Spiritual Words.
Mark Sadek
"Remember that not a single word is lost during prayer, if you say it from your heart; God hears each word, and weighs it in a balance. Sometimes it seems to us that our words only strike the air in vain, and sound as the voice of one crying in the wilderness. No, no; it is not so!...The Lord responds to every desire of the heart, expressed in words or unexpressed."
St. John of Kronstadt.
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"Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble." Psalms 40:1
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The Bible reading for the 5th of Amshir, February 13th, is:
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. 24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. 25 Great multitudes followed Him--from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.
5:1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 13 You are the salt of the earth; bu
t 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. 14 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matt. 4:23-5:16)
Departure of St. Agrippinus, 10th Pope of Alexandria.
Commemoration of the Saints Anba Bishay and Anba Abanoub.
Departure of St. Apollo, friend of Anba Abib.
Commemoration of the Relocation of the Relics of the Forty-Nine Elders of the Wilderness of Shiheet (Scetis).
The Bible reading for the 6th of Amshir, February 14th, is: Luke 11:53-12:12
The Appearance of the Body of St. Apolidus (Hippolytus), Pope of Rome.
Martyrdom of the Saints Abakir, John, the Three Virgins and Their Mother.
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Prayer Requests:
If you have an update on a prayer request, please let me know.
Please remember the following in your prayers:
Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani - Awaiting execution in Iran
Aida E. - Liver Cancer.
Simon G. - Urinary tract disability and back problems.
Ibrahim - Lung cancer
Amal - Breast cancer
Wageh S.- Cancer and heart surgeries
George A. - Respiratory Problems.
Fr. Athanasius Ava Mina - Intestinal problems.
Huda S. - Peace and health.
The family of Mary R.
Rita P. - Ovarian Cancer
Julia M.S. - An infant with a lung deficiency disorder
Julie - In a coma from a serious car accident
Marian L - Late stage MS
Nadia - Lung cancer
Heidi - Difficulty to conceive
John - Brain aneurysm
Eva - Paralyzed from a stroke
Sonty P. - Suffering from cancer. Please pray for her healing and financial ability.
Lidya P. - Suffering from a stroke.
Rev. Davy P. - Suffering from hepatitis type B.
Somaya M. - Being tested for breast cancer.
Peter and family - inoperable grade 4 brain tumour
Eman, Hany and Daniel - Suffered serious injuries from a car accident
The family of Neveen M.
Emil S. - Open heart surgery.
Clement - Lung and liver cancer
M.M.- metabolic syndrome
Sherien - Cancer
Emad. Please pray for his family
Scott - Crones Disease
J. Shapiro - Cancer.
C.L. - Complete recovery after a tragic car accident.
M. Ragheb - Out of the ICU but he is still under critical care
M. Fleming - Multiple brain and spinal cord diseases.
Fr. Wissa Bessada
G. Roubil - Out of ICU
The Coptic mission trip to Mexico.
Camilo, Julio Renaldo, Diego and family, Hong and Pablo - Accept the faith and get baptized.
H.H. Pope Shenouda III
David - rectal and liver cancer.
The family of Larry W. - May the Lord grant them peace.
H.M - Hardship.
William H. - Cancer
Makram G. - Liver Cirrhosis in the last stages
Emad - Lung cancer.
Albert - Operation
Abanoub
Eva S - Recovery from a heart surgery.
M.B.- Breast Cancer
Mark - brain tumor
Fr. Anthony H.
Luka-- May God unite him with his family.
F.Z. may God help him in his service.
Tasony Esther, May God heal her and comfort her.
Akmal T. - Major heart surgery.
Amal M - Lymphoma Cancer.
Shery - Tumor near her spinal chord.
E.Salamah - Breast Cancer.
Mena - Displaced mandibular joint.
Esme - Severe lupus with heart & brain function involvement.
Yvone Y. - Serious Eye Surgery. The doctors now feel she might not need the surgery at all.
Anthony - PTSD from Iraq
Elisha Mary - return to Communion
E. - Brain tumor, 22 yrs old with 2 kids.
M. Chouinard and her family and students.
Sharon P - Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, PTSD
Jan P - pancreatic cancer
Becky Cox D - bone marrow cancer
Eric G - throat cancer
Samantha M - Type 1 diabetes
Amelia T - Breast Cancer
Anthony C - Kidney Stones
Emad: To be closer to God
Safa: To be closer to God
Badra: Comfort
Souzy: Guidance
Leelamma M - Please pray for her family.
Vladimir and Vaclav.
Steve - Depression.
M Said.
Viola - Pray for her soul and her family to know the Lord and understand HIS work
Sandy: God open her eyes, give her wisdom
Nicole: Wisdom
Hazem A. - Overcome his addiction, and gives him strength & will power.
Kip - Her spine is breaking down & will need surgery to have a rod inserted.
Katherine - Make right decisions as she enters adulthood.
Susan - Finds peace and overcome her suicidal thoughts.
Sue's family - Return, as a family, to our church and find peace.
Jacky A. and Family.
John D. - Job
L&M - Aspberger's syndrome
ME- return to God, the Church & the Sacraments
KEE - patience, perseverance, faith, strength, healing
Z. Saddak - Health
The Orthodox community in Olympia, WA
The unity of the Churches and all Christians.
The Christians in Egypt. "Blessed is Egypt My people." Isaiah 19:25
Please remember me in your prayers.
Please pray for the peace of the world.
"casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7
Mark Sadek
"For when the mind gathers itself together through solitude and attentiveness. it sees the contrary thoughts which proceed from the heart and which approach it, and having seen them, it recognizes its own impurity. Unable to endure this impurity, it is constrained to cleanse itself; but since it is in no condition by itself to cleanse itself from these thoughts and to fight against them, it becomes aware through experience of its own weakness and misery and complete dependence on Christ the Saviour. Seeking aid from Christ, it turns to His almighty power, since its own knowledge and strength are feeble. It calls upon the all-good and all-powerful Name of Jesus with sincere humility, self-abasement, and sorrow of heart, that He may cleanse it, strengthen it, and grant it a helping hand unto salvation. And thus, after first realizing its own misery and weakness, it experiences the salvation of God as well, which comes to its aid at the time of inner warfare."
Elder Moses of Optina.
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"Do not let your hand be stretched out to receive and closed when it is time to give." Sirach 4:31
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The Bible reading for the 6th of Amshir, February 14th, is:
53 And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, 54 lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him.
12:1 In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops. 4 And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 8 Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me
before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. 9 But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10 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. 11 Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. (Luke 11:53-12:12)
The Appearance of the Body of St. Apolidus (Hippolytus), Pope of Rome.
Martyrdom of the Saints Abakir, John, the Three Virgins and Their Mother.
The Bible reading for the 7th of Amshir, February 15th, is: John 10:1-16
Martyrdom of St. Fabianus (Fabrianus), Pope of Rome.
Departure of St. Alexandros II, 43rd Pope of Alexandria.
Departure of St. Theodorus (Theodore), 45th Pope of Alexandria.
Mark Sadek
"If we have conformed ourselves to God and have attained that for which we are created, namely, deification - for they say that God created us in order to make us partakers of His own divinity (cf. I Pet. 1:4) - then we are in God since we are deified by Him, and God is in us since it is He who deifies us. Thus we, too, participate in the divine energy - though in a different way from the universe as a whole - but not in the essence of God."
St. Gregory Palamas.
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"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord." Jeremiah 17:7
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The Bible reading for the 7th of Amshir, February 15th, is:
1 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. 6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. 7 Then Jesus said to them again, Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I
have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 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 10:1-16)
Martyrdom of St. Fabianus (Fabrianus), Pope of Rome.
Departure of St. Alexandros II, 43rd Pope of Alexandria.
Departure of St. Theodorus (Theodore), 45th Pope of Alexandria.
The Bible reading for the 8th of Amshir, February 16th, is: Luke 2:21-39
The Feast of Presenting the Lord Christ in the Temple.
Mark Sadek
"If we crave but one of the visible things, the desire for which we have renounced, then like Gehazi and Judas (cf. 2 Kgs. 5:25-27; Matt. 27:3-5) we will reap shame and disgrace in the age to come. For Gehazi desired what he did not have and so both contracted leprosy and fell away from God; while Judas desired to repossess what he had renounced and so was punished not only with hanging but also with perdition."
St. Peter of Damaskos.
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"I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living." Psalm 27:13
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The Bible reading for the 8th of Amshir, February 16th, is:
21 And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. 22 Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. 25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 28 he took Him up in
his arms and blessed God and said: 29 Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; 30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation 31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, 32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel. 33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against 35 (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. 36 Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; 37 and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And
coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. 39 So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. (Luke 2:21-39)
The Feast of Presenting the Lord Christ in the Temple.
The Bible reading for the 9th of Amshir, February 17th, is: Luke 14:25-35
Departure of St. Barsauma, the Father of the Syrian Monks.
Martyrdom of St. Paul, the Syrian.
Departure of St. Severus, Patriarch of Antioch.
Departure of St. James (Yacobus), 50th Pope of Alexandria.
Mark Sadek
"The Lord teaches us that we must watch not only at midnight, but at almost all times, for He comes at eventide and is wont to knock in the second and in the third watch (cf. Lk. 12:38). Thus 'Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when He comes shall find watching' (Lk. 12:37).. Thus, if ye desire that the might of God gird itself and minister to you, ye must always be watchful, for there are many snares for us and heavy sleep of the body, to which if the mind succumb, it loses the strength of its own power."
St. Ambrose of Milan.
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"He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully." 2 Corinthians 9:6
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The Bible reading for the 9th of Amshir, February 17th, is:
25 Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26 If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it-- 29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, `This man began to build and was not able to finish.' 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. 34 Salt
is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!. (Luke 14:25-35)
Departure of St. Barsauma, the Father of the Syrian Monks.
Martyrdom of St. Paul, the Syrian.
Departure of St. Severus, Patriarch of Antioch.
Departure of St. James (Yacobus), 50th Pope of Alexandria.
The Bible reading for the 10th of Amshir, February 18th, is: Luke 13:1-5
Martyrdom of St. James the Apostle, Son of Alphaeus.
Martyrdom of St. Justus, Son of Emperor Numerian.
Departure of St. Isidore of Pelusium.
Martyrdom of St. Philo, Bishop of the Persian.
The Bible reading for the 11th of Amshir, February 19th, is: Matthew 6:1-18
Martyrdom of St. Fabianus (Fabrianus), Pope of Rome.
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Mark Sadek
"When the intellect is ravished through love by divine knowledge and stands outside the realm of created beings, it becomes aware of God's infinity. It is then, according to Isaiah, that a sense of amazement makes it conscious of its own lowliness and in all sincerity it repeats the prophet's words: 'How abject I am, for I am pierced to the heart; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips; and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts' (Isa. 6:5)."
St. Maximos the Confessor.
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"Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me, For I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have enlarged." Psalm 25:16-17
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The Bible reading for the 13th of Amshir, February 21st, is:
41 Then Peter said to Him, Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people? 42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. 45 But if that servant says in his heart, `My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 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. 48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. F
or 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. 49 I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!. (Matt. 12:41-50)
Martyrdom of St. Sergius of Atripe, His Father, Mother, Sister, and Many Others with Them.
Departure of St. Timothy III, 32nd Pope of Alexandria.
The Bible reading for the 14th of Amshir, February 22nd, is: Luke 6:35-38
Departure of St. Severus, Patriarch of Antioch.
Departure of St. James (Yacobus), 50th Pope of Alexandria.
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