sanctifies us on:
  - The head, the two nostrils, the mouth, the right ear, the right eye, the left eye, and the left ear (8)
  - The heart, the navel, the back and the spine (4)
  - The right shoulder above and in the armpit, the right elbow joint and around it, the right palm and on its back (6)
  - The left shoulder joint above and in the armpit, the left elbow joint and around it, the left palm and on its back (6)
  - The right hip joint and the right thigh, the right knee joint and around it, the joint of the tendon of the right foot and above it (6)
  - The left hip joint and the left thigh, the left knee joint and around it, the joint of the tendon of the left foot and above it (6)
We become members of the Body of Christ; the Lord Jesus abides in me and I abide in Him by the receiving of Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist
- This is like the Circumcision and Passover that for Jews meant becoming part of the family of God
- "Today, you have received the pledge of life and have become rooted in the true and orthodox faith. The day on which you were born, you were a slave and not free. But today, you have become a conqueror over the plots of the wicked."

Application

You are now part of God's family
- "Be diligent in learning the holy Scriptures which are the breath of God, and attend church services in the mornings and evenings, and fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays, the Holy Forty Days fast, and all the fasts; and in keeping the Church laws and apostolic commands." (Baptism Commandment)
Your body and senses are sanctified and sealed with the Holy Myron
- "Guard yourself and do not go to unsuitable places, so that the Lord may guard you from satanic temptations. Cultivate inside you beautiful qualities. Plant within you righteousness and praise. Pour inside you purity. Plant within you obedience, love and holiness. Plant within you compassion, charity, and justice. Cultivate within you godliness, patience, and goodness. Plant within you honesty and every good work that pleases God so that your soul may live."
- Don't forget that your mouth is sanctified, to use good language and sing hymns of praise.
- Don't forget that your ears are sanctified, to listen to words and music that is fitting for them.
- Don't forget that your eyes are sanctified, to see videos and movies and pictures that are holy.

Resources

High School Service

2023-02-17: Be a Peacemaker

Objective

If we are true Christians, we must behave as Christians
An evil person must not shake the inner peace, and we must not resist them
Let us not shake anyone else's inner peace

Key Verse

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

Body

Peace

What is peace?
- The world defines peace as quiet, tranquility
- Psychology also defines peace as ease, tranquility, awareness, peace of the unchanged
- In both cases, peace seems to come about in certain places, times, conditions.
- In both cases, peace is something that is internal or mystical in the mind
- External peace is simply when there is no war or fighting
- Is this definition in line with the Christian understanding of peace?
What is peace to Christians?
- Peace is knowing that God is in control... even if I am surrounded by anger and fighting and conflict, I can have inner peace. Conversely, there may be no war or fighting, but internally I am really struggling with hateful thoughts, anger, etc.
What about Peacemakers?
- The Lord is the source of all peace
  - "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)
- The Lord Jesus Christ was a peacemaker on earth, and we as Christians, likewise, should be peacemakers
  - "So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God." (James 1:19-20)
- There is a special blessing for peacemakers
  - "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9)
- Inner peace begets external peace
  - A peacemaker is someone who has inner peace and it can shine from him and manifest as external peace
  - "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify Your Father in heaven."
When might I lose my peace?
- In Rebellion: "He's trying to control me, so let me show him that he's not in control."
- Testing Boundaries: "Let me see how far I can go and how much I can bother him before he snaps."
- Vengeance: "He wronged me, so I need to hit back at the same level or harder."
With whom might I lose my peace?
- With my enemies
- With my parents
- With my friends
- Even with myself

Peacemaking & Troublemaking

Two categories of peacemaking
1. Peacemaking when you are provoked ("Do not resist an evil person")
2. Peacemaking when you are not provoked ("Don't be a troublemaker")
Peacemaking is a show of my love to God

Peacemaking

Do not resist an evil person
- "You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away." (Matthew 5:38-42)
- Imagine if you are being robbed by someone and they say "give me your wallet" and you respond with: "take my wallet and my phone too" - this is the principle that the Lord is teaching. This is the Christian life.
- Do not resist an evil person - Christ did not resist the evil people who crucified Him. Joseph the righteous did not resist the evil brothers who sold him. Able did not resist Cain.
- Some people went to St Anthony once and asked him for a spiritual word of benefit. And he told them “You read the Scriptures, and they will give you all the words you need.” So they said “please, something from your mouth our father.” So he recited to them this verse: “Whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” And they said “we cannot do that” so he said “if you can’t turn the other cheek, then patiently endure the first blow.” and they said: “We can’t do that.” So he said “if you can’t do that, then do not return the blow you received” and they said “we can’t do that.” So he said “If you can’t do that and you won’t do this, then what can I do for you? You need prayers.” (Sayings of the Desert Fathers - Anthony 19)
It is a difficult principal to put into action in our lives today… but unfortunately, we do even worse than those young men who went to see St Anthony. Nowadays, we don’t even treat our NEIGHBOR or our FRIEND or the person WHO LOVES US, in the right way… let alone our enemies.
- Imagine if the servant of your class, who loves you, who cares for your salvation, comes to you and says ‘you’re using your phone too much. Give it here.’ – what is your response?
  - Ignore him and rebel
  - Get upset and start yelling
  - Accuse the servant of whatever “being unfair” – “picking on me” – whatever.
- So we make someone who is not our enemy into our enemy, and then treat him in a way that is non-Christian.
- No my beloved, let it not be this way. But rather, let us learn the Christian response and make good habits.
Here will be an impromptu skit.
- Kirollous will start to talk to Gabriel
- Morcous: "Kiro"
- Kiro keeps talking and ignores Morcous
- Morcous (2 more times): "Kiro"
- Morcous: KIRO
- Kiro: What dude calm down
- Morcous: Can you stop talking to Gabriel?
- Kiro: I'm not even talking
- Morcous: Yeah but you were
- Kiro: Everyone else was talking
- Morcous: Okay so are you gonna stop?
- Kiro: We'll see
- Let’s have a round of applause for Kiro on his acting skills.
Now I want to analyze what happened here?
- When Kiro ignored me, I started to get angry – this is not good on my part, but if Kiro was a peacemaker and used the technique that I will teach you in a second, it wouldn’t have happened
- When Kiro finally answered, he told me to calm down which I took as an accusation
- Then Kiro didn’t take responsibility for his action when he said “I wasn’t talking” and he tried to reflect it on everyone else
- Then when I asked Kiro for a resolution, he didn’t give me one. Just “we’ll see”
Do you recognize this conversation? It happens a lot in this class, in Bible Study, in Liturgy, in the Bathroom, etc.
So today I will teach you a technique to overcome all of these pitfalls and it is called "Yes" - "Okay" - "I have sinned" (na3am 7ader a5tet)
- HG Anba Peter was telling us one time that one of the things they teach in the monastery is called “na3am – 7ader – a5tet.” They would tell the new novices that you can answer any conversation with “yes?” – “okay” – “I have sinned”
  - Someone calls you over? “Yes?”
  - Someone asks you to do something? “Sure!”
  - Someone rebukes you? “I have sinned”
- Here will be another impromptu skit.
  - Andria will take out his phone and start using it
  - Morcous: Andria!
  - Andria: Yes?
  - Morcous: Can you put your phone away please?
  - Andria: Okay, I will
  - Morcous: How can you pay attention when you’re always on your phone?
  - Andria: I have sinned, forgive me
  - Let’s have a round of applause for Andria on his acting skills.
- Now I want to analyze what happened here?
  - In this scenario, Andria used our new technique, and it made peace – even though I was acting as a character who didn’t want peace.
  - I was gonna go at Andria even after he put his phone away. But with those simple words “I have sinned, forgive me” he shut down anything I could have said or done.
  - There is power in the words “I have sinned, forgive me.”
- With these three words, you can save yourself a lot of trouble

Troublemaking

The Opposite of a Peacemaker is a Troublemaker
No one likes to be called a troublemaker because typically, we are not setting out to make trouble!
- I'm not using my phone in Sunday School to make trouble, I'm just checking the message I just got
- I'm not sleeping during the Sermon in the Liturgy to make trouble, I'm just tired
- I'm not going to the bathroom during the Liturgy to make trouble, I'm just bored and I want to take a walk
- I'm not skipping my homework or my Passport to make trouble, I just forgot
I may find myself having a reputation for being a troublemaker... at home, at school, at church.
I may find that I have a reputation as a troublemaker in just one of those places... at church, at home, at school.
Why is this?
- Sometimes, troublemaking is used as an outlet for our inner emotions and inner feelings
So how do I overcome it? Inner Peace that we talked about
- One who finds himself living a life of prayer, will not at the same time find himself bored in the Liturgy
- One who finds himself regularly reading the Word of God, will not at the same time find himself speaking the language of the world
- One who finds himself submitting himself to the Lord in repentance and confession, will not at the same time find himself resisting his elders (parents, servants, priests)
- One who finds himself regularly bringing his body into subjection through fasting and prostrations, will not at the same time find himself falling into the sins of the flesh

Peacemaking is a Show of my Love to God

St Basil has a writing called "The Morals" where he lists out 80 Morals one by one and then supports them with verses from Scripture and expounds each of the verses
Rule #5: "That we must be free from all enmity toward all men and love our enemies; and, when necessity requires, lay down our life for our friends with a love like that which God and His Christ had for us."
- Cap 1: That the mark of the disciples of Christ is their love for one another in Him
- Cap 2: That to wrong one’s neighbor in any way or to cause him such disedification that his faith is destroyed is a sure sign that one does not possess the love of Christ for one’s neighbor, even if what is done is allowed by the Scripture for a special reason.
- Cap 3: That the Christian must serve even one who is vexed with him, in every way, at least so far as he is able.
- Cap 4: That he who has the charity of Christ sometimes causes pain, even to one whom he loves, for his good.

Application

"Yes?" - "Okay" - "I have sinned"
"Na3am" - "7ader" - "Akhtet"

Contemplation

Resources

St George and St Rueiss Curriculum G10
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers
St Basil - Ascetical Works

High School Service

2023-02-24: Spirituality of Fasting

Objective

Key Verse

Body

The Antiquity of Fasting

Adam
- Fasting was the first commandment given to Adam from God - "Do not eat from a certain type of tree"
- God was setting a limit for Adam not to exceed the desires of the flesh and to behave over the level of earthly and materialistic things
- Adam was defeated by temptation. He gave greater authority to his flesh than to his spirit
- Conversely, Christ, the Second Adam, began His service with fasting and did not fall into temptation
Old Testament Prophets Fasted
- King David: Ps 35:13, Ps 69:10
- Daniel: Daniel 3
- Ezekiel: Ezekiel 4:9
- Moses: Exodus 24:18, Deuteronomy 9:18, 25
Whole Congregations Fasted
- Nineveh fasted and the Lord accepted their repentance (Jonah 3:5-10)
- The Jews fasted in the time of Esther and the Lord was with her when she met the King (Esther 4:15-17)
The Lord Jesus taught about fasting
- "However, this king does not go out except by prayer and fasting" (Matthew 17:21)
- "Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." (Matthew 6:16-18)
The Apostles Fasted
- St Peter: Acts 10:10
- St Paul: 2 Cor 6:5, 2 Cor 11:27
- All the Apostles: Acts 13:2-3
The Early Church Fasted
- Didache (1st Century): "But do not let your fasts be with the hypocrites; for they fast on Monday and Thursday; but you shall fast on Wednesday and Friday" (Chapter 8)
Fasting Precedes all Feasts
- Advent Fast and Paramoun before the Nativity
- Paramoun before the Theophany
- Lent before Palm Sunday
- Pascha before Resurrection
Fasting Precedes all Sacraments
- Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Unction of the Sick, Priesthood, and Matrimony (in the original rite)
- The only exception is Repentance in order not to delay repentance
Fasting Precedes all Service
- Christ fasted before beginning His ministry
- Moses fasted before receiving the Tablets of the Covenant
- St John the Baptist fasted before his ministry
- The Apostles fasted before their ministry (Acts 13:2-3)
- A priest who is ordained fasts for 40 days before beginning his ministry
- A bishop who is ordained fasts for one year

What is Fasting?

What is Fasting?
- Enrichment to the soul by means of denouncing the desires of the body
- If there is no spiritual growth, then it is not fasting; it is just a diet
Let's look at the benefits to both body and soul

Fasting and the Body

Abstaining from Food
- If we look at the physical part, fasting is not just eating vegan food, but the more important part is the abstaining from food.
- Having a "no-food period" is the important part
- The length of the time period is different from one person to another depending on:
  - Degree of spirituality of the person
  - Age of the person
  - Health of the person
  - Type of work and efforts required in it
- In all cases, there is a minimum level that is coordinated with the Father of Confession
  - Christ - "And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry" (Matthew 4:2)
  - St Peter - "Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance" (Acts 10:10)
  - St Paul - "I know how to be abased, and I know how to be abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need." (Philippians 4:12)
  - St Paul - "in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness..." (2 Cor 11:27)
- Fasting reaches its desired level when the person is hungry
- "Devils take great delight in fullness, and drunkenness and bodily comfort. Fasting possesses great power and it works glorious things. To fast is to banquet with angels" - St Athanasius
Vegan Diet
- God created man a vegetarian "And God said, 'See I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.'" (Genesis 1:29-30)
- After Adam forced himself out of paradise, his descendants were given meat to eat after Noah's Ark (Genesis 9:1-3)
- When God led the people in the wilderness 40 years, he gave them vegetarian food (Manna) and then reluctantly gave them meat to eat (Quail) (Exodus 16:31, Numbers 11:33-34)
- Vegetarian food was the choice of Daniel and his friends (Daniel 1:8-12, 10:3)
- Ezekiel ate vegetarian food (Ezekiel 4:9)
You can think of it as - we try to become like spirit, who don't eat food. But when we fall weak, we try to go back to our original nature in the Paradise of the Garden where we eat without meat and dairy.

Fasting and the Soul

"Consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly." (Joel 2:15)
- Consecrate means to make something special and to dedicate it (i.e. to God)
- The days of fasting are holy days, dedicated to God and not to the world
What is the Goal of your Fasting?
Fasting is to be accompanied by repentance
- "Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?" (Isaiah 58:6)
Fasting is to be accompanied by more prayers
- "This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting" (Matthew 17:21)
- Living a victorious life over the temptation of the devil, requires fasting accompanied with prayers
Fasting is to be accompanied by spiritual readings
- Set with your Father of Confession a plan for your Scriptural Readings
- Take for yourself a spiritual book to read in addition to the Scripture, or read the lives of the saints
Fasting is to be accompanied by some alone time
- "Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God." (Luke 6:12)
- The Lord used to take some alone time
- To grow deeper in our spiritual life, we have to exercise silence around us and be alone
- Turn off the phone, turn off the TV, the social media, the video games, even the social events and hangouts and just take some quiet time
Fasting is to be accompanied by participating in the church's spiritual activities/programs
- More liturgies during fasting period
- Attend the things that you haven't been attending (e.g. Bible Study, Sunday School)
- Participate in more activities (e.g. like in our HSB class)
Rejected Types of Fasting
- The fasting of the Pharisees (Luke 18:9-14)
- The fasting of the people who said they will neither eat nor drink until they had killed St Paul (Acts 23:12-13)

Why Fast

We fast to prepare
- The Church teaches us that fasting is used to prepare for the Sacraments, for the Feasts, and for Ministry (see above)
We fast to be set free
We fast to be fruitful

How to Fast

Avoid Extremes
- Nominalism: Get through a fast with the minimum effort possible.
  - We don't want the fasting lifestyle to disrupt our regular lifestyle too much. We simply want to "pay our dues" and do the minimum possible to take communion and be a "part of this community"
  - Jonah fell into this when he didn't want to preach to Nineveh and he finally goes, he walks one day into the city - even though the city is a three day walk across
  - St Paul calls this "having a form of godliness but denying its power." (2 Timothy 3:5)
- Pharisaism: Take fasting too seriously and focus on the minutiae of the rules
  - I am reading all of the ingredients on every box
  - I am researching the factory that produces this food and what else they produce in that factory to make sure there's no cross contamination with something "fitary"
- Unrealistic Expectations: Trying to do what is beyond your spiritual level or abilities
  - "In this fast, I want to read the whole Bible"
  - "In this fast, I will abstain until 6pm every day"
  - "In this fast, I will pray all of the hours of the Agpeya every day"
  - When your expectations for yourself are unrealistic, or past your own spiritual level/ability, you will fail and stop halfway through
Start with Food
Deny Yourself
Talk Less
Cultivate Silence
Exorcise Your Mind
Be Purposeful

Application

Contemplation

Resources

High School Service

2023-02-24: Consecrate a Fast

Objective

How to make our fasting useful and beneficial

Key Verse

"Consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly" (Joel 1:14)

Body

What is Fasting

Enrichment to the soul by means of denouncing the desires of the body
Without spiritual growth, then it is not fasting; it is just a diet

Why don't we like Fasting?

We are doing it wrong
Most of the time, when we are not enjoying something spiritual it is because we are not doing it right!
- Someone who comes to the Liturgy but is on their phone the whole time, will say liturgy is boring
- Someone who goes to school but doesn't pay attention to the lectures, will say school is not beneficial

Pitfalls in Fasting

Extremes
- Nominalism: Get through a fast with the minimum effort possible.
  - We don't want the fasting lifestyle to disrupt our regular lifestyle too much. We simply want to "pay our dues" and do the minimum possible to take communion and be a "part of this community"
  - Jonah fell into this when he didn't want to preach to Nineveh and he finally goes, he walks one day into the city - even though the city is a three day walk across
  - St Paul calls this "having a form of godliness but denying its power." (2 Timothy 3:5)
- Pharisaism: Take fasting too seriously and focus on the minutiae of the rules
  - I am reading all of the ingredients on every box
  - I am researching the factory that produces this food and what else they produce in that factory to make sure there's no cross contamination with something "fitary"
- Unrealistic Expectations: Trying to do what is beyond your spiritual level or abilities
  - "In this fast, I want to read the whole Bible"
  - "In this fast, I will abstain until 6pm every day"
  - "In this fast, I will pray all of the hours of the Agpeya every day"
  - When your expectations for yourself are unrealistic, or past your own spiritual level/ability, you will fail and stop halfway through
Food Only
- Fasting without prayer, repentance, spiritual readings, quiet time, participation with the Church, etc. is just a diet
- If when I fast, the only thing I change is my diet, then I have not fasted

How to Fast

Avoid Extremes
- Be moderate in your approach to fasting and avoid the aforementioned extremes
Start with Food
- Change your eating and change your life
- We revolve so much of our life around food - what we will eat, when we will eat, when we will prepare, when we will shop, how much we will spend, etc. In addition, what we eat, how much we eat, and when we eat affects how we feel, how we think, how we act and how we interact.
- Change what you eat for the sake of following Christ, and our life in Christ will change
- Food is something that we do every day; it keeps us alive; it makes us feel better
- Since food is so integral to our body and our life, we can use fasting as a way of bridging our faith and our life
- Fasting should SIMPLIFY our shopping, our meal planning, our cooking, etc. not complicate it
- Some tips:
  - Eat less
  - Eat less often
  - Eat simply
  - Don't eat out if you can avoid it
  - Be bored by your menu from time to time
  - Think about food less often
  - Feel, and endure feeling, hunger at some point in your day
  - Spend less on groceries and use what you save for God's glory
  - It's not an effort, it's a fast
Deny Yourself
- Self-denial is voluntarily choosing not to do things you want to do; saying no to our whims, impulses and preferences; refusing our instant self-gratification
- The Fast is a good opportunity to deny yourself the things that you want to do, for a time:
  - Video Games
  - TV/Movies
  - Social Media
  - TikToks/Shorts/Reels
Talk Less
- One of the topics most discussed in the Desert Fathers is Silence
  - "I have often repented for having spoken, but never for having kept silent" - St Arsenius
- We use our words to impress, to dominate, to manipulate, to curse, to prove we are right, to get our way, etc.
- We can take advantage of the fasting time to speak less
- Speaking less = listening more (to God, to your neighbor")
- Tame the tongue (quality and quantity)
Cultivate Silence
- Talking less is related to our exterior silence, but there is also the silence of our environment
- "All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone" - Blaise Paschal
- We don't like silence! We are surrounded by the noise and loudness of social media, of background music, of devices, etc.
- It is good to take some time to cultivate silence and to fill our silence with "positive content"
  - Prayer
  - Reading
  - Walking
  - Sitting quietly
Choose your Weapons
- Fasting is a form of spiritual warfare. Satan does not want you to fast, and he will fight it with temptations, with relaxation, etc.
- Choose your weapons for this war - decide what they will be and arm yourself with them
  - Prayer Canon - What will your prayers look like during the fast?
  - Scriptural Canon - What will you read from Scripture during the fast?
  - Spiritual Reading - What else will you read during the fast?
  - Church Activities - What additional church activities will you commit to?
    - Liturgy on Tuesday
    - Bible Study
    - HSB Activities

Application

Let us have a plan for the Holy and Great Fast

Resources

https://service.strebekahorlando.org/books/hsb-jr-sunday-school/page/2023-02-24-spirituality-of-fasting - Notes from the St George/St Rueiss Curriculum
When You Fast: The Why and How of Christian Self-Discipline by L Joseph Letendre

High School Service

2023-06-16: Ethics and AI

Objective

Introduce Artificial Intelligence
What the Scripture and Tradition says about Knowledge
Talk about the dangers of AI
Talk about the appropriate and inappropriate uses of AI

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

Artificial Intelligence is a branch of Computer Science that attempts to simulate human intelligence processes by machines.
One of the most common sciences in AI is the idea of a Neural Network. And it's based on the science behind how the brain works. The brain has something called neurons that use electrical and chemical signals to send information between different areas of the brain, the spinal cord, and the entire nervous system. In 1943 a Neuroscientist and a Logician (McCulloch and Pitts) published a paper where they created a computational neural model based on mathematics and algorithms. That was the foundation of what is now called the Neural Network.
- Neural networks work by having an input, a bunch of hidden things and an output. And it looks/sounds basic, but obviously the hard part is in the hidden things. And the hard part is in training the neural network to have the right hidden things.
- The example MarI/O helped me to better understand this concept.
  - In this video, the input is the position of Mario, the location of enemies and moving objects, and the location of static obstacles
  - The output is what button to press
  - Basically, he wrote a program that would develop this neural network and he ran it for 24 hours, and then the neural network figured out how to beat that specific level of Mario
  - So at first, it does random movements and it sees how far it gets in the level. And it gets a score for how far it got. Obviously, pushing "right" would get it a higher score. Then after it tries a bunch of things, the things with the highest scores get combined together and a little bit more randomness is introduced... and then it tries again. And it keeps trying and trying until it finally gets it.
  - The algorithm that he mentions - NEAT - was developed by a professor here at UCF. I first heard about it when I took an AI class at UCF during my undergraduate studies.

Knowledge-Based AI

In my Master's Degree, I took a class called "Knowledge-Based AI" and the assignments and projects were all about writing an AI agent that could solve a human IQ Test
These are called Raven's Matrices IQ Tests
We basically just had to figure it out... and so my algorithm basically did an analysis of each of the squares given to us, and each of the choices and then it did a comparison of A-B-C and D-E-F and then G-H-Option 1, G-H-Option 2, etc. to try and make a best guess about which one was right.
For some basic ones, it was very successful. But when you get to harder ones, it's hard enough for a human to spot the pattern, let alone a computer.
Note that the computer is not understanding the pattern and trying to find what fits it... it is looking for patterns in different ways - by pixels. By trying to understand shapes. This one has many black pixels on the left, and this one has many black pixels on the right.
During that class, our professor came out in the last week and said he had some news... one of our TAs this whole semester... was an AI! And we had to guess who it was. Half of the people guessed it wrong. And this was all over the news about this AI TA that no one noticed was an AI the whole semester.
But that AI was programmed to understand a few types of questions and answer them - usually common questions like "when is xyz assignment due" - "can I use xyz on my assignment" - "how do I contact the TAs" - etc. This is knowledge based AI

Probability

Another class that I took in my Master's was called "AI for Robotics" and it was all about programming a basic self-driving car
It was basically a probability class
We had one module about figuring out the probability of lane detection and how to stay in your lane for steering
We had one module about navigational systems
We had one module about using sensor data to predict what was a car and what wasn't
But the main take-away from the class, for me, was that it is all probability and probability distributions

Machine Learning

Back in 2012, Google did something crazy... they said that their computers could now tell if a picture contains a cat or not.
https://blog.google/technology/ai/using-large-scale-brain-simulations-for/

Uses of AI

Natural Language Processing
- Google Translate
- Grammarly
Computer Vision
- Self-Driving Cars
- Image Categorization
- Surveillance Cameras
- Facial Identification
- Agriculture
- Healthcare
  - Scanning MRIs/X-Rays to find tumors
  - Scanning MRIs to find commonalities between large numbers of patients that have the same diagnosis - that may not be visible to the human eye
Personalization
- Targeted Advertising
- Personalized Shopping
- Personalized Learning
Gaming
- Playing strategic games like chess
- Giving a unique gaming experience every time
Travel
- Suggesting hotels, rentals, etc.

Is AI Good or Bad

What is Intelligence?

Kinds of Knowledge
- Sensuous (comes through sight, touch, smell, taste, hearing)
  - This is the most basic of knowledge - the sky is blue, the grass is green, the pizza is hot, feseekh smells bad, medicine tastes bad, airplanes are loud, etc.
- Sourced (books, newspapers, films, mass media)
  - This is the stuff you learn in school or from reading books or from watching movies/documentaries
- Scientific (through hypothesis, experimentation, observation - knowledge of the physical world)
  - This is something you would learn through the scientific method, setting up an experiment, observing its results and drawing conclusions
- Social (through experiences and relationships)
  - This is emotional knowledge - understanding how people feel, relating to them
  - HH Pope Shenouda did not mention this one in this book
- Sophia/Wisdom (through the fear of God and by knowing His Scripture and His Commandment)
  - Wisdom in Greek is Sophia
  - This is the knowledge of discernment and being able to discern what is right or wrong
  - This is the knowledge of the Scriptures and Commandments of God
- Spiritual (God reveals to His holy people what He wants them to know
  - There is knowledge revealed by God to those who are holy
  - Like when people would approach HH Pope Kyrillos and he would know what they were going to ask
  - Or like when God spoke through His Prophets
  - Or like when God showed St John the Revelation, or St Peter the vision
  - Or when the Lord guided St Paul to go to Macedonia
- Ten Concepts Chapter 10 - The Concept of Knowledge ~ HH Pope Shenouda III
  - Note that HH Pope Shenouda talks about all of those, but does not present them in that order, nor does he use the same language there but rather I tried to find a "S" word for all of them
There is useful knowledge and there is harmful knowledge
- "There is harmful knowledge like that in which our father Adam and our mother Eve fell. It led them to lose their innocence and simplicity and live in the dualism of good and evil, truth and falsity, lawful and unlawful." (Page 134)
- Many people wept and regretted knowledge which they came upon
  - e.g. someone will say "I just want to know how alcohol tastes" - but that knowledge brought him to alcoholism
  - e.g. someone will say "I just want to try this drug once... to see how it feels" - but that knowledge brought him nothing more than addiction
  - e.g. someone will say "I just want to watch porn to see what sex is like" - but that knowledge was false and brought him addiction, depression and destroyed his relationships with others and gave him a false idea of what sex is like
  - e.g. someone will say "I just want to see the video of someone being killed" - but that knowledge haunted them and gave them nightmares and to an extent, desensitized or numbed them from the act
The fact is that all knowledge that comes to your mind will affect your sense and feelings and relationships with others; it will affect and influence your subconscious in the form of suspicions, thoughts, dreams, memories. It will extend within you and outside to a great extent and you may not be able to stop it. - HH Pope Shenouda (Ten Concepts)
Which types of knowledge would you expect an AI like ChatGPT to have?
- Mostly Sourced Knowledge; some sensuous knowledge (e.g. computer vision or audio processing). But that's it.
- ChatGPT cannot know what is right or wrong, cannot make wise decisions, does not and cannot know God, cannot relate to people or understand their emotions
- Can you compare Human Intelligence to Artificial Intelligence? It is incomparable

What is Artificial?

AI is never certain
- AI is either Probability or Trial and Error, or a combination of both
- In MarI/O, it's Trial and Error... and mostly error
- In the Raven IQ Tests, it was sometimes wrong and never completely sure
- In Self-driving cars, although we could see clearly that those were cars, it was only 60% sure
AI can be manipulated by input
- Adversarial Machine Learning is a whole field of study on how to fool AI Agents
- By introducing noise to an image, the classification of it can be completely changed
- By introducing perturbations to a physical stop sign, the AI Agent is completely fooled
AI can be manipulated by its owners
- This was recently all over the news when SnapChat AI came out
- The AI was heavily influenced by liberal ideas and would respond differently to conservative or Christian ideas

AI is a Tool

A tool can be very useful in the right hands, and very dangerous in the wrong hands
A saw is very good at cutting wood to make furniture... but in the wrong hands it can be used to murder
The internet is very good at connecting people who are geographically far away... but in the wrong hands it can be used to exploit people from very far away
AI, in the right hands with the appropriate uses, can be very helpful. But in the wrong hands, or for the wrong uses, can be very harmful.

Dangers of AI

AI Can (and Will) Lie to You

The SnapChat AI was famously in the news for lying about knowing your location or not
A Lawyer was disbarred because he used ChatGPT to find relevant case citations and they all ended up being fake - made up by ChatGPT. He did not verify the information he got from it. When he presented them in court, the court could not find anything he was referencing.
- https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/08/nyregion/lawyer-chatgpt-sanctions.html

AI Can Manipulate You

AI Virtual Assistants simulate human interaction (mimic human voice, facial expressions, body language) and can create the illusion of a personal relationship.
Deepfake videos, images and audio are highly realistic simulations of people saying or doing things they never did
AI is used to limit what information each person can see (e.g. on social media) and can ensure that only information that reinforces certain beliefs is prevalent, creating an echo chamber

AI Has a Fingerprint

College students used ChatGPT to write their essays in a Philosophy class. The professor said "it was really well-written wrong" and that was a red flag. So he simply asked ChatGPT if it thought these essays were written by AI. ChatGPT said "I am 99% sure these were written by ChatGPT."
The students failed the class
https://www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-essays-college-cheating-professors-caught-students-ai-plagiarism-2023-1
AI Generated results are easy to spot (especially by another AI)

How to use AI

Inappropriate Uses for Artificial Intelligence

Plagiarism:
- Asking ChatGPT to write you an essay - even if you're planning to "edit it"
- Asking an AI to solve math problems for your homework
- Why is it unethical?
  - You would not be putting in the work, and getting a grade you didn't work for (i.e. stealing)
  - You would finish a paper or assignment and learn nothing (i.e. wasting resources)
  - You are misrepresenting something as your own work (i.e. lying)
  - Like the lawyer
- Imagine that you used ChatGPT to write a poem for your loved one
  - What would they think if/when they found out it was not from you?
  - How would they feel if they had built some feelings around a false idea of you?
Cheating: Requesting answers or solutions to exam questions from ChatGPT
Cyberbullying: Using AI to harass, intimidate or bully others online
Fabricating Data or Sources: Requesting fake data or sources or references to support your paper or project

Appropriate Uses for Artificial Intelligence

Educational Support: Using ChatGPT to clarify concepts, ask questions or seek explanations on topics you’re studying.
Writing Assistance: Grammarly or even ChatGPT can fix your grammar or give you some writing advice on an essay you have written yourself
Learning New Subjects: Ask questions about various topics
Finding Sources: Asking ChatGPT for relevant sources to a certain topic, and then exploring, reading, and analyzing those sources on your own
Language Practice: If you’re studying a foreign language, you can engage with ChatGPT to practice having conversations, ask for translations, improve your proficiency

Contemplation

Resources

HH Pope Shenouda
- Words of Spiritual Benefit Volume I
- Ten Concepts
All other sources related to AI are linked above

High School Service

2023-09-29: The Cross in Our Lives

Objective

Learn the history of the Holy Cross
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?

Some might say the Cross is a symbol (of Christianity, or salvation, of my identity)
Some might say the Cross is a weapon or protection (i.e. it plays an active role in my life)
Before the Crucifixion of the Lord, the Cross was a torture and execution device that was used to execute criminals in a way that was very painful, public, and degrading.
The Lord took that which was bad - and used it for good.

The Power of the Cross: Good Friday

The day that the Lord gave the Cross its power
Imagine if a man is sitting at a table, and a dog comes by to eat food off the table, so the man takes his rod and strikes the dog with it and the dog backs away. Now, when the dog wants to come back, if the man puts his rod in view of the dog - what will the dog do? The dog will not want to approach and try to eat food off the table. The man gave power to the rod. The same with the Lord and Satan.
When we do the sign of the Cross, the devil remembers how he was defeated on Good Friday at Golgotha, and fears it.
Through the Cross, the Lord gave us authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and upon all the power of the enemy.

The Cross is our Weapon of Victory

The Cross is a Weapon of Victory over our enemies
- In the 4th Century, in the time of Emperor Constantine, Emperor Constantine saw the symbol of the Cross in a vision before him and was told to put it on his military gear and by this sign he would conquer
- What he saw is called the Chi-Ro ☧
- Indeed, he put it on all of their shields and weapons and they conquered. Emperor Constantine went on to legalize Christianity throughout the Roman Empire
The Cross is a Weapon of Victory over death
- After Good Friday, the Jews wanted to bury the Cross so it wouldn't be found. So they started to pile dirt and all their garbage all over it
- Constantine's mother, Queen Helen, wanted to find the original Cross of the Lord... so she started to ask around and listen to clues and stories from the local traditions until she found out where it was buried in Jerusalem under much garbage. So she had it excavated and they found three crosses. She did not have a way to know which one was the Cross of Christ (versus the crosses of the thieves). They also found the nails that pierced the Lord.
- The Lord arranged that a funeral procession was passing by - so they took the dead man and placed him on each of the three crosses, and on on the Cross of Christ, the man rose from the dead.
- She took the Cross and placed it on the mountain of Golgotha and built the Church of the Resurrection that is there until today, from where the Holy Light appears every year on Easter.
We celebrate these events on the 10th of Paremhotep (the finding of the Cross by Queen Helen) and the 17th-19th of Thout (the vision of the Cross to Emperor Constantine and the consecration of the Church of the Resurrection by St Athanasius and the other patriarchs)

The Cross as a Declaration of Faith

When we wear a cross, we declare to others that our faith is in Christ and we allow our good works and holiness to point to Christ
When we do the sign of the cross, we express our faith and the doctrines of our faith
- E.g. the doctrine of the Holy Trinity
- The doctrine of the Incarnation
- The doctrine of Salvation
The Cross is humility
- Because He who was crucified on the Cross is humble
- To the Jews a stumbling block, to the Greeks foolishness

The Cross in the Church

The Cross is seen in the building of a church (sometimes in the shape of the church)
The Cross is held by Abouna
The Cross is placed on the altar
The Cross is seen in the iconography and woodwork of the Church
The Cross is used for blessing
The Cross is used for absolution
Every sacrament, liturgical service and action involves the Cross

The Cross was not Random

The Lord foreshadowed the Cross throughout the Old Testament
What are some of the Old Testament symbols of the Cross?
- Tree of Life
- The Slaughter of Isaac
- Jacob Blessing Joseph's Sons
- Passover
- Aaron's Rod
- Moses stretching his arms
- Bronze Serpent
  - St Athanasius discusses this in his Tractates on John 12.11 - we'll read that passage together in the lesson

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

High School Service

2023-10-13: The Eternal Existence of God

Objective

What is God like
The eternal existence of God
Heresies regarding Gods eternal existence and how to refute them
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

Conclusion of the Anaphora:
- "That as in this, so also in all things, Your great and holy name may be glorified, blessed, and exalted in everything honored and blessed, with Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, and the Holy Spirit." (Liturgy of St Basil, St Cyril)
- "That as in this, so also in all things, Your great and holy name may be glorified, blessed, and exalted in everything honored and blessed, with Your good Father and the Holy Spirit." (Liturgy of St Gregory)
The Daily Psalis are all psalis on the NAME of the LORD
- Monday: "Everyone who says, 'my Lord Jesus', is likened to a sword, casting down the enemy" (2nd verse; other verses explicitly say 'His holy name' or 'Your holy name')
- Tuesday: "Come unto us today, O Christ our Master, shine upon us, with Your exalted divinity. Send unto us, this great grace, of Your Holy Spirit, the Comforter. So that I may speak, with great honor, about Your Holy, and blessed name." (1st-3rd)
- Wednesday: "Let them rejoice and be happy, those who seek the Lord, who are constantly, calling upon His holy name" (1st)
- Thursday: "Let us incessantly, bless the name of Salvation, that is for our Lord Jesus Christ, proclaiming and saying..." (2nd)
- Friday: "For truly I came eagerly, to a great leader, which is the name of Salvation, of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1st)
- Saturday: "Remembering Your holy name, brings joy to our souls, O my Lord Jesus Christ, my good Savior." (1st)
Why the focus on God's name?
- There is great power in a name. Names create an identity and it's how we are known by those around us. The first thing you inquire about someone is their name. The way you call out to someone. The way you refer to someone.
  - Nowadays, even our personalities are sometimes summarized by our names
    - Someone might be very sarcastic and his friend tells him "You pulled a Morcous!"
    - Someone might say a hymn very well and his friend tells him "Okay Ibrahim Ayad"
    - People are even called Karen if they complain at a restaurant or a store!
  - We have some responsibility to glorify, exalt and bless the name of God, to meditate on His name, to keep His name as a memorial, and to not take His name in vain.
    - After God told Moses His name, He said "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: 'The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.'" (Exodus 3:15)
    - "O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth" (Psalm 8:1)
    - "O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together" (Psalm 34:3)
    - "Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name. 'They shall be mine,' says the Lord of hosts, 'On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.'" (Malachi 3:16-17)
  - God reveals His character and who He is through His names. So when God reveals Himself through a specific name, we get to know something very special about Him. How can we glorify God or His attributes if we don't know Him?
All of this begs the question... What is His name?

What are the names of God?

The names of God gives us comfort, reassurance and hope. The names of God declare His glory.
There are many names used for God in the Old Testament (names that God revealed to us through the Scripture, and revealed to the authors of Scripture through some other revelation)
- Most High God (El Elyon)
- The Almighty (El Shaddai)
- The Eternal (El Olam)
- The Lord (Adonai)
- God, Judge, Creator (Elohim)
- The Lord is There (Jehovah Shammah)
- The Lord My Banner (Jehovah Nessi)
- The Lord our Righteousness (Jehovah Tsidkenu)
- The Lord Who Sanctifies You (Jehovah Mekoddishkem)
- The Lord My Shepherd (Jehovah Raah)
- The Lord that Heals (Jehovah Rapha)
- The Lord Is Peace (Jehovah Shalom)
- The Lord of Hosts (Jehovah Sabaoth)
- The Lord Will Provide (Jehovah Jireh)
All of these are names used for God, and we see many of them start with the word "Jehovah" which we can say is THE NAME of God. Let us study how God revealed this name to us over time.

What is God's Name?

The Revelation of God's Name Over Time
- We read in the beginning of Genesis that Abraham "called on the name of the Lord" (Genesis 13:4)... but what is the name of the Lord? What is God's name?
- In the beginning, the Lord did not reveal his name. When Jacob wrestled with the Lord, he asked Him and the Lord did not reveal it to him.
  - "Then Jacob asked, saying, 'Tell me Your name, I pray.' And He said, 'Why is it that you ask about My name?' And He blessed him there." (Genesis 32)
- In the time of Moses, Moses also asked the Lord His name but this time the Lord answered him...
  - "Then Moses said to God, 'Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they say to me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?' And God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' And He said, 'Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exodus 3:13-14)
  - "And God spoke to Moses and said to him: 'I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name Lord I was not known to them.'" (Exodus 6:2-3)
- In the time of the Judges, Manoah (father of Samson) asked the Lord His name:
  - "Then Manoah said to the Angel of the Lord, 'What is Your name, that when Your words come to pass we may honor You?' And the Angel of the Lord said to him, 'Why do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful?'" (Judges 13:17-18)
- Isaiah writes that same name, "wonderful" and adds to it:
  - "And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6)
  - "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14)
- When we come to the New Testament in the Gospel of Matthew, he quotes Isaiah and specifies that Immanuel means "God with us" (Matthew 1:23)
- And we know that God is Trinity: Father, Son (Jesus Christ), Holy Spirit; One God.
YHWH: The Tettragrammon
- The principal name in the Old Testament by which God reveals himself is YHWH יהוה which we can pronounce "Yahweh"
- The oldest Greek manuscripts of the Septuagint actually keep this Hebrew name of God in the midst of Greek
- In later Greek, it starts to get replaced by ΙΑΩ (pronounced iawe)
- This is considered by Jews to be "unpronounceable" and in general, they are not permitted to say out loud the name of God. So they replace it sometimes with other words like Adonai which means Lord. Later Greek manuscripts picked up on this word and started to translate it to κύριος which means "Lord"
- Whenever you see (in the NKJV) the word "Lord" in small caps, you can check the footnote and see what it is being translated from and usually it is YHWH in the Hebrew
- In the Coptic Bible, Exodus 3:14:
  - ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲫϯ ̀ⲙⲙⲱ̀ⲩⲥⲏⲥ ϫⲉ ̀ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲡⲉ ⲫⲏ ⲉⲧϣⲟⲡ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲡⲁⲓⲣⲏϯ ⲡⲉ ⲉⲧⲉⲕ̀ⲉϫⲟⲥ ̀ⲛⲛⲉⲛϣⲏⲣⲓ ̀ⲙⲡⲓⲥ̅ⲗ ϫⲉ ⲫⲏ ⲉⲧϣⲟⲡ ⲡⲉ ⲉⲧⲁϥⲧⲁⲟⲩⲟⲓ ϩⲁⲣⲱⲧⲉⲛ
  - So the Lord is revealing his name to Moses as ⲫⲏ ⲉⲧϣⲟⲡ and then tells him "Tell them ⲫⲏ ⲉⲧϣⲟⲡ sent you"
  - Then when ⲫⲏⲉⲧϣⲟⲡ is translated to English it usually comes back as "The BEING"

ⲫⲏⲉⲧϣⲟⲡ

Liturgy of St Basil
- ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲛ ⲕⲉ ⲇⲓⲕⲉⲟⲛ...
- ⲫⲏⲉⲧϣⲟⲡ ⲫⲛⲏⲃ ⲡϭⲟⲓⲥ ⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ ̀ⲛⲧⲉ ϯⲙⲉⲑⲙⲏⲓ - "O You, WHO IS, Master, Lord, God of Truth"
- ⲫⲏⲉⲧϣⲟⲡ ϧⲁϫⲱⲟⲩ ̀ⲛⲛⲓ́ⲉⲛⲉϩ: ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲉⲧⲟⲓ ̀ⲛⲟⲩⲣⲟ ϣⲁ ̀ⲉⲛⲉϩ - "WHO IS before the ages and reigning for ever"
- ⲫⲏⲉⲧϣⲟⲡ ϧⲉⲛ ⲛⲏⲉⲧϭⲟⲥⲓ: ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲉⲧϫⲟⲩϣⲧ ̀ⲉϫⲉⲛ ⲛⲏⲉⲧⲑⲉⲃⲓⲏⲟⲩⲧ - "WHO IS in the highest, and looks upon the lowly"
Liturgy of St Gregory
- ⲫⲏⲉⲧϣⲟⲡ ⲫⲏⲉⲛⲁϥϣⲟⲡ ⲫⲏⲉⲑⲙⲏⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϣⲁ ⲉⲛⲉϩ: ⲡⲓⲁⲓⲇⲓⲟⲥ...
- O You, WHO IS, who was and who abides for ever, the Eternal, co-essential, co-enthroned, co-creator with the Father, who for the sake of goodness only brought man into existence out of nonexistence, and put him in the Paradise of joy.
Liturgy of St Cyril
- ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲛ ⲕⲉ ⲇⲓⲕⲉⲟⲛ... ⲫⲏⲉⲧϣⲟⲡ ⲫⲛⲏⲃ ⲡϭⲟⲓⲥ ⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ ⲫⲓⲱⲧ ⲡⲓⲡⲁⲛⲧⲟⲕⲣⲁⲧⲱⲣ...
- For truly it is fitting and right, and holy and becoming, and profitable to our souls, bodies, and spirits - O You, WHO IS, Master, Lord, God, the Father, the Pantocrator - at all times and in all places of Your dominion, to praise You, hymn You, bless You, serve You, worship You, thank You, and glorify You, and confess to You night and day, with incessant lips, with a heart that keeps not silent, and with unceasing doxologies."
The Advent Hymn ϥⲉⲙⲡϣⲁ ⲅⲁⲣ
- ϥⲉⲙⲡϣⲁ ⲅⲁⲣ ϧⲉⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲉⲑⲙⲏⲓ: ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲟⲩⲇⲓⲕⲉⲟⲛ ⲡⲉ: ⲉⲑⲣⲉⲛϩⲱⲥ ̀ⲉⲫϯ ̀ⲛⲧⲁ̀ⲫⲙⲏⲓ: ⲡϭⲟⲓⲥ ⲫⲏⲉⲧϣⲟⲡ ϧⲉⲛ ̀ⲧⲫⲉ
  - It is truly worthy: and just that we sing: to the True God: the Lord WHO IS in heaven.
- Ⲡⲉϥⲣⲁⲛ ϩⲟⲗϫ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ̀ϥ̀ⲥⲙⲁⲣⲱⲟⲩⲧ: ϧⲉⲛ ⲣⲱⲟⲩ ̀ⲛⲛⲏⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ: ̀ⲉⲧⲉ ⲫⲁⲓ ⲡⲉ ⲫϯ ⲫⲓⲱⲧ: ⲛⲉⲙ ⲡϣⲏⲣⲓ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲡⲓⲡⲛⲉⲩⲙⲁ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ
  - His name is sweet and blessed: on the mouths of the saints: this is God the Father: the Son and the Holy Spirit
- The second verse clarifies that we are talking about HIS NAME which is ⲫⲏⲉⲧϣⲟⲡ WHO IS. We are confessing that the Lord WHO IS, is the Father Son and Holy Spirit

The Eternal Existence of God

What does all of this mean?
- I AM, WHO IS, and THE BEING all mean the same thing. Let's see if we can figure out what they mean...
- AM and IS are the verb BE which is conjugated to "am" - "are" - "is" (I am, we are, you are, he is, she is, they are)
- And what does it mean "to be?" - to exist!
- The Name of God YHWH, I AM, ⲫⲏⲉⲧϣⲟⲡ means "He Who Exists"
- All of us exist... so what's the difference?
  - God is self-existent whereas we exist as a result of Him bringing us into existence (i.e. He is the SOURCE of existence)
  - God is eternally existent whereas our existence has a starting point
The name of God, revealed to us by God, tells us ABOUT God. One of God's unique attributes: His Eternal Existence.
What is Eternal
- No beginning and no end

Verses about the Eternality of God

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1)
- The Scripture does not try to prove God's existence or His eternality but simply states that at the beginning of recorded time, God was already in existence.
"In the beginning was the Logos, and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was God" (John 1:1)
"For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." (Isaiah 57:15)
"Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: 'I am the First and I am the Lats; besides Me there is no God.'" (Isaiah 44:6)
"'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,' says the Lord, 'who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.'" (Revelation 1:8)
"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God." (Psalm 90:2)
"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse." (Romans 1:20)
"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:17)

What can we know about God?

It is not possible to fully comprehend the eternal existence of God. He is incomprehensible because we live and exist and measure everything in the realm of time.
God has always existed; there was never a time when He came into existence; there will never be a time when He goes out of existence. Because He created time, He is not limited to it.
St Augustine (on Genesis 1:1): “But even if we believe that God made heaven and earth at the beginning of time, we should certainly realize that there was no time before the beginning of time. For God also made time, and thus there was no time before he made time. Hence, we cannot say that there was a time when God had not yet made anything. For how could there be a time that God had not made since he is the maker of all time? And if time began to be with heaven and earth, there cannot be found a time when God had not yet made heaven and earth. When they say, “Why did He suddenly decide?” they speak as if some time passed during which God produced nothing. But a time could not pass that God had not already made, because he cannot be the producer of time unless he is before time.”
- The word "before" and "after" are related to time, so we cannot logically ask the question of "what happened before God made time?" or make any statement like "before God created time..." - St Augustine adds to that, that God created heaven and earth at the beginning of time. This means that we cannot even say the statement "before God created heaven and earth..." since that is equivalent to saying "before God created time..."
St Augustine: "It is not in time that you precede all times, O Lord. You precede all past times in the sublimity of an ever-present reality. You have made all times and are before all times." (Confessions)
There's a story that St Augustine was walking on the seashore meditating on the Holy Trinity (he was writing "On the Holy Trinity"). He saw a child digging a hole in the sand and running to the ocean, filling a bucket with water and dumping it into the little hole he dug. So he asked the child what he was doing and the child said "I'm trying to empty the ocean into this hole" and St Augustine said "that's impossible!" The child said "Indeed! But I will sooner fill this hole with all the water of the ocean than you will succeed in penetrating the mystery of the Trinity."
St. Cyril of Alexandria: “If one wishes to inquire into these things, there is no doubt that he will be completely lacking in mental ability, in contrast to that [the mind] which God is perceived to have. That our faculties are insignificant or as absolutely nothing in comparison with God, he himself clearly states: ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways’, says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And my thoughts than your thoughts.’ (Isaiah 55:8-9) Let it be allowed, then, that extraordinariness and incomprehensibility are the touchstone concerning these things. For God creates as he himself knows how and as only he is able.” – Glaphyra on the Pentateuch Part 1
St John Chrysostom: "I, too, know many things but I do not know how to explain them. I know that God is everywhere and I know that he is everywhere in his whole being. But I do not know how he is everywhere. I know that he is eternal and has no beginning. But I do not know how. My reason fails to grasp how it is possible for an essence to exist when that essence has received its existence neither from itself nor from another. I know that he begot a Son. But I do not know how. I know that the Spirit is from him. But I do not know how the Spirit is from him." - On the Incomprehensible Nature of God 1.19

How does God's eternal existence affect my life?

It is important to learn Theology so that we can know what is true and what is false, the Truth will set you free
The doctrine of the eternality of God provides comfort to the believers. Since God will never cease to exist, neither will those who have put their trust in Him.
When I understand the Divine Liturgy, I can better practice and participate in it and enjoy it

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.

High School Service

2025 HSG Winter Convention (SALT): Intro Topic

Objective

The goal of this convention is to explore the struggles of fear, worry, stress, and anxiety that many girls experience during their adolescent years
Through open discussion, spiritual guidance, and practical steps, the convention aims to help participants confront these feelings with faith, peace, and confidence rooted in Christ

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:

Definition of fear, worry and anxiety
Healthy vs. Unhealthy Worry
Root causes of worry and anxiety
Effects of excessive worry and anxiety
Biblical perspective on anxiety
How to overcome anxiety

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

“When life feels out of control”
- Worry and anxiety about the future, uncertainty, and lack of control
”When I don’t feel enough”
- Anxiety rooted in comparison, insecurity, and perfectionism
”When my heart is overwhelmed”
- Emotional stress, heartbreak, loneliness, and the weight of relationships or responsibilities

Resources

https://www.suscopts.org/resources/literature/counseling/anxiety/anxiety-part-one
https://www.suscopts.org/resources/literature/counseling/anxiety/anxiety-part-two
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6Fu8NU7A6g "Overcoming Fear"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjslLcbuO8M "Stress and Worry"
- Functional and Dysfunctional Worry
  - If tomorrow I have an exam, and I have absolutely no worry - then what will motivate me to study?
  - As long as the worry is functional (not dysfunctional) and it motivates me to do things, then I am within the boundaries
  - If I am not worried about eternal life, then I will not repent
    - 'When I realize my many wicked deeds, and the thought of that awesome judgment comes to my heart, a tremble takes hold of me, and I take refuge in You, O God, the Lover of Mankind.," (Midnight Hour - Third Watch #3)
- Love and Fear
  - "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18)
  - We are afraid of God because we don't know Him; we have a distorted image of Him; we don't trust His mercy. But if we know Him very well, then we know He is our LAWYER on the Last Days and will intercede on our behalf.
  - There are some who will be terrified of Him - those who rejected Him and closed the door in His face. But the reason isn't because God won't have mercy on them but because they rejected the mercy of God.
- Most significant cause of fear, stress, worry in youth:
  - Future, relationships, peer pressure, fitting in, death - summarized as: Lack of Faith
  - Everyone should be worried about his relationships, career, etc. as long as that worry is functional and not impairing the person from attending to his activities, it is healthy.
  - When it becomes dysfunctional, then it is lack of faith
    - There is a psychological illness (imbalance of hormones, etc.) - we are NOT talking about that
  - St Peter faith to walk on water
    - He dropped his eyes from God and looked at the sea, and that's when he was afraid and lost his faith
  - St Stephen was being stoned but his eye was on God
    - If he was looking at the stones, maybe his faith would have been challenged
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGgftslCV3U "Rational vs Irrational Fear"
https://www.youtube.com/live/pp_kY0Ddhts "Biblical Guide to Overcoming Anxiety"

Topic

Introduction

Effects of Anxiety

As we said, Anxiety and Worry are psychosomatic and spiritual - so they are related to our mind, our body and our spirit.
Physical Effects
- Headaches, Rashes, Bachaches, Upset stomach, shortness of breath, sleeping problems, fatigue, loss of appetite, etc.
- Sometimes you see someone who is very tired because they are always worried.
Behavioral Effects
- Some people attempt to overcome anxiety by sleeping more, eating more, or even as far as drugs or alcohol.
- Some may throw tantrums or let their temper explode or blame others
Spiritual Effects
- Robs of Joy
  - Because you are concerned over tomorrow, you are not able to enjoy the present moment. This moment may be full of God’s peace and goodness and blessings, but because I am just focused on tomorrow, I miss out on it all.
  - Overthinking texts or conversations LONG after they happened
- Wastes Time
  - Anxiety over tomorrow consumes valuable time. If the time was invested in positive thinking, taking proactive measures, it would be more profitable.
  - Difference between anxiety and caution
    - Anxiety is preoccupying and preempting failure
    - Caution is careful planning, wise choices
- Inhibits Sound Thinking
  - Preoccupied with tomorrow’s unseen and unrevealed incidents blurs our judgment
- Weakens Faith
  - Pushes faith to the background
- Paradoxical
  - The reason I am anxious is because I am concerned about my comfort or having a better or more comfortable life… but this anxiety causes discomfort and can even shorten life span

Cause of Worry & Anxiety

Social Media
- I posted something and I only got 3 likes… my anxiety might even convince me to remove the post.
- Everyone on my feed looks happier, prettier, more confidence than me.
  - I’m comparing myself to FILTERED or EDITED or AI’d images
- What if people are talking to me in the group chat?
- All of these are PERCEIVED CHALLENGES and they are affecting my perception of my worth. This is an existential anxiety - I feel that my social existence will perish.
Friendship Anxiety
- Why wasn’t I invited to xyz? Outing, hangout, etc.
- They’re acting different - did I do something wrong?
- What if I lose my friends over xyz?
Body Image or Appearance
- What if I don’t look good enough?
- What if I’m judged for how I dress?
- I hate how I look in pictures
  - SELFIE THING
- This is a form of performance anxiety
Academic Anxiety
- If I fail this class, my future is ruined
- Everyone expects me to be perfect
- If I don’t get into the right college, I’m a failure
- This is also a form of performance anxiety.
Spiritual Anxiety
- What if God is disappointed in me?
- What if I keep falling into the same sin?
- What if I never change?
Paradoxical Anxiety
- Anxiety about being anxious… being anxious about how to get rid of my anxiety.
Social Anxiety
- Wanting to please EVERYBODY (it’s impossible)
- Unrealistic anticipation of rejection
  - I think I am going to be rejected
  - So the negative anticipation makes me act weird
  - Then I am rejected
  - This reinforces my anxiety and I remain a victim of an unending cycle that has no root in reality
Anxiety shows us where we are lacking in faith

Overcoming Anxiety

Matthew 6 - Reasons I should not worry
- 25: Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
  - Because our life extends to eternal life.
  - Without food, we would lose our life.
  - Without clothing, our body would freeze.
  - So why is He saying this? To show that our life and our body are more than just physical life. Don't be anxious about your soul and your body because those who might take away your food and your clothes and even cause your death, cannot take your real life of the resurrected body
  - Our life extends to eternal life. God will clothe us with the glorified body in eternal life.
- 26: Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
  - You are more valuable than the birds; and these birds are taken care of by God
  - Premise 1: God is so completely in control of the natural universe, that He is in control of feeding the birds of the earth - a berry from here, an insect from there, a worm from the ground, etc. it is God who provides that berry or that insect or that worm
  - Premise 2: You are of more value to God than the birds. God values you and is committed to you. He purchased you with His Blood.
  - "casting all your care [worry] upon Him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)
- 27: Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
  - Anxiety does no good; it accomplishes nothing; it doesn't help you.
  - If you start to get anxious, remind yourself that the anxiety does not benefit you
- 28-30: “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
  - Similar to point #2 but different
  - Here, the focus is that these lilies that God takes care of them, they last for only one day. But you are eternal! If God cares about the grass and lilies that lasts one day and clothes them more beautifully than King Solomon, then God definitely will care about you because you are eternal. God is active in the life of the grass and flower.
  - Anxiety is a trust issue; a faith issue.
- 31-32: “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For after all these things the Gentiles seek."
  - Anxiety is understood for non-believers; they don't believe in God who takes care of them. They don't have history of 7,000 years of God taking care of His people - even those who were persecuted, martyred, etc.
  - But we, believers, we should not! Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things
- 32: For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
  - Your heavenly Father knows
    - God is a Father and one of the responsibilities of a father is to take care of his children
    - He is Heavenly - so He has control over the earth
    - He knows - since He knows your needs, He will provide for your needs
- 33: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
  - God wants you to be righteous; so He will supply everything you need to do His will and His righteousness
  - Parents tell their kids "don't worry about anything, just focus on your studies... don't worry about working, don't worry about meals, don't worry about anything I don't want you to be distracted. Just focus on one goal."
  - Same with God - I want you to focus on one goal - your eternal life.
  - I cannot stand in the last day and say "Sorry I was distracted by the worries of the world - He will say no! I promised you that I would take care of those."
  - Three Holy Youth in the fire
  - St Peter sleeping a deep sleep in prison
  - Paul and Silas chanting in prison
- 34: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
  - God, in His economy, does not overload one day with troubles more than can be endured
  - Sometimes when we worry about tomorrow, we overburden ourselves
  - Each day has its appointed amount - this is God's plan for us
  - Don't bring tomorrow's worries to today
Keep your eye on the Lord
- St Peter faith to walk on water
  - He dropped his eyes from God and looked at the sea, and that's when he was afraid and lost his faith
- St Stephen was being stoned but his eye was on God
  - If he was looking at the stones, maybe his faith would have been challenged
Seek Guidance
- FATHER OF CONFESSION
- TAKE HIS ADVICE
- Anxiety grows in isolation - but when it’s shared, it weakens.
Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving
- Philippians 4:6-7 - Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
  - Kinds of Prayers
    - Supplications - Make a request
    - Prayer - Communication
    - Thanksgiving - Thank God for something
    - Praise - Praise God for who He is
    - Intercession - Pray for someone else
  - St Paul chose three of those very purposefully: Supplication, Prayer, Thanksgiving
    - Even in the way we deal with each other - if I have a request from you, I will start by communicating with you "hi, how are you" and end with my request
  - The peace of God is totally different from the peace of the world
    - Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
    - The peace of God doesn’t mean that the problem disappears - it means that I am able to endure the problem and my heart is guarded as I endure it.
- Turn your list of worries into a list of prayers
  - ACTIVITY? If time permits

High School Service

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:

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."
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."
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."
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."
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"

It is a war over the mind and heart.
It starts in the mind
When I fall into sin, it is rarely because "I chose evil" - but because I could not resist a temptation
- "I stayed too long with a thought"
- "Everyone is doing it"
- "I saw something in a YouTube Short that triggered me"
- "I just wanted to experiment"
- "I was bored and didn't have anything to do"
Lust and Impurity are Goliath
- Loud, Repeated, Intimidating
- They try to make you feel weak
- "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied." (1 Samuel 17:45)
- It's not me against the temptation - it's my Lord against the temptation - and my Lord is bigger.
- But I must call upon His name
"Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Joel 2:32)

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:

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

Catechism

Curriculum

Pre-Catechumen

Exchange Contact Information
Setup a few initial meetings to get to know him/her
- What notions or ideas do they have about God/Christianity/Orthodoxy
- Why are they seeking the Church? What are they looking for?
- Who is their family, what kinds of friends, school/work, family attitude about religion, about God, etc.
- What kind of support system do they have (if any)
Give them a tour of the church
- Church and Chapel
- Church service calendar
- Who are the priests, bishops, etc.
Attend multiple liturgies
Q&A
When the time is right, offer for them to start Catechumen classes and explain what that means and what that timeline looks like.
- REMEMBER: there is no pushiness in Orthodoxy. There is only the Truth. We are not looking for quantity, but for quality. If numbers were the main goal, to fill our pews, then we could compromise the Truth in order to obtain followers. But that is not the case. See John 6.

Meeting Structure

1.5 hours

Prayer (in Church/Chapel)
Follow-Up
Pressing Questions (Q&A)
Lesson

Curriculum

Introduction

Intro to Catechism
- What is it
- Discipleship
- Components
  - Catechism Class
  - Liturgical Experience
  - Spiritual Canon
- Expectations
  - Commitment
  - Reverence
  - ASK QUESTIONS
- Misconceptions
Introduction to Coptic Church
- Coptic Orthodox Church
  - Apostolic
  - Martyrs
  - Ascetic
  - Modern
- Orthodoxy is NOT a denomination
- Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern US
- Church Calendar
- Recommended Websites, Apps, Books, etc.

Truth

Recommended Reading: The Gospel of Matthew/Mark/Luke

Truth
- The point here is to establish a baseline... there is such a thing called Truth. And Truth is important (imperative). And discovering or knowing the Truth is the point of catechism.
- Some things are unknowable
- Some things require faith
- Here, some preliminary ideas can be mentioned as the truth, to "get them out of the way" - homosexuality is sin, transgenderism is sin, abortion is sin
How does God reveal the Truth to us?
- Nature
  - "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse" (Romans 1:20)
  - The Church is NOT against Science or the Scientific Method but...
- Scripture
- Tradition
Tradition
1. Intro to Tradition & Orthodoxy
2. Benefits of Holy Tradition
3. vs. Sola Scriptura
Scripture
1. Authenticity and Reliability of the Bible
2. Biblical Interpretation
3. Infallibility of the Bible
4. How to Read the Bible
The Gospel Message

Who is God

Recommended Reading:

Existence of God
Trinitarian Faith
1. Introduction
2. Analogies
3. Biblical Foundations
Attributes of God
Trinitarian Heresies
Nature of Christ
Christological Heresies
The Holy Spirit
Pneumatological Heresies

Soteriology

Recommended Reading: Genesis, Romans

Who is Man
Fall of Man
Salvation in the Orthodox Concept
Sacraments: Introduction
Sacraments: Priesthood
Sacraments: Baptism
Sacraments: Chrismation
Sacraments: Eucharist
Sacraments: Repentance and Confession
Sacraments: Unction of the Sick
Sacraments: Matrimony

Church History

Apostolic Fathers
Gnosticism
Arianism & Council of Nicaea
Macedonius & Council of Constantinople
Nestorianism
Chalcedon
Monasticism

Church Rituals

Introduction to Ritual & Liturgical Prayer
1. What is Ritual
2. Use of Matter (Icons, Candles, Incense, etc.)
3. What is Liturgy
Divine Liturgy & The Eucharist
Liturgy of Time - Agpeya
Liturgy of Time - Vespers & Matins
Liturgy of Time - Midnight Praises
Rite of Initiation: Baptism
Rite of Initiation: Chrismation
Crowning Ceremony

Liturgical Experience

Divine Liturgy

Vespers & Matins

Pascha Week

Part of the benefit of a long catechism is the chance to experience the entirety of the liturgical year/calendar

Spiritual Canon

Prayer

Everyone starts at a different level, but if someone is at zero, I usually go in this order:

Pray the Lord's Prayer until it's memorized. Pray extemporaneous prayer after.
Add the Thanksgiving Prayer
Add Psalm 50
Up to twice a day (morning and evening) if not already
"Come Let us Kneel Down" (with prostrations) in the mornings
Add Gospel of 1st Hour in mornings, 12th Hour in evenings

Scripture

Use NKJV, can read one section at a time or continue through a chapter

If you have any question, write it down and bring it to next meeting (or send it to Abouna)

Gospel of St Luke
Acts
Genesis
Exodus
Romans
Gospel

Fasting

Couples Meetings

2026-06-17: The Little Church - Spiritual Life in Marriage

Introduction

The Spiritual Life is like climbing a mountain.
- Imagine you are climbing a mountain alone. If you fall, you bear the consequences. If you get discouraged, you have to encourage yourself. If you lose your way, you must find the path again.
- But if you are married, the story changes. Now you are two people tied by a rope, climbing the mountain. The rope can feel restrictive - I can't move at my own pace, I can't make every decision independently, I have to consider someone else. BUT the rope is for our salvation! If one slips, the other can catch him. If one is tired, the other can encourage him. If one loses sight of the summit, the other can remind him of the goal.
- Actually, the rope and the other person, make reaching the top more attainable (and more enjoyable).
Now imagine that you are climbing the mountain, but you only take a step forward every Sunday morning. And maybe even during the week, you fall a couple of steps. Over time (not that much time, either), you realize you are not actually moving forward... one step forward, three steps back. Or imagine that one of the two people keeps trying to climb the mountain and the other one is refusing to move forward.
For many people, the Church is the only place that they hear the Scripture being read; the Church is the only time that they offer any prayer; the Church is the only time they sing a hymn. The Spiritual Life becomes confined to the Church and her activities.
What does St John Chrysostom say? After part of his homily where he is giving advice for marriage and family life, he says: “If we regulate our households in this way, we will also be fit to oversee the Church, for indeed the household is a little Church.”
The household is a Little Church.
The healthy Christian marriage will ask: "How can we bring the life of the Church into every day of our marriage?"

Little Church

If our household is a little Church, then we can look at some characteristics of the Church and see how they apply in our household.

The Church is a House of Prayer
The Church is a House of Faith
The Church is a House of Peace and Forgiveness
The Church is a House of Service
The Church is a House of Shared Joy and Shared Sorrow

House of Prayer

Don't let your home become the place where you sleep, eat and manage responsibilities. Let is be the house of God. Don't let God be a guest in your house, but let it be His house - a place where He is invited, recognized, spoken to, heard, and experienced.

"My house shall be called a house of prayer." (Matthew 21:13)

Cornelius the Centurion (Acts 10)

There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.
Cornelius "prayed to God always" and his prayers were heard! St Peter came to him - the first Gentiles - and preached to them. And while he was speaking, the Holy Spirit came upon them and then, they were baptized. The Lord answered their prayers.

This is a man whose whole household was saved! Why? Because he was a devout man, and one who feared God with all his household, and who gave alms and prayed to God always. This is not a lesson or topic on prayer, but suffice it to say that just as the Church is (in the words of the Lord Christ) a House of Prayer, so also my Little Church - my home - should be called a house of prayer.

Praying together - set a specific time based on your schedules
Praying for one another - don't ever let a prayer go by or a liturgy go by without mentioning your spouse in prayer
Have a prayer corner - put icons, light a candle, keep your Agpeya there, keep an esharb there.
Reading the Scripture together - even if each one has his own canon, or his own reading
Sharing reflections on the Scripture together after reading
- (Abdelmalek Abdelmalek and his wife)
- One of our congregants departed last year at a good old age. His wife had departed about 5 years prior. When they were going through his stuff, they found hundreds of handwritten notebooks with contemplations on the Holy Scripture. They found hundreds that had been written by two different hands, and then many that were newer, written by one of the hands. It was so clear that this man and his wife would read the Scripture together, contemplate on it, and keep a log together. And when his wife departed, he continued the practice and kept all of the notebooks. No one from their family knew about it until after they had both departed.
Teaching children to pray
- If you have children, pray with them every evening and teach them what to say and how to say it. Read the Scripture with them. Help them to memorize some psalms or some prayer. Help them to learn hymns. This is the true bringing up of our children - not just handing them an iPad to get some alone time. You will benefit from this time just as much as they will.
- And if you have children, but you are lacking in your prayer life or Scripture life, let your children become your motivation. Before you know it, they will be reminding you.
Make a deal with each other right now - if one of us says "let's go pray" the other one obeys. Make the commitment with each other now, so that when it comes up, it's not a question of whether or not I am in the mood.

The Little Church becomes a house of prayer when prayer is no longer an event - it is the atmosphere and the norm. When you walk into the Church, you find people going to pray - even if there's no meeting or liturgical service. Because it is a house of prayer.

House of Faith

"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and your household." (Acts 16:31)

Make prayerful decisions
- Not panic, not self-reliance, not financial or social pressure, not urgency
- Trust the Lord with my personal life, my marriage, my spouse, my children, my home, my education, my career, my finances, my friendships, etc.
God is working in difficult seasons
Obedience to the commandment, rather than reacting to emotions

Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans, not knowing where he was going... just with faith.

A funny example: Vacationing...

Vacation from what? From God? From the Church? From my Spiritual Canon?
- The House of Faith will wake up for their spiritual canon while on vacation.
- The House of Faith will fast on Wed and Fri during their vacation
- The House of Faith will not choose to go on a cruise during a fasting period!
- The House of Faith will not miss Sunday Liturgy while on vacation!
- I have heard from people that they went to Egypt for a month and when you ask which churches or monasteries did you go to... "I didn't have time."
No, let my Little Church be a House of Faith, and a House that makes all decisions - major or minor - with prayer, and with God in mind.

House of Peace & Forgiveness

There is nothing you can do that the Church will not offer you forgiveness for. That means in the form of the sacrament of repentance & confession - that you come to the Church in order to receive forgiveness. The Body and Blood of Christ are given for salvation, remission of sins and eternal life to those who partake of Him. The whole economy of salvation and the sacramental life is based on the fact that we are forgiven. So how about my Little Church?

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” (Colossians 3:15)

Peace is not preserved by avoiding conflict - but by resolving conflict quickly in love.
Don't keep score
Don't hold a grudge
Accepting that there can be misunderstanding or miscommunication in marriage
Restraint instead of retaliation
Protect unity more than being right or "winning the argument."
Give the benefit of the doubt
Give many chances - even if he didn't take out the trash the last four times... maybe the fifth time is the charm.
Forgive
- Some myths...
  - Forgiveness means I am condoning the bad behavior... no.
  - Forgiveness means I am giving up my right to be hurt... no.
  - Forgiveness is one chance only... no.
  - Forgiveness is for the other person... no.

Remember when Joseph the Carpenter found out that St Mary was pregnant? "Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly." (Matthew 1:19) - See how he was a man of peace! He wasn't looking to have a conflict! He was looking to keep the peace. And here the Lord sent him an angel to tell him that this is all a misunderstanding... she did not do anything wrong, but rather this is the work of God. Recognizing the voice of God, he woke up and took to him his betrothed wife.

Sometimes we close off our minds to the idea that there might be a misunderstanding, or that I might be wrong, or that maybe there's something I don't understand. Instead, I assume, I ascribe intention, I refuse dialogue, I reject any possibility that I might be wrong. But this is not peace! Peace requires humility.

-----

Remember Abraham and Lot (Genesis 13)

Abraham's servants and Lot's servants were fighting... so Abraham looked at Lot and said "Let there be no strife between you and me..." (Genesis 13:8-9). And he told him if you go left, I will go right. If you go right, I will go left. The whole land is in front of you. Abraham, for the sake of peace, was willing to compromise. Even though he is Abraham! He is the older one! He is the one with all the riches. He is the patriarch! But peace requires humility.

House of Service

"Through love, serve one another." (Galatians 5:13)

There's a story of a church in Upper Egypt that was located within a Christian cemetery. The city allowed them to move the graves and as they are moving the coffins, they come across two that are very heavy. Usually coffins of people who have been dead for a long time, their body has decayed and what is left is bones - so the coffins become light. But these two were heavy. So they called the priest and he opened the coffins and they found the bodies of the two were preserved - a man and his wife. They had been buried for 25 years, but their bodies look as if they were buried an hour ago. The priest wanted to know their story and he went around the whole village asking about them until he learned and pieced together their story.

The wife was one day struck with paralysis in one side of her body and could no longer move around, or feed herself. So the husband started to serve her. He would carry her, feed her, take her out, etc. For 15 years he served her. And from everything he was doing, he got diabetes - and of course he's not taking care of himself, only caring for her... and he went blind. So he got so upset and went to pray and said "Lord, you know my wife is paralyzed, you know we don't have children to serve us. I was the one who was taking care of her! Now who will take care of us?? And not only that, how could you deprive me of the blessing of serving her??" And as he is saying these words, he feels his wife's hand on his shoulder, patting him! "You're up??" She said "I'm all better now... my legs and my arms and everything. Now it's my turn to serve you." And for 10 years, she served him faithfully.

25 years of serving each other and the Lord rewards them by preserving their bodies and then revealing their story

Source: https://www.facebook.com/reel/2087580212022559

What about in the regular daily life?

Meet each other's needs without being asked
- "What would make her day easier right now?"
The house is the responsibility of BOTH
- There is no mine or yours... not even "these are my dishes, those are your dishes..." - "My laundry, your laundry" - not even "Clean your room, I'll clean mine."
- Not "my chores" and "your chores" but sharing in all things
Do the small things immediately - if it takes less than 2 min, just do it!
"Wash each other's feet" in daily life
- The Lord gave us the perfect example of washing feet. Always remember that He washed the feet of Judas, knowing that Judas had betrayed Him and was planning to sell Him the same evening.
- Sometimes "washing the feet" or "serving each other" has a condition and we say "well he didn't do this" or "well she isn't doing that." - Remember the Lord.
80% and 20%

Sidenote: Remember that the Church is not just inward facing, but She also extends Her arms out to others. And here I want to mention that if your Little Church is a House of Service, it will not just serve you and your family, but it will serve others as well.

Story of Anba Abraam and the family who wanted another son. Anba Abraam told them "you will have a son this year - but see that extra room in your house? Make it into a room for the poor."

House of Shared Joy & Sorrow

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep." (Romans 12:15)

In the church, we have a baptism or a wedding and everyone comes wearing bright colors and everyone is excited and very happy and ready to share in the joy of the couple who is getting married, or the person who is being baptized.

In the same church, maybe even on the same day, we have a funeral and everyone comes wearing less-bright colors and they are somber and ready to share in the sorrow of the family of the reposed.

My Little Church should be the same. When my wife is sorrowful, there is no way that I will be joyful - but rather, I will share in her sorrow. And when my wife is celebrating, I should celebrate with her. Sometimes I depend more on my "feelings." And if my feelings don't match those of my spouse, I feel emotionally distant. But that is not the Christian marriage. That is not the Little Church! The Little Church is one where I share in joy and sorrow.

The Lord Jesus, Himself, did this! When He went to the tomb of Lazarus, we read that Jesus saw Mary weeping and the Jews who came with her weeping, "He groaned in the spirit and was troubled." then "Jesus wept." Although He knows that Lazarus will rise... yet He shared in their sorrow. On the other hand, the Lord shared in the joy of the Wedding of Cana! So He did both.

Also this shared joy and sorrow is not only with my spouse and children! But just like the Church extends her arms outward, so can my Little Church... when someone is sorrowful, I can invite him into my Little Church, comfort him, prepare a meal for him, etc. Or I can send something to him from my Little Church. In this way, my home is like the Church that shares in someone's sorrow.

When someone is celebrating a success, I can invite him into my Little Church and celebrate his accomplishment.

St John Chrysostom gives one warning to this, though: "If you are inclined to entertain and give dinner parties, there should be nothing immodest or excessive about them. And if you should find some poor, saintly man who just by stepping into your house would bring God's blessing upon you, invite him." (p. 62)

This is important because as soon as I invite immodesty into my Little Church; as soon as I allow sin or drunkenness or revelries to enter my Little Church, it ceases to be a Church.

Other Examples

House of Thanksgiving
- Give thanks to God for each other
- Give thanks for what God has provided for you - instead of looking enviously at other homes, other cars, other money, etc.
- Be thankful for your children, instead of comparing them with those outside your home
- Expressing appreciation to each other
House of Sacrifice
- Sacrifice for one another
House of Growth & Discipleship
- Growth in virtue
- Overcoming sin
House of Patience
- Fr Bishoi Kamel story - waited in the jail for 8 hours.
House of Mercy
- Be merciful to one another
House of Love
- This is the umbrella that covers all other points
House of Holiness
- When you are walking into St George church, there's a nice wooden sign on top of the church door that says what?
- "Holiness adorns your house, O Lord, forever." (Psalm 93:5)

Conclusion

When my house is a Little Church, then just as the Church has produced saints, so also my house will produce saints. And just as the Church is a light in the world, so also my house and all its members will be lights in the world. Just as the Church is the presence of God, so also my house will be the presence of God. The goal of marriage is not coexistence or happiness, but salvation.

“The love of husband and wife is the force that welds society together. Men will take up arms and even sacrifice their lives for the sake of this love. Because when harmony prevails, the children are raised well, the household is kept in order, and neighbors, friends and relatives praise the result. Great benefits, both for families and states, are thus produced. When it is otherwise, however, everything is thrown into confusion and turned upside-down. Everything is in disarray.”

Christ	Levitical Priests
Appointed by an oath	Appointed by the law
Incarnate Son of God	Man
Perfected	With Weakness
Forever	Temporary