AMPLIFY - A graduate and young professionals conference in the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States

February 17-19, 2023 | Atlanta, GA
Theme -  No boundaries: Living the great commission outside the church walls.

Two millennia ago, a simple empowering message by a small group of Christ's followers impacted the entire world. Today, that message still resonates through the light that you and I are called to shine as part of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church.

Learn more: https://www.amplifyconference.life/

Amplify 2023 - SUS Diocese

ABBA Give Me A WORD: Requirements for Prayer According to Pope Kyrillos

In the Holy Gospel reading of the 1st Sunday in the Holy Great Fast (Matthew 6:19-33), His Grace reads for us the following:
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven..."

His Grace also shares with us the words of St. John Chrysostom and St. Gregory of Nyssa to remind us as we begin the journey of the Holy Great Fast to be wise and give alms as we lay up treasures in heaven.

St. John Chrysostom:
"Buy as much as you can. Do you have one coin? Buy the sky. Not because the sky is cheap, but because the Lord is a lover of mankind. You do not even have one coin? Give a glass of refreshing water. 'The one who offers one glass of refreshing water to one of the least of these for my sake will not lose his reward.' Heaven is a business and an enterprise, and we are negligent. 
Give bread and seize paradise. 
Give small things and grasp great ones. 
Give mortal things and take firm hold of immortal ones. 
Give corruptible things and capture incorruptible ones."

St. Gregory of Nyssa:
"the poor are our gateway to the Kingdom." He says, "These poor are the ones who store away the good things that we look upon. They are the gatekeepers of the Kingdom. They open the gates before the merciful and shut them in the face of the cruel ones who do not do good. They are the strongest accusers and the best defenders. They do not accuse and defend with words, but the Lord sees what is done to them. Every action cries out in a loud voice before God, the searcher of hearts."


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ABBA Give me a WORD

ABBA Give Me A WORD: Treasure in Heaven by HG Bishop Gregory

In the Holy Gospel reading for the 2nd Sunday of the Holy Great Fast (Matthew 4:1-11), His Grace reads for us the following: 
"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil..."

His Grace shares with us that the temptations to sin comes upon all of us and is expected. Yet we need to focus on our Lord Jesus Christ and not on the temptation itself.

St. John Chrysostom (Commentary on the Gospel of St. Matthew):
"For since Jesus did and underwent everything with a view to our instruction He likewise consented to be led there and wrestle against the devil in order that every baptized person who, after baptism, has to endure greater temptations may not be troubled as though this outcome were unexpected, but may continue to endure everything nobly as though it were happening in the natural course of things. For indeed, this was the reason you took up arms, not to be idle, but to fight."

Barsanuphius and John, Barsanuphius and John: Letters, ed. Thomas P. Halton, trans. John Chryssavgis, vol. 113, The Fathers of the Church (Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 2006), 183:
"Do not contradict temptation; for that is what the demons want, and then they will never stop. Rather, resist it by taking refuge in God, casting your weakness before him; for he is able not only to shut their mouths but also to abolish them." 

Elder Porphyrius (EO Saint)
"Do not fight to expel darkness from the chamber of your soul. Open a tiny aperture for the light to enter, and the darkness will disappear." 

Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian:
"O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power, and idle talk.
But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Your servant.
Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions, and not to judge my brother, for blessed art You, unto ages of ages. Amen."


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ABBA Give Me A WORD: Fighting Temptations with Light by HG Bishop Gregory

Feast of the Cross by HG Bishop Gregory
His Grace explains to us that the cross is a weapon.

St. Meena Coptic Orthodox Church
Fort Worth, TX
Pastoral Visit
March 19, 2021

Feast of the Cross

Feast of the Cross by HG Bishop Gregory

Glorious Feast of the Resurrection ~ May 2, 2021
Holy Gospel according to St. John 20:1-18

His Grace begins with a saying from St. John Chrysostom about Christ is Risen. Then His Grace shares with us five situations/characters that truly experienced the joy of the Resurrection.

St. Paul Coptic Orthodox Church
Houston, TX

Feasts

Feast of the Resurrection Homily: Experiencing the Joy of the Resurrection by HG Bishop Gregory

“Arise you children of the Light”

In the Orthodox Creed, the church fathers declared that Lord Jesus Christ is “Light of Light”. The term “Light of Light” is the official Orthodox analogy of the relationship between The Son and The Father. The Scriptural origin of that term may be found in the words of King David below:
“"For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light. Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You and Your righteousness to the upright in heart" (Ps 36: 9,10)

- “For with You (O Father) is the fountain of life (The Son)” –

St. John elaborated on King David words in his first Epistle saying, “the life (The Son) was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life (The Son) which was with the Father and was manifested to us.” (1 Jn. 1: 2). Lord Jesus also confirmed this saying, “I am the resurrection and the life” (Jn 11:25) – “ I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (Jn 14:6). Moreover, St. John said, “And this is the testimony: that God (The Father) has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son” (1 Jn 5:11). Lord Jesus Christ connected the terms “light” and “life” when He said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life.” (Jn 8:12). It is no surprise then to hear St. John say, “In Him (In The Son) was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light (The Son) shines in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (Jn 1: 4,5) – “That (The Son) was the true Light which gives light (gives life) to every man coming into the world” (Jn 1:9).

- In Your light (In Your Son who is Light of Light) we see light (we see / know You O Father). Oh (Father), continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You (Through Your Light; Your Son) and Your righteousness to the upright in heart – 

St. John said that “No one has seen (known) God (The Father) at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him (Made Him known)” (Jn 1:18). Lord Jesus Christ said “No one comes to the Father except through Me (The Son). If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” (Jn 14: 6,7) – Notice how “to see” and “to know” are used interchangeably. The words of King David could be understood as a  prophecy about the knowledge of the Father through His Son. 

Read more:

God the Father Is the Light & His Son Is the Light of Light (Arabic)

God the Father Is the Light & His Son Is the Light of Light

Workshop - Inside the Walls with Fr. Abraham Fam - Amplify 2023 - SUS Diocese -

Lecture 3 - Mission Beyond The Walls by Fr. Abraham Fam - Amplify 2023 - SUS Diocese -

Lecture 2 - A Voyage Into The Unknown by Fr. Abraham Fam - Amplify 2023 - SUS Diocese

Lecture 1 - Searching For More by Fr. Abraham Fam - Amplify 2023 - SUS Diocese

His Grace shares with us some requirements for prayer in these multipart tracks. In part 1, we hear one of the requirements:
 
"When standing before your Lord the attire of your soul should be woven with threads of non-hatred…without envy and grudge” - St. Pope Kyrillos VI

All the quotes are found in A Silent Patriarch by Fr. Daniel Fanous

ABBA Give Me A WORD: Requirements for Prayer According to Pope Kyrillos Part 1 by HG Bishop Gregory

His Grace shares with us some requirements for prayer in these multipart tracks. In part 2, we hear another requirement to meditate on:
 
“If you have to go out of your cell, protect what you had gathered,” and if you are “happy” when a visitor arrives, “know that you have prepared yourself for boredom and not God” - St. Pope Kyrillos VI

All the quotes are found in A Silent Patriarch by Fr. Daniel Fanous

ABBA Give Me a WORD

ABBA Give Me A WORD: Requirements for Prayer According to Pope Kyrillos Part 2 by HG Bishop Gregory

His Grace shares with us some requirements for prayer in these multipart tracks. In part 3, we meditate on another requirement:
 
“among all other virtues undertaken by people, there is none better than [prostrations],” “it terrifies the demons.” - St. Pope Kyrillos VI

St. Isaac in homily 64 says: “More than the practice of psalmody , love prostrations during prayer"

All the quotes are found in A Silent Patriarch by Fr. Daniel Fanous

ABBA Give Me A WORD: Requirements for Prayer According to Pope Kyrillos Part 3 by HG Bishop Gregory

His Grace shares with us some requirements for prayer in these multipart tracks. In part 4, we meditate on another requirement:
 
“Spend the most of your night in prayers and praise; as much as you can prepare for them during the day.” - St. Pope Kyrillos VI

All the quotes are found in A Silent Patriarch by Fr. Daniel Fanous

ABBA Give Me A WORD: Requirements for Prayer According to Pope Kyrillos Part 4 by HG Bishop Gregory

His Grace shares with us some requirements for prayer in these multipart tracks. In part 5, we hear the final requirement:

“Persist in and honour reading if possible more than prayer. Reading is the spring of intelligent prayer.” - St. Pope Kyrillos VI

St. Isaac in homily 64 says: "Give more honor to reading, if possible than standing, for it is the source of pure prayer."

All the quotes are found in A Silent Patriarch by Fr. Daniel Fanous

ABBA Give Me A WORD: Requirements for Prayer According to Pope Kyrillos Part 5 by HG Bishop Gregory

First Catholic Epistle of St. John

1 John - Chapter Intro & 1

A Holy Bible study given by HG Bishop Youssef.

Holy Bible Series - Epistle to Titus

Bible Study: Epistle to Titus - Introduction & Chapter 1 by His Grace

This is an introduction to a new series called "ABBA Give me a WORD".

When the Lord Jesus Christ called His disciples, He called them by a few simple words..."Follow Me".

INTRO to ABBA Give me a WORD by HG Bishop Gregory

This is part of the series called "ABBA Give me a WORD".

His Grace shares with us some words from St. John of Dalyatha about the power of repentance and how the chains are broken and adversities changed into joy.

“Their chains are broken and their adversities are changed into joy and their tears into great rejoicing. He who had bound them is himself bound by their reins of darkness and delivered by them to the scourgers. Repentance destroys all his works, and all the pains he cause the servants who are not his, she HEALS and RESTORES. All whom he has killed she resuscitates, all his traps she shatters, and all his snares she cuts to bits.[…] She makes fornicators virgins” (Letter 43)


When the Lord Jesus Christ called His disciples, He called them by a few simple words..."Follow Me".

ABBA Give me a WORD: Do Not Despair by HG Bishop Gregory

HG Bishop Basil reads for us The Touch of Divine Love Consolation of the Sick written by Fr. Tadros Malaty.

You can download the book and read along: https://www.suscopts.org/pdf/books/consolationofthesickfrtadrosmalaty.pdf

Audiobook

Consolation of the Sick by Fr. Tadros Malaty - Audiobook by HG Bishop Basil

This is part of the series called "ABBA Give me a WORD" by HG Bishop Gregory.

His Grace shares with us some words from St. John Climacus:
“Run from places of sin as from the plague. For when fruit is not present, we have no frequent desire to eat it." (Ladder of Divine Ascent Step 3.9)

Then His Graces shares with some words from St. Gregory of Nyssa:
“Now having learned what great power for evil the disease of pleasure possesses, we should conduct our lives as far removed from it as possible; otherwise the disease may find some opening against us, like fire whose very proximity causes an evil flame.[…] So also it is in our power to remain unaffected by passion as long as we stay far away from the thing that enflames. […] For the evils of the passions, like a plague, when once they have gained possession of the critical parts, stop only at death.” ("The Life of Moses” 2.303)

When the Lord Jesus Christ called His disciples, He called them by a few simple words..."Follow Me".

ABBA Give me a WORD: Avoiding the Virus by HG Bishop Gregory

This is part of the series called "ABBA Give me a WORD".

His Grace shares with us some words from St Eusebius of Caesarea says concerning this treatise:
“A pestilent disease took possession of many provinces of the whole world, and especially Alexandria and Egypt; as Dionysius writes, and the treatise of Cyprian ‘concerning the Mortality’ bears witness.”(1)

Then His Graces shares with some words from St. Cyprian of Carthage’s Treatise 7: On the Mortality, Part 16:
“…beloved brethren, what is it, what a great thing is it, how pertinent, how necessary, that that pestilence and plague which seems horrible and deadly, searches out the righteousness of each one, and examines the minds of the human race, to see (1) whether they who are in health tend the sick; (2) whether relations affectionately love their family; (3) whether masters pity their weakened servants; (4) whether physicians do not forsake the beseeching patients; (5) whether the fierce suppress their violence; (6) whether the greedy can quench the ever insatiable desire of their raging avarice even by the fear of death; (7) whether the arrogant bend their neck; (8) whether the wicked soften their boldness; (9) whether, when their dear ones perish, the rich, even then bestow anything, and give, when they are to die without heirs. (10) Even although this mortality conferred nothing else, it has done this benefit to Christians and to God’s servants, that we begin gladly to desire martyrdom as we learn not to fear death. These are trainings for us, not deaths: they give the mind the glory of fortitude; by contempt of death they prepare for the crown.” (2)

References:
(1)	Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, eds., Fathers of the Third Century: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Novatian, Appendix, vol. 5, The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company, 1886)

(2)	Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, eds., Fathers of the Third Century: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Novatian, Appendix, vol. 5, The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company, 1886).

When the Lord Jesus Christ called His disciples, He called them by a few simple words..."Follow Me".

ABBA Give me a WORD: Use Pestilence to Search me O God by HG Bishop Basil

His Grace takes us on a journey of the Holy Pascha week and asks us to build our relationship with the Lord seeking to apply one meditation each day to our personal lives as an individual or as a family.

His Grace begins with the resurrection of Lazarus to the resurrection of our Lord, we can see the Lord yearning to live with us here on earth and eternally as He seeks our salvation.
 - Lazarus Saturday: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25)

- Palm Sunday: The Lord reveals Himself as the King of Kings who comes humbly riding on a donkey in the Jerusalem of my heart seeking to be enthroned therein. Will accept His Lordship or will I leave Him weeping over me as He wept over Jerusalem.

- Monday Pascha: Christ is the gardener of my soul that asks what shall I yet do for my vineyard that I have not done for it. He comes as a second Adam clearing the land of my heart from the thorns of my sin as He cleanse the temple. Will I remain barren like the cursed fig tree or will I yield the fruit of the Holy Spirit?

- Tuesday Pascha: Christ is my beloved bridegroom Who seeks to unite with me intimately; enticing me to prepare for our heavenly wedding with talk of His Second Coming. He urges me to leave my spiritual prostitution to be consecrating to Him alone. Will I detach myself from the temple pleasures and idols of this world that I may begin eternal life with the Beloved here and now?

- Wednesday Pascha: The Lord is the One Who patiently waits for my repentance as He accepted the repentance of the woman who wept at His feet. Will I offer the Lord the fragrant oil and tears of repentance as the sinful woman did or my words be those of Judas, smoother than oil yet drawing swords, betraying my Master?

- Covenant Thursday: My Lord and Teacher kneels to wash my feet and cleanse me that I may learn from His humility and do as He has done washing the feet of His children. The Bread of Life offers His Body and Blood to me; that He may abide in me and I in Him. Will accept for the Lord to wash my feet and humbly offer myself to others?

- Great Friday: The Mighty One, the only Begotten Son, shows me by weakness what is greater than power when He offers Himself as an acceptable sacrifice on the cross for my salvation. The spotless and silent Lamb of God takes upon Himself the sins of the whole world and the author of Life dies on the cross and is buried in a tomb that He may bury my sins with Him. Will I confess my sins with the thief and accept His love for me, crying out "Remember me O Lord, when You come into Your Kingdom"?

- Bright Saturday: The True light descends into the darkness of Hades that He may shine upon those who were there and preach to them the salvation that He has accomplished. Descend into the darkness of my sinful soul, O Lord, and reveal to me the Kingdom of Heaven therein, shine within me that I may see the rums of the ladder to the paradise of joy which You have opened for me. 

His Graces then shares with us words from St Gregory the Theologian: "O Pascha, great and holy and purifier of all the world, I will speak to you as to a living being" (Oration 45:30).

ABBA Give me a WORD: Meditations on Pascha Week by HG Bishop Basil

His Grace shares with us a Prayer of Repentance that can be found in Homily 16 of the Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian as well as Discourse 4 of John of Dalyatha:

O Master Lord Jesus Christ, who wept for your friend Lazarus and shed tears of sorrow and compassion upon him, accept the tears of my bitterness. 

Through your passions heal my passions; through your wounds cure my wounds; through your blood purify my blood, and mingle with my body the fragrance of your life-giving body. 

Let the gall, which was given to you by the enemies, sweeten my soul from bitterness, given to me by the adversaries.

Let your body, which was stretched on the tree of the Cross, make my mind, pulled down by the demons, fly towards you.

Let your head, which you bowed on the Cross lift up my head, smitten by the opponents.

Let your all-holy hands, which were nailed by the godless on the Cross, raise me from the chasm of perdition and bring me towards you, as your most holy mouth has promised.

Let your face, which receives spats and spittles by the cursed ones, bring a shine to my face, sullied by my sins.

Let your soul, which you, while on the Cross, offered to your father, lead me towards you by your grace.

I do not have a painful heart to seek after you; I do not have repentance nor contrition which bring the children back to their inheritance; I do not have, O Master, entreating tears.

My mind has darkened by worldly and material things and is not capable of look at you with pain.

My heart has turned cold from the multitude of temptations and cannot warm itself with the tears of love for you.

But you, O Lord Jesus Christ, the treasury of good, grant me complete repentance and a painful heart, so I may go out searching for you with all my heart.

Without you, I am stranger to any good.

Thus, grant me, O good one, your grace; let your Father, who, before all ages and eternally, has begotten you from his bosom, renew in me the form of your image.

I have forsaken you, but do not forsake me; I have come out away from you, so come out in search for me, and lead me into your pasture, numbering me among the sheep of your excellent flock and feeding me together with them the grass of your divine mysteries whose haunt is the pure heart and in which the illuminations of your revelations is seen, bringing consolation and refreshment to those who work hard and suffer afflictions and various griefs for you.

Make us worthy of this illumination through your grace and love of man, our Savior Jesus Christ, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

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ABBA Give me a WORD: A Prayer of Repentance to our Merciful Savior by HG Bishop Gregory

His Grace shares with us St. Dorotheos of Gaza on the words of St. Gregory the Theologian

“It is the Day of Resurrection.
Let us offer ourselves as first-fruits.”

These words from a Paschal homily of St. Gregory the Theologian in the 4th century later became part of a Resurrection hymn that was sung in church in the 6th century.

After singing this hymn in the church on the Feast of Resurrection St. Dorotheos of Gaza meditates on the words of the hymn in his own Paschal homily saying:
“The sons of Israel kept the Pascha when they came out of Egypt…Now Pascha, the celebration which St Gregory is encouraging us to keep, is performed by the soul which departs from the spiritual Egypt, that is, from sin. For when the soul passes over from sin to virtue, that is when it celebrates the Pascha of the Lord. As Evagrius has said: ‘the Pascha of the Lord is the passing over from evil to good.’

And thus now today is the Pascha of the Lord, the Day of the Bright Festival, the Day of the Resurrection of Christ Who has nailed sin to the Cross, Who has died and rose—all for our sakes. Let us also offer to the Lord gifts, sacrifices, whole-burnt offerings…
…for after saying, ‘It is the Day of Resurrection’…
…St. Gregory says, ‘Let us offer ourselves as first-fruits [of the Resurrection]’, that is, let us offer ourselves as a sacrifice, let us die to ourselves all the day long, as did all the saints, for the sake of Christ our God Who died for us.

How did they put themselves to death?
“Do not love the world or the things in the world (1 John 2:15), as is said in the Catholic Epistle; but having renounced the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life’ (1 John 2:16)—that is the love of pleasure, the love of money, and vainglory—they took up the Cross and followed after Christ and crucified the world to themselves and themselves to the world (cf. Gal. 6:14). Concerning this the Apostle says, “those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Gal 5:24). 

This is how the saints put themselves to death.

And how did they offer themselves as sacrifice? By not living for themselves, by subjecting themselves to the commandments of God, and abandoning their own desires for the sake of the commandment to love God and their neighbor
…
Thus, let us also offer ourselves in sacrifice as St. Gregory teaches…”

As we greet each other saying, “Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!” and as we praise the joyful resurrection hymns throughout the Holy 50 days, let us also keep the spirit of the early fathers like St. Dorotheos of Gaza. 

Just as St. Dorotheos translates the resurrection hymn of his time to life and teaching, let us also apply the spirit of resurrection to our lives by passing over from sin to virtue and no longer living selfishly for ourselves, but rather abandoning our own desires in love of God and neighbor.

That we too—as St. Gregory and St. Dorotheos teach us—may offer ourselves as first-fruits of Christ’s Resurrection.

That we too “may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death”

That we too “may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” (cf. Phil 3:10-11).

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ABBA Give me a WORD: Offering Ourselves as First-fruits of the Resurrection by HG Bishop Basil

His Grace shares with us words of St. Pachomius:
One day his disciples asked him, 'Is there anything we can do to have the power of making miracles?' He answered with a smile:

"If you desire to continue on the spiritual way to the Kingdom of Heaven, do not ask for this power because it brings pride to beginner monks; pray and seek for the divine power for making spiritual miracles. Should there be a man who resists God’s way and you bring him back to the real knowledge of God, then you have already raised the dead. If you bring a heretic back to the Orthodox, the right way, then you have already opened the eyes of one born blind. If you could change a money-lover’s hand to open it to the poor, or if you can make a lazy person active in spiritual work, then you have already cured a paralyzed man. If you can cause an adulterer to repent, then you have already extinguished flames and fires. If you can make the mad to be calm and humble, you’ve already removed an evil spirit out of him. Do you think there is ANYTHING greater than these that we can look forward to?"
(Story found in "Christianity in the Land of the Pharaohs: The Coptic Orthodox Church" By Jill Kamil)

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ABBA Give me a WORD: Power of Miracles by HG Bishop Gregory

His Grace shares with us words from St. Isaac the Syrian,St. Basil the Great, and St. Mark the Ascetic about giving thanks.

St. Isaac the Syrian the great ascetic of the 7th century begins his 2nd ascetical homily saying, “The thanksgiving of the recipient incites the giver to give gifts greater than the first…Nor does any gift remain without addition, except that which is received without thanksgiving. The fool’s portion is small in his eyes.”

St. Isaac teaches us a simple and beautiful principle of the spiritual life: If I want the graces and gifts that I currently enjoy in my life to increase then I need to realize and give thanks to God and others for those that have already been given. Giving thanks is what assures them that we value what they have graciously given us. As St. Isaac says, we would be foolish to ignore God’s generosity and think that our portion of gifts from God is small and simply consider prayer a matter of requesting more without appreciation and gratitude. Without times of thanksgiving and selfless praise.

St. Basil the Great clearly instructs us, “Do not start your prayer by a request, lest it is thought that if it was not for the request, you would not have prayed.”

For this reason we begin all our prayers in the Church with Thanksgiving saying, “we thank You for everything, concerning everything, and in everything. For You have covered us, helped us, guarded us, accepted us to Yourself, spared us, supported us, and have brought us to this hour.”

We repeat this prayer in Church in the Liturgy, before raising incense, at baptisms, at weddings, at funerals, but also in our homes constantly when we pray the Agpeya as a family or on our own. 

The Psalmist says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, / And forget not all His benefits” (Ps 103:2).

But sadly, how many of us take a moment to not just say the Thanksgiving Prayer, but stop and actually give thanks—to remember—to not forget—all God’s blessings? Not just for the new and unique things in our life, but also for the things we may most take for granted.

Several weeks ago there was a story told of a 93 year old man in Italy that recovered from coronavirus in the hospital, and he was told to pay for the ventilator for one day, and the old man cried. The doctor advised him not to cry over the bill.

But the old man said “I am not crying because of the money I have to pay. I can pay all the money." I cry because I have been breathing God's air for 93 years, but I never pay for it. It takes 5,000 Euros to use a ventilator in a hospital for one day. Do you know how much I owe God?! I didn't thank God for that before."

Like this man, we also likely have many things we take for granted: the food we eat, the clean water we drink and wash with, our physical and mental health, the Church, our families and all the people and circumstances and second chances in our life which God used and continues to use to build our relationship with Him.

St. Mark the Ascetic of the 5th century instructs that the remembrance of God’s blessings is the answer to the question we often ask and are asked: “How do I begin living a life according to God?”

Whether we are struggling with weaknesses of loneliness or loss of purpose or despair, or sins of envy & judging others or pride; or if we want to grow in the virtues: to truly rejoice, to pray, to acquire humility—thanksgiving is a necessary weapon at the beginning and all throughout our life with God and others helping us to both overcome sins and habits as well as grow in the virtues.

Therefore, as an exercise this week, let us sit quietly with God remembering and writing our past and present experiences and aspects of our life for which we have seldom or maybe never offered thanks to God and neighbor.

Let us stand before God for at least 2 minutes daily. 120 seconds. With no requests, no complaints, but rather let us thank Him: “for everything, concerning everything, and in everything.”

ABBA Give me a WORD: Start with Giving Thanks by HG Bishop Basil

His Grace shares with us words from St. Ephraim the Syrian about struggle.

St Ephraim the Syrian said:
"We do well to admire the blessedness of the saints and desire to be crowned as they are, but we are unwilling to imitate their labors and combats. Do you think that they were drowned without labors and afflictions in the same manner as you desire to be? Will you hear what kind of rest the saints had in this life? Some of them were tortured, others had trials of cruel mockings and scourgings, yes, even more of bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted and tormented. The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. Lo, you have heard a few particulars out of many. Such were the accommodations and repose of the saints in this life; and they bore these things with all joy because they looked for those eternal good things which are laid up for them in the heavens, which eye has not seen nor ear heard, neither have they entered into to heart of man.”

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Abba Give me a Word: The Comfort of the Saints: Struggle by HG Bishop Gregory

4th Sunday of Mesore | Holy Gospel according to St. Mark 13:3-37
St. Luke Coptic Orthodox Church | South Florida
Pastoral Visit | August 30, 2020

His Grace speaks about 4 signs:
1) Events that affect the entire world
2) Personal struggles
3) Attachments to the world
4) Falsehood

Sunday Homily

Sunday Homily: Be Prepared for the End Of Times by HG Bishop Basil

His Grace shares with us words from St. Macarius of Egypt about repeated sins.

"Nevertheless, to root out sin and the evil that is ever with us, this can only be accomplished by the divine power. It is not possible or within a man’s competence to root out sin by his own power. To wrestle against it, to fight against it, to give and receive blows, is thine; to uproot is God’s." - St. Macarius of Egypt. St Macarius the Great, Homily #3 from the Fifty Spiritual Homilies

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Abba Give me a Word: Repeated Sins: Will I ever Stop? by HG Bishop Gregory

His Graces speaks to us about repeated confessions and shares with us words from St. John Climacus and Vitae Patrum 8.10.

St. John Climacus says:
"Do not be surprised that you fall every day; do not give up, but stand your ground courageously. And assuredly the angel who guards you will honour your patience."

Vitae Patrum 8.10 says:
“Isidore said to him, “Look to the West, and see.” And he look and saw a multitude of demons were in a state of violent, furious disorder, and, as it were, ready for battle, they were in a rush to do battle. Abba Isidore said to him, “Look, in turn, to the East, and see.” He looked and saw a countless multitude of holy angels, the host of the heavenly powers, who shines with a glory greater than the light of the sun.

Abba Isidore said to him, “Behold, those whom you saw in the West are the very ones that attack even the holy ones of God. Those on the whom you gazed in the East are the very ones whom God sends to help His saints. Recognize, then, how very many are on our side, as the prophet Elisha says (2 Kings 6). […] Upon hearing these words, the holy Moses was strengthened in the Lord and returned to his cell.”  

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ABBA Give me a WORD: Repeated Confession - Again? by HG Bishop Gregory

His Grace shares with us a prayer by St. Ephrem the Syrian, titled:
'How many times have I promised, yet every time I failed to keep my word. But disregard this according to Thy grace'.

"Grant forgiveness, O Lord; send also strength. Convert me, that I might live in sanctity, according to Thy holy will. Sanctify my heart that has become a den and dwelling-place of demons.

I am unworthy to ask forgiveness for myself, O Lord, for many times have I promised to repent and proved myself a liar by not fulfilling my promise. Thou hast picked me up many times already, but every time I freely chose to fall again.

Therefore I condemn myself and admit that I deserve all manner of punishment and torture. How many times hast Thou enlightened my darkened mind; yet every time I return again to base thoughts! My whole body trembles when I contemplate this; yet every time sinful sensuality reconquers me.

How shall I recount all the gifts of Thy grace, O Lord, that I the pitiful one have received? Yet I have reduced them all to nothing by my apathy—and I continue in this manner. Thou hast bestowed upon me thousands of gifts, yet miserable me, I offer in return things repulsive to Thee.

Yet Thou, O Lord, inasmuch as Thou containest a sea of long-suffering and an abyss of kindness, do not allow me to be felled as a fruitless fig tree; and do not let me be burned without having ripened on the field of life. Snatch me not away unprepared; seize not me who have not yet lit my lamp; take not away me who have no wedding garment; but, because Thou art good and a lover of mankind, have mercy on me. Give me time to repent, and place not my soul stripped naked before Thy terrible and unwavering throne as a pitiful spectacle of infamy.

If a righteous man can barely be saved, then where will I end up, I who am lawless and sinful? If the path that leads to life is strait and narrow, then how can I be vouchsafed such good things, I who live a life of luxury, indulging in my own pleasures and dissipation? But Thou, O Lord, my Savior, Son of the true God, as Thou knowest and desirest, by Thy grace alone, freely turn me away from the sin that abides in me and save me from ruin."

Ephrem the Syrian, A Spiritual Psalter or Reflections on God, trans. Isaac E. Lambertsen and Antonina Janda (Liberty, TN: The St. John of Kronstadt Press, 2004), 191–192.

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ABBA Give Me A WORD: How Many Times Have I Promised by HG Bishop Gregory

His Grace shares with us a story from the book called “The World of the Desert Fathers” which exemplifies the importance of fasting. 

As we approach the Holy Great Fast, let us remember the lesson from this story along with the saying of St. John Chrysostom: "Fasting of the body is food for the soul."


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ABBA Give Me A WORD: Fasting - Do I Really Gain from Abstaining? by HG Bishop Gregory

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