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 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
Discipleship Clas Class 7-8:30pm
Saturday: Mass: 8:30 – 11am
Sunday School 4 – 5.30pm
Vespers & youth meeting 7-8:30pm English
Vespers &Bible Study Arabic 5:30-7pm
Scouts 1:30 - 3pm
School of Deaconsgip 3 - 4pm
Sunday:
1st Mass 6:30 - 8:30 Arabic & English
2nd Mass.8:30 - 10:30 English - St Mary’s Church
3rd Mass 8:30 - 10:30 Arabic - St John’s Chrysostom Church
Family Meeting fortnightly 11:30am Hymns Class - English 11:45 - 12:30pm
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., Kensington Vic 3031 Tel: 93766651
Fr Kerillos Tawadros
New Year celebration starts at 8:30pm Tuesday 31st of December at St Mary’s Church ending with Divine Liturgy after midnight. Get ready and come in celebrate the start of the New Year away from the vanities of this world. No Mass Wednesday morning
+ Doxologies of Keiahk
Doxologies and Praises of the blessed month of Keiahk starts at St. Mary’s church every Saturday 7 - 11 pm. During the week it will be held on Tuesdays & Thursday every week 6:30 - 9 pm.
+ Baramon of Christmas:
Monday 6th January is the Baramon day of Christmas. It is a day when we get ready for celebrating the Incarnation of our Lord. We fast this day as it is used in Wednesdays and Fridays. At St Mary’s Church Mass, will be from 8 - 10 on Monday 6th Jan. May the Lord help us to prepare ourselves to receive the Lord in our hearts and lives.
+ Feast of Holy Nativity:
Next Tuesday 7th January is the Feast of Holy Nativity (Christmas(. It is the feast of the Incarnation of our Lord. We celebrate His Wonderful Birth at Bethlehem in a manager. The Lord came down to us to lift us up to Him. He came incarnated as human taking our nature in everything except sin alone to glorify our nature which was created on His own Likeness to restore it to glory. He came as a poor person to make us rich in Him as we lost everything due to sin. He came from a virgin to purify our bodies and grant them heavenly nature. The Lord made our land a new heaven where Angles came back praising Him. It is the greatest Icon of Love which showed the Lord Incarnated, living among us, crucified and also resurrected to heaven. Let us sing with the Angles saying: Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth good will towards men. Nativity Eve Liturgy as follows:
Monday 6th January:
7.30pm Early Morning Prayers. 8.30pm Offertory Mass ends about 11:30pm. May the Lord grant us to real joys of this feast as we prepare our hearts to receive the Lord the Child of the Manager incarnating for our Salvation.
Arabic Mass: St Mary’s Church
English Mass at St John Chrysostom Church
The Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ .
On this day, of the year 551 of the world, as calculated by our glorious church, we celebrate the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Incarnate God in the Flesh from the virgin St. Mary. Through the Divine plan of God and His foreknowledge, Caesar Augustus issued a decree for a general census in all the Roman Empire. For that reason, Joseph rose, and the virgin with him, and went from the city of Nazareth to “Bethlehem” to be counted in the census there because he was from the tribe of Judah, from the house of David. Bethlehem was the city of David. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the Virgin gave birth to her first born child and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes and put him in a manger, for they did not have a place for them in the inn.
Now there were, in the same country, shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all the people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David, a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: you will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger.” Suddenly there was, with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found the Babe, Mary, Joseph, and Salomi. The place was shining with light. Now when they had seen him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this child. Then they worshipped the child and they returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen. (Luke 2:1-20(
On this day, the prophecies about the birth of the Lord from a chaste virgin had been fulfilled. Isaiah the prophet said, “Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call His Name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14( Ezekiel the prophet also said about this wonderful mystery, “And the Lord said to me, ‘This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter by it, because the Lord God of Israel has entered by it, therefore it shall be shut.”’ (Ezekiel 44:2(
About this child, Daniel the prophet said, “I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and the Kingdom that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which
shall not pass away, and His Kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.”
(Daniel 7:13-14(
Jeremiah the prophet said, “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that I will raise to David a Branch of Righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgement and righteousness in the earth. In His days, Judah will be saved and Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His Name by which He will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness.” (Jeremiah 23:5-6( We must therefore now direct our minds toward the manger of Bethlehem, where the Son of God was lying in it in the flesh at the time of His birth, contemplating in silence and reverence worthy of the mystery of the incarnation of God, and His birth in a manger for our salvation. Knowing that He teaches us through this mystery to despise the world and all the vain things in it, and that He urges us to be humble and to love our neighbor seeking his own good, and that we should live in virtue and holiness according to the Christian ethics; not ignoring the great dignity that has been granted to us by this Divine Incarnation.
Since we have kept this fast before the Advent, and have arrived at this glorious feast, we should receive it with purity and every good thing. We should extend our hand to comfort the weak, to help the poor, and to be instruments of peace and reconciliation among the people, taking our Lord Who has made an eternal peace by His Incarnation as our example. We should ask God in supplications to have compassion upon us and to forgive our sins, and to bless our gatherings, and to keep the life of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, to keep his pontificate for many years with the joy, peace and the safety of the church, and the advancement of his people in virtue. May God grant us many returns of this feast, filled with the blessings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Who came for our salvation.
To Him be the Glory and Honor forever. Amen.
Fourth Sunday of Blessed Month of Keiahk
Luke 1: 57 - 80
Ref: Commentary for the Gospel of St Luke - Fr Tadros Yacoub
John’s Birth and the Circumcision (Luke 1: 57, 58( “Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her”. When Elisabeth became blessed with God’s kindness and His grace in her womb (John( and when she became filled with the Holy Spirit, this was put into effect by the actual delivery of John in his due time, which rejoiced the hearts of many. In this way, likewise, we too have to put into effect what godly blessings we have in our depths, to outer fruits that rejoices those in heaven and on earth.
St. John’s birth rejoiced the hearts, and has released them towards praising God in true joy. St. Ambrosios says, “On the birth of saints, joy overrules everybody, for it is a blessing to everyone”.
When it was time for the circumcision, they wished to name him Zacharias as his father’s name. But as for his mother who was filled with the Holy Spirit she said ‘John’. Even Zacharias himself asked for a board of wax, and wrote the name ‘John’, without any previous agreement with his wife, and his tongue was released at once, and he prophesied. It is as if when the Spirit of God came to lead the situation, the two spouses Zacharias and Elisabeth had not only one fruit in common, that is John, but they also had one thought in the Lord. We can also say when God’s Spirit takes over the leadership in our life, Elisabeth gets in harmony with Zacharias in thought and work. This means the body (Elisabeth( goes in harmony with the soul (Zacharias( so as to work together in one sanctified thought. At any rate, though God did not deprive the parents of naming their son, for they named him out of their own will, yet the name was from the Lord and by his guidance. When God takes over our life, He takes care of us, even in giving us our name. For the Lord has previously called Abraam, Abraham, and Sarai, Sarah, and Jacob, Israel… etc.
Now that Zacharias has been blessed with God’s gift to him, in giving him ‘John’ (Luke 1: 64( “And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God” Then great fear fell on all those around, and these things were spoken of in all of Judea. So all those who heard it pondered about it in their hearts saying (Luke 1: 65, 66( “What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him”.
When we are blessed with the God’s kindness, our inward mouth in opened, and our tongue is loosened in joyful
praise, blessing the Lord not in human words, but by God’s power so that God’s fear falls on all those around us. The true believer, in his touch with God, carries joy and gladness, and his entire life is changed to an inward mouth that gives praise. This praise shakes those in heaven in excessive harmonious joy, and destroys the adversary.
John’s birth became a preaching, sermon, though it had begun mysteriously, but the Lord’s hand, that is, the Son the Word has become a companion to him so as to support him; for He took John to the wilderness, and there He took care of him, so that He appears to Israel at the appropriate due time.
Zacharias The Priest’s Prophecy
Zacharias the priest was blessed with God’s kindness and His grace, that is, by John. His tongue got loosened and he praised the Lord under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. He was able to see God’s plan for salvation was not solely for him, and neither was it solely for his tirbe, it rather comprised everyone.
The evangelist says (Luke 1: 68( “And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people”. The scholar Oreganus comments on this saying, “when Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, he prophesied two general prophecies: the first concerns Christ, and the second concerns John the Baptist and his coming. It is clear from Zacharias’ words that he spoke of the Savior as actually present in the world, then his words about John follow after”.
St. Ambrosios says, “The man who was dumb for a long time has begun to prophesy! He has become filled with God’s grace which made the suspicious people to praise Him! I wish every person not to lose his confidence and not to despair when he thinks over his previous sins, and that he remembers God’s blessings”.
He prophesied about Christ saying (Luke 1: 69, 70( “And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began”. St. Jerome says, “the Horn in the Holy Book means the kingdom or authority”. St. Gregory El Nazinzi says, “When we were cast down, our salvation horn was raised for our sake”.
St. Cyril the great says, “The word ‘horn’ does not only refer to power but also to the royal authority. The Lord Jesus our Savior who came from King David’s family is the king of kings and the Father’s great power”. The scholar Oreganus says, In truth, the peak of salvation came from the house of David. The prophecy came to reverberate the words that honor has been planted at the summit. And what summit is it? it is Jesus Christ about whom is written “and hath raised
up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David; and he spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world began”.
(Luke 1: 71( “That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us”.
The scholar Oreganus says, “what is meant here are not the physical enemies, but rather the spiritual ones. And indeed, Jesus came strong in the fight so as to wipe out all our enemies, and save us from their evils, and liberate us from our enemies and all those who hate us”.
(Luke 1: 72( “To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant?.
St. Cyril the great says, “Christ is the mercy and the justice, because through Him we have obtained mercy, and have become justified by wiping out our sins because of our faith in Him”. the scholar Oreganus says, “I believe that the coming of the Lord our Savior has benefited Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob our fathers, by God’s foregiveness to them; for it is impossible to be assured that these men who had prophesied of this day, and have rejoiced for it, have not benefited by the Savior’s coming and His miraculous birth. Whey do we fear saying that His coming made our fathers benefit from it?”
The Savior’s coming declared God’s mercy with our forefathers and fulfills His constant promises, that have been manifested clearly in the days of Abraham, with whom God made a sanctified covenant and with an oath, for he says (Luke 1: 73-75( “The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life”. This covenant was fulfilled by Christ’s coming, and it is of two sections: the first section is the victory over our spiritual enemies, that is, the powers of darkness, without any fear on our part. The Lord has destroyed their ambushes, and has destroyed their authority under our feet, if we only carry Him in us. As for the second section, and which goes together with the first one, it is our entry into inheritance, worshiping the Lord in holiness and righteousness. That is, we have a new nature to live by all the days of our life. This is concerning the prophecy about the Lord Jesus. As for John the Baptist, he said (Luke 1: 76-79( “And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace”. What follows are some comments of the fathers regarding
this prophecy:
“And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest”. I wish you also to notice that Christ is the Highest, and that John was ahead of Christ in birth and work. So what is it that denies the coming of Christ’s goodliness? (this concerns the Ariosites(. “to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death”.
John the Baptist was a shining bright light amidst Judea: (Psalm 132: 17( “I have ordained a lamp for Mine anointed”.
In Moses’ law one of the lamps was always lit in the assembly tent, as a symbol of John.
But the Jews, after they had assembled around John’s baptism basin for a ehilw, they deserted it and departed. They exerted their utmost to blow out the brightly lit lamp. It is not surprising therefore that Christ describes John the Baptist saying, (John 5: 35( “he was a burning and shining light, and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light”.
(Luke 1: 79( “to guide our feet into the way of peace”; The world was knocked about in the very dark mazes, and in shameful ignorance. The cloud of ignorance forbade the multitude of people from seeing the Lord Jesus, the redeemer. He is the God of truth and justice, the Lord of all was manifested to the Israelites, a light to them and a sun to their souls.
St. Cyril the great I think Zacharias was quick to address the words to the babe, because he knew that John would go to live in the wilderness, and that he would not enjoy his presence after that.
Actually, (like 1: 80( “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel?
Moses also lived in the deserts, but that was after his escape from Egypt, and he was forty years old then. But as for John, since his birth he had gone to the wilderness. It was he about whom was said he is the greatest of all those born of women, and he was worthy of the most excellent upbringing.
The scholar Oreganus Some may think this is exaggeration that these words he addressed to a child of eight days. But we are able to realize that this is quite possible, for the embryo was able to hear St. Mary’s voice before his birth. Because John was a prophet, prophets have other ears opened by God’s Spirit, and they are not opened by the body’s growth, John was able to understand for he had previously leaped joyfully in his mother’s womb.
St. Ambrosios
Nativity Feast
Luke 2: 1-20
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men ( Luke 2: 14(
This is the day which the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day that humanity was waiting for it for many generations and countless years. This is the day that the saintly fathers struggled hoping eagerly to see the Lord’s salvation.. they saw with eyes of faith.. they have seen promises afar of and were assured of them.. for these promises accepted rejoicing to live as sojourners in this world.. being destitute, afflicted, tormented of whom the world was not worthy. Today we see what the forefathers desired to see.
Let us rejoice today with the birth of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Rejoice a heavenly joy singing with the angels “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” In the birth of the Lord Jesus we meet a group of people from whom are the shepherds. So let us meditate on the gathering between the manger’s Baby and the shepherds. Shepherds living out in the fields keeping watch over their flock by night It’s not a coincidence that the first meeting for the Lord Jesus on earth was with shepherds.. The Lord encountering shepherds existed from ancient times.. many Old Testament fathers were shepherds… cattle shepherds and human shepherds..
Shepherd is courageous and bold.. but for the truth. David reply was very brave, and when he stepped forward to fight Goliath he told the king that he killed a lion and a bear to deliver the lamb from lion’s mouth, the Philistine will be like one of them. he used the simplest weapons as a shepherd against the aggressor with the heavy armament carried by Goliath. Courage in the truth does not need more than faith and reliance on God.. It does not need weapons nor military equipment.
Our father Abraham lived his life as a shepherd in the wilderness. When the enemy had taken captive his nephew Lot, he hastened to save him. Abraham refused to take any money for this though the king persistence. Thus we see how the brave shepherd does not use his bravery and strength in violation and oppression but rather in the truth and helping others.. Furthermore we find the shepherd a generous and loving person. Another example is Jacob, the youth shepherd. Though he was a stranger, he hastened to help his uncle Laban daughters to get water for the sheep. We see honesty and abundance of patience. No
doubt he gain these attributes when he was a shepherd.
In addition, the shepherd is a humble and meek person.. Moses is the best example.. after forty years in the wilderness as a shepherd the Bible says he was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.
The Lord loved the shepherds very much even to describe Himself as the good Shepherd that gives His life for the sheep. The good Shepherd that enters from the door, for He is the door of the sheep Who knows His own sheep and call them by names and they know Him.
Also today the Lord Jesus wants to meet you O shepherd.. He wants you to go to the manger … to sing with the angels… there the manger’s Child will be happy when He will see you caring for your sheep You are responsible about sheep … your sheep are your children… your family members.. Are you a good shepherd for them???? Do you know them by name and rejoice with them?? Do you know how to lead them to the fountains of salvation?? Do you care to nourish them spiritually as you do bodily??? Do you care to adorn them with virtues as you care to adorn them with clothes??? DO you attend to guard them against the ravenous wolves hovering around them to poison the minds, thoughts, and destroying their souls???
Beware beloved, the watchful rescuer shepherd is the one who enjoyed seeing the Lord Jesus, the manger Child… There were many shepherds at that night but many were carelessly sleeping… thus banned from the greatest night humans saw… Are you one of these careless sleeping shepherds???
How many shepherds caused the perish of their sheep… many squandered the sheep.. and many others ran when they saw the wolf is coming.
The shepherd has important tools … he has the shepherds staff, shepherd’s pouch. They are simple tools but vital.. Maybe he had shepherd’s flute. O shepherd, what do you have?? Do you have the shepherd’s staff… it’s not to terrorize, bash, and oppress… it’s a staff of love and guidance… Are you a counsellor to your family members or you are just a terrifying and horrible person… Or you do not have a staff… you threw it and left everyone walks as they are pleased…
The shepherd’s rod is his weapon against the wolves and strangers… not allowing strangers to come near his sheep that he loves.
Do you have shepherd’s pouch.. his bag.. there you will find his food, sling.. it is a bag for necessities not superfluity. For the shepherd is a sojourner who doesn’t seek indulgences and the desires of the world.. The shepherd who fill his pouch with many things will be heavy to move and shepherd his flock..
He will care for the pouch and forget the flock… Who is more important to you; the pouch or the sheep??? Do you care only for your work and friends and desires forgetting your children and family???
Learn to be a watchful shepherd.. ready.. caring for your sheep prepared to stand joyfully in front of the Lord Jesus saying ‘Here am I and the children whom God has given me’
Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God
The shepherds rejoiced exceedingly and the sheep too for the lamb of God who carries the sin of the world came to save the sheep.
Saint Ephraim the Syrian meditated that the shepherds had gifted the Lord Jesus a little lamb and the lamb stepped and knelt in front of Baby Jesus… behold the present time lamb is gazing the Divine Lamb… The Lamb that will be offered for slaughtering… looking the sacrifice that will be offered for the world…the worldly lamb present and complains his toil and the burden of sin to the eternal Lamb who carries the sin of the world. The shepherds rejoiced when finding themselves sheep to the Shepherd of the sheep. They threw their rods and submitted to His rod. They emptied their pouches in the presence of the Shepherd. They don’t need any more money bag, knapsack, nor a staff in the road. My beloved, you too, has become a beloved sheep to the shepherd of the shepherds. He loves you very much, knows you by name, sacrificed Himself for you. Are you ready to be a sheep listening to His voice and to follow Him?
The sheep is meek and obedient. Doesn’t contend nor debate. Are you this type or you are a rebellious sheep who wants to go with his own mind and close his ears from the correct doctrine. Be aware many sheep perished, lost and vanished Sheep is peaceful… does not attack nor prey on, but run away from evil. Are you a sheep that runs away from problems or you are a sheep in wolves’ skins having horns and claws? Be aware, when a sheep becomes a wolf, all the wolves will belittle him and he will perish under their feet. You are a sheep, and a sheep is ready to be slaughtered without opening a mouth. Are you ready to follow the Shepherd.. till Golgotha.. to the cross.. a wonderful cross.. after which there is resurrection and heavenly glory. Let the shepherds rejoice, let the sheep delight.. let them praise the Lord for all what they have seen and heard.. For great salvation arisen to humans.. For there is born to you this day a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord
His Grace Bishop Rewis praying the Liturgy and ordaining deacoins at St Mary’s Church on Sunday 29th December 2024
His Grace will be praying Vespers and talking at a General Meetin next Saturday 4th January 2025 6pm
Opening St Mary’s Bookshop Sunday 29th December 2024
The nwely refurbished Bookshop at St Mary’s Church will be starting next Sunday 2024 at the new location at the church new building. Servants of the book shop: Deacons Nabil Shehata & Nashaat Gundy
Trip to Torquay Wednesday 25th Dec 2024
New Church, New Building and Car Park are ready
We started to use the New Building and church last on Lazarus Saturday 27th April 2024. 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. We thank Our Lord for this great Gift 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
https://www.stmc.org.au/donate
(Copy & Paste on Web Browser(
