Book of Saints

On the 13th day of the Blessed month of Tuba we celebrate the lives of; Pistis, Helpis, Agape and their mother Sophia. St. Sophia was from a rich and noble family of Antioch. God granted her three beautiful daughters whom she named; Pistis which means faith, Helpis which means hope, and Agape which means love. Their mother's name, Sophia, means wisdom. Sophia took her three daughters to Rome to teach them the church subjects and to worship. When the report reached Emperor Hadrian, he summoned them. He tried to force them to forsake their Christian faith. Seeing them only as little children, he at first felt quite confident in his ability to convert them. However, their mother encouraged them to be steadfast in their faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. Pistis was twelve years old. Helpis was eleven years old. And little Agape was only nine. When the emperor saw their dedication to the faith he grew angry. Enraged at their commitment to Christ he set out to torture them one by one. He first tortured the older child Pistis. He had his guards tear at her body with whips, then cast her into a fiery furnace until finally they beheaded her. But during that torture she did not waver once. The Emperor then commanded the guards to torture the next daughter, Helpis. He ordered the guards to comb her body with hot sharp iron combs, then struck her neck with the sword. All of this happened in the viewing of the youngest sister Agape. The Emperor, as well as his guards, we're convinced the little girl was terrified, and therefore willing to recant her Christian faith. To their amazement, she did not. Overcome by sheer rage the Emperor ordered the guards to cast her into a fiery furnace, crush her body, and then finally beheaded her. During this horrific ordeal the blessed and beautiful Sophia prayed earnestly for the salvation of her children. She rejoiced exceedingly and thanked the Lord that her daughters had been steadfast in their faith and received the crowns of martyrdom. They had become brides to the Lord Jesus Christ. She took their bodies and shrouded them with expensive shrouds. She then asked the Lord to receive her spirit and the Lord hearkened to her prayer and she delivered her pure spirit into the hand of the Lord. The believers took their bodies and buried them with great honor.. Lessons from this story This is a very hard story to hear. Any parent would be disturbed by these images. But there's no way to tell her story without showcasing what each of the daughters witnessed and endured. And though we of course celebrate the strength these little girls held in the face of such a horrible behavior, we must focus on the sheer importance their mother played in their salvation. There is no greater blessing than being a parent. But in truth, there are times of no greater source of frustration, aggravation, and fear. Our role as a mother or a father is to highlight the beauty, the truth, and the power a deep Christian faith brings to the individual. Children this day are bombarded with messages that have nothing to do with a Christian life. Virginity is more than just the Purity of the body, it's the purity of knowledge. For when we recall the story of Adam and Eve, they lived in purity because they knew not the difference of good and evil. They lived a life according to their first nature, which was created out of an abundance of love. They enjoyed a life without hardship, walking daily content and without any temptation whatsoever. The hardest thing for a parent is balancing work life and a family life. But not time with the family born out of an obligation, for a child knows when you are not really enjoying their company. But to see the true joy of time with our children. For one thing that is glaringly obvious about this telling of Sophia's story, that the thief in the night can come at any time. No one can fault a mother or a father for being tired at the end of a hard-working day. And I can promise you this, if you make some small effort to spend time with them, even when you're really really tired, they will truly appreciate that effort. My wife and I run a small business, a seasonal business. So there are about 3 to 4 months out of the year I come home, after working 12-14 hours that day, so tired all I want to do is just fall down. But I had three little children that wanted to play with their daddy. So when I got home, I would just fall down on the ground. And let the kids play. I would try to grab them and they would run, I would crawl around on the floor and they would ride me like a horse, very little effort really, but very impactful. A simple story? Of course. But Each of us who have children know that it's not the big efforts that make the most impact, it's the little efforts when they know we have no energy left, that they will never forget. Going to church, Reading the Bible together, asking about their day, making yourself available to help them with their homework, even though sometimes we're not really able to help that much, all of this helps to make sure the tree grows straight and true. Roots deeply grounded in a strong faith so they too may someday produce sweet fruit. So when we think about what St. Sophia knew was happening with her children, she did what a lot of us parents do, we let go and we pray day and night, saying “please God give them strength to fight this world so they may enjoy eternal life with you.” Prayer Thank you God for this story. Purify our souls, our bodies, our spirits, our hearts, our eyes, our understanding, our thoughts and our consciences, so that with a pure heart, an enlightened soul, and unashamed countenance, a faith unfeigned, a perfect love, and a firm hope, we may dare with boldness, without fear, pray to you oh Lord, the holy father who is in heaven, for the protection of our children. And glory be to God

On the 23rd day of the Coptic month of Tute we celebrate the life of Saint Thecla, also known as Takla. On this day the church celebrates the commemoration of the first female martyr, St. Thekla, the bride of Christ. She was a deaconess and a disciple of the apostle Paul. She was an example of virginity and purity and a model for enduring strife and hardships. Thekla was a very beautiful and well mannered only daughter to honorable pagans. Born and raised in the city of Iconium, a large city in Asia minor, she was to be engaged to one of the noblemen of that city. But when St. Paul came to Iconium, on his first missionary journey between 45 and 50 A.D., Thekla heard his preaching. She marveled at his teachings and became a follower. Never before had she heard such words, and through these words she discovered and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. She was baptized and vowed her virginity to the Lord, thus braking off her engagement. For all of her life Thekla believed in the importance of her physical beauty, now she was only concerned for her inner beauty. Her mother noticed a change in her behavior. She asked her about the secret of this change, thinking that her young daughter had found a new love in her. Thekla indeed had found a new love, and told her mother that she had become Christian and vowed her purity to the Lord Christ. Her mother was enraged and tried to persuade her but Thekla refused. Her mother went to the governor of the city and asked for his assistance. He too tried to convince her to abandon Christianity and return to the worship of idols. Thekla refused to bow before anything or anyone but the Lord Christ. The governor ordered her to be burned to death but a storm put out the flames and she safely escaped death . Thekla left her city and went looking for St. Paul. She found him and joined him in the city of Antioch. He left her there to serve among the women. The governor of the city seized her, and cast her to the wild beasts. But they did not harm her. Then the governor had her thrown into a pit full of poisonous snakes. They also did not harm her. Both exhausted and limited in intellect to explain such things, he ordered her to be released. St. Paul witnessed the Lord within her, sent her back to her birthplace of Iconium to preach to the people of her city about the life-giving faith. When she realized that her mother was still insisting her to return back to paganism, she left to the city of Tyre in Syria to pursue her ministry. Many believed through her words. In the later part of her life, she lived in seclusion and contemplation, a perfect life of asceticism. God granted her the gift of healing and many were cured with her prayers. She was 90 years old when the Lord called her to her true home, and her body was buried in Seleucia, the port of Antioch. The church calls her “the martyr without shedding blood.” Lessons from this story In the very beginning of this story of a young and beautiful girl, she is referred to as “a model of strife and enduring hardships”. Life presents us with many hardships that are not measured by our physical suffering - which of course many saints have suffered from. But this title points not to the physical suffering for in hearing her story, we see she did not suffer any pain from the attempted tortures. Her struggle, her enduring struggle, was against the first nature of her life. She left her physical beauty behind her and there is no mention of that life calling to her. But her mother pleaded with her to return to her pagan ways. You can almost imagine her mother showering her with gold, jewels, soft clothing, all the enticements the pagans had to offer. It was probably enough to cause her to leave her home town for the second time and preach in Tyre of Syria. Our daily lives are bombarded with temptations, via phone, text, email, tv, radio, friends - you name it. There are enough physical attractions in this world to overwhelm any believer. Fasting is not just about food, it's about regaining control over your desires. Does this hamburger have power over me? Absolutely not. Do I really hear the words in this popular song? Do I need to participate in this online attack against a person? You too can be a bloodless martyr every time you resist a desire to give in to the worldly attractions. And if they start to be too much, get up and walk away to a place or a people that help you see what most can not see. For in saving ourselves, we help others save themselves. Prayer May the blessings of her prayers be with us all and help us to not only endure the tempting desires of this physical world, but to be bloodless martyrs for the Will and service of our Lord Jesus Christ. And glory be to God forever, amen.

St Marina the Martyr On the 23rd day of the Coptic month Abib we celebrate the departure of St. Marina of Antioch. Marina was born to a wealthy family of pagans in the city of Antioch. She was raised with no knowledge of Christ in her life. Yet at a young age Marina’s parents passed away and she went to live with a nanny, who was a practicing Christian. Each and every night Marina would hear the stories of how ordinary people became martyrs for Jesus Christ. The nanny spoke with such reverence for these “saints” that Marina was inspired and yearned to taste the sweet mercy of the Lord. Though men were drawn to her beauty, she was drawn to a life with God. And it came to pass that one day Marina was indeed tested and tempted by the Devil’s snares. The governor of Antioch, a rich and powerful man who was accustomed to getting what he wanted, fancied Marina and desired her. But when his soldiers came to her, she told them that she belonged to Jesus Christ. When the governor heard this, he was distressed for he lusted after her with blinding passion. So he had her brought to him by force and offered her to worship his false gods and to forsake the One True God. But she refused. He demanded to know how she, at such a young age, could defy him for she was only fifteen. To which she replied, “I am Christian. I believe in the Lord Christ, and my name is Marina.” He made many promises, including marriage, but she still did not bend to his will. She cursed the idols he worshipped and insulted him calling him a fool. He became enraged. He ordered her body to be scraped with hot iron combs, and then rubbed with vinegar, salt and lime. From his selfish and greedy view, if he could not have her then no one will have her. The governor only saw her outwardly beauty. God cares not for the beauty of the ever-dying flesh – but for the eternal growth of our spirit inside. And through this spirit, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, she endured with patience. Disgusted by their futility, the governor ordered her to be tossed into prison. Thinking she would die from the wounds they had created. But the Lord God sent an angel to heal all her wounds. While she was standing up praying, giving thanks to the Lord with her hands extended in the form of a cross, a huge and terrifying serpent came forth. When she saw it she was frightened and her whole body trembled. The serpent swallowed her up, and her soul almost departed from her. She made the sign of the cross and prayed while she was in the belly of the serpent. It split open and fell on the ground dead. Marina was unharmed. The next morning, the governor ordered her to be brought before him assuming she was dead. When he saw that she was alive and well, he marveled at her trickery. “Your sorcery has become evident today, so listen to me. Worship our gods and much good would be for you, and I will give you all that I have promised you.” To the unbelieving governor, Marina’s healing was the act of sorcery – for that is all he knew. Marina looked at him and at the worthless idols with contempt and proclaimed, “I worship the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, the God of heavens and earth, and whatever you wish to do with me, do, for I will not give into your will.” Again, angered and frustrated, the governor ordered her hanged on a squeezing wheel, to squeeze the life out of her. And again cast her in prison, assuming she would die. The angel of the Lord came to her, and healed her yet again. In the midst of her praying and giving thanks to God, the Devil appeared to her and said, “O Marina, if you obey the governor that would be for your good for he is merciless, and he wishes to erase your name from the face of the earth.” Realizing that this vile creature was the Devil, she caught the hair of his head, took an iron rod and beat him. “Stop it O Satan!” She proclaimed. She then bound him with the sign of the cross. The wretched beast said, “I am the one who makes adultery, stealing, blasphemy, and earthly desires, good and desirable to the human. If that fails, I then tempt with laziness, so they will not pray and ask for the forgiveness of sins.” Powerless against the cross and the true believer, he vanished into black smoke. The governor again saw her healed and again marveled much. He ordered his guards to fill a large cauldron with melted lead, and to immerse her striped body into it. When they did so, she asked the Lord to make this a baptism for her. The Lord sent his angel in the form of a dove. While being immersed in the boiling cauldron, she prayed, “In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one God Amen.” And a voice from heaven called her and said, “O Marina you have been baptized in the baptismal water.” She rejoiced exceedingly, and those who were present heard what had happened and many believed that day. Scared of the truth, the governor ordered to cut off all their heads. But for Marina, the executioner took her outside the city and told her, “My lady Marina, I see the angel of the Lord and with him a crown of bright light.” She replied, “I ask you to wait on me until I have prayed.” She extended her arms and prayed fervently. Then she told the executioner, “Do what you have been ordered to do.” She bowed her neck to the executioner who told her, “I could not do so.” The saint told him, “If you do not, you would not have a share in the Kingdom of God.” When he heard what she said, he took the sword and cut off her head. He then cut off his own head saying, “I believe in the God of St. Marina.” He fell down beside her and received the crown of martyrdom in the Kingdom of Heaven. Lessons from this story Saint Marina was not born Christian, nor baptised Christian until her death. And yet she is today a revered saint. There are many saints we celebrate that were neither born Christian or were baptized. In the Bible, St Paul goes to much effort explaining that Christ did not come for the Jews only, but for the entire human race. Every person, sick or well, rich or poor, and regardless of color. Examine this truth in Genesis. “I promise to every living creature that the earth and those living on it will never again be destroyed by a flood. The rainbow that I have put in the sky will be my sign to you and to every living creature on earth.” (Gen 9:11-13) The pure light is a spectrum of all colors. In light, every color is found. Further proof, long before the coming of Christ, that God was clearly showing He was the God of all, to all and for all. Further, the words St Marina heard at a young age, were the Living Word of God. They bring life to all who hear them. And through this Living Word was she made strong in the faith. Take time each day to read the Bible. Let the Word of God speak directly to you. For all you will ever need from this life is found in these Words of Life. Prayer Lord, help us always be strong in our faith in you against all those challenges we know we will face. That there exists no darkness that can ever extinguish the light that emanates from You. May the blessings and prayers of St Marina of Antioch be with us always. Amen.

St Colluthus of Antinoe On the 23rd day of the Coptic month of Bashons we celebrate the life of Saint Colluthus of Antinoe. Colluthus was the son of God fearing parents. His father was a governor over the city of Antinoe, and before Colluthus was born, his father prayed to the Lord Jesus to grant him a son, and God did. He taught him the Christian principles, the church doctrine and Colluthus was pure from his youth. His father wanted him to get married, but he did not accept. However, his sister was married to Arianus who became the governor after her father. When the his parents departed, he built a place for strangers to stay. He also studied medicine and practiced it to cure the sick without charging them money. When Emperor Diocletian apostatized, Arianus the governor followed him to keep his position, and started to persecute Christians. Then Colluthus rebuked him for forsaking the worship of the one True God, and Colluthus cursed the idols of the Emperor. Arianus did not hurt him for the sake of his sister, but he sent him to the governor of El-Bahnasa, where he was put in prison for three years. His sister meditated for his release until another governor took over who threatened Colluthus and tortured him. The angel of the lord came to him to comfort and strengthen him, until at last, the governor cut off his head. He was granted the crown of Martyrdom. His family prepared his body for burial and kept him in a place until the end of the persecution, when they built a church to honor him. Lessons from this story In the parable of the sower, there are four sets of seeds; those that fall to the wayside and are eaten by birds, those that fall on stony ground, grow without deep roots and wither in the sun, those that fall in thorny bush and are strangled as they grow, and lastly those that fall on good ground and grow deep roots. This parable is an allegory for believers. In comparing St Colluthus to his brother-in-law, there are two of these above mentioned seeds. St Colluthus representing the seeds that fall on good ground and grow with deep roots, yielding crops versus his brother-in-law Arianus who is like the seeds on stony ground. His faith grew for a little while, but when the sun came (Diocletian) his faith withered away. History is filled with these examples, even among ourselves we see some who grow deep in the faith, while others are caught up in the world (strangled by the thorny bush) or whose faith was only superficial like St Colluthus’s brother-in-law. Faith is not an academic pursuit, though knowing the lives of saints, the scriptures and church writings are important, we must remember that we are blessed with a wealth of resources to help us understand our faith in depth. But these early saints had none of that. Their faith was derived wholly from an inner peace of knowledge, not mentally, but emotionally. They knew the faith by feeling the faith, breathing the faith and living the faith. We make an effort to make these stories relevant in your daily life to reinforce the importance of personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Not just the church, not just the family and friends in the church, but Jesus Christ above all. As you continue to grow, to learn, to mature in your spiritual life always remember if the only thing you know, the only thing hold dear is your trust in Jesus Christ, then no matter what happens here you will be safe there. Prayer Oh God you are the great teacher who guides us through this world along the ever-narrowing path that leads to eternal life. Surround us always with your angels and saints that they may pray on our behalf to eventually bet met at the door by the thief on the right who says “welcome.” May the prayers of St Colluthus be with us all, amen.

St George, friend of St Abraam On the 18th day of the Coptic month of Bashons we celebrate the life of St George, the friend to St Abraam. George, the companion of St. Abraam, was a shepherd for his father’s herd, who were saintly Christian parents. As he desired becoming a monk, he left his family when he was only fourteen years old. He went to the wilderness of St. Macarius. While he was walking on the road, the devil appeared to him in the form of an old man and said, "Your father thought that a wild beast had killed you, and he rent his garment, grieving over you. You should return to him and comfort his heart. Then return to the wilderness". George was astonished at this revelation. Saying to himself: "The Bible says: 'He who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me.'" And when he said that, the devil became like smoke and fled from him. Immediately, the angel of the Lord in the form of a monk appeared to him, and guided him to the monastery of Abba Orion. He remained there for ten years, not eating any cooked food, fruit or wine. He then desired to live alone in the inner wilderness and went to the monastery of the Roman Saints Maximus and Domadius in Scetis. At the same time, St. Abraam arrived to the monastery. They went together to the monastery of St. Macarius and met St. Yoannis, the archpriest of Sheahat. He gave them a cell close by him to live in, which was known as the cell of Bageeg, where St. Abraam departed. Shortly after George also departed. He was seventy-two years old. Lessons from this story What a comparative experience this young boy had. Having left his home at the young age of 14 years, he would not have the knowledge nor the learned discernment to know a devil from an angel - for both appeared to him in a similar form. One an elderly man, the other a monk. Only his knowledge of the Bible helped to know which was true guide and which was false prophet. In our daily lives we interact with all types of people. For business, for pleasure, during service, or a multitude of other situations. It is virtually impossible to know who would guide us correctly and who would led us astray. Most people's intentions can be figured out pretty quick, but sometimes we are often completely shocked or unprepared for a person’s intentions. Living a prayerful life, inviting God the Father into every aspect of our life is a sure fire way to make sure no ill intentions befall us. Does this mean we will not make bad mistakes? Of course not. God grants us free will. But we should be smart about our requests to God. God loved Solomon greatly for he “have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life—but have asked wisdom..” (2 Chronicles 1:11) Wisdom is perhaps the greatest gift the Lord God could grant us, more so than riches, power or worldly lusts. Through wisdom we can navigate the world filled with so many temptations that are designed to literally draw us to hell. Even though they appear as minor offenses, each of them is designed to desensitize us to wrongdoing. In his innocence of the world and being raised by devout Christians, George was well prepared to repel against the temptations of the devil, using his love for his father as a trick to turn George a way from a path of piety and monastic living. But the Lord tickled the memory of George’s knowledge of the Bible and the devil was revealed. This telling of this saint’s story can help us highlight the importance of daily prayer, daily bible reading and lending our decisions on the guidance of the Lord. There is a saying, “haste makes waste”, this is true for us as well. If we hastily make decisions, they are typically being led by emotions. Don’t be in a rush to make a decision. Pause, pray and wait for the guidance of the Lord. Prayer God bless us with wisdom in our daily life. Help to quell the rising emotions this world enrages within us, but to lean on a prayerful direction in all our decisions. May the prayers of St George and his friend St Abraam be with us all amen.

St Leontius the Syrian On the 1st day of the Coptic month of Paona we celebrate the life of St Leontius the Syrian and the consecration of the church in his name.. This Saint was martyred in the city of Tripoli on the 22nd day of Abib. A Christian woman, the wife of a great nobleman and prominent army commander, gave money to the soldiers to retrieve his holy body. She wrapped it in expensive cloth and laid it in a coffer inside her house. She made a picture of him and she hung a lighted lamp before it. It happened that Emperor Diocletian became angry with her husband and shut him up in prison in the city of Antioch. She became sad, and prayed to God, and asking St Leontius to intercede on her behalf, to save her husband from prison. God accepted her prayers. St. Leontius appeared to her husband in prison and told him, "Do not grieve or be sorrowful, for you shall be delivered tomorrow, and you shall eat with the Emperor at his table, and shall return safely to your home." The Saint then went to the Emperor, and woke him up. When the Emperor saw the Saint, he became terrified. The Saint told the Emperor, "I have come to you, O Emperor, to order the release of the army commander. Honor him, and let him go to his house, lest you be destroyed." The Emperor, who was trembling, replied saying, "Whatever you command me, O my lord, I will do." The next morning, the Emperor brought the commander out of prison, honored him, and dined with him at his own table. The Emperor told him about the horseman that appeared to him, then dismissed the former prisoner to return to his hometown. When he arrived in Tripoli, he told his wife and his family what had happened to him. His wife told him, "The good that happened to you was through the blessings of St. Leontius." Then she uncovered the body of the Saint, and he took the blessing of the Saint. When he saw his face, he realized that he was the one that had appeared to him in prison. After the death of Diocletian, they built a church in his name, relocated the body to it with great veneration, and that church was consecrated on this day. Lessons from this story Relics of the saints are very important to the orthodox church. For those are unfamiliar with this, it means we preserve the bodies of saints and when a church is built, under the auspice of the saint, a small portion of the body, or relic, is honored and painstakingly stored in the new church. Why? Because God wastes nothing. After the feeding of the 5,000, from five loaves and two fish, Jesus instructed his disciples to gather up all the fragments. Jesus Christ performed a miracle, turning that meager amount of food into a banquet of food for 5,000 people. This miracle was not to be trampled on or discarded, but venerated. So all the fragments were gathered up. We see this same care at the orthodox altar when the body of Christ is shared through communion. If the smallest crumb falls from the paten, the priest stops, the deacons assist and the priest gets down on his hands and knees and either eats the crumb or burns it. Life is precious to God for all life emanates from Him. When a miracle happens through a saint, that body represents the body of Christ, the presence of God’s power, mercy and grace. These lives of the saints that we share with you are not just their story in the hopes you may emulate or be inspired by them, but a reminder that each one of use has within us the same breath of Life as these saints do. So when you see a priest stopping the congregation to lean over pick up a crumb that has fallen, remember the parable of the lost coin or the lost sheep. As the priest bends down to pick up the piece of the body of Christ, that is exactly what God does for us everyday. You are always important to Him. Prayer Thank you God for your Grace, mercy and Kindness. Help us always appreciate you every aspect of our lives. And may the prayers and intercessions of St Leontius the Syrian be with us all, amen.

St Isaac, Priest of Cyprus On the 19th day of the Coptic month of Bashons we celebrate the life of Saint Isaac, Priest of Cyprus. Isaac was born in an Egyptian village to poor parents, but he was rich in his righteous works. When monks from a nearby monastery were in his village selling monk-made crafts, he followed them back to the wilderness. He served them under the yoke of obedience. When he became a monk, he excelled in asceticism and worship to the point that he never possessed two garments at the same time. They asked him once: "Why don't you possess two garments?" He answered: "Because when I was in the world before being a monk, I did not have two garments at the same time." He wept very often during his prayers, and he mixed his bread with the ashes of the censer and ate it. Once he became sick of a grievous sickness, and some of the brethren brought him food, but he did not eat it. One of the brethren described to him the benefits of food and urged him again to eat some of it. He insisted on not eating anything of it, and said to him: "Believe me my brother that I desire to remain sick for thirty years." When he became seasoned and everyone heard about his virtues, the fathers by consensus decided to ordain him a priest. He fled and disappeared among the fields. When they were looking for him, they passed by the field, where he was hiding in and sat to rest. They had with them a donkey, which went into the field and stood where the father was. When they went after the donkey to catch it, they found him, and they wanted to bind him so that he could not escape again. He said to them: "I will not escape now, for I know that this is the will of God." He went with them, and they ordained him a priest, and he increased in obedience to the elders and in teaching beginners Christian virtues. When the time of his departure drew near, they asked him: "What can we do after you leave us?" He told them: "Do exactly as you have seen me do, if you wish to remain steadfast in the wilderness", then he departed. Lessons from this story Poor Isaac, he had no honor for himself. Born poor, it was easy for him to leave the dust behind and follow the monks into the wilderness and there he served. But the story said “the yoke of obedience”. The word usage implies that Isaac had no honor for himself at all, only the will of the monks he served. A truly distinguishing gift. Blindly accepting orders from our superiors does not come with a tiny bit of pride swallowing. Our oldest son was preparing to serve in the United States Air Force and I remember a distinct conversation I had with him about absolute acceptance of whatever order is given. That he has to set aside his own reasoning, logic, and self-pride to serve with absolute obedience. It is the main element of a cohesive military. To disagree is a court-martial. In our daily life we often interact with people who bark commands at us, and we do, in most cases, follow especially job related. But they always come with a bit of tongue-biting. As much as we would like to lash out, we don’t. This “yoke” referenced in St Isaac’s story really implies a hardship was purposefully placed on him, to test his resolve. So it should not come as a shock that when they finally decided to make him a priest, he ran away. In his letter to St Timothy, St Paul writes, “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.” Double honor? Poor Isaac fasted so much from his own self-worth that didn’t even have a crumb of honor for himself. And yet, as a priest, he was expected to receive a double portion. It was not the pride he fled from, for pride was a complete stranger to this lowly servant. No it was so ingrained in him that he was unworthy, that to be given honor of the highest order was not for him, unless he knew it was from God. The greeks have a term called kenosis. It means we must pour ourselves out so that we may more fully receive the will of God. Think of Moses. God knew he had zeal for the Lord. So good put him in the desert for forty years, cleansing him and preparing him to be the full hand of God. Kenosis. Can we be like this? Can we give up everything and be treated as less than dirt? No doubt it is hard. But remember this, it is to the dirt we must go before we can rise with the Lord. Prayer Thank you God for all the gifts we receive from you, even when we are forgetful at the time of receiving them. GIve us the strength to let go so that we may receive you fully oh Lord. May the prayers of St Isaac the Priest of Cyprus be with us all amen.

St Ammonius On the 20th day of the Coptic month of Bashons we celebrate the life of St Ammonius. Ammonius was born in the year 294 in a village near Mariot, in Egypt. He was, as St. Antony was, born to a righteous and wealthy Christian family. He lost his parents while he was young and was given to his uncle as his guardian. He longed for the life of purity, chastity, and holiness. Nevertheless, his uncle forced him to be engaged to a rich girl against his will. Since he could not disobey his uncle, he talked to his bride to be, with a spiritual dialogue. With the help of the Holy Spirit, he was able to have a good influence on her. She then longed for the life of purity and it was planted in her heart the desire to consecrate herself as a bride for the True Bridegroom Jesus Christ. Thus they decided to accept the marriage arrangement, but decided to live as brother and sister. They remained like this for seventeen years, keeping themselves pure and chaste, after which his wife departed to the eternal bliss. Ammonius saw in a vision St. Antony calling him to put on the monastic garb. When he woke from his sleep, he rose up and went to St. Isidore, who put on him the holy garb. He dwelt with him for some time, after which he went to mount Tounah, to be with St. Antony. Ammonius remained with St. Antony for a time as his disciple, and studied the cannons of holy monasticism. He built for himself a cell in mountain. He fervently worshipped God there, and the devil envied him. He came to him in the form of a nun and knocked on his door. When Ammonius opened the door and asked the devil to pray with him, the devil became like a flame of fire and vanished. Then the devil found a woman and moved her to entice Ammonius to fall in sin with her. She wore the best of her clothing, came to him at dusk, and knocked on the door of his cell, saying: "I am a traveling woman, and I have lost my way. It is dark now. Please do not let me stay outside lest the wild beasts kill me, and you become responsible for my blood." When he opened the door and knew the snare of the devil who sent her, he started to preach to her and put the fear in her heart of the tortures of hell which is awaiting sinners. He indicated to her the delight and the bliss which is awaiting the righteous. God opened her heart, and she understood what he said to her. She knelt to his feet weeping and asked him to accept her and assist her in saving her soul. She took off her apparel and he put on her a sackcloth of hair. He cut off her hair and called her "The simple minded or the naive". He taught her the way of righteousness and she excelled through many prayers and fasting, and surpassed many saints by her fasting and perpetual prayers. The devil tried to snare him again. But this time in the form of a monk who went around in the monasteries weeping and saying: "Father Ammonius the hermit has married and keeps the woman with him in his cell. He has put the monks to shame and has disgraced the monastic garb." When Father Apollo, who was like the angels, heard of that, he took with him Father Yousab and Father Nohi (Bohi), to the cell of Father Ammonius. They knocked on the door of the cell, and when she opened to them they realized the matter. They entered and prayed together as the custom and sat to talk about the greatness of God. At the end of the day, Father Ammonius told them, let us go to see the "Naive One" for she was baking some bread. When they went out to where she was, they saw her standing in the midst of a great fire, and her hands were stretched out towards heaven praying. They marvelled exceedingly and glorified God. After they had eaten the bread, everyone went separately to sleep and the angel of the Lord revealed to Father Apollo the story of the "Naive One" who was staying with St. Ammonius. And that God brought them there to be present at the time of her departure. About the third hour of the night, she became sick with fever. She knelt down and delivered up her soul at the hand of the Lord. They swathed her, and after praying over her, they buried her. Then Father Ammonius told them about her virtues, and that for the eighteen years that she stayed with him, she never raised her face to look at him, and that her food was bread and salt. After this, St. Antony sent him to the El-Natroun valley to establish there several new monasteries, and many believers followed him. He organized for them their livelihood and directed them with excellence. Soon after this, the holy father departed in peace. Lessons from this story How truly pure and fully devoted was this amazing saint to have lived with two women, at two different times, and never be tempted. Though this telling of the saint’s story does indicate known stories of the devil’s attempts at temptation, it must be understood that the mere combination of a woman in such close and personal quarters with a man is, in itself, challenging. Consider this, would we allow our daughter to have such an arrangement? A troubling question to ask for sure. To say no, as a parent, is to be mindful of human nature. But in saying no, we do not fully understand the simplistic power St Ammonius had. A pure child-like perspective that this woman (either one) was his sister. Nothing more and nothing less. Now let us ask the above question with a different lean to it. Would we ever allow our daughter to live with her brother? Well of course. They already do. That answer is the exact way St Ammonius viewed all women, as sisters. He was not a monk because the holy garb he was given by St Isadore. He was not a monk because of the location he chose to live in or the lifestyle he pursued. He was a monk because he lived in the innocence of his childhood with His Father Jesus Christ. Prayer God grant us strength to resist the temptations of the devil and bless us with your wisdom to see through his traps. May the prayers and intercessions of St Ammonius be with us all, amen.

St Martha On the 3rd day of the Coptic month of Paona we celebrate the life of St Martha. Martha was born in the city of Cairo to wealthy Christian parents. She loved fornication and unchastity in her youth and her works became known. However, the mercy of God from above encompassed her, and moved her to go to church. That was on the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. When she came to its door however, wishing to go in, the servant delegated to watch the door told her, "It is not right for you to go into the holy church, for you know what you are?" A confrontation took place between them, and when the Bishop heard the clamor, he came to the door of the church to see what had happened. When he saw the girl, he said to her, "Do you not know that the house of God is holy, and only the pure may enter." She wept and said, "Accept me O father, for I am repentant from this instant. I have decided not to go back to my sinful life." The bishop replied, "If it is true what you have said, go and bring back here all your silk clothes and gold ornaments." She quickly home and brought back all of her possessions and gave them to the Bishop. He ordered that they be burned immediately, then he shaved off the hair of her head. He put on her the monastic garb and sent her to one of the convents. She fought a great spiritual fight, and she frequently said in her prayers: "O Lord, if I could not bear the disgrace from the servant of Your house, so please do not put me to shame before Your angels and saints." She continued the spiritual fight for twenty-five years, during which she did not go out of the door of the convent, until she departed in peace. Lessons from this story “Who shall cast the first stone.” Jesus said. Not really a question, but a statement. Martha’s life is like so many of use in that we get lured by the many temptations of this world. It need not be sex, greed, anger or any well known vice. Sometimes it can be the lesser known sins like laziness. When we think of the Prodigal Son we must remember that he, while sitting in the filth of the pig mud, made the effort to come home. But he did not even get halfway down the road when his father spied him and ran out to meet him. Although it does not say in this story, I can almost hear the rejoiceful singing of angels and saints the day Martha changed. But when was that actually? Was it when the bishop burned her possessions? Shaved her head or put on the covenant garb of a nun? It when, in her heart, she said “I am repentant at this instant.” In that very moment did the heavens rejoice. My father always said to me, “never do anything halfway. Either do it or don’t.” We all work and are distracted by other affairs of the mind and heart. We have a deadline, a project, something that takes our full concentration that even the slightest distraction can make us mad, lose our train of thought and/or focus. This is what my father would say “halfway”. Doing something right takes all your might. Not just physical, but emotionally, spiritually and mentally. Participating in our own salvation needs the same kind of singular dedication. When you come to church, leave your cell phone in the car, leave your watch at home. Come all the way, not just halfway. Prayer May the prayers of St Martha be with us and her intercessions be heard to help each of us find the strength, like she did, to focus fully on you oh Lord. And may we all be grant the chance to meet her face to face as well with you our Lord Jesus Christ.

St Andronicus On the 22nd day of the Coptic month of Bashons we celebrate the life of St Andronicus. Andronicus was chosen by the Lord to be among the seventy disciples whom He sent before Him to preach the kingdom of God. He received the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room on the day of the Pentecost. St. Paul mentions his name in (Romans 16:7) saying: "Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me." He preached the Gospel in many cities in the company of Junia, and they guided many to the Christian faith, and performed many miracles, healed the sick, and transformed many idol temples in to churches. When they completed their course, and the Lord willed to take them from this world, Andronicus became ill for a short time and departed in peace. Junia buried him in a cave, and he prayed to the Lord to take him also. He departed on the next day. Lessons from this story Andronicus is a classical greek name, which means “male victor or warrior.” Although not much is mentioned about his life, his struggles or his contributions - which is strange for someone so beloved by St Paul. Indeed, we can surmise quite a bit more details simply by St Paul’s simple statement. He calls Andronicus his “kinsmen”. That is akin to calling him brother, or family. Though there is no record of them being actual actual family, this term of endearment was meant as a reference to their united effort on behalf of the Lord Jesus Christ. But a true honor to be called family by the venerable St Paul. Even in his time, we was considered such a pillar in the Christian faith, that to receive a nod by him is akin to the President going on national TV and calling you, by name, with honor. So we must believe that St Paul is calling out the virtues of Andronicus by calling him kinsmen. There is also a reference to to Andronicus being a fellow prisoner. But again, the telling of his story makes no reference to any imprisonment. But sure, to be called kinsmen also meant that Andronicus endured a great many challenges in spreading the word of salvation through Christ among the world. So the combination of these two references, kinsmen and prisoner, tell us much more than history has recorded. That this Andronicus was devote, loyal, virtuous, strong in the faith and example of the early Christian pillars paramount for the growing faith. And yet, he remains humbly unknown to you and me. But perhaps the most powerful compliment that can be given is that Andronicus was noted among the apostles. His work, his effort, his sacrifices were known to the apostles. We live in a world of showcasing. People are always on display, either literally or virtually. Racing around trying to get recognition, or worse, trying to get “likes”, “Views” or some kind of feedback. Andronicus, revered by the exalted St Paul, is virtually unknown by the world today, but his contributions were written in the Book of Life. Serve them for Him, and serve Him for them because at the end of the day, you only need one “like” from above. Prayer Thank you God for the guidance you give us that we may continue to serve your great economy of salvation for all. Help us to always be good stewards of these eternal gifts. May the prayers of St Andronicus be with us all, amen.

St Yoannis XI, 89th Pope of Alexandria On the 28th day of the Coptic month of Baramouda we celebrate the life of St Yoannis the Eleventh, 89th Pope of Alexandria. He was known as Yoannis El-Maksi for he was from El-Maksa in Cairo. His birth name was Farag which means “blessing” or “cure” depending on the source. He was a contemporary to the rulers El-Ashraf, El-Aziz, El-Zaher, and El-Mansour. He encountered many hardships that required the intervention of the kings of Ethiopia who threatened the Egyptian government to cut the flow of the Nile because of the persecution of El-Nasara (The Copts, the Nazarenes). The Patriarch was forbidden to communicate with the kings of Ethiopia and Nubia without the permission and knowledge of the rulers of the government. He departed in the year 1452, the same year Johann Gutenberg printed the very first Bible. Before that time all bibles were hand-made. Pope Yoannis departed in peace having sat on the throne of St. Mark for 24 years, 11 months, and 23 days. Lessons from this story It is said that Pope Yoannis was a contemporary, which means he was skilled in the art of negotiating with government leaders, as well as the various buearcratical factions that ensue. How draining that must have been. Here you are, the leader of a faithful and spiritual people, having to deal with the politics of this world. Politics is a war that has no peace, only a begrudging compromise. But it is a tool of the devil to steal away your peace. How truly remarkable this pope must have been to be written down as a contemporary and having sustained the role of spiritual father “Abba” for 24 years. Think of how many governments have changed, leaders and rulers come and go, while the constant presence of the Pope remains. And with each new ruler, there are new terms, new arrangements sometimes even having to start all over. Samuel the prophet was dismayed when the people demanded a king be set upon them, for he knew the truth. There was only one King. But the Lord said to him, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.” (1 Samuel 8:7) And then Samuel told the people all the terrible things they would sacrifice for this new “king” they demanded. But they didn’t care, they wanted to be ruled like all their enemies had been ruled. We have the greatest protector ever. The greatest King, Guardian, Council, that has ever been. Pope Yoannis knew this well. And though this telling indicates he endured many hardships, during his time as Pope, he knew not only were the rulers he dealt with were temporary - but our time here as well. Prayer Oh Father helps to always see past the temporary hardships we face and to use them to grow in spiritual strength and knowledge that you are our true one and only King. May the prayers and intercessions of Pope Yoannis the 11th, 89th Pope of Alexandria be with us all amen.

St. Theoclia On the 11th day of the Coptic month of Bashons we celebrate the life of St Theoclia, wife to St Justus. In his morbid march against Christians, the Roman Emperor Diocletian had sent St Justus and Theoclia to the Governor of Alexandria. Who separated them, sending St. Justus to Antinoe, where he was martyred, and sending Theoclia to Sa El-Hagar. When the Governor there met her, he marvelled at her fortitude and resolve. He was astonished by her will to leave the kingdom preferring to die instead. At first, he tried to persuade her, but she refused to accept his flowery words saying: "I have left my kingdom, accepted the separation of my husband whom I have known since my youth, and I have been comforted by my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So what could you give me?" Enraged by her resolve, he ordered her to be beaten until her flesh was torn and then placed her in prison. The angel of the Lord appeared to her, comforted and strengthened her. When the prisoners witnessed her wounds being healed miraculously, they believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, and they all received the crown of martyrdom. The Governor ordered her beheaded and she received the crown of martyrdom. Some believers came, paid the soldier silver, took her body, shrouded and placed it in a coffin until the end of the Days of Persecution. Lessons from this story Daniel said to the steward in charge of him, “Please test your servants for ten days and let them feed us vegetables to eat and water to drink, then let our appearance be examined..” (Daniel 1:12-13) In the king’s court all ate and drank merrily, without a care in the world. But when Daniel refused to partake of this, the steward was afraid his king would be angry. So for ten days Daniel and his companions ate vegetables and water, while the others in the stewards' care ate the king’s delicacies with wine. The steward marvelled at their bright countenance compared to the shallow faces of the others. St Theoclia represented the same bright countenance as Daniel. Feasting not on the world, but only on the nourishment of Jesus Christ. Truly, what could this poor governor give her to match? Even the emperor is poor in comparison to the riches of Christ. We never know how many lives we impact with our daily struggles against the world’s vices. Though the bible tells us to fast in private, and always present a pleasant appearance, so as to not draw attention to our efforts. But people notice. Some may ask, many will not. We live our life for God. Being Christian is meaning to be Christ-like. For in us is the firm knowledge that everything of this world will fail us utterly, but when we are sustained on the nourishments of God’s Grace, a single drop is like a feast. Prayer God help us to be blinded to the luxuries of this life, but to be focused on that ever narrowing bridge that leads to eternal life. May the prayers and intercessions of St Theoclia be with us all, amen.

St Qozman El-Tahawy On the 1st day of the Coptic month of Paone we celebrate the life of St. Qozman (Cosmas) El-Tahawy and his companions. For they were martyred on this day. Lessons from this story And that’s it. That is all that is written about this saint. If you go online and search his name, you will find exactly the same details on several different websites. But why do we celebrate his life? Yes we understand on this day he was martyred, along with his companions, but what was his struggle. It is of no value to the saint to just celebrate his martyrdom without enlightening us of his struggles. A saint gains no glory it this celebration, not from us anyway. And without the telling of his struggle there is no value to us either. Then why am I including it here then? It is wrong to list a saint in the Synexar without telling the saint’s story. We are blessed with great stories given to us about saints and their individual challenges. But I was sad to find this reference in the Synexar with no details whatsoever. What will our children? “Hey why do you celebrate this saint?” Someone will ask. “I don’t know, they just have his name listed.” How sad. As we know saints reside with the Lord and remain active on his behalf. But if we don’t get know the saint, through his life’s telling, there is a tremendous loss to you and me. And though I must imagine sadness does enter into a saint at this stage of their existence, it just does fit the narrative that God wastes nothing. If you meet a person and learn nothing about this person, other than being introduced to him or her, how forgettable they will be to us. But when hear their stories and share our stories, there is a keenship that develops. These saints are our brothers and sisters. Many of them we have developed deep meaningful relationships with. But St Qozman El Tahawy may not be able to fulfill that joyful act as a saint, for though he is remembered in the Synexar by name only, the life that defined him is unknown to us. Prayer I will set forth a different prayer this time. Please, if know this saint’s story, reach out to us and share so that we may share with everyone else. IN this combined effort do we honor his struggle, his martyrdom and the works of the Lord through him. And glory be to God.

St Epiphanius, Bishop of Cyprus On the 17th day of the Coptic month of Bashons we celebrate the life of St Epiphanius, Bishop of Cyprus.. Epiphanius was born to Jewish parents. His father had died when he was young, and he was raised straight and true by his mother and sister. His father had left behind an untrained donkey, whom his mother had asked the young Epiphanius to sell. Along the journey, Epiphanius met a Christian man named Philotheus who offered to buy the donkey. But the donkey kicked Epiphanius in his thigh, and he fell down on the ground unconscious. Philotheus made the sign of the cross over the place of injury and Epiphanius was cured of his pain instantly. Then Philotheus condemned the donkey. God straightaway struck the donkey, it fell down and died. Epiphanius inquired about the secret of the donkey's death and Philotheus told him that it was the power of the cross. He educated Epiphanius about the crucified Christ, Son of God, at the hands of the Jews in Jerusalem. That in God’s supreme love for us, offered Himself up freely for the Salvation of the world. This remained in the mind of Epiphanius. When one of the rich Jewish men died and had no one to inherit his wealth, he left all his inheritance to Epiphanius. He used this inheritance to spend on the teachers of religion and Law. Once, when he was walking in the road, he saw a poor man asking for charity from one of the monks, and as the monk did not have any money to give, he took off his garment and gave it to him. As the poor man took this garment, Epiphanius saw a white dress coming down from heaven upon the monk instead of the garment that he given away. He was astonished and went to the monk and asked him: "Who are you and what is your faith?" The monk told him that he was Christian. He asked the monk to guide him to the facts of the Christian faith. The monk brought him to the bishop who taught him the law of the Christian faith and baptized him. Epiphanius desired to become a monk, and the bishop sent him to the monastery of St. Lucianus. He became a disciple to St. Hilarion, and the grace of God was with him. He excelled in the church subjects, monastic virtues, and its cannons. St. Hilarion prophesied that Epiphanius would become a bishop and commanded him to go to Cyprus, and not to refuse the office of bishop if it was offered to him. When the bishop of Cyprus departed, it happened that Epiphanius entered the city to buy certain necessities, and he had two monks with him. A saintly bishop was inspired to go to the marketplace to choose the monk that had two clusters of grapes, whose name was Epiphanius, to ordain him a bishop for Cyprus. When the bishop went to the market, he found him with the other two monks, with two clusters of grapes in his hand. He asked him about his name and he knew that he was the chosen one by God. He took him to the church and ordained him deacon, priest, then bishop. He revealed to the people his vision about him and the prophecy of St. Hilarion was fulfilled. Bishop Epiphanius followed a right course of conduct in his diocese, which was well pleasing to God. He wrote many books and discourses and he always preached about mercy. It happened that John, bishop of Jerusalem, was not merciful. So Bishop Epiphanius borrowed from him some of his gold and silver table vessels, and sold them, giving the money to the poor and needy. When Bishop John asked him to return them, he struck him in his eyes and he became blind. John asked the Saint to pray to heal him, and he prayed, and God opened one of John's eyes. In the year 402 A.D., Empress Eudoxia called upon Bishop Epiphanius to help her to drive out St. John Chrysostom from Constantinople. However, he tried to reconcile them together, but failed. She threatened him that she would open the temples of idols and close the churches if he did not work on his removal. But since he could not reconcile the differences between her and St. John, he returned to Cyprus and departed that same year. Lessons from this story I am a Christian. This is what both the monk who received the white garment from heaven and Philotheus said to St Epiphanius. In the 5th century, when this takes place, it is reasonable that Epiphanius would not be aware of christianity. But we live in time when labels are abused. I am a Christian. Does that make me in fact a Christian? Jesus said “a tree is known by its fruit.” (Matthew 12:33) In a meaning, a tree does not label itself an apple tree, or an orange tree, it is known by its fruit. Being a Christian means being like Christ. Does fruit of our daily labors prove this out? St Epiphanius was a righteous man before God. This was true before he became a Christian. How do we know? By his fruit. When he inherited the undeserved riches from the dying man, Epiphanius did not squander it on luxurious living. He used it to celebrate his belief and faith in God. His actions (or fruit) bear out his true nature. When his eyes were opened by the generosity of the monk giving away his only possession, his garment, to the beggar, Epiphanius knew in his heart a truth had been revealed to him. Being a righteous man, he sought out this truth fully. In Acts chapter 17, verse 33, St Paul beheld a tribute to the unknown God. St Paul in the wisdom given to him by God and the Holy Spirit, enlightened the people, giving them a name to call this unknown God. That they may worship Him fully. Just as Epiphanius. In today’s world we live under the oppressive labels. We fear being called one thing and wish to be called another. But these are false percepts. Driven by a social media that creates a false value. Before God not one of these labels matters at all. Before God we are known by our fruits. As Jesus says in Luke chapter 6, “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.” Be known by your fruit. Prayer Oh God armor use against the paper attacks of words that carry with them no sting or dagger, but to focus inward to our service in Your holy name. May we ever be fruitful in your eyes oh Lord. May the prayers of St Epiphanius be with us all amen.

St Isidore and His Family On the 19th day of the Coptic month of Bashons we celebrate the life of St Isidore and His Family. Isidore was born in Antioch and his father's name was Bandalaon, who was a nobleman in the Roman Empire under Diocletian. His mother's name was Sofia and he had a sister whose name was Ophimia. Their parents raised them in the Christian faith. When Diocletian apostatized, Bandalaon and his son Isidore left all their possessions and went secretly to a mountain where they lived with a holy man whose name was Abba Samuel. When the Emperor knew of what had happened, he brought them before him, and he tried to persuade Bandalaon to abandon his Christian faith with promises of wealth. But Bandalaon remained strong and refused the emperor’s temptations. The Emperor grew angry and threatened Bandalaon, who was no longer paying attention to what the Emperor was saying, presumably praying to God. At the Emperor’s decree, a soldier cut off his head. Young Isidore, who was only twelve years old, witnessed his father’s strength. The guards tortured him with all kinds of horrible tortures. But he endured. His mother and sister were beside him often during his trial, comforting him and strengthening him to endure for the sake of Jesus Christ. In the end, the Emperor ordered all of them to be beheaded. They all received the crowns of life. Lessons from this story This story is more than the telling of the life of one saint, but of a family of four saints. Isidore truly was incredible, at such a young age, to endure what is recorded as horrible tortures. But truly he was inspired by his father’s truth in conviction. It is truly important how we practice what we preach when it comes to our children. For they see more than we think they do, and they find out when we are being hypocrites. As my father said to me, “do as I say not as I do.” As child I obey, but as I got older I did not find wisdom in those words. But just saying, “do as I do.” Is not always enough to win the hearts of our youth, for often times we do something without truly explaining why we do it. I came to the faith late in life, so I asked many questions. Many answers I found, but sometimes the answer was “I don’t know, just tradition I guess.” Or the youth would simply tell me, “Because my parents said to.” It is not enough to set an example, but to explain the importance of what we do and why we do it, otherwise the youth will be easily discouraged. Our faith is rich with history, steeply found in every liturgy, but not all aspects are universally known. Even some of our daily practices such as, praying, reading the bible, fasting and many more do not resonate with the youth if it comes by command instead of revelation. St Bandalaon and St Sofia raised their son and daughter in the Christian values. But the depth of a trees roots are not known until the mighty wind comes. Then will the weak rooted trees fall while the strong rooted tree endure. If we can always take time explain, reveal and enlighten our youth, then we are truly servants of Christ. For in them we invest. Prayer Thank you God the children you place in our care, for helping realize they are not our children, but Your children on loan to us. Help us to guide them straight and true through this world unto the path of eternal life.

St Sina the Soldier On the 24th day of the Coptic month of Baramouda we celebrate the life of St Sina the Soldier. Sina was a companion of St. Isidore. One night both of them saw a vision and it seemed to them that a virgin came to them with crowns which she placed on their heads. When they woke up from their sleep they told each other about what they had seen, and they rejoiced greatly as they believed that the Lord had called them to receive the crown of martyrdom. They went to the Governor and Sina, a soldier, unbound his soldier's girdle and cast it down before the governor and both Sina and Isidore confessed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Governor of Farma tortured the two friends and St. Isidore was martyred. Sina, however, remained alive in the prison. When a new Governor took charge he commanded not to keep any one who confessed the Name of Christ. He heard about the presence of Sina in prison, and that he was a captain of soldiers. Sina was tortured greatly but did not turn from his faith. The Governor immediately ordered to cut off his head and he received the crown of martyrdom. His mother was beside him when he was martyred, and she saw a multitude of angels carrying away his soul as she had also seen St. Isidore's soul at the time of his martyrdom as well. They took his body, shrouded it, laid it with the body of his friend St. Isidore in the city of Samanoud, and many signs and wonders appeared from them. Lessons from this story The unknown can be scary. This story illustrates the vision both Sts Sina and Isidore received giving them comfort before their martyrdom. Though they knew what they would face, as the dream illustrated to them, they gleefully accepted and went out pronouncing their faith in Christ, knowing full well they would be tortured for it. Christ knew their hearts and brought to them comfort before they were to face torture. To help them know that what was to come for their faith was the glory of eternal life and the crown of martyrdom. I like to hike. Backpacking in the wilderness helps escape the world while enjoying the beauty of what God has created for all us to enjoy. And though we travel, we have a semblance of a map, we are often coming up on a corner not knowing what is exactly around the corner. Maybe the trial hits a dead end caused by a recent storm or rock slide, or even a wild animal might be there. I have faith in the map, even though it may not tell me exactly what I will face. But once I turn that corner and face what is on the other side, I l no longer have faith, I have knowledge. St Sina and his close friend St Isidore, both had faith in Jesus Christ, as the lord knew their hearts. But once they both had the same dream, they knew. And once you know something, you can never unknow it. We all face difficult challenges in our life. It is the trials and tribulations that St James in the Bible says “Count it all joy,” (James 1:2) When you know the final outcome that is to be, it strengthens you to keep going. Sometimes the torture can be hell. Winston Churchill famously said, “When you are going through hell, keep on moving.” Truth is, nothing on this earth will ever be heaven nor will it ever be hell. Remember this, we are foreigners here. Just passing through. Keep your faith for you know it to be true. Prayer Oh God help us always stay on the path that leads us to the eternal life and to always be willing to call on you for help at anytime. May the prayers of Sts Sina and Isidore be with us all, amen.

St Sarah and Her Two Sons On the 25th day of the Coptic month of Baramouda we celebrate the life of St Sarah and her two sons. Sarah was from the city of Antioch, the wife of a man whose name was Socrates, one of the governors of Emperor Diocletian. This Governor had denied Christ to please Diocletian, pretending before his wife that he did that because of his fear from the Emperor. Sarah had two sons, she could not baptize in Antioch, because of her fear from the Emperor and her husband. She took them and sailed to Alexandria to baptize them there. God willed to reveal the greatness of her faith as a lesson to the generations to come. God brought forth a great tempest and the ship was about to be wrecked and drown. Sarah was afraid that her sons would be drowned without being baptized. She prayed a long prayer, then she wounded her right breast, took some of her blood, anointed them making the sign of the cross upon the foreheads, and over the hearts. Then she dipped them in the sea three times saying: "In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." After that, the winds died down, a great calm came on the sea, and the ship sailed toward Alexandria. When she arrived, she took her sons, went to the church, and handed them to Pope Peter, the seal of the martyrs. He received them to be baptized, together with the children of the city. When the Pope carried one of her sons to baptize him, the water froze. The Pope went on baptizing other children and came back to her sons, but the water again froze. The same thing occurred on the third attempt. The Pope was amazed and asked their mother about her story. She told him about all that happened to her at sea and what she did for her sons. He glorified God and said: "It is indeed one baptism." When the woman returned to Antioch, her husband denounced what she had done. He related what happened to the Emperor accusing his wife with adultery. The Emperor brought her and reproached her saying: "Why did you go to Alexandria to commit adultery with the Christians?" The Saint answered him: "Christians do not commit adultery, and do not worship idols, and after this do what you wish, for you will not hear another word from me." The Emperor asked her: "Tell me what did you do in Alexandria?" When she did not answer him, he ordered to tie her hands behind her, and to place her two sons on her belly, and burn all three of them. She turned her face to the east and prayed. She delivered up her pure soul along with her sons, and they all received the crown of martyrdom. Lessons from this story For the love of a mother, were her children saved. For the love of the Father, was her baptism one with God. Her purity was true. Clearly she was not a virgin, as she had been married and given child from her husband. But in this example, purity and virginity are not always the same. Though her marriage was in the faith of Christianity, as the husband denied his faith for he feared the emperor more than he feared God. So her purity was unstained. But so pure was her faith in God, her devotion to her Father, that she believed with all her heart the importance of the baptism of her children. Not as an act of tradition but of faith, knowledge of the Lord. The importance here is that “the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) As we meet people from outside of the church, we must remember they are God’s chosen too. That they should not ever let the stain of flesh prevent them from the sweetness of the Father. That in our outreach, the Father of love accepts all as they are. And that a pure desire to be one with God, to be freed from the world, are too all. Just ask Mary Magdalene. Prayer God helps us to serve in your holy name and guide us to those seeking your goodness. Help us to see them as you do, to resist the temptations of this world while extending a hand to those who need to know you. May the prayers of St Sarah and her two sons be with us all amen.

St Pope Mark, 49th Pope of Alexandria (EDITED / RECORDED) On the 22nd day of the Coptic month of Baramouda we celebrate the life of St Mark, the 49th Pope of Alexandria. Mark was from Alexandria, and he was an honorable and educated man. The pope of Alexandria at the time, Pope John, ordained him a deacon for he was an eloquent speaker. His voice was sweet and all those who heard him rejoiced in him. The Pope handed him the administration of the papal place, and he did nothing without his advice. When Pope John put on him the garb of monks in the monastery, one of the elder monks shouted saying: "This deacon whose name is Mark shall, rightly and fittingly sit upon the throne of his father Mark, the Evangelist." When Pope John departed, the bishops unanimously agreed to choose Mark as the next Patriarch. He fled to the desert, but they caught up with him, brought him back, and enthroned him Patriarch on the 2nd day of Amshir, in 799 A.D.. He tended to the church’s needs, and restored those that were in a ruinous state. He returned many of the heretics back to the Orthodox faith, healed many of the sick, and cast out many with devils. Telling them: "What happened to you was because you dared to partake of the Holy Mysteries with irreverence, so keep yourselves henceforward from the evil words that come out of your mouth." In his days, the Muslim Arabs conquered the Greek Isles, captured many of their women and children, brought them to Alexandria, and started to sell them. The Pope gathered money from the believers, and was able to pay three thousand Dinars to save and free them. He wrote for them bills of manumission and set them free. He provided those who wished to return to their country with whatever they needed, and those who wished to stay, he gave them in marriage and protected them. He restored the church of the Redeemer in Alexandria. But evil and possessed men came and burned it down. So Mark restored it again. When the Lord willed to give him rest, he became sick. He prayed the Divine Liturgy, partook of the Holy Mysteries, bid the bishops that were there farewell and then departed in peace. He sat on the See for 20 years, 2 months and 21 days. Lessons from this story I think if I was to give a title to Saint Mark, 49th Pope of Alexandria, I would call him the restorer. Not just for his unwavering persistence in rebuilding the church of the Redeemer, but early on we read that he restored many to the faith. Some who had become heretics, while also restoring many back to purity. Restoration of anything requires patience and a tedious attention to detail. Many of us today have seen TV shows where a person is restoring a car, a house or an artifact back to its original glory. That is truly a patience and careful person. Sure the show’s glam over the tediousness of the tasks, as they do not want to lose their audience, showing only certain highlights until it is fully restored. But returning anything to its original glory can not be captured in a 30 minute TV show. I had an occasion to visit the vatican on a rare house tour. One of the rooms was displaying certain arts that were in various stages of restore. Paintings, sculptures, trinkets, frescos, etc. I asked the curator what the duration was, and he mused, pointing to one of the paintings “Not in my lifetime will it be finished.” St Mark spent his life restoring souls, just as the Creator gave His life to restore us back to our original glory as well. Prayer Oh Father helps us always appreciate the many gifts you give us each and every day. Help us also appreciate the sacrifice you made for us and guide us when the time comes that we too may help restore someone back to you. May the prayers of St Abba Mark the Restorer, 49th Pope of Alexandria be with us all, Amen.

St Michael, 53rd Pope of Alexandria On the 22nd day of the Coptic month of Baramouda we celebrate the life of St Michael, 53rd Pope of Alexandria. This father was a righteous monk, and he was ordained hegumen for the monastery of the saint Abba John. Because of his good conduct, they chose him Patriarch, and he was enthroned on the 24th day of Hatour 566 A.M. (November 20th., 849 A.D.). When the Holy Fast came, he went to the desert of Scetis to keep the fast there. He remembered his earlier life in the wilderness, so he asked God with tears and supplication saying: "O God, you know how much I love solitary life and I have no aptitude for the position that I am in." The Lord accepted his petition and he departed in peace after the feast of Passover. He stayed on the Chair one year, four months and twenty-eight days. Lessons from this story Imagine what is involved with being a priest. You must straddle between being in the world and being not of the world. You and I, assuming you are not a priest, strive to not be influenced by this world we live in as it relates to our spiritual desire to be one with God. Everyone should have solitary time with God alone. For many of us it is during the liturgy, for some lucky few, they can have a quiet solitary time for God daily. But the truth is, if we do not actually make time for one on one with God, the world will do everything it can to prevent you. Your mobile will ring. Someone will come to you with a problem. Some terrible thought will enter into your brain. Whatever distraction comes, you are robbed of that amazing and wonderful visit with God. A priest plays such a pivot role in our life. They are to be deeply ground in spiritualness so they can help guide us through the darkness of this world. But many priests, that serve in a church, have so many other obligations that having nothing really to do with being a priest. Clearly St Michael sought only alone time with God. Nothing in this world meant more to him than this solitary relationship. It was probably because of this constant pursuit of peaceful time with Christ that gave him the ability to rise above the daily turmoils of life, making idea for such a high spiritual role on earth. Pope, abba, father to so many. Nothing would give the enemy of man greater pleasure than to befall such an esteemed ascetic. St Michael, through Jesus Christ, could have faced the world daily. But ugliness once seen or felt is hard to be cleansed from. So he ran from the world, like Joseph from Pontifar’s wife, seeking release from the prison of his position. A lesson we should all try to do, daily. Prayer Thank you father for this life given to us. Guide us always through the darkness and mire that is so pervasive in this world. Help us to see only you in people we meet and actions we take. May the prayers of St Michael, 53rd pope of Alexandria be with us and for us, amen.

St Sousenyos On the 26th day of the Coptic month of Baramouda we celebrate the life of St Sousenyos. Sousenyos was the son of one of the friends of Emperor Diocletian. An angel of the Lord appeared to him and strengthened his heart on receiving the crown of martyrdom. Sousenyos kept this in his heart, sharing it with no one. The Emperor sent him to the city of Nicomedia to restore the worship of idols. Sousenyos sorrowed exceedingly. He sent for and brought with him, a priest on his journey to Nicomedia. Who taught him the doctrine of the church, the facts of the faith and baptized him. When his father found out, he brought his own son before the Emperor, declaring that he did not worship the idols. The Emperor ordered to torture him with severe tortures. But the Lord strengthened and comforted him. Finally, they cut off his head, and he received the crown of martyrdom. The number of those who had seen him during his torture and believed because of him, were eleven hundred and seventy. They were all martyred and received the crown of martyrdom. Lessons from this story Jesus warned us that this exact thing would happen. “Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 10:21-22). The angel came to Sousyenos and revealed his martyrdom. Imagine what that must be like. You have grown up in the luxury of great wealth, comfort and prestige. As the son of a friend to the emperor, you would have everything your heart could desire. Though this telling does not elaborate why the angel appeared to Sousenyos, only that an angel did reveal his destiny. As we know God knows the heart, cleary we must infer that Sousenyos, despite his wealth and privilege, was not happy. This telling does not say the angel appeared in response to a prayer, in fact the story implies the announcement was unsolicited. So clearly the takeaway is that God knew Sousenyos’s heart and gave him a better option. But, we read that Sousenyos was cautious. I mean at this time being Christian was not a popular thing to do, especially for someone so close to the emperor who will go down in history and horrible torturer of Christians. But nonetheless, he kept this reveal in his heart. When the time came for him to be tested, he learned all he could about Christianity, was baptized, stood his ground, gripped his new faith and eventually released, receiving the crown of Martyrdom. Pure of heart can be found anywhere if we allow God to direct us. Do we imagine for one second Jonah would have gone to that horrible band of sinners the Ninevites if God had not called him? Absolutely not. He even resisted God's will, hoping to witness the destruction of a people he deemed unworthy. Do we do that? Do we look at others and think we know their hearts? Truly we fall victim to judgment of others based on our one dimension perception, but when we listen to the lives of saints, maybe we can train ourselves to curb that first reaction and allow God to reveal to us the pure of heart no matter where we are. Prayer God please use us. Guide our eyes, hands, feet and minds to see and do your work. That through you, we can be part of that greatness that is being“called”. May the prayers and intercessions of St Sousenyos be with us all, amen.