Spiritual Words. Blessed Nativity Feast!

[Mark Sadek]

CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM!

"He lay in a manger, a child newly born: tiny in body, abject in poverty. But in this Child something great lay hidden, of which these, the first-fruits of the Gentiles, had learned, not from earthly rumor, but from heavenly revelation. Hence we have: We have seen His Star in the East. They announce, yet they ask; they believe, and yet they seek to know: as though prefiguring those who walk by faith, yet still desire to see."

St. Augustine of Hippo.

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"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."  John 1:14

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The Gospel reading for the 29th of the Coptic month of Kiahk, January 7:
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him. 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 So they said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 6 `But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.' 7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also. 9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.  Matthew 2:1-12
The Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Orthodox Christmas).

The Gospel reading for the 30th of the Coptic month of Kiahk, January 8: John 1:1-13
Departure of St. John, Archpriest of Scetis.

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Prayer Requests:
If you have an update on a prayer request, please let me know.

Please keep the following in your prayers:

Marian R
Andrew Wolfe, The National Guardsman shot in DC
The family of Sarah Beckstrom
Mario - Cancer
Mina - Bad company
K - Drug addiction
Jean - Stage 4 cancer
A - Mental disorders
Esquibies - Brain Tumor
Carmen - Cancer
K - Addiction
P - In recovery
Sherry - In recovery
Y - Anxiety
Kamal D. - Cancer
Luis F - Advanced respiratory disease
MH - Drug Addiction
Mary D. - Cancer
Karas A. - Child in need of 3 surgeries
Luz R - Cancer
M - Anger, anxiety and job success
Antonius - Crohn's disease

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 keep me in your prayers.

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

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