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The
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7:30pm
9 – 11
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3 -
On this day, the great St. Demetrius, was martyred, in the days of Maximianus the Emperor. He was a pious Christian young man from the city of Thessalonica. He learned various subjects, and most of all, those of the Orthodox Church. He taught and preached diligently in the Name of the Lord Christ. He converted many to the faith.
Some made accusations against him to Emperor Maximianus who ordered that he be brought to him. It happened that when he came before the Emperor, a wrestler whose body was strong and huge, and who surpassed the people of his time in strength, was present. The Emperor loved this man and was proud of him to the point that he specified a large sum of money for whoever could vanquish him. A Christian man whose name was Nostor came from among the people who were present at that time and asked St. Demetrius to pray for him and to make the sign of the Cross with his holy hand over his body. The saint prayed and made over him the sign of the Holy Cross which makes those who believed therein invincible.
Nostor went and asked to fight that fighter about whom the Emperor was boasting. Nostor fought him and vanquished him. The Emperor was very sorry and ashamed. The Emperor wondered how Nostor conquered him. He asked the soldiers for the secret behind that. They told him that a man called Demetrius prayed over him and made the sign of the Cross over his face.
The Emperor became angry with the saint and ordered that he be beaten until he offered incense to his idols and worshipped them. When St. Demetrius disobeyed them the Emperor ordered his men to thrust spears at him until his body would be torn to pieces and he would die. They told the saint that to frighten him and make him turn away from his faith in the Lord Christ and worship the idols. He told them, “Do whatever you please, for I will neither worship nor offer incense except to my Lord Christ the True God.” The soldiers drove the spears into him until he delivered his pure soul. When they threw away his holy body, some Christians took it and laid it in a coffin made out of mar bles. The body remained hidden until the end of the days of persecution, when the one who had hidden it revealed it. A great church was built for him in Thessalonica, and they laid his body therein. Many great signs were made by his name. Each
The Martyrdom of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica 8th November – 29th Babaday, sweet oil was distilled from his body which cured those who used it with faith, especially on the day of his feast. On his feast day, the oil flowed in a larger quantity than on any other day, and it dripped from the walls of the church and the pillars. Though the gathering was huge, they all received their share, from what they took off the walls and put in their containers. Those of the righteous priests who had seen this told and testified to that.
His prayers be with us and Glory be to our God, forever. Amen.
The Departure of St. Ibrahim (Ibraham) the Hermit. 9th November - 30th Baba
On this day also, the great saint, the worshipper and fighter St. Ibrahim, the hermit, departed. This father was from the city of Menuf, a son of rich, Christian parents. When he grew up he longed for the monastic life. He went to Akhmeem and from there he came to St. Pachomius, who put the monastic garb on him. St. Ibrahim exhausted his body with ascetic practices and worship. He stayed with St. Pachomius for 23 years, then he wished for the solitary life in some of the caves. St. Pachomius allowed him to do so. He made nets to catch fish. One of the laymen used to come, take the work of his hands to sell it, buy beans for him, and give the rest of the money as alms on his behalf. He led this life for 13th years; his food each evening was a handful of salted beans soaked in water. Because the apparel that he went forth with from the monastery was worn out, he covered himself with a piece of sackcloth (Khaish). He went to the monastery every two or three years to partake of the Holy Communion. The devil fought with him much at the beginning of his dwelling in that cave. They disturbed him with strange voices and terrified him with fearful images. But with the grace of God he used to overcome them and drive them away. When his departure drew near, he sent the lay brother who used to serve him to the monastery to bring Abba Tadros, the disciple of St. Pachomius. When Abba Tadros came to him, he bowed down and asked him to remember him in his prayers. Then St. Ibrahim rose up and prayed with St. Tadros. He laid down facing the east and gave up his soul. When St. Tadros sent the news to the monastery the monks came and carried him. Then they all prayed over him, were blessed by him and laid him with the bodies of the saints. His prayers be with us and Glory be to our God, for ever. Amen.
The Commemoration of Saint Cleopas the Apostle and His Companion.
10th November 0 1st Hator
On this day also is the commemoration of St. Cleopas the Apostle and his companion who were traveling to a village called Emmaus. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near, and went with them. When they did not know Him, He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glo ry?” Later, as He sat at the table with them, He took bread, blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. Then, their eyes were opened, and they knew Him, and He vanished from their sight. (Luke 24:13-31)
These two Apostles were among the 72 Apostles. Their prayers be with us and Glory be to our God, forever. Amen
The Martyrdom of the Saints Maximus, Numitius, Victor (Boctor), and Philip (Philopus).
10th November 0 1st Hator
On this day, the striver Saints Maximus, Numitius, Victor (Boctor), and Philip (Philopus) were martyred. They lived in the days of Decius the Emper or. During his reign, the seven young men disappeared in a cave in a mountain in Ephesus.
These four saints were from Africa, and they were brethren in spiritual love. The desire for Christ gathered them together. When Emperor Decius was torturing the Christians, they agreed together to de clare their faith.
They went before the Prefect and confessed that they were Christians and only worshipped and bowed to Christ. He ordered them beaten, and they were many times, with whips and sticks. Their backs were burned with red-hot rods. Their bodies then were rubbed with rags made of hair steeped in vinegar and salt.
In spite of all this severe torture they remained steadfast in the faith. Some of the people present believed in the Lord Christ when they saw their pa tience and endurance. Finally, the Prefect ordered the heads of some of the saints to be cut off and the sword to be used on the others. Thus they all received the crown of martyrdom. Their prayers be with us. Amen.
The Departure of St. Cyriacus. 12th Novembere - 3rd Hator
On this day, the holy father, St. Cyriacus, departed. This striver was brought up in the city of Corinth in Greece. He was the son of Orthodox Christian parents, who taught him the church subjects. They
brought him to Abba Peter, Bishop of Corinth, who was his cousin, and he ordained him a reader. Cyriacus read continually and searched in the interpretations of the Holy Scriptures until he surpassed many in it. Abba Peter appointed him to read to the people in the church and to him in his cell, and he was pleased with him. When he was 18 years old, his parents asked him if he wished to marry, but he refused. He asked them for permission to visit one of the monasteries in order to be blessed by the saints therein. He continued to visit the monastery from time to time and he longed for the monastic garb. He went to the Holy city, Jerusalem, and met its bishop, Abba Cyril. He presented to him his wish to become a monk. Abba Cyril approved his wish and prophesied of him saying that he would become a great father, would have many accomplishments, and many souls would be enlight ened by his teachings. He blessed him and sent him to the great father Euthymius (Otimus), the father of the monks of Palestine.
Father Euthymius accepted him with joy and put the garb of the monk on him. He handed him to one of the elders of the monastery who taught him the ways of worship and revealed to him the artifices of Satan. Abba Cyriacus lived a virtuous life with much asceticism besides humility, god liness and devoutness. God bestowed upon him the gift of healing. He healed all those who came to the monastery with all kinds of sicknesses or infirmities. His virtues and his holiness spread everywhere.
This holy man accompanied Abba Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem, to the Ecumenical council of the hundred and fifty that gathered at Constantinople because of Macedonius, the enemy of the Holy Spirit. Abba Cyriacus opposed his arguments and vanquished him by evidences and proofs. He departed at a good old age. The Lord made manifest from his body after his departure, many signs and miracles. His body still rests in one of the monasteries of the city of Jerusalem, without any change or corruption, to the extent that any one who sees him today would think that he just died only a short time ago. More than 700 years have passed from the time of his departure till the writing of his biography. He lived at the time of Theodosius the Great in the later part of the fourth Christian century. His intercession be for us. Amen.
Meditations on the Eucahrist Bible Readings
Forth Sunday of the blessed month of Baba Luke 7: 11-17
When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her Luke 7:13
The Lord and His disciples went to visit the city of Nain … on the outskirts of the city, the Lord stood to see a sad scene … this is Nain … the city of happiness and joy as the Hebrew name indicate … but what the city of happi ness producing?? A funeral procession … an only son to a widow carried on the shoulders in his coffin and great crowd is following her in her sadness and grief … the mother is crying bitterly for her only son … it is a true story of what the world offer to us … on the outside gives the appearance of happiness, yet on the inside pain and sadness …
Many were deceived by the appearance of the world and followed … tell the day the world spat them to the outside where is sadness, pain and crying … and the worst of these processions is the procession of sins … and these type of processions we find three personality traits …
The sad weeping mother … the coffin bearers … and the mourners …
And before all those, the Lord Jesus stood and touched the coffin and said to the woman “do not weep” … then He commanded the dead to rise … and hence forth all mourners who were watching, glorified the name of God saying “A great prophet has risen up among us” ..
+ a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother …
How many weep for their dead … those who are dead in sin … but there are those who weep yet still have hope … and those who weep in despair …
The Canaanite woman came bitterly weeping and asking for her daughter who was demon possessed … she had strong faith … the Lord wanted to show her strong faith and said “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs” … and in very strong faith she answered Him “even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table” … all she wanted is the crumbs and the crumbs are enough to cure her daughter (Matthew 21-28 & Mark 7:24-30).
A sad and crying widow came to Elisha … screaming and asking for help; her husband is dead and the creditors asking for their money and want to take her sons to be slaves (to pay for the debt) … indeed she was weeping for the dead (husband) who is dead and for those who are alive and the world wants them dead … Elisha asked her what does she have in her house … but she had nothing but a jar of oil … Elisha told her to go and to go and borrow vessels from everywhere and the neighbours and go to her house and shut the doors and pour the jar of oil into the vessels till all is filled from the oil … then sell it and pay her debt and what is left to live from (2 Kings 4:1-38).
And the the church history, tells us of St Monica, mother of St Augustin … the weeping mother who lit the flames
of repentance in her son’s heart with her tears … she weeped for him bitterly when he was a fallen sinner … tell St Ambrose saw her tears and said her be assured, woman that the son of these tears will not be desolate … but also, there are the tears of despair … like Esau’s (tears) … he asked for the blessings (of his father) with tears and was not given … for he was a permissive per son … and he despised the blessings and God’s promises … therefore, instead of a blessing, he received a curse and his tears did not help him at all … for it was not the tears of repentance or true hope … and there are tears of destruction … like Judas Iscariot’s tears … who returned to the chief priests and given back the price (of silver pieces) of his betrayal saying “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood” … remorse coming out of a heart void of hope and full with despair … great despair without any hope which led him to suicide.
And you beloved what are your tears … are they the tears of hope?? Or tears of despair or maybe you are sad and hurt for the status of your children or a relative or a friend … for they have become more attached to the world and have fallen into sin and departed from God’s way … but which type is your sadness?? What type of tears are you offering for them?? Is it the sadness of despair which says, I have done all I can … and there is nothing left to do … do you say like Jacob who wept for his son Joseph and said to his sons “you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.” (Genesis 42:38) … or you cry for them and ask for God’s action Who never fails … you ask (God) with persistence for them … then, the Lord will see your tears like the tears of the widow and will have compassion on you and will raise your dead (person) you crying for … do not sit saddened in despair before the tribulations which faces you or your beloved ones and family … ask with tears … with a heart full of hope and be assured that our loving God who looked at Hennah’s tears mother of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:11) and He will look to your tears … He who accepted the prayers and tears of St Monica, St Augustin’s mother, He will accept your tears too … but be very vigilant not to become just a coffin bearer … or just a mere spectator … how dangerous it is when all your concerns and sadness turn into arid routine … just preforming ones duty which is heavy burdened which takes away your inner peace.
+ a large crowd from the city was with her .. They are the crowd of accompanying people … may to be complementing is a necessity at occasions, sharing in their joys and sadness in their tribulations … but how difficult it is to be complementing for a fallen sinner … and more serious to be self-complementing when you fall in sin … indeed it is arduous for ones spiritual life to become a series of complements …
Many followed the Lord Jesus … but just as spectators only … complementing … when He entered Jerusalem
they shouted Hosanna Son of David (Matthew 21: 9-13) … and at His trails they also shouted “crucify Him, crucify Him” (Luke 23:21) … it is amazing the same people and only five days apart … Demas followed the apostles … and even worked with them … he became a helper to St Paul the apostle, but he was just a spectator … just wasting time … and when ordeals were in the way (of the apostles) …he forsaken the apostle since he “loved this present world” (2 Timothy 4:10).
St Paul the apostle was imprisoned by Festus the governor … and one day king Agrippa and Bernice his Jewish wife came to visit Festus the governor … Festus invited them to hear his famous prisoner … they sat in the auditorium and Paul was brought to speak … then Paul stood and testified the good testimony about his belief in the Lord Jesus and the salvation which is fulfilled by His death and resurrection … Festus heard about the resurrection and salvation and thought Paul is mad … but Paul answered him and said he speaks the truth because these matters did not occur is a corner … and asked king Agrippa if he believed in the prophets … who said to him “I pray to God”, that with little or more he wanted all those who hear him to become like him in faith and in this all the spectators found themselves before the test of faith … and all testified this man could have been set free (Acts 25-26).
Many make their spiritual life just a mere complements and spending some time for entertainment … and thus, their spiritual practices are without any meaning or fruitful benefits and does not flourish in their hearts with any kind of peace and comfort ..
There are some who will not go to church except on special occasions … just a routine (attendance) … since a feast is not a feast without attending church … And there are others, who will go to church to be com plementing other on their special occasions … and how many times did they hear sermons and words of faith … but because they are just the complementing crowd … often the words bypass them without any benefit. And there are those who attend church just to spend some time … since there are no clubs or a place for such a gathering of large number of people … therefore, it is an opportunity for gossiping and talking about others and exchanges the latest news and entertainment, even some time they will not enter the church with the excuse that they arrived late or one is not ready for partaking of the holy communion … but there are many more excused worse than this and it judges those who make it more than giving them an excuse … all those are the coffin bearers … or the fare well crowd behind the coffin … all in need of the Lord to come and touch the coffin and then they will halt … to get out of the whirl pool they are in of complementing or spectating to the actual reality … they were just the accompanying crowd
behind the coffin or the coffin bearers … the touching of the coffin by the Lord is a gentle reminder to them … halt your following of the processions of the dead … the dath of the world and physical body … enough being busy with your desires and the pleasures of the physical body … it is time to look at ones self and be concerned with your own salvation … it is time to stop and put yourself in the Lord Jesus’s hands to raise you and return to you the spiritual life and fills your heart from the fountain of His love to emerge from the state of sever aridness which you live in.
+ Young man, I say to you, arise …
This call returned the life not only to this dead young man but also to his weeping mother … and the coffin bearers and the crowd around them for there were dead carrying the dead … dead going to burry their dead … and all were in need to be raised from the death they were in.
The young man was in need to be raise the physical bodily death … and this is an image of the raising of the sinner from his or her death in sins … for the state of such a person is a representation of a person lived in sin for a long time till sin took over and killed his or her feelings and became a scene for all people to see … and was taken outside the city and made him or her captive to coffin of physical bodily desires and the chains of evil … and was in need of a touch by God’s hand to halt him or her and release him or her from the imprisonment and release the ties and to be returned to life (in the Lord). The mother … the severe sadness has killed her … almost took her to despair … she felt that she lost everything … there was no solace for her in the world nor comfort … even, her last hope has gone and died and is carried on the shoulders )of the coffin bearers( but before her heat is closed and being lost to despair there was the touch from the Lord’s hand which opened the heart a new and returned the lights of hope again and filled )her heart( with the gasp of life … Make your tears mingled with hope, faith and assurance in God’s promises and be assured the Lord is near … The consolers … they were just spectators simply doing their duty but the Lord transformed them from specta tors to glorifiers, and from consolers and maybe tiered consolers to offerors of praises and telling of the glories of God … to partakers in the praises, glorifying and preaching the works of God which they have witnessed, felt and lived in … and you too, can transform from a spectator to a true witness of God’s glory and works … you can transform from just a complementor who is carrying out his or her duty to a proclaimer of the good news of the kingdom (of God) and spread the good news to Judea which symbolizes your home and family and to all the surrounding regions which symbolizes the whole world.
The perfect father
I want to talk to you about an important word, which is the word “father” in the christian family. Solomon the Wise says: “O my son, keep your father’s commandments, and do not forsake your mother’s law” (Proverbs 6:20). So this verse shows us that the father is the one who presents the commandment to his son. It can be a motto for every husband and father.
The word father is one of the most precious words in the Christian dictionary in general. When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we say: “Our Father who art in the heavens,” addressing the heavenly Father, and whoever takes care of us, we say “Our Father” (plural). The word has a great place in our Christian life, especially in our Coptic Church.
The father is the head of the family and is the heart and symbol of the whole family, then the father appears as a very important part in the life of the family, and there is a proverb among foreigners: “When you propose to marry, choose a mother for your children.” And you, too, when you choose a husband, choose a good father for your children in the future.
* Who is the father in the Christian family?
1- The father is the beginning: he is the one who started the formation of the family, he is the one who takes the first step, and then formation of the family is a gift from God. For this, every young man who will begin to have a relationship for marriage must know what is being presented to him and that it is an important step and has its impact over time.
2- The father is the priest of the family: that is why he wears the “prince” wreath. The priest of the family here means that he is responsible for the spiritual integrity of the family. He is the head of the family that contains the family.
3- The father is the protection: he is the role model and the first model. What the father does is what draws the minds of the wife, sons and daughters about God. If the father is violent, they imagine God as violent, and so on...
The father is the first person the children see, and through him they understand the whole of life. He has responsibility, consideration and appreciation above all, and from here came the sweet commandment: “Honor your father and your mother.”
*Who is the ideal father in the family?
)a) Humility and endurance: as when we see a father playing with his children on the floor with their toys. Fatherhood means humility, not commands or control. When I say that the father is the head of the family, I do not mean that he is the commanding ruler, but I mean the one who, by his humility and endurance, offers the sweet model, just as the Lord Christ bowed and washed the disciples’ feet. Another form of fatherhood is what Elkanah did with Hannah (Samuel’s parents) when she was crying because God had not given her
children yet. Her husband came and said to her: “As for me, I am better for you than ten sons” (1 Samuel 1:8), and embraced her in order to support this soul. broken. Elkanah, the husband of Hannah, the mother of Samuel, an image of humility and endurance; Fatherhood is not a title but a precious and expensive responsibility.
)B) Love and appreciation: the father loves, forgives and forgives, and I never get tired of mentioning the parable of the prodigal son when he returned to his father’s bosom and how he ran to his son and embraced him. Love is not just words, love is actions. Appreciation is not words, appreciation is actions.
)C) Education and Discipline: A father should not leave the rope to his children, but rather he should become a teacher who guides constantly. He does not let the little boy or girl learn sometimes from television, sometimes from the mobile, and sometimes from the street, and the boy becomes lost and has not received an education. A good father guides and sets principles for his son to learn. He should put his eyes in his head as he raises them, not the education of orders nor the education of violence. The father guides and sets principles.
*How to be a good parent?
1- Introduce God to your family, present Him with His attributes to your family with the Holy Word by teaching, you as a father always speak the commandments, and make them always present in the mind of your son. And do not repeat the words like a tape recorder, but think about how to present the will and how to explain it and make sure that it reached your son and daughter. Your job is to present God to the family, so that the children see in you the image of the merciful God, who appointed him on me, who makes me happy and strengthens me...
2- Present your family before God, present them before God when you stand to pray, present them with the prayers of faith. Connect them to the church and to the sacraments, take them to Mass and eat together.
3- Give them time: The most valuable thing you give to your family is time. There is nothing more precious than sitting with them to play, talk and be with them. Do not be distracted from them, share with them, cooperate with them... Sometimes a father does not see his children because of appointments for a week or two! He does not eat with them, does not pray with them, and does not sit with them... How can such a person be called a father?!
*Verses to be put before you:
“My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he. ”Proverbs 3: 11.
“If someone curses their father or mother, their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.” Proverbs20 :20.
“The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.” Proverbs 30: 17.
Your role as a father at your home is very important, and you must be perfectly good at, be a father at the level of responsibility and the level of honesty in your family. Take care of your family to the end, this is your role and this is the life we live.
To our God be all glory and honor from now and forever, Amen.
Holy Baptism Baby Joshua Macarius
Son of Fr Michael & Tasony Pauline Salib Monday 31st October 2022
Holy Baptism Baby Levi son of Mark & Rebecca Gerges Sunday 30th October 2022
+ Remember O Lord the Departed: We pray for the repose of the soul of Late Dr. Sobhy Wasef Morcos - husband of Mrs Amal Abdel Malek, father of Dr. Wael Wasef in Sydney and Mrs. Weam Wasef, Grandfather of Rick and Patrick Wasef, Nadine and Carine Makary, father in-law to Adel Makary and Nevine Wasef and brother in law of Prof Amir Mattha and his wife Elham Mattha and uncle of Cherry Gerges wife of Basem Gerges and Ramez Mattha husband of Lisa Mattha Brother of Dr. Samir Wasef and late Eng. George and late Mrs Mary and late Mrs Mima Wasef and Mrs Minerva Wasef and Mrs Helen Wasef. And Uncle of Wasfy, George, Fifi, Mona, Michelle, Dina, Tamer, Heba, Lilian, Youssef, Steven, Paul, Nabil, Amany and Arlene.
And relative of Gigi Abdelmalek and Dr Emile Abdelmalek and Dr. Elizabeth and Mrs Nevine wife of Dr. Adel Habib in Queensland and Dr. Mounir Abelmalek in USA and Mrs Ekbal Abdelmalek in Alexandria
Relative of Engnr Magued Eskandar and his sister Sylvia Eskandar in Egypt And relative of Dr. Edward and his sister Mrs. Christine wife of Mr. Emil Maccar and all The Maccar family in Melbourne
The Funeral was conducted last Monday 31st October at St Macarius Church. May the Lord repose his soul and grant peace and comfort for all family members.
Remember O Lord the Departed
in the Lord Mary Youssf - wife of John Youssf, mother of Christina Rizkalla, David, Mina and Thereza Youssf. Sister of Wagieh Attiah, Nadia Abdo, Afifa Attiah (Egypt), Mervat Mashraki, Grandmother of Ethan, Alannah, Oliver and Mason.
will conduted St John and St Verena Church in Armadale next Thursday 3rd November at 12noon May our Lord Jesus Christ repose her
in the paradise of Joy and give comfort her Family
و راقم ليمإ ذاتسلأا ةجوز نيتسيرك نروبلمب راقم ربوتكأ 3١ ىضاملا نينثلأا موي زانجلا ميقأ .سويراكم سيدقلا ةسينكب
Construction of New Buildings started Thursday 28th April
The new Building is expected to be ready within 12 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
from church website. Cost of building works is around $12,000000. Your support and donations will be blessing and very appreaciated.
