Spiritual Words.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory? Christ is risen, and you are overthrown. Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice. Christ is risen, and life reigns. Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave. For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep."

St. John Chrysostom, On the Resurrection.

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"May the glory of the Lord endure forever; May the Lord rejoice in His works. He looks on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the hills, and they smoke."  Psalm 104:31-32

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The Gospel reading for the 28th of the Coptic month of Baramouda, May 6:
13 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him. 17 And He said to them, What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad? 18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days? 19 And He said to them, What things? So they said to Him, The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. 22 Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. 23 When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. 24 And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see. 25 Then He said to them, O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. 28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. 29 But they constrained Him, saying, Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And He went in to stay with them. 30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. 32 And they said to one another, Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us? 33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon! 35 And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.  Luke 24:13-35
Martyrdom of St. Milius, The Ascetic.

The Gospel reading for the 29th of the Coptic month of Baramouda, May 7: Mark 16:9-20
Departure of St. Erastus, the Apostle.
Departure of St. Acacius, Bishop of Jerusalem.

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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:

Luis F - Advanced respiratory disease
MH - Drug Addiction
Sophie - born premature
Mary D. - Cancer
Karas A. - Child in need of 3 surgeries
Vincent - Shoulder surgery
Abe - Back surgery
Luz R - Cancer
Z - Transient Ischemic Attack
Sherif
Talaat
Elvia - Cancer
M F - Purity
Ensaf - Surgery
Beverly - Cancer
PP - Breast Cancer
SC - Anxiety/ Strength
Mark - Anger, anxiety and job success
M Biju - Paralyzed from an accident
Vero - Brain tumor
Antonius - Crohn's disease
Theo - Anger
Henry - Cancer
M H - Colon cancer
E - A young girl with Crohn's disease
Moura - Stage 3 cancer
Christina - Depression
Theodore - Heart surgery
Elizabeth - Rheumatoid arthritis
Thomas - Mental illness
Mira M's family
Lialie E. - born with heart and spine issues
Yus - Stress and Anxiety
Teresa - Serious complications from diabetes
Jessenia W - Bipolar depression
Sam - Drugs Addiction
B.E.
Hannah - Battling epilepsy, depression and anxiety
Yaga - Cancer

The unity of the Churches and all Christians.

Egypt and the Christians in Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Ethiopia and Pakistan. "Blessed is Egypt My people." Isaiah 19:25

Please pray for the peace and safety of the world.

Please remember me in your prayers.

"casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

https://groups.google.com/forum/?nomobile=true#!forum/spiritualwords

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"The reign of life has begun, the tyranny of death is ended. A new birth has taken place, a new life has come, a new order of existence has appeared, our very nature has been transformed! This birth is not brought about by human generation, by the will of man, or by the desire of the flesh, but by God."

St. Gregory of Nyssa, On the Resurrection.

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"Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore! Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth,"  Psalm 105:3-5

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The Gospel reading for the 29th of the Coptic month of Baramouda, May 7:

9 Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. 11 And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. 12 After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. 13 And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either. 14 Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15 And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. 19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.  Mark 16:9-20

Departure of St. Erastus, the Apostle.
Departure of St. Acacius, Bishop of Jerusalem.

The Gospel reading for the 30th of the Coptic month of Baramouda, May 8: John 2:12-25
Martyrdom of the Great Saint Mark, the Apostle The Evangelist of the Land of Egypt.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"Faith is the womb that conceives this new life, baptism the rebirth by which it is brought forth into the light of day. The Church is its nurse; her teachings are its milk, the bread from heaven is its food. It is brought to maturity by the practice of virtue; it is wedded to wisdom; it gives birth to hope. Its home is the kingdom; its rich inheritance the joys of paradise; its end, not death, but the blessed and everlasting life prepared for those who are worthy."

St. Gregory of Nyssa, On the Resurrection.

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"Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can declare all His praise?"  Psalm 106:1-2

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The Gospel reading for the 30th of the Coptic month of Baramouda, May 8:

12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days. 13 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers doing business. 15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables. 16 And He said to those who sold doves, Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise! 17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up. 18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, What sign do You show to us, since You do these things? 19 Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20 Then the Jews said, It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days? 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said. 23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.  John 2:12-25

Martyrdom of the Great Saint Mark, the Apostle The Evangelist of the Land of Egypt.

The Gospel reading for the 1st of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 9: Luke 7:11-17
The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Mother of God.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"Mary was made Mother of God to obtain salvation for many who, on account of their wicked lives, could not be saved according to the rigor of Divine justice, but might be saved with the help of her sweet mercy and powerful intercession."

St. John Chrysostom, On the Theotokos.

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"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, Amen! Praise the Lord!"  Psalm 106:48

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The Gospel reading for the 1st of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 9:

11 Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. 12 And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, Do not weep. 14 Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, Young man, I say to you, arise. 15 So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother. 16 Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, A great prophet has risen up among us; and, God has visited His people. 17 And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.  Luke 7:11-17

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Mother of God.

The Gospel reading for the 2nd of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 10: Mark 16:2-8
Departure of the righteous Job.
Departure of St. Tadros (Theodore), the disciple of St. Pachomius.
Martyrdom of St. Philothaos.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"This is the day the Lord has made - a day far different from those made when the world was first created and which are measured by the passage of time. This is the beginning of a new creation. On this day, as the prophet says, God makes a new heaven and a new earth. What is this new heaven? you may ask. It is the firmament of our faith in Christ. What is the new earth? A good heart, a heart like the earth, which drinks up the rain that falls on it and yields a rich harvest."

St. Gregory of Nyssa, On the Resurrection.

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"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy."  Psalm 107:1-2

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The Gospel reading for the 2nd of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 10:

2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3 And they said among themselves, Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us? 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away--for it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. 6 But he said to them, Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples--and Peter--that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you. 8 So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.  Mark 16:2-8

Departure of the righteous Job.
Departure of St. Tadros (Theodore), the disciple of St. Pachomius.
Martyrdom of St. Philothaos.

The Gospel reading for the 3rd of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 11: Luke 9:28-35
Departure of St. Jason, one of the Seventy disciples.
Departure of St. Otimus, the Priest.
Departure of Pope Gabriel IV, the 86th. Patriarch of Alexandria.

The Gospel reading for the 4th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 12: John 20:19-31
Thomas Sunday.
Departure of Pope John (Youhanna) the First, the Twenty Ninth Patriarch of the See of St. Mark.
Departure of pope Yoannis the Fifth the Seventy Second Patriarch.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"In this new creation, purity of life is the sun, the virtues are the stars, transparent goodness is the air, and the depths of the riches of wisdom and knowledge, the sea. Sound doctrine, the divine teachings are the grass and plants that feed God’s flock, the people whom he shepherds; the keeping of the commandments is the fruit borne by the trees."

St. Gregory of Nyssa, On the Resurrection.

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"But I am poor and needy; Make haste to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay."  Psalm 70:5

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The Gospel reading for the 5th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 13:
31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 33 He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. 34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. 35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.  John 3:31-36
Martyrdom of St. Jeremiah the Prophet.

The Gospel reading for the 6th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 14: John 5:22-24
Martyrdom of St. Isaac El-Defrawi.
Departure of St. Macarius of Alexandria.
Departure of Father Paphnute of El-Bandarah.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"Yesterday I was crucified with Him; today I am glorified with Him; yesterday I died with Him; today I am quickened with Him; yesterday I was buried with Him; today I rise with Him. But let us offer to Him Who suffered and rose again for us- you will think perhaps that I am going to say gold, or silver, or woven work or transparent and costly stones, the mere passing material of earth, that remains here below, and is for the most part always possessed by bad men, slaves of the world and of the Prince of the world. Let us offer ourselves, the possession most precious to God, and most fitting; let us give back to the Image what is made after the Image. Let us recognize our Dignity; let us honour our Archetype; let us know the power of the Mystery, and for what Christ died."

St. Gregory of Nyssa, On the Resurrection.

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"Arise, O Lord, in Your anger. Lift Yourself up because of the rage of my enemies; Rise up for me to the judgment You have commanded! So the congregation of the peoples shall surround You; For their sakes, therefore, return on high. The Lord shall judge the peoples; Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, And according to my integrity within me."  Psalm 7:6-8

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The Gospel reading for the 6th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 14:

22 For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, 23 that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. 24 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.  John 5:22-24

Martyrdom of St. Isaac El-Defrawi.
Departure of St. Macarius of Alexandria.
Departure of Father Paphnute of El-Bandarah.

The Gospel reading for the 7th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 15: John 5:31-37
Departure of St. Athanasius the Apostolic the 20th. Pope of Alexandria.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"But now that the Savior has raised His body, death is no longer terrible, but all those who believe in Christ tread it underfoot as nothing, and prefer to die rather than to deny their faith in Christ, knowing full well that when they die they do not perish, but live indeed, and become incorruptible through the resurrection."

St. Athanasius the Great, 20th Pope of Alexandria, On the Resurrection.

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"I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High."  Psalm 9:1-2

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The Gospel reading for the 7th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 15:

31 If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. 33 You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. 35 He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. 36 But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish--the very works that I do--bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. 37 And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.  John 5:31-37

Departure of St. Athanasius the Apostolic the 20th. Pope of Alexandria.

The Gospel reading for the 8th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 16: John 5:39-47
Martyrdom of St. John of Senhout.
Departure of St. Daniel the Archpriest of Sheahat (Scetis).

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"The Lord did not come to make a display. He came to heal and to teach suffering men. For one who wanted to make a display the thing would have been just to appear and dazzle the beholders. But for Him Who came to heal and to teach the way was not merely to dwell here, but to put Himself at the disposal of those who needed Him, and to be manifested according as they could bear it, not vitiating the value of the Divine appearing by exceeding their capacity to receive it."

St. Athanasius the Great, 20th Pope of Alexandria.

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"What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels. You have crowned him with glory and honor."  Psalm 8:4-5

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The Gospel reading for the 8th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 16:

39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. 41 I do not receive honor from men. 42 But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. 43 I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. 44 How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you--Moses, in whom you trust. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?  John 5:39-47

Martyrdom of St. John of Senhout.
Departure of St. Daniel the Archpriest of Sheahat (Scetis).

The Gospel reading for the 9th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 17: John 6:54-58
Departure of St. Helena, The Empress.
Departure of Pope Yoannis the Eleventh, the 89th. Patriarch of Alexandra.
Departure of St. Gabriel the Eighth, the 97th. Patriarch of Alexandria.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"It is a fact, brothers and sisters, that the path of the saints in this life is one full of troubles. They either endure the pain of longing for that which is to come, like the one who said, ‘Woe is me that I have such a long pilgrimage’ (Ps. 120:5) or they are distressed by their longing for the salvation of others, as Paul wrote to the Corinthians, ‘I am afraid that when I come to you, God may humble me and cause me to weep and mourn over many who have sinned and not repented of impurity, fornication and licentiousness which they have practiced.'"

St. Athanasius the Great, 20th Pope of Alexandria.

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"And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You. Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion! Declare His deeds among the people."  Psalm 9:10-11

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The Gospel reading for the 9th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 17:

54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven--not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.  John 6:54-58

Departure of St. Helena, The Empress.
Departure of Pope Yoannis the Eleventh, the 89th. Patriarch of Alexandra.
Departure of St. Gabriel the Eighth, the 97th. Patriarch of Alexandria.

The Gospel reading for the 10th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 18: John 6:1-14
Departure of the Three Hebrew Young Men Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael.

The Gospel reading for the 11th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 19: John 6:35-45
Martyrdom of St. Theoclia, the wife of St. Justus.
Departure of St. Paphnotius (St. Paphnuti), the Bishop.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"Let us remember the poor, and not forget kindness to strangers; above all, let us love God with all our soul, and might, and strength, and our neighbour as ourselves."

St. Athanasius the Great, 20th Pope of Alexandria.

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"I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High."  Psalm 7:17

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The Gospel reading for the 12th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 20:
39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. 40 Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, Truly this is the Prophet. 41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Will the Christ come out of Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?  John 7:39-42
Commemoration of the Consecration of the church of St. Demiana.
Commemoration of the Relocation of the relics of St. John Chrysostom.
Commemoration of the Appearance of a Cross of light above Golgotha.
Departure of Pope Mark the Seventh, 106th Patriarch of Alexandria.
Commemoration of the Martyrdom of Master (Moallem) Malati.

The Gospel reading for the 13th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 21: John 8:12-16
Departure Of St. Arsanius The Tutor Of the Emperor's Children.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"One day as St. Arsenius was reflecting on the means that he should take to become a saint, God caused him to hear these words: Fuge! Tace! Quiesce! " Fly! Be silent! And rest!" Fly from the world; be silent; cease to talk with men, and speak only with Me, and thus rest in peace and solitude."

St. Arsenius the Great, The Desert Fathers.

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"My defense is of God, Who saves the upright in heart. God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day."  Psalm 7:10-11

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The Gospel reading for the 13th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 21:

12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. 13 The Pharisees therefore said to Him, You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true. 14 Jesus answered and said to them, Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me.  John 8:12-16

Departure Of St. Arsanius The Tutor Of the Emperor's Children.

The Gospel reading for the 14th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 22: John 8:23-26
Departure of St. Pachomius (Pakhom), the Father of the Spiritual Communal Monastic life (Cenobitic life).
Martyrdom of St. Epimachus (Ephimachus) of Pelusium.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"To live in great simplicity, and in a wise ignorance, is exceeding wise."

St. Pachomius the Great.

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"Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, And sing praises to Your name."  Psalm 18:49

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The Gospel reading for the 14th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 22:

23 And He said to them, You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins. 25 Then they said to Him, Who are You? And Jesus said to them, Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. 26 I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.  John 8:23-26

Departure of St. Pachomius (Pakhom), the Father of the Spiritual Communal Monastic life (Cenobitic life).
Martyrdom of St. Epimachus (Ephimachus) of Pelusium.

The Gospel reading for the 15th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 23: John 8:28-30
Martyrdom of St. Simon the Zealot, the Apostle who is known by (Simon the Canaanite).
Martyrdom of 400 martyrs in Dandara (Denderah).
Commemoration of St. Mina the Deacon.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"It is patience that reveals every grace to you, and it is through patience that the saints received all that was promised to them."

St. Pachomius the Great.

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"Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name."  Psalm 33:20-21

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The Gospel reading for the 15th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 23:

28 Then Jesus said to them, When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. 29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him. 30 As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.  John 8:28-30

Martyrdom of St. Simon the Zealot, the Apostle who is known by (Simon the Canaanite).
Martyrdom of 400 martyrs in Dandara (Denderah).
Commemoration of St. Mina the Deacon.

The Gospel reading for the 16th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 24: John 8:31-39
Commemoration of St. John The Evangelist.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"As for you, my son, shun the satisfactions of this age, so as to be happy in the age to come. Do not be negligent, letting the days pass by till unexpectedly they come looking for you and you arrive at the straits of your anguish and the ‘horror-faces’ surround you and drag you off violently to their dark place of terror and anguish. Do not be sad when you are cursed by men; be sad and sigh when you sin - this is the true curse - and when you go away bearing the sores of your sins."

St. Pachomius the Great, Pachomian Koinonia II.

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"I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify Your name forevermore."  Psalm 86:12

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The Gospel reading for the 16th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 24:

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33 They answered Him, We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, `You will be made free'? 34 Jesus answered them, Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father. 39 They answered and said to Him, Abraham is our father. Jesus said to them, If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham.  John 8:31-39

Commemoration of St. John The Evangelist.

The Gospel reading for the 17th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 25: John 6:47-56
Departure of St. Epiphanius, Bishop of Cyprus.

The Gospel reading for the 18th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 26: John 4:1-42
Departure of St. George (Ga'orgi), the Friend of St. Abraam.
Commemoration of the feast of Pentecost.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"Yesterday the Lamb was slain and the door-posts were anointed, and Egypt bewailed her Firstborn, and the Destroyer passed us over, and the Seal was dreadful and reverend, and we were walled in with the Precious Blood. Today we have clean escaped from Egypt and from Pharaoh; and there is none to hinder us from keeping a Feast to the Lord our God - the Feast of our Departure; or from celebrating that Feast, not in the old leaven of malice and wickedness, but in the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, 1 Corinthians 5:8 carrying with us nothing of ungodly and Egyptian leaven."

St. Gregory of Nyssa, On the Resurrection.

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"Make Your face shine upon Your servant, And teach me Your statutes."  Psalm 119:135

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The Gospel reading for the 19th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 27:
39 They answered and said to Him, Abraham is our father. Jesus said to them, If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the deeds of your father. Then they said to Him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father--God. 42 Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.  John 8:39-42
Commemoration of the Departure of Abba Isaac, the Priest of El-Qalali (Cells).
Commemoration of the Martyrdom of St. Isidorus (Isidore) of Antioch.

The Gospel reading for the 20th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 28: John 8:51-55
Departure Of St. Ammonius The Hermit.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"Let us become like Christ, since Christ became like us. Let us become God's for His sake, since He for ours became Man. He assumed the worse that He might give us the better; He became poor that we through His poverty might be rich; 2 Corinthians 8:9 He took upon Him the form of a servant that we might receive back our liberty; He came down that we might be exalted; He was tempted that we might conquer; He was dishonoured that He might glorify us; He died that He might save us; He ascended that He might draw to Himself us, who were lying low in the Fall of sin. Let us give all, offer all, to Him Who gave Himself a Ransom and a Reconciliation for us. But one can give nothing like oneself, understanding the Mystery, and becoming for His sake all that He became for ours."

St. Gregory the Theologian, On the Resurrection.

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"Save me, O God, by Your name, And vindicate me by Your strength. Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth."  Psalm 54:1-2

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The Gospel reading for the 20th of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 28:

51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death. 52 Then the Jews said to Him, Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, `If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.' 53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Whom do You make Yourself out to be? 54 Jesus answered, If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. 55 Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, `I do not know Him,' I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.  John 8:51-55

Departure Of St. Ammonius The Hermit.

The Gospel reading for the 21st of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 29: John 7:14-29
Commemoration of the Holy and Pure Virgin Mary.
Departure of St. Marcian (Martinianus).

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"As you see, He offers you a Shepherd; for this is what your Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for his sheep, is hoping and praying for, and he asks from you his subjects; and he gives you himself double instead of single, and makes the staff of his old age a staff for your spirit. And he adds to the inanimate temple a living one; to that exceedingly beautiful and heavenly shrine, this poor and small one, yet to him of great value, and built too with much sweat and many labours. Would that I could say it is worthy of his labours. And he places at your disposal all that belongs to him (O great generosity!- or it would be truer to say, O fatherly love!) his hoar hairs, his youth, the temple, the high priest, the testator, the heir, the discourses which you were longing for; and of these not such as are vain and poured out into the air, and which reach no further than the outward ear; but those which the Spirit writes and engraves on tables of stone, or of flesh, not merely superficially graven, nor easily to be rubbed off, but marked very deep, not with ink, but with grace."

St. Gregory the Theologian, On the Resurrection.

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"For God is my King from of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth. You divided the sea by Your strength; You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters."  Psalm 74:12-13

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The Gospel reading for the 21st of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 29:

14 Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. 15 And the Jews marveled, saying, How does this Man know letters, having never studied? 16 Jesus answered them and said, My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. 19 Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me? 20 The people answered and said, You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You? 21 Jesus answered and said to them, I did one work, and you all marvel. 22 Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. 25 Now some of them from Jerusalem said, Is this not He whom they seek to kill? 26 But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ? 27 However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from. 28 Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. 29 But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.  John 7:14-29

Commemoration of the Holy and Pure Virgin Mary.
Departure of St. Marcian (Martinianus).

The Gospel reading for the 22nd of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 30: John 8:54-59
Departure of St. Andronicus One of the Seventy Disciples.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"The angels proclaimed the news of Christ’s resurrection to the women saying, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but He is risen" (Luke 24: 5-6) The news of the risen Christ brought tremendous joy to the disciples, but terrified the Jewish leaders. As much as the day of the crucifixion was painful emotionally, it was a day of salvation."

H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Joy of The Resurrection.

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"God be merciful to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us."  Psalm 67:1

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The Gospel reading for the 22nd of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 30:

54 Jesus answered, If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. 55 Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, `I do not know Him,' I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad. 57 Then the Jews said to Him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said to them, Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM. 59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.  John 8:54-59

Departure of St. Andronicus One of the Seventy Disciples.

The Gospel reading for the 23rd of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 31: John 10:34-38
Departure of St. Junia, One of the Seventy Disciples.
Martyrdom of St. Julian (Yulianus) and his mother in Alexandria.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"People did not see Christ opening the doors of paradise, they only saw the suffering, insults and nails. As much as the disciples were disturbed and sad on Friday, they were very joyful on Sunday. The promise of the Lord to them was fulfilled when He said, "But I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you" (John 16:22). Through His resurrection, they rejoiced that the resurrection is possible and realistic."

H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Joy of The Resurrection.

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"The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein."  Psalm 24:1

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The Gospel reading for the 23rd of the Coptic month of Bashans, May 31:

34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, `I said, You are gods '? 35 If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, `You are blaspheming,' because I said, `I am the Son of God'? 37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.  John 10:34-38

Departure of St. Junia, One of the Seventy Disciples.
Martyrdom of St. Julian (Yulianus) and his mother in Alexandria.

The Gospel reading for the 24th of the Coptic month of Bashans, June 1: Matthew 2:13-23
Commemoration of the Entry of the Lord Christ to Egypt.
Departure of the Prophet Habakkuk.
Martyrdom of the Monk St. Bashnouna El-Maqari.

The Gospel reading for the 25th of the Coptic month of Bashans, June 2: John 12:35-50
Martyrdom of St. Colluthus of Antinoe (Known as Abu Colta).
Departure of the most honored Layman Ibrahim El-Gohari.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"Are we only dying with the Master and are we only sharing in His sadness? Most of all, let me say that sharing the Master's death is no sadness. Only wait a little and you shall see yourself sharing in His benefits. 'For if we have died with Him,' says St. Paul, `we believe that we shall also live together with Him.' For in baptism there are both burial and resurrection together at the same time. He who is baptized puts off the old man, takes the new and rises up, `just as Christ has arisen through the glory of the Father.' Do you see how, again, St. Paul calls baptism a resurrection?"

St. John Chrysostom.

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"But I am poor and needy; Make haste to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay."  Psalm 70:5

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The Gospel reading for the 26th of the Coptic month of Bashans, June 3:
25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified--behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him! 27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, `I am not the Christ,' but, `I have been sent before Him.' 29 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. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.  John 3:25-30
Martyrdom of St. Thomas, the Apostle.

The Gospel reading for the 27th of the Coptic month of Bashans, June 4: John 12:44-48
Departure of Pope Youannis II, 30th Patriarch of the See of St. Mark.
Departure of Lazarus the beloved of the Lord.
Departure of beloved Saint Anba Thomas the Anchorite (Anba Tomas).

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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:

Kamal D. - Cancer. Will undergo surgery on 6/3/2024

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"Come you all: enter into the joy of your Lord. You the first and you the last, receive alike your reward; you rich and you poor, dance together; you sober and you weaklings, celebrate the day; you who have kept the fast and you who have not, rejoice today. The table is richly loaded: enjoy its royal banquet. The calf is a fatted one: let no one go away hungry."

St. John Chrysostom, On the Resurrection.

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"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!"  Psalm 34:8

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The Gospel reading for the 27th of the Coptic month of Bashans, June 4:

44 Then Jesus cried out and said, He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45 And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. 46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.  John 12:44-48

Departure of beloved Saint Anba Thomas the Anchorite (Anba Tomas).
Departure of Pope Youannis II, 30th Patriarch of the See of St. Mark.
Departure of Lazarus the beloved of the Lord.

The Gospel reading for the 28th of the Coptic month of Bashans, June 5: John 13:16-20
Commemoration of the Relocation of the Body of St. Epiphanius.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"Are we only dying with the Master and are we only sharing in His sadness? Most of all, let me say that sharing the Master's death is no sadness. Only wait a little and you shall see yourself sharing in His benefits. 'For if we have died with Him,' says St. Paul, `we believe that we shall also live together with Him.' For in baptism there are both burial and resurrection together at the same time. He who is baptized puts off the old man, takes the new and rises up, `just as Christ has arisen through the glory of the Father.' Do you see how, again, St. Paul calls baptism a resurrection?"

St. John Chrysostom.

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"It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in princes."  Psalm 118:8-9

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The Gospel reading for the 28th of the Coptic month of Bashans, June 5:

16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, `He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.' 19 Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. 20 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.  John 13:16-20

Commemoration of the Relocation of the Body of St. Epiphanius.

The Gospel reading for the 29th of the Coptic month of Bashans, June 6: John 17:18-21
Departure Of St. Simon the Stylite.

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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:

Kamal D. - Cancer.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"As for you, my son, shun the satisfactions of this age, so as to be happy in the age to come. Do not be negligent, letting the days pass by till unexpectedly they come looking for you and you arrive at the straits of your anguish and the ‘horror-faces’ surround you and drag you off violently to their dark place of terror and anguish. Do not be sad when you are cursed by men; be sad and sigh when you sin - this is the true curse - and when you go away bearing the sores of your sins."

St. Pachomius the Great, Pachomian Koinonia II.

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"Hear my prayer, O Lord, And give ear to my cry; Do not be silent at my tears; For I am a stranger with You, A sojourner, as all my fathers were."  Psalm 39:12

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The Gospel reading for the 29th of the Coptic month of Bashans, June 6:

18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. 20 I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.  John 17:18-21

Departure Of St. Simon the Stylite.

The Gospel reading for the 30th of the Coptic month of Bashans, June 7: John 17:22-26
Departure of Pope Mikhail the First, the 68th. Patriarch of Alexandria.
Departure of St. Fournous, one of the seventy disciples.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"When a thought oppresses you, do not be downhearted, but put up with it in courage, saying, 'They swarmed around me closer and closer, but I drove them back in the name of the Lord' (Ps. 118:11). Divine help will arrive at your side immediately, and you will drive them away from you, and courage will compass you round about, and the glory of God will walk with you; and 'you will be filled to your soul's desire' (Isa. 58:11)."

St. Pachomius the Great, Pachomian Koinonia II.

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"I cry out with my whole heart; Hear me, O Lord! I will keep Your statutes. I cry out to You; Save me, and I will keep Your testimonies."  Psalm 119:145-146

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The Gospel reading for the 30th of the Coptic month of Bashans, June 7:

22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 24 Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26 And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.  John 17:22-26

Departure of Pope Mikhail the First, the 68th. Patriarch of Alexandria.
Departure of St. Fournous, one of the seventy disciples.

The Gospel reading for the 1st of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 8: John 14:1-11
The Consecration of the church of St. Leontius of Tripoli.
Martyrdom of St. Qozman El-Tahawy and his companions.
The Consecration of the church of St. Abe-Fam (Epipham) the soldier.

The Gospel reading for the 2nd of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 9: John 14:1-11
Commemoration of the Appearance of the Bodies of St. John the Baptist and Elisha the Prophet.
Departure of Pope Yoannis the Eighteenth, the 107th. Pope of Alexandria.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"You too my son, how long will you be negligent? What is the limit of your negligence? As it was last year, so it is this year: as it was yesterday, so it is today. As long as you are negligent, there will be no progress for you. Be watchful, lift up your heart, because you will have to stand before the Judgement seat of God and give an accounting for what you have done both in private and in public. Romans 14:10"

St. Pachomius the Great.

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"Save Your people, And bless Your inheritance; Shepherd them also, And bear them up forever."  Psalm 28:9

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The Gospel reading for the 3rd of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 10:
15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. 16 A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father. 17 Then some of His disciples said among themselves, What is this that He says to us, `A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'; and, `because I go to the Father'? 18 They said therefore, What is this that He says, `A little while'? We do not know what He is saying. 19 Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, `A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'? 20 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. 23 And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.  John 16:15-23
Construction of the first church of St. George in the cities of Birma and Beer Maa (Water Well) in the Oases.
Departure of St. Martha of Egypt.
Martyrdom of St. Alladius the Bishop.
Departure of Pope Cosmas, the 44th Patriarch.
Departure of St. Abraam, bishop of El-Fayoum, the Friend of the Poor.

The Gospel reading for the 4th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 11: John 16:23-33
Martyrdom of St. Shenousi (Sanusi).
Martyrdom of Saint Anba Amoun and the Righteous Sophia.
Martyrdom of John of Herakleia.
Departure of St. Aba-Hour.
Departure of Pope Yoannis the Eighth, 80th Patriarch of Alexandria.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"Shun the praise of men and love the one who, in the fear of the Lord, reprimands you."

St. Pachomius the Great.

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"I love the Lord, because He has heard My voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live."  Psalm 116:1-2

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The Gospel reading for the 4th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 11:

23 And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. 25 These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. 28 I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father. 29 His disciples said to Him, See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! 30 Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God. 31 Jesus answered them, Do you now believe? 32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.  John 16:23-33

Martyrdom of St. Shenousi (Sanusi).
Martyrdom of Saint Anba Amoun and the Righteous Sophia.
Martyrdom of John of Herakleia.
Departure of St. Aba-Hour.
Departure of Pope Yoannis the Eighth, 80th Patriarch of Alexandria.

The Gospel reading for the 5th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 12: John 17:1-9
Departure of St. James of the East.
Martyrdom of Sts. Anba Bshay (Ebsoy) and Anba Botros (Peter).
Commemoration of the Consecration of the church of St. Boctor (Victor) in the region of Sho.

[Mark Sadek]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"We are assailed by the temptation of the love of money. If you wish to acquire riches ? they are the bait of the fishers hook ? by greed, by trafficking, by violence, by ruse or by excessive manual work that deprives you of leisure for the service of God ? in a word by any other means ? if you have desired to pile up gold or silver, remember what the Gospel says, 'Fool! They will snatch your soul away during the night! Who will get your hoard' (cf. Lk. 12:20)? Again, 'He piles up money without knowing to whom it will go' (Ps. 39:6)."

St. Pachomius the Great.

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"Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, make haste to help me!"  Psalm 40:13

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The Gospel reading for the 5th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 12:

1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. 6 I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 7 Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. 8 For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. 9 I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.  John 17:1-9

Departure of St. James of the East.
Martyrdom of Sts. Anba Bshay (Ebsoy) and Anba Botros (Peter).
Commemoration of the Consecration of the church of St. Boctor (Victor) in the region of Sho.

The Gospel reading for the 6th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 13: Luke 24:36-53
The Feast of Ascension.
Martyrdom of St. Theodore the Monk.

[Mark Sadek]

Rejoice! Christ Has Ascended!

"Today our Master Christ goes up to his father’s throne; today, he who was incarnated sits down with the Father; not that he was first separated from him, nor that he now sits with him for the first time, for he has always rested in the bosom of the Father, alone containing the Father, and alone contained by the Father. For "I", he said, "am in the Father, and the Father in me"; and the Word is in the Father and the Word is on the earth. Not descending and leaving the Father’s bosom empty, nor ascending into heaven and leaving the earth empty of his presence; but both living together with men, and sitting together with the Father; and both sitting together with the Father, and not separated from men. For "be sure of this", he says, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

St. John Chrysostom, On the Ascension.

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"And you who seek God, your hearts shall live. For the Lord hears the poor."  Psalm 69:32-33

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The Gospel reading for the 7th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 14:
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 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. 28 You have heard Me say to you, `I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, `I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.  John 14:26-31
Martyrdom of St. Abaskhiroun the Soldier.

The Gospel reading for the 8th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 15: John 16:15-23
Commemoration of the Consecration of the Church of the Virgin Lady known as El-Mahammah.
Commemoration of St. Tamada and her children, and Armenius and his mother.
Martyrdom of George (Girgis) the new martyr.

The Gospel reading for the 9th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 16: John 16:23-33
Departure of Samuel the Prophet.
Martyrdom of St. Lucilianus and four others with him.
The Relocation of the Relics of St. Mercurius to Cairo.

[Mark Sadek]

Rejoice! Christ Has Ascended!

"For in times of old, heaven was utterly inaccessible to mortals, and no flesh as yet had ever traveled that pure and all-holy realm of the angels. But Christ was the first who consecrated for us the means of access to himself and granted to flesh a way of entrance into heaven. He did this by presenting himself as an offering to God the Father, the "firstfruits of those who are asleep" (1 Cor. 15:20) and are lying in the tomb, and by presenting himself as the first human being that ever appeared in heaven. For Christ did not ascend on high in order to present himself before the presence of God the Father. He always was and is and will be continually in the Father, in the sight of him who begat him."

St. Cyril of Alexandria, On the Ascension.

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"Arise, O God, judge the earth; For You shall inherit all nations."  Psalm 82:8

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The Gospel reading for the 10th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 17:
1 I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.  John 15:1-8
Martyrdom of St. Dabamon.
Commemoration of the Closing of the Pagan Temples and Opening of the Churches.
Departure of St. Yoannis the 16th, the 103rd Pope of Alexandria.
The Enthronement of Pope Demitrius the Second, the 111th Patriarch of Alexandria.

The Gospel reading for the 11th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 18: John 15:9-15
Martyrdom of St. Claudius.
Commemoration of the Consecration of the Altar of the Forty Martyrs in Alexandria.

[Mark Sadek]

Rejoice! Christ Has Ascended!

"Why did a cloud receive Jesus? This too was a sure sign that He went up to Heaven. Not fire, as in the case of Elijah, nor fiery chariot, but a cloud received Him; which was a symbol of Heaven, as the Prophet says; Who makes the clouds His chariot Psalm 104:3; it is of the Father Himself that this is said. Therefore he says, on a cloud; in the symbol, he would say, of the Divine power, for no other Power is seen to appear on a cloud. For hear again what another Prophet says: The Lord sits upon a light cloud Isaiah 19:1. For it was while they were listening with great attention to what He was saying, and this in answer to a very interesting question, and with their minds fully aroused and quite awake, that this thing took place. Also on the mount [Sinai] the cloud was because of Him: since Moses also entered into the darkness, but the cloud there was not because of Moses."

St. John Chrysostom, On the Ascension.

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"But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation."  Psalm 13:5

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The Gospel reading for the 11th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 18:

9 As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.  John 15:9-15

Martyrdom of St. Claudius.
Commemoration of the Consecration of the Altar of the Forty Martyrs in Alexandria.

The Gospel reading for the 12th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 19: John 15:12-16
Commemoration of Archangel Michael.
Departure of St. Justus, the Sixth Pope of the See of St. Mark.
Departure of St. Kyrillos the Second, the 67th Pope of Alexandria.
Departure of St. Euphemia.

[Mark Sadek]

Rejoice! Christ Has Ascended!

"This is the Lord of glory Who is ascended into the heavens with a shout, and is seated on the right hand of the Father. Under His authority are angels, and dominions and powers, and it is He Who receives our pained prayers, and makes us victors over the pirates of this world. Under His dominion is every rank of the unclean spirits, as He says to us: 'Behold, I have given you authority to trample upon snakes and scorpions.'"

St. John Chrysostom, On the Ascension.

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"Blessed be the Lord forevermore! Amen and Amen."  Psalm 89:52

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The Gospel reading for the 12th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 19:

12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.  John 15:12-16

Commemoration of Archangel Michael.
Departure of St. Justus, the Sixth Pope of the See of St. Mark.
Departure of St. Kyrillos the Second, the 67th Pope of Alexandria.
Departure of St. Euphemia.

The Gospel reading for the 13th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 20: John 15:17-25
Departure of St. John, Bishop of Jerusalem.
Commemoration of the Archangel Gabriel, the Announcer of Daniel the Prophet.

[Mark Sadek]

Rejoice! Christ Has Ascended!

"At this feast of the Master, the day of the Ascension, the devil is wailing, as we said, while the faithful are joyful. Now has the joyous spring dawned, and the beauty of flowers blossomed. The branches of vines are pruned, the olive trees give their sweet fragrance, the fig trees give their immature fruit, and the wind blows rustling the leaves, mimicking the dancing of the waves: all things rejoice with us at the ascension of the Master. Bring, therefore, with us the words of David, that we might rightly cry out to the Master Who has ascended: 'Let all the nations clap their hands, crying to God with a voice of rejoicing. The Lord ascends with the sound of the trumpet, to where He was.'"

St. John Chrysostom, On the Ascension.

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"Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me for Your mercies' sake. Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon You."  Psalm 31:16-17

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The Gospel reading for the 13th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 20:

17 These things I command you, that you love one another. 18 If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, `A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, `They hated Me without a cause.  John 15:17-25

Departure of St. John, Bishop of Jerusalem.
Commemoration of the Archangel Gabriel, the Announcer of Daniel the Prophet.

The Gospel reading for the 14th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 21: John 7:37-39
Departure of Pope Yoannis the Nineteenth, 113th Patriarch of Alexandria.
Martyrdom of Sts. Apakir, John, Ptolemy and Philip.

[Mark Sadek]

Rejoice! Christ Has Ascended!

"By the Ascension of the Lord, we mean His bodily Ascension. Because in His divinity, He is everywhere, He does not ascend nor descend. Therefore, in the Liturgy of St. Gregory we say "And You ascended into the heavens in the body..."  This ascension is evidence that His Glorified Body is not subject to the earth's gravitational laws. It is also evidence of His Divinity. He ascended before His disciples as they were looking. This scene strengthened their faith because the Lord not only resurrected using His Divine Power, but He also ascended into heaven in front of them."

H.H. Pope Shenouda III, On the Ascension.

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"To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in You; Let me not be ashamed; Let not my enemies triumph over me. Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed."  Psalm 25:1-3

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The Gospel reading for the 14th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 21:

37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.  John 7:37-39

Departure of Pope Yoannis the Nineteenth, 113th Patriarch of Alexandria.
Martyrdom of Sts. Apakir, John, Ptolemy and Philip.

The Gospel reading for the 15th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 22: John 17:14-26
The Turning Over of the Relics of the Great St. Mark the Apostle by the hand of Pope Paul the Sixth, Pope of Rome.
The Consecration of the Church of Mari Mina at Maryut.

The Gospel reading for the 16th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 23: John 15:26-16:15
The Holy Pentecost Feast.
Departure of St. Abba Nofer the Anchorite.

[Mark Sadek]

"‘And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit’ (Acts 2:3-4). They partook of fire, not of burning but of saving fire; of fire which consumes the thorns of sins, but gives luster to the soul. This is now coming upon you also, and that to strip away and consume your sins which are like thorns, and to brighten yet more that precious possession of your souls, and to give you grace; for He gave it then to the Apostles. And He sat upon them in the form of fiery tongues, that they might crown themselves with new and spiritual diadems by fiery tongues upon their heads. A fiery sword barred of old the gates of Paradise; a fiery tongue which brought salvation restored the gift."

St. Cyril of Jerusalem (Catechetical Lectures: Lecture 17 no. 15), On Pentecost.

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"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.” Amen."  Matthew 28:19-20

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The Gospel reading for the 18th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 25:
13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? 14 So they said, Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. 15 He said to them, But who do you say that I am? 16 Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.  Matthew 16:13-19
The Inauguration of the New St. Mark Cathedral in the Monastery of Anba Rowais.
Departure of St. Damianos, 35th Pope of Alexandria.

The Gospel reading for the 19th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 26: Luke 21:12-19
The First Pontifical Liturgy in the New St. Mark Cathedral in the Monastery of Anba Rowais.
Departure of Pope Archelaus, the Eighteenth Pope of Alexandria.
Martyrdom of St. George (Girgis) known as El-Mezahem.
Martyrdom of St. Bishai Anoub.

[Mark Sadek]

"Jesus tells us that His holy Disciples will be more courageous and more understanding when they would be, as the Scripture says, Endowed with power from on high (Luke 24:49), and that when their minds would be illuminated by the torch of the Spirit they would be able to see into all things, even though no longer able to question Him bodily present among them. The Saviour does not say that they would no longer as before need the light of His guidance, but that when they received His Spirit, when He was dwelling in their hearts, they would not be wanting in any good thing, and their minds would be filled with most perfect knowledge."

St. Cyril of Alexandria.

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"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."  John 14:26

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The Gospel reading for the 19th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 26:

12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake. 13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. 14 Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. 18 But not a hair of your head shall be lost. 19 By your patience possess your souls.  Luke 21:12-19

The First Pontifical Liturgy in the New St. Mark Cathedral in the Monastery of Anba Rowais.
Departure of Pope Archelaus, the Eighteenth Pope of Alexandria.
Martyrdom of St. George (Girgis) known as El-Mezahem.
Martyrdom of St. Bishai Anoub.

The Gospel reading for the 20th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 27: Matthew 23:13-36
Departure of Elisha, the Prophet.

[Mark Sadek]

"If from one burning lamp someone lights another, then another from that one, and so on in succession, he has light continuously. In the same way, through the Apostles ordaining their successors, and these successors ordaining others, and so on, the grace of the Holy Spirit is handed down through all generations and enlightens all who obey their shepherds and teachers."

St. Gregory Palamas, On how the Holy Spirit was manifested and shared out at Pentecost.

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"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."  1 Timothy 1:15

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The Gospel reading for the 20th of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 27:

13 But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. 16 Woe to you, blind guides, who say, `Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.' 17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 18 And, `Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.' 19 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20 Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. 21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it. 23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, `If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' 31 Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' guilt. 33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? 34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.  Matthew 23:13-36

Departure of Elisha, the Prophet.

The Gospel reading for the 21st of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 28: Luke 1:39-56
Commemoration of the First Church for The Virgin Mary in the city of Philippi.
Martyrdom of St. Timothy of Memphis (El-Masry).
Departure of St. Cedron (Kardonos), the Fourth Patriarch of Alexandria.

[Mark Sadek]

"The holy mystery of the day of the Holy Spirit, Pentecost, is to be understood in the following manner: the spirit of man must be completed and perfected by the Holy Spirit, that is, it must be sanctified, illuminated, and divinized by the Holy Spirit. This holy mystery is realized continually in the Church of Christ and because of this the Church is really a continuous Pentecost.... From Holy Pentecost, the day of the Holy Spirit, every God-like soul in the Church of Christ is an incombustible bush which continuously burns and is inflamed with God and has a fiery tongue within it."

St. Justin Popovich, Orthodox Faith and Life in Christ.

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"The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry."  Psalm 34:15

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The Gospel reading for the 21st of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 28:

39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord. 46 And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. 48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. 49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. 50 And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty. 54 He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, 55 As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever. 56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.  Luke 1:39-56

Commemoration of the First Church for The Virgin Mary in the city of Philippi.
Martyrdom of St. Timothy of Memphis (El-Masry).
Departure of St. Cedron (Kardonos), the Fourth Patriarch of Alexandria.

The Gospel reading for the 22nd of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 29: Luke 21:12-19
The Consecration of the Church of Sts. Cosmas, Damian, Their Mother, and Brothers.

The Gospel reading for the 23rd of the Coptic month of Baunah, June 30: Luke 6:27-38
Departure of St. Abba Noub the Confessor.

[Mark Sadek]

"A certain brother committed an offence in Scete, the camp of the monks, and when a congregation was assembled on this matter, they sent after Abba Moses, but he refused to come; then they sent the priest of the church to him, saying, "Come, for all the people are expecting you," and he rose up and came. He took a basket with a hole in it and filled it with sand, and carried it upon his shoulders, and those who went out to meet him said unto him, "What does this mean, O father" And he said to them, "The sands are my sins which are running down behind me and I cannot see them, and, even, have come to this day to judge shortcomings which are not mine." And when they heard this they set free that brother and said nothing further to him."

The Sayings of the Desert Fathers.

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"He who glories, let him glory in the Lord."  1 Corinthians 1:31

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The Gospel reading for the 24th of the Coptic month of Baunah, July 1:
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
Martyrdom of the Great Saint Anba Moses the Strong.

The Gospel reading for the 25th of the Coptic month of Baunah, July 2: Luke 10:1-20
Martyrdom of St. Jude, one of the Seventy Disciples.
Departure of St. Peter the Fourth, 34th Pope of Alexandria.

[Mark Sadek]

"Above all we ought at least to know that there are three origins of our thoughts, i.e., from God, from the devil, and from ourselves. We ought then carefully to notice this threefold order, and with a wise discretion to analyze the thoughts which arise in our hearts, tracking out their origin and cause and author in the first instance, that we may be able to consider how we ought to yield ourselves to them."

St. Moses the Strong.

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"So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase."  1 Corinthians 3:7

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The Gospel reading for the 25th of the Coptic month of Baunah, July 2:

1 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. 2 Then He said to them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. 4 Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. 5 But whatever house you enter, first say, `Peace to this house.' 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. 8 Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. 9 And heal the sick there, and say to them, `The kingdom of God has come near to you.' 10 But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11 `The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.' 12 But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city. 13 Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. 16 He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me. 17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name. 18 And He said to them, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 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. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.  Luke 10:1-20

Martyrdom of St. Jude, one of the Seventy Disciples.
Departure of St. Peter the Fourth, 34th Pope of Alexandria.

The Gospel reading for the 26th of the Coptic month of Baunah, July 3: Matthew 23:13-36
Departure of the Great Prophet Joshua Son of Nun.
The Consecration of the Church of Archangel Gabriel.

[Mark Sadek]

"If a man's deeds are not in harmony with his prayer, he labors in vain. The brother said, ‘What is this harmony between practice and prayer’ The old man said, ‘We should no longer do those things against which we pray. For when a man gives up his own will, then God is reconciled with him and accepts his prayers.’ The brother asked, ‘In all the affliction which the monk gives himself, what helps him’ The old man said, ‘It is written, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."’ (Ps. 46.1)"

St. Moses the Strong.

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"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!"  Romans 11:33

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The Gospel reading for the 26th of the Coptic month of Baunah, July 3:

13 But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. 16 Woe to you, blind guides, who say, `Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.' 17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 18 And, `Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.' 19 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20 Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. 21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it. 23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, `If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' 31 Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' guilt. 33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? 34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.  Matthew 23:13-36

Departure of the Great Prophet Joshua Son of Nun.
The Consecration of the Church of Archangel Gabriel.

The Gospel reading for the 27th of the Coptic month of Baunah, July 4: Mark 1:1-11
Martyrdom of St. Ananias, the Apostle.
Martyrdom of St. Thomas of Shentalet.

[Mark Sadek]

Abba Poemen said: Abba Moses asked Abba Zechariah a question when he was about to die, saying, "Fr. is it good that we should hold our peace" And Zechariah said to him, "Yes, my son, hold your peace." And at the time of his death, while Abba Isodore was sitting with him, Abba Moses looked up to heaven and said, "Rejoice and be glad, O my son Zechariah, for the gates of heaven have been opened."

The Sayings of the Desert Fathers.

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"Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?"  2 Corinthians 11:29

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The Gospel reading for the 27th of the Coptic month of Baunah, July 4:

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the Prophets: Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You. 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: `Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.' 4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 5 Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. 8 I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. 9 It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. 11 Then a voice came from heaven, You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  Mark 1:1-11

Martyrdom of St. Ananias, the Apostle.
Martyrdom of St. Thomas of Shentalet.

The Gospel reading for the 28th of the Coptic month of Baunah, July 5: John 10:1-16
Departure of St. Theodosius, 33rd Pope of Alexandria.
Commemoration of the Consecration of the Church of Anba Sarabamoun, Bishop of Nikios.

[Mark Sadek]

"On one occasion Abba Moses was engaged in a war against fornication, and he could not endure being in his cell, and he went and informed Abba Isidore of it; and the elder entreated him to return to his cell, but he would not agree to this. And having said, "Father, I cannot bear it," the elder took him up to the roof of his cell, and said unto him, "Look to the west," and when he looked he saw multitudes of devils with troubled and terrified aspects, and they showed themselves in the forms of phantoms which were in fighting attitudes. Abba Isidore said unto him, "Look to the east," and when he looked he saw innumerable holy angels standing there, and they were in a state of great glory. Then Abba Isidore said unto him, "Behold, those who are in the west are those who are fighting with the holy ones, and those whom you have seen in the east are they who are sent by God to the help of the saints, for those who are with us are many." And having seen this Abba Moses took courage and returned to his cell without fear."

The Sayings of the Desert Fathers.

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"And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."  1 Corinthians 13:13

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The Gospel reading for the 28th of the Coptic month of Baunah, July 5:

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

Departure of St. Theodosius, 33rd Pope of Alexandria.
Commemoration of the Consecration of the Church of Anba Sarabamoun, Bishop of Nikios.

The Gospel reading for the 29th of the Coptic month of Baunah, July 6: Luke 16:1-12
Martyrdom of the Seven Ascetic Saints in Tounar Mount.
Martyrdom of Sts. Abba Hour and his Mother Theodora.

The Gospel reading for the 30th of the Coptic month of Baunah, July 7: Luke 9:12-17
The Nativity of St. John, the Baptist.

[Mark Sadek]

A certain brother went to Abba Moses in Scete and asked him to speak a word. The elder said to him, "Go and sit in your cell, and your cell will teach you everything."

The Sayings of the Desert Fathers.

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"Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, And praise Him in the company of the elders."  Psalm 107:32

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The Gospel reading for the 1st of the Coptic month of Abib, July 8:
1 Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight a cry was heard: `Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, `Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise answered, saying, `No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, `Lord, Lord, open to us!' 12 But he answered and said, `Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.  Matthew 25:1-13
Martyrdom of Saint Febronia the Ascetic.
Departure of Saints Bioukha and Tayaban (Banayen) the priests.

The Gospel reading for the 2nd of the Coptic month of Abib, July 9: Mark 1:1-11
Departure of St. Thaddaeus, the Apostle.

[Mark Sadek]

"As two pieces of wax fused together make one so he who receives Holy Communion is so united with Christ that Christ is in him and he is in Christ."

St. Cyril of Alexandria (The Pillar of Faith), 24th Patriarch of Alexandria.

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"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life."  Galatians 6:7-8

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The Gospel reading for the 2nd of the Coptic month of Abib, July 9:

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the Prophets: Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You. 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: `Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.' 4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 5 Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. 8 I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. 9 It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. 11 Then a voice came from heaven, You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  Mark 1:1-11

Departure of St. Thaddaeus, the Apostle.

The Gospel reading for the 3rd of the Coptic month of Abib, July 10: John 10:1-16
Departure of St. Kyrillos (Cyril) I (The Pillar of Faith), 24th Pope of Alexandria.
Departure of St. Celestine, Pope of Rome.

[Mark Sadek]

"Indeed the mystery of Christ runs the risk of being disbelieved precisely because it is so incredibly wonderful."

St. Cyril of Alexandria (The Pillar of Faith), 24th Patriarch of Alexandria.

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"But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."  Galatians 6:14

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The Gospel reading for the 3rd of the Coptic month of Abib, July 10:

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

Departure of St. Kyrillos (Cyril) I (The Pillar of Faith), 24th Pope of Alexandria.
Departure of St. Celestine, Pope of Rome.

The Gospel reading for the 4th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 11: Luke 11:53-12:12
Commemoration of the Relocation of the Relics of Sts. Apakir and John.

[Mark Sadek]

"If the poison of pride is swelling up in you, turn to the Eucharist; and that Bread, Which is your God humbling and disguising Himself, will teach you humility."

St. Cyril of Alexandria (The Pillar of Faith), 24th Patriarch of Alexandria.

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"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."  Galatians 6:9

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The Gospel reading for the 4th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 11:

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

Commemoration of the Relocation of the Relics of Sts. Apakir and John.

The Gospel reading for the 5th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 12: Matthew 10:1-15
Feast of the Apostles.
Martyrdom of Sts. Peter and Paul, the Apostles.

[Mark Sadek]

"As the prophets had said, ‘Many are those whose bodies weakened because of their adultery, and their hearts will become weak as well’. The Bible described them by saying, ‘He will be destroyed by the uncleanness of himself’. While those who are bravely striving and struggling were described by the saying, ‘Hurry and reconcile yourself as a friend of God and undefiled performer who performs the word of truth.’"

St. Shenouda The Archimandrite.

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"By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised."  Hebrews 11:11

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The Gospel reading for the 8th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 15:
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; 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. 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.  Matthew 4:23-5:16
Departure of St. Anba Bishoy.
Departure of St. Cyrus (Karas) the Anchorite, brother of Emperor Theodosius.
Departure of St. Anba Marcos El Antony.
Martyrdom of St. Piroou and St. Athom.
Martyrdom of St. Balanah, the Priest.
Martyrdom of St. Epime (Pimanon).

The Gospel reading for the 9th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 16: Mark 1:1-11
Martyrdom of St. Simon Cleophas, the Apostle.
Departure of St. Cladianus (Celadion), 9th Pope of the See of St. Mark.

[Mark Sadek]

"We should never doubt, even for a single moment, that each of us, man or woman, young or old, who has been baptised in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, has an angel responsible for him until his death. This angel conveys and raises our deeds day and night, to God. Not because God does not know what we are doing. On the contrary, God knows every detail, as it is written, ‘God’s eyes are watching continuously, and everywhere, the evil doers and the righteous’. However angels are servants appointed by God for those who are going to inherit salvation."

St. Shenouda The Archimandrite.

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"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

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The Gospel reading for the 10th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 17:
20 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. 23 And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. 25 These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. 28 I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father. 29 His disciples said to Him, See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! 30 Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God. 31 Jesus answered them, Do you now believe? 32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.  John 16:20-33
Martyrdom of St. Theodore, Bishop of Pentapolis.
Martyrdom of St. Theodore, Bishop of Corinth, and his companions.
Departure of Anba Gabriel VII, 95th Pope of Alexandria.

The Gospel reading for the 11th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 18: Luke 12:4-12
Martyrdom of Sts. John and Simon, his cousin.
Departure of St. Isaiah, the hermit.

[Mark Sadek]

"Brethren, if we want to escape God’s punishment and find mercy in his eyes, let us sit every evening alone by ourselves and search our souls for what we presented to our guardian angel to offer before the Lord."

St. Shenouda The Archimandrite.

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"Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,"  1 Timothy 1:5

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The Gospel reading for the 11th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 18:

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 12:4-12

Martyrdom of Sts. John and Simon, his cousin.
Departure of St. Isaiah, the hermit.

The Gospel reading for the 12th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 19: Luke 11:53-12:12
Commemoration of Archangel Michael.
Martyrdom of St. Abba Hour El-Siriakousy.

[Mark Sadek]

"O God, forgive me, I am the sinner, for I cannot raise my eyes up to You because I am ashamed of my many sins. O God, do not count my sins but have mercy on me in Your kingdom. My Lord, I supplicate You and ask You for my wretched soul and body. Grant me to do Your will and let Your mercy guide me. My Lord and God, forgive my sins and cover my inequities, save me from Your wrath and anger, What shall I say when I stand between Your hands; and what will justify me when You judge me?"

St. Shenouda The Archimandrite, Prayer for repentance.

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"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."  1 Timothy 1:15

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The Gospel reading for the 12th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 19:

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

Commemoration of Archangel Michael.
Martyrdom of St. Abba Hour El-Siriakousy.

The Gospel reading for the 13th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 20: John 16:20-33
Departure of St. Pisentius, Bishop of Qift.
Martyrdom of St. Apamon of Toukh.
Martyrdom of St. Abba Shenoute, during the Early Arab Rule.

The Gospel reading for the 14th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 21: Matthew 18:1-9
Martyrdom of St. Procopius (Proconius) of Jerusalem.
Departure of St. Peter the Fifth, 83rd Patriarch of Alexandria.

[Mark Sadek]

"Make me whole, O Lord, and I will become whole! O only wise and merciful Physician, I beseech Thy benevolence: heal the wounds of my soul and enlighten the eyes of my mind that I may understand my place in Thine eternal design! And in as much as my heart and mind have been disfigured, may Thy grace repair them, for it is as true salt."

St. Ephraim the Syrian.

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"The fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom, making peace and perfect health to flourish."  Sirach 1:18

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The Gospel reading for the 15th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 22:

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. Ephraem El-Soriani (The Syrian).
Martyrdom of St. Cyriacus and St. Julietta His Mother.
Martyrdom of St. Horesius (Harsios) of Soul.

The Gospel reading for the 16th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 23:  John 21:15-25
Departure of St. John, of the Golden Gospel.
The Recovery of the Holy Relics of St. George, the Great Martyr.

[Mark Sadek]

"Blessed is he who always humbles himself willingly, for he will be crowned by the One Who willingly humbled Himself for us."

St. Ephraim the Syrian.

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"Honor your father by word and deed, that his blessing may come upon you."  Sirach 3:8

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The Gospel reading for the 16th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 23:

15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these? He said to Him, Yes, Lord; You know that I love You. He said to him, Feed My lambs. 16 He said to him again a second time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me? He said to Him, Yes, Lord; You know that I love You. He said to him, Tend My sheep. 17 He said to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me? Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, Do you love Me? And he said to Him, Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You. Jesus said to him, Feed My sheep. 18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish. 19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, Follow Me. 20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, Lord, who is the one who betrays You? 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, But Lord, what about this man? 22 Jesus said to him, If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me. 23 Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? 24 This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. 25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.  John 21:15-25

Departure of St. John, of the Golden Gospel.
The Recovery of the Holy Relics of St. George, the Great Martyr.

The Gospel reading for the 17th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 24: Matthew 25:1-13
Martyrdom of St. Euphemia.

[Mark Sadek]

"Be wary, O my soul, watch over thy conscience; pay no attention to the falls of others, but be instead more attentive to thy own falls."

St. Ephraim the Syrian.

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"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."  1 Corinthians 2:9

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The Gospel reading for the 17th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 24:

1 Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight a cry was heard: `Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, `Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise answered, saying, `No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, `Lord, Lord, open to us!' 12 But he answered and said, `Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.  Matthew 25:1-13
Martyrdom of St. Euphemia.

The Gospel reading for the 18th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 25: Matthew 10:1-15
Martyrdom of St. James the Apostle, Bishop of Jerusalem.

[Mark Sadek]

"Blessed is he who, like a courageous warrior defending heavenly treasures, preserves his soul and body without reproach in the Lord."

St. Ephraim the Syrian, A Spiritual Psalter, or Reflections on God.

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"But this I say: 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 Gospel reading for the 18th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 25:

1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food. 11 Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. 12 And when you go into a household, greet it. 13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!  Matthew 10:1-15

Martyrdom of St. James the Apostle, Bishop of Jerusalem.

The Gospel reading for the 19th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 26: Luke 21:12-19
Martyrdom of Sts. Bidaba, Bishop of Qift, Anba Andrew, and Anba Christodoulas.
Martyrdom of St. Panteleimon, the Physician.
Departure of Pope Youanis X, 85th Patriarch of Alexandria.

[Mark Sadek]

"Cry out, O Sinner, with all your might; for your Lord is merciful and loves those who repent. As soon as you return, your Father will come out to meet you. He will slaughter the fatted calf, clothe you in a fine robe, and rejoice in you."

St. Ephraim the Syrian, A Spiritual Psalter, or Reflections on God.

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"The Lord is righteous in all His ways, Gracious in all His works."  Psalm 145:17

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The Gospel reading for the 19th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 26:

12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake. 13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. 14 Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. 18 But not a hair of your head shall be lost. 19 By your patience possess your souls.  Luke 21:12-19

Martyrdom of Sts. Bidaba, Bishop of Qift, Anba Andrew, and Anba Christodoulas.
Martyrdom of St. Panteleimon, the Physician.
Departure of Pope Youanis X, 85th Patriarch of Alexandria.

The Gospel reading for the 20th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 27: Luke 10:21-24
Martyrdom of The Great St. Theodore of Shotep (Amir Tadros El Shatebi).

The Gospel reading for the 21st of the Coptic month of Abib, July 28: Luke 9:10-17
Commemoration of the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin St. Mary.
Departure of St. Sisinnios (Sosenius), the Eunich.

[Mark Sadek]

"The Lord hears every prayer, and he whose prayer is not answered receives from the Lord the same saving gift as he whose prayer is answered."

St. Ephraim the Syrian, A Spiritual Psalter, or Reflections on God.

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"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."  2 Corinthians 5:17

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The Gospel reading for the 22nd of the Coptic month of Abib, July 29, is:
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 12:4-12
Commemoration of the Martyrdom of St. Macarius, the Son of Basilides (Wasilides) the Minister.
Commemoration of the Martyrdom of St. Leontius of Tripoli (Lawendius).

The Gospel reading for the 23rd of the Coptic month of Abib, July 30, is: Mark 10:35-45
Martyrdom of St. Longinus the Soldier.
Martyrdom of St. Marina, of Antioch.

[Mark Sadek]

"I have fallen: raise me up and strengthen me, O Lord; for Thou raisest up all who have fallen. Stretch forth Thine hand to me and enliven me once again by Thy compassion!"

St. Ephraim the Syrian, A Spiritual Psalter, or Reflections on God.

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"Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One, With Your glory and Your majesty. And in Your majesty ride prosperously; And Your right hand shall teach You awesome thing."  Psalm 45:3-4

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The Gospel reading for the 23rd of the Coptic month of Abib, July 30, is:

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask. 36 And He said to them, What do you want Me to do for you? 37 They said to Him, Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory. 38 But Jesus said to them, You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? 39 They said to Him, We are able. So Jesus said to them, You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; 40 but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared. 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. 42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.  Mark 10:35-45

Martyrdom of St. Longinus the Soldier.
Martyrdom of St. Marina, of Antioch.

The Gospel reading for the 24th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 31, is: Luke 11:53-12:12
Martyrdom of St. Apanoub.
Departure of St. Simeon I, 42nd Pope of Alexandria.

[Mark Sadek]

"Thou knowest, O Lord, my passions hidden in darkness; the sores of my soul are known to Thee. Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed. If Thou wilt not build the house of my soul, I labor in vain trying to build it myself."

St. Ephraim the Syrian, A Spiritual Psalter, or Reflections on God.

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"We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other."  2 Thessalonians 1:3

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The Gospel reading for the 24th of the Coptic month of Abib, July 31, 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

Martyrdom of St. Apanoub.
Departure of St. Simeon I, 42nd Pope of Alexandria.

The Gospel reading for the 25th of the Coptic month of Abib, August 1, is: Matthew 12:9-23
Departure of St. Thecla.
Martyrdom of St. Abba Isaac.
Martyrdom of St. Hilaria.
Martyrdom of Sts. Thecla and Mouji.
Martyrdom of St. Antonius (Anthony) of Beba.
Martyrdom of St. Abakragoun.
Martyrdom of St. Domadius El-Souriani (The Syrian).
Departure of St. Palamon, the Father of the Monks.
The Consecration of the Church of St. Philopater Mercurius Known as the Saint with the Two Swords.

[Mark Sadek]

"With all your heart hope on the Lord, and you will easily evade the wiles of the wicked one, for the Lord does not forsake those who work for Him."

St. Ephraim the Syrian, A Spiritual Psalter, or Reflections on God.

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"Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you."  Isaiah 46:4

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The Gospel reading for the 25th of the Coptic month of Abib, August 1, is:

9 Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?--that they might accuse Him. 11 Then He said to them, What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. 13 Then He said to the man, Stretch out your hand. And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. 14 Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him. 15 But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. 16 Yet He warned them not to make Him known, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 18 Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He will declare justice to the Gentiles. 19 He will not quarrel nor cry out, Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory; 21 And in His name Gentiles will trust. 22 Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. 23 And all the multitudes were amazed and said, Could this be the Son of David?  Matthew 12:9-23

Departure of St. Thecla.
Martyrdom of St. Abba Isaac.
Martyrdom of St. Hilaria.
Martyrdom of Sts. Thecla and Mouji.
Martyrdom of St. Antonius (Anthony) of Beba.
Martyrdom of St. Abakragoun.
Martyrdom of St. Domadius El-Souriani (The Syrian).
Departure of St. Palamon, the Father of the Monks.
The Consecration of the Church of St. Philopater Mercurius Known as the Saint with the Two Swords.

The Gospel reading for the 26th of the Coptic month of Abib, August 2, is: Matthew 23:13-36
Departure of the Upright St. Joseph, the Carpenter.
Departure of St. Timothy, 22nd Pope of Alexandria.

[Mark Sadek]

"The fear of God illumines the soul, annihilates evil, weakens the passions, drives darkness from the soul and makes it pure. The fear of God is the summit of wisdom. Where it is not you will find nothing good. Whoever does not have the fear of God is open to diabolical falls."

St. Ephraim the Syrian, A Spiritual Psalter, or Reflections on God.

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"Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma."  Ephesians 5:1-2

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The Gospel reading for the 26th of the Coptic month of Abib, August 2, is:

13 But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. 16 Woe to you, blind guides, who say, `Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.' 17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 18 And, `Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.' 19 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20 Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. 21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it. 23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, `If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' 31 Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' guilt. 33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? 34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.  Matthew 23:13-36

Departure of the Upright St. Joseph, the Carpenter.
Departure of St. Timothy, 22nd Pope of Alexandria.

The Gospel reading for the 27th of the Coptic month of Abib, August 3, is: Luke 21:12-19
The Consecration of the Church of St. Abba Fam.
Martyrdom of St. Apamon (Abba Amoun).

The Gospel reading for the 28th of the Coptic month of Abib, August 4, is: John 11:1-45
Departure of St. Mary Magdalene.

[Mark Sadek]

"In the measure to which a man cuts off and humbles his own will, he proceeds toward success. But insofar as he stubbornly guards his own will, so much does he bring harm to himself."

St. Ephraim the Syrian.

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"The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork."  Psalm 19:1

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The Gospel reading for the 29th of the Coptic month of Abib, August 5, is:

1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food. 11 Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. 12 And when you go into a household, greet it. 13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!  Matthew 10:1-15

Commemoration of the Translocation of the Relics of St. Andrew, the Apostle.
Martyrdom of St. Ouarshenoufa (Warshenofius).

The Gospel reading for the 30th of the Coptic month of Abib, August 6, is: Luke 21:12-19
Martyrdom of Sts. Mercurius and Ephraem.

[Mark Sadek]

"Glory be to Him Who never felt the need of our praising Him; yet felt the need as being kind to us and thirsted as loving us and asks us to give to Him and longs to give to us. His fruit was mingled with us men that in Him we might come near to Him Who condescended to us. By the Fruit of His stem He grafted us into His Tree."

St. Ephraim the Syrian.

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"Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, Praise the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name of the Lord From this time forth and forevermore!"  Psalm 113:1-2

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The Gospel reading for the 30th of the Coptic month of Abib, August 6, is:

12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake. 13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. 14 Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. 18 But not a hair of your head shall be lost. 19 By your patience possess your souls.  Luke 21:12-19

Martyrdom of Sts. Mercurius and Ephraem.

The Gospel reading for the 1st of the Coptic month of Misra, August 7, is: Luke 11:53-12:12
Start of St. Mary's Fast.
Martyrdom of St. Apoli, Son of Justus.
Departure of St. Kyrillos V (Cyril), 112th Pope of Alexandria.

[Mark Sadek]

"When you are about to pray to our Lady the Holy Virgin, be firmly assured, before praying, that you will not depart from her without having received mercy. To think thus and to have confidence in her is meet and right. She is, the All-Merciful Mother of the All-Merciful God, the Word, and her mercies, incalculably great and innumerable, have been declared from all ages by all Christian Churches; she is, indeed, an abyss of mercies and bounties."

St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ.

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"He who glories, let him glory in the Lord."  1 Corinthians 1:31

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The Gospel reading for the 2nd of the Coptic month of Misra, August 8, is:

1 Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight a cry was heard: `Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, `Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise answered, saying, `No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, `Lord, Lord, open to us!' 12 But he answered and said, `Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.  Matthew 25:1-13

Second day of St. Mary's Fast.
Departure of St. Pa'esa (Athanasia).

The Gospel reading for the 3rd of the Coptic month of Misra, August 9, is: Luke 14:25-35
The Relocation of the Body of St. Simon (Simeon) the Stylite to the city of Antioch.
Departure of Pope Abriamus (Primus), 5th Patriarch of Alexandria.

[Mark Sadek]

"The Most Holy Mother of God prays for us ceaselessly. She is always visiting us. Whenever we turn to her in our heart, she is there. After the Lord, she is the greatest protection for mankind. How many churches there are in the world that are dedicated to the Most Holy Mother of God! How many healing springs where people are cured of their ailments have sprung up in places where the Most Holy Theotokos appeared and blessed those springs to heal both the sick and the healthy! She is constantly, by our side, and all too often we forget her."

Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica, On the Theotokos.

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"From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy."  Psalm 61:2-3

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The Gospel reading for the 3rd of the Coptic month of Misra, August 9, 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

The Relocation of the Body of St. Simon (Simeon) the Stylite to the city of Antioch.
Departure of Pope Abriamus (Primus), 5th Patriarch of Alexandria.

The Gospel reading for the 4th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 10, is: Matthew 23:13-36
Departure of Hezekiah the King.
The Consecration of the Church of the Great St. Anthony (Antonios).

The Gospel reading for the 5th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 11, is: Luke 20:9-19
Departure of St. John the Soldier.

[Mark Sadek]

"Mary was made Mother of God to obtain salvation for many who, on account of their wicked lives, could not be saved according to the rigor of Divine justice, but might be saved with the help of her sweet mercy and powerful intercession."

St. John Chrysostom, On the Theotokos.

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"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world."  1 Peter 5:8-9

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The Gospel reading for the 6th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 12, is:

1 Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight a cry was heard: `Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, `Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise answered, saying, `No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, `Lord, Lord, open to us!' 12 But he answered and said, `Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.  Matthew 25:1-13

Martyrdom of St. Julietta.

The Gospel reading for the 7th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 13, is: Luke 1:1-25
The Annunciation of St. Joachim with the Birth of the Virgin Mary.
Departure of St. Timothy II (Timotheos), 26th Pope of Alexandria.

[Mark Sadek]

"Christ conquered the devil with the same weapons the devil used against us: a virgin, a tree, and death. These tokens of our demise have now become the tokens of our victory. Instead of Eve, there is Mary; instead of the tree of knowledge, there is the Cross; and instead of Adam’s death, there is the death of Christ."

St. John Chrysostom, On the Theotokos.

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"For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’"  Isaiah 41:13

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The Gospel reading for the 7th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 13, is:

1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed. 5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. 8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 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. 18 And Zacharias said to the angel, How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years. 19 And the angel answered and said to him, I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. 20 But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time. 21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. 22 But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless. 23 And so it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. 24 Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, 25 Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.  Luke 1:1-25

The Annunciation of St. Joachim with the Birth of the Virgin Mary.
Departure of St. Timothy II (Timotheos), 26th Pope of Alexandria.

The Gospel reading for the 8th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 14, is: Matthew 18:10-20
Martyrdom of the Sts. Lazarus, Salomi, His Wife, and Their Children.
The Confession of St. Peter, the Apostle, that Christ is the Son of the Living God.

[Mark Sadek]

"The greatness of the Virgin has been decreed in the sacred oecumenical council of Ephesus, which was assembled in 431 AD. Two hundred bishops from the world were present. They formulated the prelude to the creed of the Christian Faith, in which it is cited: "We venerate you, O mother of the true Light, and we glorify you, O Saint Virgin Mother of God, because you gave birth for us to the Saviour of the world, who has come and delivered our souls"."

H. H. Pope Shenouda III, On the Theotokos.

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"Behold, all those who were incensed against you Shall be ashamed and disgraced; They shall be as nothing, And those who strive with you shall perish."  Isaiah 41:11

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The Gospel reading for the 8th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 14, is:

10 Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? 13 And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. 15 Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that `by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.' 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. 18 Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.  Matthew 18:10-20

Martyrdom of the Sts. Lazarus, Salomi, His Wife, and Their Children.
The Confession of St. Peter, the Apostle, that Christ is the Son of the Living God.

The Gospel reading for the 9th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 15, is: Luke 11:53-12:12
Martyrdom of St. Ari, the Priest of Shatanouf.

[Mark Sadek]

"The Virgin is the blessed saint, whose blessing is continuous throughout the generations, as it has been mentioned in her hymn: "For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed" (Luke 1:46). The Church calls the Virgin by the surname of "the queen". This was mentioned by the psalm, about her: "At Your right hand stands the queen" (Ps. 45:9). That is why, many artists, when they draw the pictures of the Virgin, they put a crown on her head, and she appears in the image, on the right side of the Lord Christ."

H. H. Pope Shenouda III, On the Theotokos.

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"From the place of His dwelling He looks On all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works."  Psalm 33:14-15

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The Gospel reading for the 9th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 15, 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

Martyrdom of St. Ari, the Priest of Shatanouf.

The Gospel reading for the 10th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 16, is: Mark 10:35-45
Martyrdom of St. Matra.
Martyrdom of St. Pigebs (Bekhebs).

[Mark Sadek]

"The reverence of the Virgin appears in the salutation of the archangel Gabriel to her: "Peace to you, O you full of grace, "the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women" (Luke 1:28). That is, with a special blessing, to which also saint Elizabeth gave testimony. "Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb" (Luke 1:42)."

H. H. Pope Shenouda III, On the Theotokos.

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"For I know that the Lord is great, And our Lord is above all gods."  Psalm 135:5

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The Gospel reading for the 10th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 16, is:

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask. 36 And He said to them, What do you want Me to do for you? 37 They said to Him, Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory. 38 But Jesus said to them, You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? 39 They said to Him, We are able. So Jesus said to them, You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; 40 but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared. 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. 42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.  Mark 10:35-45

Martyrdom of St. Matra.
Martyrdom of St. Pigebs (Bekhebs).

The Gospel reading for the 11th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 17, is: John 16:20-33
Departure of St. Moisis, Bishop of Ouseem.

The Gospel reading for the 12th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 18, is: Luke 5:27-39
Commemoration of the Honorable Archangel Michael.
The Reign of the Righteous Emperor Constantine, the Great.

[Mark Sadek]

"The facts themselves bear witness and his divine acts of power teach those who doubt that he is true God, and his sufferings show that he is true man. And if those who are feeble in understanding are not fully assured, they will pay the penalty on his dread day."

St. Ephraim the Syrian, On Transfiguration.

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"There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death."  Proverbs 14:12

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The Gospel reading for the 13th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 19, is:
2 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah-- 6 because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid. 7 And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is My beloved Son. Hear Him! 8 Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves. 9 Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant. 11 And they asked Him, saying, Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first? 12 Then He answered and told them, Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him.  Mark 9:2-13
The Feast of Transfiguration of Our Lord on Mount Tabor.

The Gospel reading for the 14th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 20, is: John 10:1-16
Commemoration of the Great Sign, the Lord had Manifested During the Papacy of St. Theophilus.

[Mark Sadek]

"St. Elizabeth found herself small in front of the greatness of the Virgin, and she spoke with the feeling that she was not deserving, although she knew that her son "will be great in the sight of the Lord", and that "He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:15-17). She said: "But why is it granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Luke 1:43). Probably the most evident proof of the greatness of the Virgin, and of her position in the sight of the Lord, is that when her mere greeting arrived to Elizabeth, the latter was filled with the Holy Spirit, and her babe felt it and leaped in her womb for joy. The divine Intuition says in that: "And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit" (Luke 1:41)."

H.H. Pope Shenouda III, On the Theotokos.

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"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself."  Philippians 3:20-21

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The Gospel reading for the 14th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 20, 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

Commemoration of the Great Sign, the Lord had Manifested During the Papacy of St. Theophilus.

The Gospel reading for the 15th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 21, is: Matthew 25:1-13
Commemoration of the Departure of St. Mary Known as Marina, the Ascetic.

[Mark Sadek]

"A tale of wonder has now stirred within me to be told: Hearken lovingly, O men of discernment, with the ear of the soul, Mary's history has been roused in me with wonder, that it might reveal itself: Prepare your minds with discretion. The holy Virgin hath bid me speak of her this day; Let us purify our hearing for her pure account, lest we bring dishonor upon us. She is a second Heaven; for in her womb the Lord of the Heights has dwelt, And dawned from her to drive the darkness from every quarter; The blessed among women, by whom the cursing of the earth was torn out by the roots, And the full term of the sentence was thenceforth fulfilled; Grave, venerable, filled with the virtues of holiness, Whose history my mouth is too little to tell; The daughter of the poor, who became the Mother of the Lord of kings, And gave riches to the needy world for it to live by; The Ship bearing treasures and blessings from the House of the Father, Which came and poured out riches on our destitute realm; The good Field that seedlessly yielded a crop, Whence abounded a great harvest, being yet untilled; The second Eve who gave birth to Life among those subject to death, Redeeming and rending the bond of Eve her mother."

Mar Jacob of Serugh, Homily on the Blessed Virgin Mary.

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"But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."  Galatians 6:14

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The Gospel reading for the 15th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 21, is:

1 Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight a cry was heard: `Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, `Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise answered, saying, `No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, `Lord, Lord, open to us!' 12 But he answered and said, `Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.  Matthew 25:1-13

Commemoration of the Departure of St. Mary Known as Marina, the Ascetic.

The Gospel reading for the 16th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 22, is: Luke 1:39-56
The Feast of the Blessed Theotokos and Ever-Virgin St. Mary.
The Assumption of the Body of the Pure Virgin St. Mary.
Departure of St. Mattias IV (Mattheos), 102nd Patriarch of Alexandria.

[Mark Sadek]

"It was right that the eyewitnesses and minsters of the Word should see the Dormition of His Mother according to the flesh, even the final mystery concerning her: hence, they might be witnesses not only to the Ascension of the Saviour but also it to the translation of her who gave Him birth. Assembled from all parts obey divine power, they came to Sion, and sped on her way to heaven the Virgin who is higher than the cherubim."

St. John of Damascus.

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"He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly."  Luke 1:52

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The Gospel reading for the 17th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 23, is:

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask. 36 And He said to them, What do you want Me to do for you? 37 They said to Him, Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory. 38 But Jesus said to them, You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? 39 They said to Him, We are able. So Jesus said to them, You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; 40 but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared. 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. 42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.  Mark 10:35-45

Martyrdom of St. James the Soldier.

The Gospel reading for the 18th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 24, is: John 10:1-16
Departure of St. Alexander, Patriarch of Constantinople.
Martyrdom of St. Eudaemon, of Armant (El-Armanti).

The Gospel reading for the 19th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 25, is: Mark 3:22-35
The Translocation of the Body of St. Macarius to His Monastery in Scetis.

[Mark Sadek]

"Christians should judge no one, neither an open harlot, nor sinners, nor dissolute people, but should look upon all with simplicity of soul and a pure eye. Purity of heart, indeed, consists in seeing sinful and weak men and having compassion for them and being merciful."

St. Macarius the Great.

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"For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  Galatians 5:14

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The Gospel reading for the 20th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 26, is:

12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake. 13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. 14 Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. 18 But not a hair of your head shall be lost. 19 By your patience possess your souls.  Luke 21:12-19

Martyrdom of the Seven Young Men of Ephesus.

The Gospel reading for the 21st of the Coptic month of Misra, August 27, is: Matthew 25:1-13
Commemoration of the Virgin, the Mother of God.
Departure of St. Irene (Eirene).

[Mark Sadek]

"If slander has become to you the same as praise, poverty as riches, deprivation as abundance, you will not die. Indeed it is impossible for anyone who firmly believes, who labors with devotion, to fall into the impurity of the passions and be led astray by the demons."

St. Macarius the Great.

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"Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he [b]meditates day and night."  Psalm 1:1-2

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The Gospel reading for the 21st of the Coptic month of Misra, August 27, is:

1 Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight a cry was heard: `Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, `Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise answered, saying, `No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, `Lord, Lord, open to us!' 12 But he answered and said, `Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.  Matthew 25:1-13

Commemoration of the Virgin, the Mother of God.
Departure of St. Irene (Eirene).

The Gospel reading for the 22nd of the Coptic month of Misra, August 28, is: Matthew 23:13-36
Departure of Micah, the Prophet.
Martyrdom of St. Hadid.

[Mark Sadek]

"The heart is but a small vessel; and yet dragons and lions are there, and there likewise are poisonous creatures and all the treasures of wickedness; rough, uneven paths are there, and gaping chasms. There also is God, there are the angels, there life and the Kingdom, there light and the apostles, the heavenly cities and the treasures of grace: all things are there."

St. Macarius the Great.

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"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.'  John 3:16

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The Gospel reading for the 22nd of the Coptic month of Misra, August 28, is:

13 But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. 16 Woe to you, blind guides, who say, `Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.' 17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 18 And, `Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.' 19 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20 Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. 21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it. 23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, `If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' 31 Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' guilt. 33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? 34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.  Matthew 23:13-36

Departure of Micah, the Prophet.
Martyrdom of St. Hadid.

The Gospel reading for the 23rd of the Coptic month of Misra, August 29, is: Luke 21:12-19
Martyrdom of Thirty Thousand Christians in Alexandria.
Martyrdom of St. Damian in Antioch.

[Mark Sadek]

"The souls of the righteous become heavenly light, the Lord Himself told the apostles, when He said, Ye are the light of the world.. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden." Matthew 5:14
"He first wrought them into light, and ordained that through them the world should be enlightened. Neither do men light a lamp, He says, and put it under the bushel, but on the lampstand, and it giveth light to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men. In other words, Hide not the gift which ye (you) have received from Me, but give to all that are minded to receive it."

St. Macarius the Great.

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"Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm."  1 Timothy 1:5-7

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The Gospel reading for the 23rd of the Coptic month of Misra, August 29, is:

12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake. 13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. 14 Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. 18 But not a hair of your head shall be lost. 19 By your patience possess your souls.  Luke 21:12-19

Martyrdom of Thirty Thousand Christians in Alexandria.
Martyrdom of St. Damian in Antioch.

The Gospel reading for the 24th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 30, is: John 16:20-33
Departure of St. Takla Haymanot, the Ethiopian.
Departure of St. Thomas, Bishop of Mar'ash (Syria).

[Mark Sadek]

"The Lord in the gospel, wishing to bring His own disciples to a perfect faith, said, He that is faithful in little, is faithful also in much; and he that is unfaithful in little, is unfaithful also in much. What is the little? and what is the much? The little are the promises of this world, which He has undertaken to supply to those who believe Him, such as food, raiment, and the other things which are for the refreshment or health of the body, and so on; enjoining that we should not be anxious at all concerning these, but with confidence in Him to trust that the Lord is always a provider for those who take refuge in Him."

St. Macarius the Great.

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"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."  Matthew 6:33

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The Gospel reading for the 24th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 30, is:

20 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. 23 And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. 25 These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. 28 I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father. 29 His disciples said to Him, See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! 30 Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God. 31 Jesus answered them, Do you now believe? 32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.  John 16:20-33

Departure of St. Takla Haymanot, the Ethiopian.
Departure of St. Thomas, Bishop of Mar'ash (Syria).

The Gospel reading for the 25th of the Coptic month of Misra, August 31, is: Luke 12:32-44
Departure of St. Bessarion, the Great.
Departure of St. Macarius III, 114th Pope of Alexandria.

The Gospel reading for the 26th of the Coptic month of Misra, September 1, is: Mark 13:3-37
Martyrdom of St. Moses (Moisees) and his Sister Sarah.
Martyrdom of St. Agabius, the Soldier, and his Sister Thecla.

[Mark Sadek]

"Be like one dead: do not think about insults from people, nor of glory, and you will be saved."

St. Macarius the Great.

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"Light is sown for the righteous, And gladness for the upright in heart.  Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name."  Psalm 97:11-12

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The Gospel reading for the 27th of the Coptic month of Misra, September 2, is:

12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake. 13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. 14 Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. 18 But not a hair of your head shall be lost. 19 By your patience possess your souls.  Luke 21:12-19

Martyrdom of Sts. Benjamin and his Sister Eudexia.
Martyrdom of St. Mary, the Armenian.

The Gospel reading for the 28th of the Coptic month of Misra, September 3, is: Mark 12:18-27
Commemoration of the Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

[Mark Sadek]

"The path traveled by the righteous has always been a hard one, my brethren. They have always been hard-pressed, either by those who do not believe in God or who hold a wrong belief. Abel was wronged by his brother Cain; Noah and Lot likewise by a wicked race of men; and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob by the heathen. But God never leaves the righteous to walk his hard way alone. This is clearly seen in the life of Isaac: 'I am the God of Abraham your father, do not fear.' Isaac understood these words, with their overflowing significance. By them, God gave him courage, and they were a reminder of His presence."

St. Nikolai Velimirovich, The Prologue from Ochrid.

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"He remembers His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac, And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel as an everlasting covenant,"  Psalm 105:8-10

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The Gospel reading for the 28th of the Coptic month of Misra, September 3, is:

18 Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying: 19 Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise. 22 So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also. 23 Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife. 24 Jesus answered and said to them, Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, `I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.  Mark 12:18-27

Commemoration of the Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The Gospel reading for the 29th of the Coptic month of Misra, September 4, is: John 8:21-27
Martyrdom of Sts. Athanasius, the Bishop, Gerasimus (Jarasimus), and Theodotus.
The Arrival of the Holy Relic of St. John, the Short, to the Wilderness of Scetis.

[Mark Sadek]

"Passions which are produced from the love of money become invincible when one loses faith in the providence of God. For the one who does not believe, trusts in money. And such a person who hears the saying of the Lord, 'that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom,' considers the kingdom as nothing - even the heavenly and everlasting kingdom! - and still yearns for wealth, which is both earthly and transient. Those who crave such riches do not obtain them, and they are injured enormously by the desire itself. For, according to what Paul says, 'they who yearn to be rich fall into temptations and the snares of the devil."

St. Gregory Palamas.

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"Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation!"  Psalm 68:19

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The Gospel reading for the 29th of the Coptic month of Misra, September 4, is:

21 Then Jesus said to them again, I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come. 22 So the Jews said, Will He kill Himself, because He says, `Where I go you cannot come'? 23 And He said to them, You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins. 25 Then they said to Him, Who are You? And Jesus said to them, Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. 26 I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him. 27 They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.  John 8:21-27

Martyrdom of Sts. Athanasius, the Bishop, Gerasimus (Jarasimus), and Theodotus.
The Arrival of the Holy Relic of St. John, the Short, to the Wilderness of Scetis.

The Gospel reading for the 30th of the Coptic month of Misra, September 5, is: Luke 14:16-24
Departure of St. Malachi, the Prophet.

[Mark Sadek]

BROTHER: Who is, indeed, the man of excellence?
OLD MAN: He who cries out always that he is a sinner, and asks mercy from on high, whose word is laden with the feeling of discernment, and his senses with the watchfulness of deeds; and who, being silent, yet speaks; and who, though speaking, holds his peace, and whose actions are wholly good fruits for the life of time and the revelation of Christ."

The Paradise of the Holy Fathers.

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"Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God."  Psalm 50:23

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The Gospel reading for the 30th of the Coptic month of Misra, September 5, is:

16 Then He said to him, A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, 17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, `Come, for all things are now ready.' 18 But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, `I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.' 19 And another said, `I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.' 20 Still another said, `I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' 21 So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, `Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.' 22 And the servant said, `Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.' 23 Then the master said to the servant, `Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 `For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.'.  Luke 14:16-24

Departure of St. Malachi, the Prophet.

The Gospel reading for the 1st of the Coptic month of Nasi, September 6, is: John 21:15-25
Departure of St. Eutychus.
Martyrdom of St. Pishay (Abshai), the Antiochian.

[Mark Sadek]

"...it is possible for all men...for one who has wife and children, men and women servants, a large household, and great possessions, and who is prominent in world affairs...to weep and pray and repent; he can also attain to perfection of virtue if he so wishes. He can receive the Holy Spirit and become a friend of God and enjoy the vision of Him."

St. Symeon the New Theologian.

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"The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, And his tongue talks of justice. The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide."  Psalm 37:30-31

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The Gospel reading for the 1st of the Coptic month of Nasi, September 6, is:

15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these? He said to Him, Yes, Lord; You know that I love You. He said to him, Feed My lambs. 16 He said to him again a second time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me? He said to Him, Yes, Lord; You know that I love You. He said to him, Tend My sheep. 17 He said to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me? Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, Do you love Me? And he said to Him, Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You. Jesus said to him, Feed My sheep. 18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish. 19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, Follow Me. 20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, Lord, who is the one who betrays You? 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, But Lord, what about this man? 22 Jesus said to him, If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me. 23 Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? 24 This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. 25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.  John 21:15-25

Departure of St. Eutychus.
Martyrdom of St. Pishay (Abshai), the Antiochian.

The Gospel reading for the 2nd of the Coptic month of Nasi, September 7, is: Luke 6:12-23
Departure of St. Titus, the Apostle.

The Gospel reading for the 3rd of the Coptic month of Nasi, September 8, is: Matthew 24:3-35
Commemoration of the Angel Raphael, the Archangel.
Martyrdom of St. Andrianus.
Departure of St. Yoannis XIV, 96th Pope of Alexandria.

[Mark Sadek]

"I want you to know this, that Jesus Christ our Lord is Himself the true Mind of the Father. By Him all the fulness of every rational nature is made in the image of His image, and He Himself is the head of all creations, and of His body the Church. Therefore we are all members one of another, and the body of Christ, and the head cannot say to the feet, 'I have no need of you,' and if one member suffers, the whole body is moved and suffers with it."

St. Anthony the Great.

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"Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His saints. O Lord, truly I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant."  Psalm 116:15-16

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The Gospel reading for the 4th of the Coptic month of Nasi, September 9, is:
1 He also said to His disciples: There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. 2 So he called him and said to him, `What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.' 3 Then the steward said within himself, `What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. 4 `I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.' 5 So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, `How much do you owe my master?' 6 And he said, `A hundred measures of oil.' So he said to him, `Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.' 7 Then he said to another, `And how much do you owe?' So he said, `A hundred measures of wheat.' And he said to him, `Take your bill, and write eighty.' 8 So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. 9 And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. 10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?  Luke 16:1-12
Departure of St. Leparius, Bishop of Rome.
Departure of St. Poimen, the Hermit.

The Gospel reading for the 5th of the Coptic month of Nasi, September 10, is: John 16:20-33
Departure of St. James, Bishop of Misre.
Departure of the Righteous Amos, the Prophet.
Departure of St. Barsoma, the "Naked".
Departure of St. Yoannis XV, 99th Pope of Alexandria.

[Mark Sadek]

"In the Book of Proverbs it says, 'Those who have no guidance fall like leaves but there is safety in much counsel.' Take a good look at this saying, brothers. Look at what Scripture is teaching us. It assures us that we should not set ourselves up as guide posts, that we should not consider ourselves sagacious, that we should not believe we can direct ourselves. We need assistance, we need guidance in addition to God's grace. No one is more wretched, no one is more easily caught unawares, that a man who has no one to guide him along the road to God."

St. Dorotheos of Gaza.

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"I will praise You with my whole heart; Before the gods I will sing praises to You. I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name."  Psalm 138:1-2

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The Gospel reading for the 5th of the Coptic month of Nasi, September 10, is:

20 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. 23 And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. 25 These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. 28 I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father. 29 His disciples said to Him, See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! 30 Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God. 31 Jesus answered them, Do you now believe? 32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.  John 16:20-33

Departure of St. James, Bishop of Misre.
Departure of the Righteous Amos, the Prophet.
Departure of St. Barsoma, the "Naked".
Departure of St. Yoannis XV, 99th Pope of Alexandria.

The Gospel reading for the 1st of the Coptic month of Tut, September 11, is: Luke 4:14-30
Feast of El-Nayrouz (Beginning of the Blessed Coptic Year).
Martyrdom of St. Bartholomew, the Apostle.
Departure of St. Melyos (Milius), 3rd Pope of Alexandria.

[Mark Sadek]

""My soul shall be patient for the Lord:" that hereafter it may be filled with dainties incorruptible, meanwhile, whilst here it remaineth, my soul shall be patient for the Lord. "For He is our Helper and Defender" (Psalm 33:20): our Helper He is, while we endeavour after Him; and our Defender, while we resist the adversary."

St. Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 33.

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"Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, And praise Him in the company of the elders."  Psalm 107:32

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The Gospel reading for the 3rd of the Coptic month of Tut, September 13, 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

A Council held in the city of Alexandria.
A Great Earthquake took place in Cairo and Most of the Egyptian Cities.

The Gospel reading for the 4th of the Coptic month of Tut, September 14, is: Matthew 23:13-36
Departure of St. Macarius, 69th Pope of Alexandria.

The Gospel reading for the 5th of the Coptic month of Tut, September 15, is: Luke 7:28-35
Martyrdom of Saint Sophia.

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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:

Spiritual Words.

[Mark Sadek]

"When a ray of sunlight enters the house through a crack, it lights up everything inside, and even shows up the finest dust in its beam. So it is with the fear of the Lord, when it enters a human heart, it reveals all the fallibility still lurking there."

St. John Climacus.

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"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."  John 1:4-5

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The Gospel reading for the 6th of the Coptic month of Tut, September 16, is:
13 But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. 16 Woe to you, blind guides, who say, `Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.' 17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 18 And, `Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.' 19 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20 Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. 21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it. 23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, `If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' 31 Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' guilt. 33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? 34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.  Matthew 23:13-36
Departure of Isaiah the Prophet.
Martyrdom of Saint Basilissa.

The Gospel reading for the 7th of the Coptic month of Tut, September 17, is: John 10:1-16
Departure of St. Dioscorus, 25th Pope of Alexandria.
Martyrdom of Sts. Agathon, Peter, John, Amun and Amuna and Their Mother, Rebecca.
Departure of St. Severianus, Bishop of Gabala.

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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:

Sherry - Cancer.
Y - Anxiety.

[Mark Sadek]

"When we die, we will not be criticized for having failed to work miracles. We will not be accused of having failed to be theologians or contemplatives. But we will certainly have some explanation to offer to God for not having mourned unceasingly."

St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent.

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"So you, by the help of your God, return; Observe mercy and justice, And wait on your God continually."  Hosea 12:6

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The Gospel reading for the 7th of the Coptic month of Tut, September 17, 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

Departure of St. Dioscorus, 25th Pope of Alexandria.
Martyrdom of Sts. Agathon, Peter, John, Amun and Amuna and Their Mother, Rebecca.
Departure of St. Severianus, Bishop of Gabala.

The Gospel reading for the 8th of the Coptic month of Tut, September 18, is: Matthew 23:13-36
Martyrdom of Zacharias the Prophet.
Departure of Moses the Prophet.
Martyrdom of St. Dimides (Diomede).

[Mark Sadek]

"Lay bare your wound to the healer. Only through shame can you be freed from shame. Tell Him, and do not be ashamed. “This is my wound, Father; this is my injury. It happened because of my negligence and not from any other cause…” He who exposes every serpent shows the reality of his faith, while he who hides them still walks the trackless wastes."

St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent.

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"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!"  Romans 11:33

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The Gospel reading for the 8th of the Coptic month of Tout, September 18, is:
13 But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. 16 Woe to you, blind guides, who say, `Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.' 17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 18 And, `Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.' 19 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20 Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. 21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it. 23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, `If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' 31 Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' guilt. 33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? 34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.  Matthew 23:13-36

Martyrdom of Zacharias the Prophet.
Departure of Moses the Prophet.
Martyrdom of St. Dimides (Diomede).

The Gospel reading for the 9th of the Coptic month of Tout, September 19, is: John 16:20-33
Martyrdom of St. Pisora the Bishop.

[Mark Sadek]

"Fear evil like fire. Don't let it touch your heart, even if it seems just or righteous. No matter what the circumstances, don't let it come into you. Evil is always evil."

St. John Climacus.

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"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit."  John 15:1-2

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The Gospel reading for the 9th of the Coptic month of Tout, September 19, is:

20 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. 23 And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. 25 These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. 28 I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father. 29 His disciples said to Him, See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! 30 Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God. 31 Jesus answered them, Do you now believe? 32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.  John 16:20-33

Martyrdom of St. Pisora the Bishop.

The Gospel reading for the 10th of the Coptic month of Tout, September 20, is: Matthew 25:1-13
Martyrdom of Saint Matruna.
Commemoration of Sts. Basin and Her Children.

[Mark Sadek]

"I know of my spiritual poverty, my own nothingness without faith. I am so weak, that it is only by Christ’s name that I live and obtain peace, that I rejoice and my heart expands, while without Him I am spiritually dead, I am troubled, and my heart is oppressed. Without the Lord’s Cross I should have been long since the victim of the most cruel distress and despair. Only Christ keeps me alive; and the Cross is my peace and my consolation."

St. John of Kronstadt.

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"For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light."  Psalm 36:9

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The Gospel reading for the 10th of the Coptic month of Tout, September 20, is:

1 Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight a cry was heard: `Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, `Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise answered, saying, `No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, `Lord, Lord, open to us!' 12 But he answered and said, `Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.  Matthew 25:1-13

Martyrdom of Saint Matruna.
Commemoration of Sts. Basin and Her Children.

The Gospel reading for the 11th of the Coptic month of Tout, September 21, is: Luke 12:4-12
Martyrdom of Saint Basilides (Wasilides).

The Gospel reading for the 12th of the Coptic month of Tout, September 22, is: Luke 10:21-28
The Assembly of the Third Ecumenical Council at Ephesus to Judge Nestorius, Archbishop of Constantinople.
The Translocation of the Relics of Sts. Clemus (Aklimos) and His Companions.

[Mark Sadek]

"Love every man in spite of his falling into sin. Never mind the sins, but remember that the foundation of the man is the same - the image of God."

St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ.

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"And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”"  Galatians 4:6

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The Gospel reading for the 13th of the Coptic month of Tout, September 23, 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

Departure of Pope Mattheos II, 90th Patriarch of the See of St. Mark.
Commemoration of the Miracle performed by St. Basilius (Basil), Bishop of Caesarea, Cappadocia.

The Gospel reading for the 14th of the Coptic month of Tout, September 24, is: Luke 14:25-35
Departure of St. Agathon the Stylite.

[Mark Sadek]

"My life is a lengthy, stubborn, and constant battle with myself, a battle which I am waging at present, being constantly fortified by God's grace."

St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ.

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"From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy"  Psalm 61:2-3

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The Gospel reading for the 14th of the Coptic month of Tout, September 24, 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. Agathon the Stylite.

The Gospel reading for the 15th of the Coptic month of Tout, September 25, is: Luke 10:1-20
Translocation of the Body of St. Stephen the Archdeacon.

[Mark Sadek]

"Consider what is the price given for your ransom, and you will never more be slave to any man on earth. This reward and ransom is the cross. You should not then, carelessly make the sign on the forehead, but you should impress it on your heart with the love of a fervent faith. Nothing impure will dare to molest you on seeing the weapon, which overcometh all things."

St. John Chrysostom, On the Mystery of the Cross.

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"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life."  Galatians 6:7-8

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The Gospel reading for the 15th of the Coptic month of Tout, September 25, is:

1 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. 2 Then He said to them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. 4 Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. 5 But whatever house you enter, first say, `Peace to this house.' 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. 8 Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. 9 And heal the sick there, and say to them, `The kingdom of God has come near to you.' 10 But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11 `The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.' 12 But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city. 13 Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. 16 He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me. 17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name. 18 And He said to them, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 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. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.  Luke 10:1-20

Translocation of the Body of St. Stephen the Archdeacon.

The Gospel reading for the 16th of the Coptic month of Tout, September 26, is: Matthew 16:13-19
Commemoration of the Consecration of the Sanctuaries of the church of Resurrection in Jerusalem.
The Translocation of the Relics of St. John Chrysostom (of the Golden Mouth).

[Mark Sadek]

"When, then, you make the sign of the cross on the forehead, arm yourself with a saintly boldness, and reinstall your soul in its old liberty; for you are not ignorant that the cross, is a prize beyond all price."

St. John Chrysostom, On the Mystery of the Cross.

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"Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion; And to You the vow shall be performed. O You who hear prayer, To You all flesh will come."  Psalm 65:1-2

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The Gospel reading for the 16th of the Coptic month of Tout, September 26, is:

13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? 14 So they said, Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. 15 He said to them, But who do you say that I am? 16 Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.  Matthew 16:13-19

Commemoration of the Consecration of the Sanctuaries of the church of Resurrection in Jerusalem.
The Translocation of the Relics of St. John Chrysostom (of the Golden Mouth).

The Gospel reading for the 17th of the Coptic month of Tout, September 27, is: John 10:22-38
The Feast of the Consecration of the Church of the Honorable Cross.
Departure of St. Theognosta.

[Mark Sadek]

"Man, then is freed from sin through Him Who assumed the form of sin and became like us who had turned into the form of the serpent. He keeps the bites from causing death, but the beasts themselves are not destroyed. By beasts I mean desires. For although the evil of death which follows sins does not prevail against those who look to the cross, the lust of flesh against spirit has not completely ceased to exist."

St. Gregory of Nyssa.

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"And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."  Colossians 2:13-14

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The Gospel reading for the 20th of the Coptic month of Tout, September 30, is:

1 Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight a cry was heard: `Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, `Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise answered, saying, `No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, `Lord, Lord, open to us!' 12 But he answered and said, `Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.  Matthew 25:1-13

Departure of Pope Athanasius II, 28th Patriarch of the See of St. Mark.
Martyrdom of St. Melitina the Virgin.
Departure of St. Theopista.

The Gospel reading for the 21st of the Coptic month of Tout, October 1, is: Mark 3:28-35
Commemoration of the Virgin St. Mary, the Theotokos.
Martyrdom of St. Cyprian (Cyprianus) and St. Justina.

[Mark Sadek]

"Mary was made Mother of God to obtain salvation for many who, on account of their wicked lives, could not be saved according to the rigor of Divine justice, but might be saved with the help of her sweet mercy and powerful intercession."

St. John Chrysostom, On the Theotokos.

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"For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy."  Psalm 16:10-11

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The Gospel reading for the 21st of the Coptic month of Tout, October 1:
28 Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; 29 but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation-- 30 because they said, He has an unclean spirit. 31 Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. 32 And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You. 33 But He answered them, saying, Who is My mother, or My brothers? 34 And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, Here are My mother and My brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.  Mark 3:28-35

Commemoration of the Virgin St. Mary, the Theotokos.
Martyrdom of St. Cyprian (Cyprianus) and St. Justina.

The Gospel reading for the 22nd of the Coptic month of Tout, October 2: Luke 12:4-12
Martyrdom of Saints Cotylas (Kobtlas) and Axoua, his Sister, and Tatas, his Friend.
Martyrdom of St. Julius of Aqfahs (El-Akfehasi), the Writer of the Biography of Martyrs.

[Mark Sadek]

"According to the Gospel, it should be said that undoubtedly each person is given his own saving cross. This cross has grown on the soil of our heart, and it is only through this cross that we can be saved. From this it follows that if we refuse to carry our cross of obedience for no legitimate reason, we refuse to go by the way of Christ, by the saving way, and we want to invent for ourselves another way, free of labor, for attaining the Kingdom of Heaven. But this cannot be. The Kingdom of God suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force (Cf. Mt. 11:12)."

St. Anatoly of Optina.

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"O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places. The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people."  Psalm 86:35

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The Gospel reading for the 22nd of the Coptic month of Tout, October 2, is:
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 12:4-12

Martyrdom of Saints Cotylas (Kobtlas) and Axoua, his Sister, and Tatas, his Friend.
Martyrdom of St. Julius of Aqfahs (El-Akfehasi), the Writer of the Biography of Martyrs.

The Gospel reading for the 23rd of the Coptic month of Tout, October 3, is: Mark 3:28-35
Martyrdom of Sts. Eunapios (Onanius) and Andrew.
Commemoration of the Martyrdom of St. Thecla.
The Re-Opening of the Church of the Virgin St. Mary in Haret El-Rum.

[Mark Sadek]

"A true Christian is made by faith and love toward Christ. Our sins do not in the least hinder our Christianity, according to the word of the Saviour Himself. He deigned to say: not the righteous have I come to call, but sinners to salvation; there is more joy in heaven over one who repents than over ninety righteous ones. Likewise concerning the sinful woman who touched His feet, He deigned to say to the Pharisee Simon: to one who has love, a great debt is forgiven, but from one who has no love, even a small debt will be demanded. From these judgements a Christian should bring himself to hope and joy, and not in the least accept an inflicted despair. Here one needs the shield of faith."

St. Herman of Alaska.

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"Come now, and let us reason together, Says the Lord, Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool."  Isaiah 1:18

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The Gospel reading for the 23rd of the Coptic month of Tout, October 3, is:

28 Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; 29 but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation-- 30 because they said, He has an unclean spirit. 31 Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. 32 And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You. 33 But He answered them, saying, Who is My mother, or My brothers? 34 And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, Here are My mother and My brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.  Mark 3:28-35

Martyrdom of Sts. Eunapios (Onanius) and Andrew.
Commemoration of the Martyrdom of St. Thecla.
The Re-Opening of the Church of the Virgin St. Mary in Haret El-Rum.

The Gospel reading for the 24th of the Coptic month of Tout, October 4, is: Luke 10:1-20
Departure of St. Gregory the Ascetic.
Martyrdom of St. Quadratus, One of the Seventy Disciples.