How Can I Be Saved? - Abba Anthony the Great

When the holy Abba Anthony lived in the desert, he was beset by accidie, and attacked by many sinful thoughts. He said to God, 'Lord, I want to be saved, but these thoughts will not leave me alone. What shall I do in my affliction? How can I be saved?'

A short while afterwards, when he got up to go out, Anthony saw someone like himself sitting at his work, getting up from his work to pray, then sitting down and plaiting a rope, then getting up again to prayer.

It was an angel of the Lord sent to correct and reassure him.  He heard the angel saying to him, 'Do this and you will be saved.'  At these words, Anthony was filled with  joy and courage.  He did this, and he was saved. 

Receive Jesus From Virgin Mary - St. Augustine

The world being unworthy to receive the Son of God directly from the hands of the Father, he gave his Son to Mary for the world to receive him from her.

Saint Augustine

Don't Give Up

Do not be fainthearted. 

Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before them, 

for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you, 

to fight for you against your enemies, to save you. 

Deuteronomy 20:3-4 

Looking for a place to go to resign? Frustration can become a most unbearable thing. Take the Israelites, for example.  This passage implies that they had had just about enough. Scared, panicky, and shaking in their boots, their physical endurance was registering empty.

And then, in his timely way, God sends them a rousing message: "Don't quit!" Isn't that just like our Lord? In the middle of our most disparaging moments, he brings exactly the thing to uplift us.

That doesn't stop Satan. If he can break you down, he will. But don't give up: give in … to the Lord. Call out for God's strength and let him win your battles. He can change the frustrating into the fantastic before you can say, "I resign."

Straighten the crooked path

Look at the difference between an upright and a crooked heart.  The righteous man realizes that when afflictions or sorrow or humiliations fall on him it is by God's holy will, and so accepts it. The man with a twisted and perverted heart puts up with it angrily.  He agrees that he is a sinner, but says there are many worse than he who are happy.

In fact there are three arguments that his crooked heart puts forward: either there is no God - the fool says that - or God is unjust, or God does not rule the lives of men, and disinterests himself in what happens to them. The upright heart accepts whatever happens to him, saying 'The Lord has given, the Lord has taken away; as it pleased him so he has done: blessed be the name of the Lord'.

Your tribulations come from God - a punishment for the sinner, a chastisement for the son.  If you wish to be a son, don't expect to escape pains, for 'He chastises every son he receives'.  Every son?  Without exception?

Listen. The only begotten Son was without sin, and yet  he suffered. He took to himself our infirmity, the head bearing the members of the body in his person. As man he went to his Passion sorrowful that you might rejoice, in anguish that you might be consoled.  He said, 'My soul is sorrowful even unto death, but not what I will but what you will, Father'.

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St Augustine --- The Heart at Rest

Eternal Kingdom

The Church even now is the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of heaven. Accordingly, even now His saints reign with Him, though otherwise than as they shall reign hereafter; and yet, though the tares grow in the Church along with the wheat, they do not reign with Him.

For they reign with Him who do what the apostle says, If you are risen with Christ, mind the things which are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God. Seek those things which are above, not the things which are on the earth. Colossians 3: 1 - 2

St. Augustine

The Commemoration of the Miracle at Cana of Galilee

He who sits on the Cherubim, revealed His divinity, He performed signs and wonders, and sat with men as God.

The co-essential of the Father, who is before all ages, today was in the Wedding, of Cana of Galilee.

We praise and glorify Him, and exalt Him above all, as a Good One and lover of man, have mercy upon us according to Your great mercy.

On this day, the church celebrates the commemoration of the miracle that our Lord Jesus Christ performed at Cana of Galilee. It was the first miracle that our Lord Jesus performed after His baptism. He was invited to the wedding with His virgin mother, St. Mary, and also some of His disciples.

When they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine." Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."

There were set there six water pots of stone. Jesus said to them. "Fill the water pots with water." And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, "Draw some out now and take it to the master of the feast."

When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, he said to the bridegroom, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine and when the guests have well drunk, then that which is inferior; but you have kept the good wine until now."

This was the beginning of the signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee and manifested His glory and His disciples believed in Him. (John 2:1-11)

To Him is the Glory with His Good Father and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.

The Holy Epiphany - By St. Jerome

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.

John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.

And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;

and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Matthew 3:13-17

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 

But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness.” Then John consented.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 

And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Circumcision of Our Lord Jesus Christ

And when eight days were completed for
the circumcision of the Child, His name
was called JESUS, the name given by the angel

 Luke 2: 21



Rejoice today all you nations, and be glad, for Christ
accepted unto Himself, circumcision on our behalf 
That He may free us, from the circumcision of the flesh,
and grant us His Holy Spirit, with perfection 

 (Doxology of the feast of Circumcision)

From Pope Shenouda's Poem 'O Star'

"O star who guided us
Centuries ago to the Babe of the manger

I am, O star, a stranger here
A vagabond with no guide

For an age astray from God, I have found no guide
To take my hand and lead me

So guide the heart to His manger
And leave me there in awe and adoration

Amidst angels beautiful in appearance
Around Jesus in worship kneeling"

+ From Pope Shenouda's Poem 'O Star' +

The Holy Nativity

Now the heavens rejoice, and the earth is glad, for she has 

born Emmanuel for us, we the Christian people.  

Nativity Doxology

Heaven and Earth are united today, for Christ is born! Today God has come upon earth, and humankind gone up to heaven. Today, for the sake of humankind, the invisible one is seen in the flesh. Therefore let us glorify Him and cry aloud: glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace bestowed by your coming Savior: glory to you!

Today in Bethlehem, I hear the angels: glory to God in the highest! Glory to him whose good pleasure it was that there be peace on earth! The Virgin is now more specious than the heavens. Light has shone on those in darkness, exalting the lowly who sing like the angels: Glory to God in the highest!

Beholding him (Adam) who was in God's image and likeness fallen through transgression, Jesus bowed the heavens and came down, without change taking up His dwelling in a virgin womb, that He might refashion Adam fallen in corruption, and crying out: glory to your epiphany, my savior and my God! 

John The Monk 

Jesus Christ Born in Bethlehem

Alleluia Alleluia, Alleluia Alleluia

Jesus Christ the Son of God,

was born in Bethlehem.

Ⲁⲗⲗⲏⲗⲟⲩⲓⲁ́ Ⲁⲗⲗⲏⲗⲟⲩⲓⲁ́ Ⲁⲗⲗⲏⲗⲟⲩⲓⲁ́ Ⲁⲗⲗⲏⲗⲟⲩⲓⲁ́
Ⲓⲏⲥⲟⲩⲥ Ⲡⲓⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ  ̀Ⲡϣⲏⲣⲓ ⲙ̀ⲫϯ : ⲁⲩⲙⲁⲥϥ ϧⲉⲛ Ⲃⲏⲑⲗⲉⲉⲙ

A Beginning of A New Year

It is necessary to keep it a holy year with full purity and chastity. Let us start a new demeanor as St. Paul the Apostle said: 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; 

old things have passed away; behold, all things 

have become new.  Now all things are of 

God, who has reconciled us to Himself through 

Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.

(2 Corinthians 5:17-18) 

Isaiah the prophet said:

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn.

(Isaiah 61:1-2)

David the prophet said: 

You crown the year with Your goodness,
And Your paths drip with abundance.

(psalms 65:11)

We ask the Lord to forgive us our sins and help us according to His will with the intercessions of our holy mother Saint Mary and all the Martyrs and saints.
Amen