Virtues

Humility

Humility

Humility - HG Bishop Peter Sermon

St Mina's Feast 2020 in Nashville, TN

Was it right for disciples to ask "who will be greatest?" - Yes! Christ did not rebuke them as He rebuked some other questions. Also... Everyone should strive to be great! Greatest dad, teacher, husbamd, etc.

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less

Humility takes strength - someone who is weak, low self-esteem, etc is not humble. Christ was not like that.

Humility is a decision (like love). Being humble is the key to a joyful and peaceful life.

Psalm 91:1 (911... Emergency) - He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Two parts to humility

Just like a prostration has two parts:

I need to go down and humble myself before God and rise up and practice the humility with man

Humility of man with God

Humility of man with man

What is the result of humility?

Gratitude

Gratitude

Fr Daoud Lamei - 8 Exercises in Gratitude

https://soundcloud.com/frdaoudlamei/01-let-us-give-thanks-to-the-lord?in=frdaoudlamei/sets/let-us-give-thanks-to-the-lord

Discernment and Wisdom

Discernment and Wisdom

The Virtue of Discernment & Wisdom - HE Metropolitan Youssef

What is Wisdom and Discernment
Wisdom in the Scripture
Heavenly Wisdom vs Earthly Wisdom
How can we acquire Heavenly Wisdom?
  1. Prayer: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5)
    • King Solomon, when he became king after his father, King David, felt the weight of his responsibility. And the Lord spoke to him and told him to ask for whatever he wants and King Solomon asked for wisdom. And he was the wisest man to ever live.
    • In the Bishop Canon: "You were granted... the wisdom of Solomon"
    • If this wisdom comes from above, let us ask for this wisdom from above

  2. The Scripture: "I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts." (Proverbs 119:99-100)

  3. Counsel:
    • Any president in any country has many counselors; Many people retire and work as advisors
    • Ask, and learn wisdom! Especially from the elders, from the clergy, from your Sunday School servants
    • When you ask and learn with the spirit of a disciple, you will build up your wisdom
    • St Athanasius described St Anthony as a bee - a bee flies from one flower to another flower to collect the nectar. St Anthony used to go from one father to another father to learn from them.

  4. Learn from the Mistakes of Others:
    • You need to learn from your own mistakes, but don't wait to repeat the mistakes of others to learn!
    • You know from statistics, life experience, research, etc. how drugs have destroyed many youth. So learn from this! Don't go into drugs or smoking or gambling or alcohol... learn from the mistakes of others!
    • If someone told you that fire burns, you don't need to put your hand in the fire to know that it burns.
Wisdom is Needed for Making Decisions and Choices
  1. Some decisions are well known to be very very bad
    • Drugs and sexual immorality
    • I know it is bad, I will stay away from it. This decision is easy.

  2. Some decisions are well known to be very very good
    • Fasting, Helping the poor, Visiting the sick, Attending Youth Meeting, Going to Church
    • I know it is good, this decision is easy to make

  3. Some decisions are more difficult - I don't know if this will help me or hurt me
    • e.g. you are accepted to a college in a state that does not have a church. Every situation is different, and it requires discernment to figure out what is the best decision for you.
    • Pray about wisdom from God to help me to discern
    • Ask myself which one is better for my Spiritual Life? Which one is edifying?
      • Is it edifying or wise to live in a place where the closest church is 4 hours away?
      • Is it suitable for me and my family?
    • Go and get the opinion of others
      • Get counsel from wise, godly people. Don't get opinion or advice from people who are not wise, or from people who are ungodly.
    • Use your mind
      • Make a table, write the choices and the pros and cons. In writing. And this table should not be filled in one session - my thoughts are in one direction now, but tomorrow may be in the opposite direction. I need to fill out this table over a period of 7-10 days. When I remember a point, I write it down.
      • So at the end, when I look at the table, it will be clear (through the guidance of the Holy Spirit) which decision I should make
    • Don't make quick decisions. Quick decisions can be a hinderance to wisdom.
      • St Macarius one time had the idea to enter into the inner desert to find the anchorites. From outside, this decision looks good... but, he writes, "I examined this thought for three years to know whether it is from God or not from God."
      • Someone upsets you and you immediately say "okay I quit, this friendship is over... I'm not gonna talk to him anymore." - you did not use your mind, you followed your emotions. And since your emotions are negative, your decision was bad.
Wisdom's Benefits
Wisdom vs Intelligence

Conflict Resolution

Conflict Resolution

Fr Mikhail Ibrahim on Prayer in Conflict

Fr Boules George here is describing a story that was told to him by Fr Shenouda Maher during Fr Shenouda's 40 days in the monastery after his ordination.

Fr Shenouda tells the story like this:

"When I was a young servant, I served in the church of St Anthony in Shobra, but I confessed in St Mark Shobra. The Sunday School service in St Anthony Shobra at the time took place inside the main church. It was split into sections where every set of pews was dedicated to a Sunday School class. About six classes in the church all at the same time. And it was the beginning of the year, when the day came to pass out to the kids, the calendars with saints on them, as a gift. And I took what I needed for my class, and I went to them to give the lesson.

There was another servant, who went to get some calendars and it seemed they were all taken by then. And looking over, he saw that I had many. And he was filled with anger. So he started to approach me and my class, as I'm giving the lesson, and he shouts from far "YOU CALL YOURSELF A SERVANT?" and as soon as he said that, the whole church was in silence and all the kids from all the classes jumped up on the pews to see what was happening, thinking there was going to be a fight in the church. "YOU CALL YOURSELF A SERVANT?" and he shouted about calendars and taking gifts and not leaving any for other people, but I stood in silence. I was speechless. And I was in silence until some other servants came and took him away, telling him "not in front of the kids" or "not in God's house." And when he had left, I continued my lesson.

The next week, I was going to St Mark in Shobra to confess. And I sat with my father of confession Fr Mikhail Ibrahim.

[Fr Mikhail Ibrahim is considered by many to be a great modern-day saint. Often portrayed as meek, gentle, quiet, he was also powerful and uncompromising, and demanded a high standard for his spiritual children].

And I told Fr Mikhail the story, how I was berated in the middle of church, how I was embarrassed in front of the kids, how I stood in silence and did not retaliate or talk back. Here, I was expecting him, as my Father of Confession, to tap on my back and say "it's ok, my son. Just endure, just endure." But Fr Mikhail looked at me and said: "Have you sinned, and come to me to complain?"

And I was in disbelief! Sinned? Maybe he didn't hear the story... so I told him again. And he responded "I heard it the first time, and I asked you - Have you sinned, and come to me to complain?"

I didn't know what he meant so I asked "in what way did I do something wrong?"

And he explained to me: 
    "Is this man not your brother?" Yes. 
    "And didn't the devil trick him?" Yes.
    "And he fell into the sin of anger?" Yes.
    
And then he asked: 
    "When the devil has tricked your brother, how much did you pray for your brother, before you came to me?" and I had no answer.
    "How much did you fast for your brother, that the Lord removes his anger, and removes any of your sins against him, before you came to me?" and I could not answer.
    "How many metanoias and prostrations did you do for your brother, before you came to me?" I had done none.
    
    "Did you do metanoias?" No
    "Did you fast?" No
    "Did you pray in tears for him?" No
    
    "Didn't I tell you that you sinned, and have come to me to complain?"

And he instructed me: "Go. Pray. Fast. Do Metanoias. And after that, may God absolve you to receive the Eucharist."

And Fr Boules adds to the end of the story: "This is how Fr Mikhail raised saints from his spiritual children. Because the commandment of God was not taken lightly."

Fellowship

Fellowship

Fellowship - HE Metropolitan Youssef

"Behold what is so good or what so pleasant, as for brothers dwelling together? It is as ointment upon the head, that came down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron that came down to the fringe of his clothing; as the dew of Aermon, that comes down upon the mountain of Zion, for there the Lord commanded the blessing and the life forever. Alleluia." - Psalm 133 (132 LXX)

The ointment and the dew signify the blessing - this is the blessing that we receive when we gather together in the Holy Spirit

Fellowship = κοινωνία = Having things in common

Fellowship with God and Others

image-1719717530828.png

Blessings of Fellowship
Fellowship is the Birthplace of God's Purpose
Fellowship's Demands from Us
The Outcome of Fellowship

Giving

Giving

Life of Giving - Fr Daoud Lamei

"Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom." (Luke 6:38)

Give a smile, give a good word, money, time, a listening ear, a warm welcome

The more you give, the more you receive

The Giving Church:

Acts 11

2 Corinthians 8:

What to Give

Although we discussed here the giving of money or things, there are other equally important ways of giving:

Discipleship

Discipleship

HE Metropolitan Youssef: Effective Discipleship

HE Metropolitan Youssef ~ عظات نيافة الانبا يوسف · Effective Discipleship ~ LECTURE
Different Ways of Learning
  1. Pupil
    • The word "pupil" comes from the pupil of the eye)
    • Pupils learn passively (e.g. by seeing, hearing) 
    • Children in Elementary School are pupils
  2. Student
    • The word "student" comes from the same root as "study"
    • Students learn by studying (e.g. experiments in a lab, research in the library, writing papers, etc.). There is more effort than just sitting in a classroom and learning by feeding.
    • Those in MS, HS, College, etc. are students
  3. Disciple
    • From the root word "discipline"
    • Disciples learn through discipline. Followers of a teacher imitate him and he disciplines them. 
    • Followers of a Teacher (e.g. followers of Christ, followers of desert fathers) are disciples
    • The Lord disciplined His disciples:
      • He started by teaching them as pupils
      • Then He sent them out to do some ministry and then come back with a report (Luke 9: "And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done"
      • When the disciples told Him they could not cast out a demon, He told them "because of your unbelief"
      • When James and John argued about who would sit on the left or right, and the disciples were jealous He told them "no, to be the first, you must be last. To be the greatest, you need to be servant of all."
      • Through discipline, He formed their personalities so that they became His disciples
Christian means Disciple

Acts 11:19-26 When Barnabas and Paul went to Antioch they found there followers of Christ, and they added more to the Lord, "And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch" (Acts 11:26)

The word Christian and the word Disciple are synonymous

The day I stop being a disciple, I have stopped being a Christian

Christianity is a religion of discipleship: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20)

A servant who simply gives a lesson is making pupils. A servant who assigns homework or activities or research on top of that, is making students. But a servant who disciplines to transform others into the Image of Christ, is the one who makes disciples. Part of making disciples is to teach them as pupils and letting them do research as students; but the discipline which aims toward transforming others into the image of Christ is an essential part of the ministry.

The Copy Machine Analogy

Discipleship is Continuous

In order to make disciples, you yourself must be a disciple

All of us are called to make disciples. Parents should make their children disciples of Christ. Sunday School Servants, Clergy, etc. If you are not a disciple, then you are not a Christian.

How do I become a Disciple?

How do I become a learner?

“The Lord God has given Me
The tongue of the learned,
That I should know how to speak
A word in season to him who is weary.
He awakens Me morning by morning,
He awakens My ear To hear as the learned.
The Lord God has opened My ear;
And I was not rebellious,
Nor did I turn away." (Isaiah 50:4-5)

These two verses are about the Lord Jesus Christ. "I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting." (Isaiah 50:6)

The Lord Jesus made Himself a Disciple before making disciples

1. Developing the Heart of the Disciple

“The Lord God has given Me
The tongue of the learned,

The Lord Jesus had the Tongue of the Learned

One problem in this generation is that I know everything.

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 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...

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

The Purpose of Becoming of Disciple is to 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

Q&A

https://soundcloud.com/his-grace-bishop-youssef/effective-discipleship-q-a?in=his-grace-bishop-youssef/sets/d-discipleship&si=d4e6f0e4d87849b683b924a30a05591b&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing 

How can I, as a servant, disciple my children?
  1. I must, myself, be a disciple
  2. My eye is on them to see their points of strength to help them to grow, and weaknesses, to guide them in the right way.
    • We have activities in the Church, conventions, sports, spiritual days, trips, outings, etc. The purpose of all these activities is not to have fun or enjoy a trip or a day, but the purpose as a true servant is to watch my servant; watch their attitude, see the point of weakness and point of strength.
  3. Follow-up
Discipleship

HE Metropolitan Youssef: Discipleship Requirements

HE Metropolitan Youssef ~ عظات نيافة الانبا يوسف · Discipleship Requirements (English & Arabic)


Heard this live in St Mina Nashville and didn't take full notes, but wrote down these points

Discipleship

Five ways Christ taught them: