Alleluia Psalm 150 Feast of Nativity

1Litany of the Oblations

"Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23)

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12. Lent Doxology

Your People - Father Peter Dimyan

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

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

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).

Series also posted on 
Podcast: Search for 'Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States'
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkkYZew63JGZJLHlG1iy55SGL_KbTxa_a

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

His Grace speaks with us about overcoming the difficulty of forgiving. He shares with some words from St. John Chrysostom. 

St. John Chrysostom: “His heart smote him.,” the text says, remember, “for cutting off the corner of the cloak, and he said to his men, ‘The Lord forbid.’” What is the meaning of “The Lord forbid”? It means, May the Lord be merciful to me, and if I actually had the intention, may God not allow me to act on it nor permit me to proceed to sin. In other words, since he knew sound values of this are almost beyond human nature and require grace from on high, and that he was halfway to committing murder, he then prays that God would keep his hand unstained. […] “It was not without God’s influence, you see, that he succeeded in prevailing over those frenzied men: the grace of God was found on the inspired man’s lips” 

St. John Chrysostom: “When you see your enemy or have him in mind, forget all those harmful things you suffered or were told; if they still come to mind, put it down to the devil. Recollect, rather, whether he ever said or did anything useful to you; if you turn these things over in your mind, you will promptly dissolve your enmity.

Series also posted on 
Podcast: Search for 'Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States'
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkkYZew63JGZJLHlG1iy55SGL_KbTxa_a

ABBA Give me a WORD: Forgiveness - Overcoming the difficulty of Forgiving by HG Bishop Gregory

His Grace speaks to about our conscience and shares with us words from St Dorotheos of Gaza.

"When we begin to say, 'What is it if I say just these few words? What does it matter if I eat this morsel? What difference if I poke my nose in here or there? From this way of saying, 'What does this or that matter?' a man takes evil and bitter nourishment and begins presently to despise greater and more serious things and even to tread down his own conscience and so, at last destroying it, bit by bit, he falls into danger and finally becomes completely impervious to the light of conscience.

Therefore, brothers, see to it that we do not neglect little things; see to it that we do not despise them as of no account. There are no 'little things'—for when it is a question of bad habits, it is a question of a malignant ulcer. Let us live circumspectly, let us give heed to trivial matters when they are trivial, lest they .become grave. Doing what is right and what is wrong: both begin from small things and advance to what is great, either good or evil.” St Dorotheos of Gaza (Dorotheos of Gaza: Discourses and Sayings)

Series also posted on 
Podcast: Search for 'Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States'

ABBA Give me a WORD: On the Conscience by HG Bishop Gregory

on Repentance and Defeating Despair : part 2 - Fr. Anthony Mourad

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.”

Series also posted on
Podcast: Search for 'Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States'

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

Today Christ directs us to love our neighbours! But who are our neighbours? In response to this question, Christ discusses the parable of the Good Samaritan. Listen to this sermon as we discuss the significance of this parable in response to this question.

Who Is My Neighbour? (Fr Daniel Fanous)

The official SoundCloud and podcast for the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States under the auspices of His Grace Bishop Youssef.

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

SUSCopts