Weekly Bulletin 14th May 2023

Services at St Mary’s Church

Monday: Mass 9 - 11 am

Tuesday

Liturgy 5:30 - 7am

7:30pm The Way Orthodox Fellowship in Englisg for adults - All ages

Wednesday: Mass 9 – 11 am

6:30-8pm School of Deacons Adults

Arabic ; 7-8:15pm English (Zoom)

Hymns Class Arabic 8-9pm (Zoom)

Thursday

Mass 9 - 11 am - English

English Midnight Praises 7:30pm

English Bible Study 7:30pm

Friday: Mass Mass 9 – 11 am

Youth 25 and above 7-9pm

Family Meeting 7-9pm (fortnightly)

Discipleship Clas Class 7-8:30pm

Year 10-12 Sunday School 6-9pm

Saturday: Mass: 8:30 – 11am

Sunday School 4 – 5.30pm

Vespers & youth meeting 7-8:30pm

English

Vespers &Bible Study Arabic 5:307pm

Scouts 1:30 - 3pm

School of Deaconsgip 3 - 4pm

Sunday:

1st Mass6 - .7:45am Arabic & Eng-

lish

2nd Mass.7:45 – .9:30am English

3rd Mass 9:30 - 11:15am Arabic

Hymns Class - English 11:4512:30pm

Church Priests:

Fr Tadros Sharobeam 0414251251

Email: frtadros@me.com

Fr Habib Girgis Younan:

0401238177 – 94498871

Email: habibgirgisyounan@hotmail. com

Fr Michael Salib: 0422431821

Email: frmichael@sac.edu.au

Church Address: 5 Epsom Rd., Kens-

ington Vic 3031 Tel: 93766651

Fr Kerillos Tawadros

0411 518 399

Fr John Macary 0433 445 636

The Departure of St. Macarius of Alexandria.

14th May - 6th Bashans

On this day also of the year 395 A.D., the blessed father St. Macarius of Alexandria departed. He was a contemporary of St. Macarius the great (Senior), the father of the monks, and for this reason, he was called St. Macarius, the Junior. He became a monk at one of the monasteries near by Alexandria. For his asceticism, he became the father and the spiritual guide for all the monk’s cells in the area that near by Alexandria, so he was also called the father of the cells.

He practiced many worships and possessed many virtues in his ascetic life. Among these practices, he once stayed for five days with his thoughts in heaven, occupied with early Saints, prophets, angels, apostles and the Lord Christ, while he was standing on his sleeping mat. After two nights, the devils started to scratch his feet, twisting themselves as snakes around his feet. They also showed him fire in his cell, however with patience, the fire and the phantoms disappeared. On the fifth day, he could not control his thoughts with regards to the needs of life. This happened so that he would not become proud of what he had spiritually achieved. He said to himself: “I have remained in the ascetic life for 50 years, and they had not been like these five days.” After he had managed the schools of those were seeking to be baptized, he lived alone (Recluse) in the year 335 A.D. in el-Natroun desert, where he became the abbot of all the monasteries in this desert.

It happened that he walked in the desert for several days in unpaved road, and was placing sticks of reed during the way to help him recognize the way to come back. When he wanted to return, he found the devil had removed all the sticks to mislead him. When he became thirsty, God sent him a wild cow, and he drank from its milk, until he returned to his cell.

One day a hyena came to him and pulled his garment. He followed her to her den, and it brought out her three young ones. He found that they were all malformed, and was amazed from the intelligence of the animal. He prayed and put his hands on them, and they were healed. The hyena disappeared for a while, and she came back with a sheep skin which he used to sleep on until his departure.

At one time, the thoughts of pride disturbed him until he was weary of it. These thoughts invited him to come to Rome to heal the sick there, instead of them suffering the travel to him. He slept in his cell, and extended his feet outside the cell, and said to his thoughts: “You can travel now if you can.” When his thoughts went on disturbing him, he carried on his shoulder a basket full of sand, and walked in the desert until he became physically tired, the thoughts of pride left him, and he rested. Once, he went to the monastery of St. Pachomius in a layman’s garment, and stayed there during the forty days of Lent. No one saw him eating or sitting down.

He was making baskets of palm leaves while he was standing. The monks said to St. Pachomius: “Cast out this man from here, for he is not human.” He asked them to be patient until God reveals his story to them. St. Pachomius inquired of God about him, and God told him that he was St. Macarius of Alexandria. They were all happy to hear that, they welcomed him and received his blessings. When he found that his virtues have been revealed, he returned to his monastery.

It happened that it did not rain for some time in Alexandria, and the Patriarch called him. When he arrived to Alexandria, the rain started to fall, and it continued to rain until they asked him to stop it. He prayed and God stopped it. Emperor Valens exiled him with St. Macarius the great to one of the islands. They guided its people to the Christian faith, and then they returned to their monasteries. He considered that the virtue that was revealed and became known to everyone, was rendered useless. When he heard that someone had a virtue that he did not have, he practiced this virtue until he mastered it more than him. He completed his life in a good spiritual conduct until he reached a good old age, and departed in peace. May his prayers be with us. Amen.

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

15th May – 7th Bashans

On this day of the year 89 A.M. (373 A.D.) the great Pope Anba Athanasius the apostolic, the 20th. Pope of Alexandria, departed. He was born to pagan parents about the year 295 - 298 A.D. It happened that when he was in school, he saw some Christian children acting the Christian rituals some as priests, some as deacons and one of them as a bishop. He asked their permission to participate with them, but they refused saying: “You are pagan, and you are not allowed to mix with us.” He answered them: “I am from now on a Christian.” They rejoiced with him, they made him a patriarch over them in the play, they enthroned him on a high place, and they offered him honour and respect. At that time pope Alexandros passed by, when he saw them, he said to those who were with him about Athanasius: “This child would be in a great position one day.”

When Athanasius’ father died, his mother brought him to Pope Alexandros, who taught them the principles of the Christian faith and baptized them. They gave their money to the poor, and stayed with the Pope, who taught Athanasius the church subjects, and ordained him deacon and made him a personal secretary. The gifts of the Holy spirit increased in him. He was chosen Patriarch on the 8th. of Bashans of the year 44 A.M. (May 5th., 328 A.D.) after the departure of Pope Alexanderos.

Pope Alexanderos had recommended Athanasius, his deacon, for the Papacy, who lived with St. Antonios the father of the monks and followed his example in asceticism. He manifested his brilliancy in exposing “Arius” in the universal council, when Arius said about Christ that he was “similar” in essence with the Father, St. Athanasius

said: “One in essence with the Father.” In this fashion he manifested his excellence.

St. Athanasius hid himself in the mountains, after the departure of Pope Alexanderos for he believed of his unworthiness to this serious and important position. The people sought him until they found him, and brought him to the bishops, and was ordained Pope in 328 A.D. The historian Socrates testified about him saying: “Athanasius fluency in speech and his outspokenness in the council of Nicea brought over him all the hardships that he encountered in his life.”

After he became a Pope, he ordained for Ethiopia its first Metropolitan whose name was Anba “Salama”. The church of Ethiopia have followed the church of Alexandria since that time. The spiritual and religious state in Ethiopia had established and settled since that time. St. Athanasius was exiled away from his Chair five times: Although Athanasius reached the age of 72, he did not compromise in performing his duties. For his steadfastness and his firm stand for justice, the world described him by the saying: “Athanasius against the world.” He wrote several books about the Arians, on the Incarnation, and other subjects. Abba Cosma )The 44th. Patriarch) praised these publications by saying: “I ask anyone who would find the books of Athanasius to write them on paper, and for those who could not find paper, to write them on their clothes.”

Athanasius was the first Pope to wear the monastic tunic from the hand of St. Antonios. He made it the uniform for bishops and patriarchs. He was the one who ordaine St. Antonios a priest, and then Archpriest. He departed in peace after he had been on the Apostolic Throne fr forty-five years. May his prayers be with us, and glory be to God forever. Amen.

The Departure of the Three Hebrew Young Men Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael.

18th May - 10th Bashans

On this day is the commemoration of the departure of the three young men the Saints: Hananiah (Ananias), Azariah (Azarias) and Mishael (Misael). These Saints were the sons of Jehoiakim king of Judah. They were exiled by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon. When Nebuchadnezzar chose some of the exiled young men to be in his service. These young men and Daniel, their cousin, among those who were chosen. Ashpenaz the master of the eunuchs gave them other names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah : Shadrach; to Mishael : Meshach; and to Azariah : Abed-Nego. These young men purposed in their heart that they would not defile themselves with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore they requested of the chief of the eunuchs that they might not defile themselves. The chief of the eunuchs said to them, “I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you

would endanger my head before the king.” They said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over them: “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our countenances be examined before you, and the countenances of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.” So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days. And at the end of ten days their countenance appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies. As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. When the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm, and he appointed them governors on all the provinces of Babylon. (Daniel 1:8-20)

When the king made an image of gold, and the three Hebrew young men did not worship it, those envious of them, accused them before the king that they did not worship the image. The king brought them and asked them about that and they confessed that they only worship the true God. He commanded them to be casted in a burning fiery furnace. The Lord sent His angel, who protected them and made the fire as a cool dew although it burnt the men that threw them in the fiery furnace. When the king saw that, he believed in their God and promoted them in the province of Babylon.

On the tenth day of å three beds made of ebony be made, and their bodies be wrapped in silk, and then placed on the beds. He also ordered a bed made of gold for himself, so that when he died, they would place him on it among them.

Pope Theophilos, the 23rd. Patriarch, built a church after their names and wanted to relocate their bodies to it. He delegated St. John the short and sent him to Babylon. When he arrived to the place where they were buried, he heard a voice saying: “The Lord has ordained that our bodies remain in this place, but because of your labor of love, when you return, say to the Patriarch to fill the oil lamps with oil on the night of the consecration of the church, and the power of God will be revealed.” When he returned, and told the Pope, he did as he was commanded, and the oil lamps (Kandeels) lighted up. They glorified God, and completed the consecration after the names of these Saints.

May their prayers be with us and glory be to God forever. Amen.

Reflections on The Bible Readings

Fourth Sunday of the Holy Pentecost John 12: 35-50

“A little while longer the light is with you, walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you”.

How often, the world blinds man’s sight so that he or she see nothing … this age’s mankind is like a man travelling on an aeroplane which about to crash or erupt in flames and a passenger within the aeroplane is comfortably seated, eating and drinking and enjoying his or her travel with music and films … strange atmosphere within the aeroplane which makes the traveller forget him or herself, unaware that one is flying above the clouds and cannot see what is surrounding them … and abruptly one finds him or herself falling down with a great speed like lightening to the bottom of the seas or on top of mountains or snow … to a fatal end … thus are the gods of this world have blinded the eyes of their followers and they have forgotten their salvation and the everlasting life (in heavens) and have forgotten that life is a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away (James 4:14) … and their bodies like the shepherd’s tent quickly demolished and covered in dust … We heard, sometime ago of a horrific accident where a family of six people were ridding in one car returning from the cemetery after saying goodbye to a beloved member (of the family) but this departure only lasted a few kilometres till their car collided with a truck and all died under the wheels of a the large truck and nothing was left of their car or the passengers … maybe you do understand now, Beloved, what is meant by “a little while longer the light is with you.

A little while longer the light is with you Job lived for 200 years and said of his time (on earth( “Are not my days few?” )Job 10:20( … And Jacob lived for 130 years and said “few and evil have been the days of the years of my life”

(Genesis 47:9) …

Despite this few is little … but extremely little … how often, one will waste this little time … regardless how frequently one will say “time is short” … but even this short time, man makes it even shorter … what do you do with this short and little time??? Jeremiah the prophet written his prophecy warning the Israelites and their king of the evils of their lack of restraints and evil doings … the scroll where the prophecy was written, was taken to the

king who sat by a hearth of fire for warmth )during winter) and after reading a few lines of the prophecy, the king cut the scroll with a knife and trow it in fire to burn and watched as it burned )Jeremiah 36) … perhaps, he thought that the prophecy will not materialize for a long period … or maybe he didn’t think much of what it contained … but, the reality is there was no time to spare … at the same the armies of the enemy were advancing toward the town (where he lived) and a few days later, he was captured and lost his eyes and taken as prisoner in chains …

King Belshazzar ordered for the vessels taken from the house of the Lord (the temple in Jerusalem) and given a great banquet in his palace drinking and getting drunk using the holy vessels … he was proud of his might and (earthly) fading glory … and suddenly a hand appeared and written on the walls … a terrifying words no one could understand … scared and terrified the king asked for some to interpret these writings and could not anyone but Daniel … who read the writings for the king and refused to take any vain rewards (Daniel 5) … and the words said “ Mene, Mene, Tekel Upharsin” You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting … Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians (Daniel 5:25-28) … and this will be done?? … tonight … They were dancing and singing in Sodom … the presence of Lot the righteous among them … was a warning and caution but they took no notice … the entrance of the two angels into the town a warning … at last they closed their eyes and followed their physical lusts … and when morning dawned, the skies rained fire and sulphur on Sodom and it burned and the smoke of it’s fire rose like a incinerator …

In the days of Noah, they were drinking wine and getting drunk and merry … and perhaps they took no notice of Noah and his warnings … despite Noah was building his ark for about a hundred years (Genesis 19) … and this was little and short time but they did not benefit from it … and when Noah and his sons went into the ark and the Lord shut the door on them and all the inhabitants at the time were destroyed by the flood … beloved, this time is little and short … what do you do (to benefit( of this little time …

The day which goes by will not come again … the hours you spend in laziness and sleep, shouldn’t you spend it in prayers and in the church (of God)

… it is a very valuable hours … it is a misuse to waste it … maybe you still in good health and can spend (time in prayers) … who knows what condition you will have tomorrow???

This time you spend in watching unprofitable films or in in idle chat with friends which has no value …. It is a very valuable time … what do you say about times wasted on parties of dance and drunkenness and empty fun … what do you say of wasted life in gambling and a life of laziness separated from God …

Beloved … remember always … a little while longer the light is with you … and maybe a lot littler than you think or believe …

+ He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts … for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

This is the secret behind this idleness and not recognizing this fact of little time … the eyes are blinded … and the hearts are hardened … the prise of men have deceived them … many are the issues that blind the eyes and harden the hearts … which make one forget him or herself and waste the little time that left for one …

Love of money and greed blinds the eyes …

Achan son of Carmi forgot the Lord’s commandment and the war and forsaken his people seeking his love of (accursed) money which caused in the defeat of all the Israelites (Joshua 7) …

Arrogance and haughtiness and self-conceit cause hardened necks … causing one to degrade others and trample upon them forgetting that one is a mere dust like them …

The self-pride of Herod was the cause of his destruction … and he was consumed by worms alive (Acts 12:23) … (self-pride) is one of the most unforgiving issues that blinds the eyes indeed … envy … hatred … envy of others … the envious person is wearing a darken glasses … and cannot see through it any whiteness at all …

A hardened heart sealed with hatred cannot comprehend love in one’s heart … coveting to destroy others to satisfy one’s envy, anger and selfishness …

Hatred and envy made Cain kill his brother Abel (Genesis 4:8) … even, the bible tells us that the Jews delivered the Lord Jesus because of envy … for He has done all good and He is without sin … and you beloved, what makes you blind and stiffened neck and do not seek your own salvation … search examine within your inner-self the causes

of this blindness and un-awareness …

Are you a lustful person following (only) your physical lusts???

Are you a selfish person, self-loving only and willing to trample on all others for the sake of yourself, even those of your house-hold …?

Are you an envious person who covets and hates and your heart is darkened and your thought are erupting against others … examine your-self fully … and haste to get rid of the causes of this blindness … remove it from your heart and life … then your eyes will be opened to see the truth … to see where you are … I fear that you find yourself at the edge of hades … one step left before falling in and destruction … + The word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day

Remember my beloved, the judgement day … do not take lightly the words of God and His repeated warnings to you … do you know, you shall give an account for every bad word uttered from your mouth … the word fool alone is sufficient to deserve the hell )Matthew 5:22( …

Do you know that every commandment in the holy bible will judge you and be a witness against you.

Do you know that every minute you lived in sin and far away from God, will stand against you and judge you … do you know that the dust you trample upon and the stones around you almost screaming because of your silence in glorifying the name of God and praising Him … it will judge you and attest against you …

Do you want to stand petrified and say to the mountains to fall on you and the stones to cover you, from the sight of the One seated on the Throne …?

Don’t you know … you are … without an excuse o man …

Don’t you yearn to hear the words … Come, you blessed of My Father … inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (Matthew 25:34) …

Don’t you want to hear … “Enter into the joy of your lord” )Matthew 25:23(.

+ Holy Fifty Days:

These wonderful days of the fifty days after Resurrection are really joyful. The Lord has granted us to live in the true light and forsake the darkness and its entire works. The Lord is inviting us to live in light as long as we have the Light. We are only living here for a short time. Let us not waste these few days in the unfruitful works of darkness. The Lord has granted us the Light, why then we turn to darkness. The world today does not like the light for the light reveal their bad false deeds. The Light is a symbol of truth, honesty and confidence. In light, we feel safe and can see our aim for those who walk in light cannot stumble. In darkness there are dishonesty, deception and corruption. Beware of the nights of this world. Naïve people may think they are full of pleasure and fun but he cannot see what are behind that of despair and destruction. Be also careful of trying to mix light with darkness. They cannot mix. No share for the darkness in light. Doves cannot fly at night and also bats cannot wake up at day. Every one of them lead to a different life.

* “While ye have light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” In other words, ‘that you may become My sons’. Note that the Evangelist had reported from the beginning of his Gospel that those who believe ‘were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God,’ (Jn1:13). Here the Lord said that He was the One who gave birth to them. He intended to make them realize that the deeds of the Father and the Son were one and the same1.

* St John the apostle reports that the Lord Jesus Christ ‘departed, and was hidden of them’. If you asked: “What was the Lord’s intention by being ‘hidden of them’? They neither carried stones nor blasphemed against Him as they had done before. So why did He disappear?” Our answer would be: “The Lord knew how much their hearts were filled with anger and rebellion. He did not wait for that anger to be vented into the sphere of action, but He disappeared to calm their evil.

St John Chrysostom

am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.”

John 10:14 NKJV

The rejected lamb

)Bummer Lamb( Bummer Lamb

It is a lamb that is rejected and ostracised by its mother sheep. Sometimes, the mother sheep gives birth to three lambs at once, and her milk is not enough for all three. So, she chooses the two strongest and healthiest lambs and prevents the third from nursing. If the rejected lamb insists on trying, the mother sheep becomes aggressive towards it and kicks it, causing serious harm. Other times, the mother sheep suffers from mastitis )inflammation of breast tissue) after giving birth, which makes her aggressive towards her newborn and she rejects and kicks it.

In other cases, the mother sheep dies during childbirth, leaving the lamb rejected and without a mother to care for it in its early days.

The appearance of the bummer lamb is clear; in addition to its unfulfilled basic physical needs, the lamb suffers from a fracture in its spirit, resulting in a head droop. It curls up and hides, and its head noticeably droops downwards.

The most shocking reason is when the mother sheep realizes that her baby is not in good health, as if suffering from an illness, which she senses instinctively, and she rejects it. In this case, the shepherd decides to get rid of this lamb because he does not want a defective animal in his flock, which is not necessary for him.

However, a good shepherd is aware of everything that is going on with his flock and quickly notices the bummer lamb. He brings a warm blanket and wraps the lamb in it because its body temperature is low and it has not nursed. He holds it close to his chest so that the lamb can hear his heartbeat, which the lamb needs during nursing from the mother sheep. The shepherd feeds this lamb with a bottle every two hours in the first two weeks of its life. The shepherd takes this rejected lamb to his own house away from the others and takes care of it in this way for a period that can last up to two months until it becomes strong and passes the difficult stage. Then, the shepherd returns it to the flock, with its head held high and its body strong. It is worth mentioning that every time the shepherd calls the rejected lamb, it comes running to him. It recognizes the one who saved it and took care of it when it was rejected by its mother. Never is it surprising that the Lord says about Himself: “As for me, I am the good shepherd, and I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

Ref: St George’s Church Community Viber site

Published by Rev Fr Thomas Abdelmalik

+ Annual Commemoration:

Next Wednesday 17th May

2023 the Annual Commemoration for Late Mr Emmanuel Daoud Antoun. He is brother of Mr Gobrael Antoun, Miss Magdoline

Antoun and Miss Rosaline

Antoune and Professor Michael Antoun. He is nephew of His Emminanance

Metroplolitan Daniel of good memory. at St Mary’s Chuerch during the Divine Liturgy 9 - 11am.

. May the Lord repose his soul and grant peace and comfort for all family members.

Sunday 14th May

Sudanese Refugee Emergency Appeal

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another.” Romans 12:15

Beloved congregation of the Diocese of Melbourne and Affiliated Regions, Ekhristos Anesti, Alithos Anesti

Recently we have learnt of the civil unrest affecting our brothers and sisters in Sudan. The situation in Sudan has been escalating and fighting has erupted as the army and paramilitary forces clashed, leaving hundreds of people dead and thousands injured.

We pray to the Lord for the repose of the souls of those who perished and for speedy recovery of those injured.

Coptic Hope Charity has partnered with the Bishopric of Public, Ecumenical and Social Services )BLESS( to provide financial relief to those affected by the civil unrest.

Coptic Hope Charity confirms all donations collected for the Sudanese Refugee Emergency Appeal is to aid those affected and relocated to Egypt.

To contribute to Coptic Hope Charity - Sudanese Refugee Emergency Appeal, please donate with reference “Sudanese Refugee Emergency Appeal” to the following bank account or via our Paypal account at www.coptichope.org.au

Account Name: Coptic Hope Charity Limited ATF BSB: 063-159

Account Name: 10686722

Tax deductible receipts for all donations above $2 will be issued upon receipt. All funds raised by Coptic Hope Charity are for the sole purposes of the services provided by Coptic Hope Charity to serve the poor and in need.

On behalf of Coptic Hope Charity, we would like to thank you for your love, generosity and support. For further information please call Nagy Banoub on 0423 411 715 or email: info@coptichope.org. au

Construction of New Buildings started Thursday 28th April

The new Building is expected to be ready within 6 months. church services are continuing as normal as in the Timetable inside the Bulletin. You can donate monthly contribution using Direct Debit forms available in the church or downloaded from church website. Cost of building works is around $13,000,000. Your support and donations will be blessing and very appreciated.

Donations to St Mary’s Church and Building project can be made by the following Link

for all who keep working tirelessly for the success of this project. May the Lord reward them all and bless all their works