The Commemoration of
9th June - 2nd Baouna
On this day, the church celebrates the appearance of the bodies of St. John the Baptist and Elisha the Prophet, the disciple of Elijah the Prophet, in the city of Alexandria.
Julian the Infidel wished to rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem, having been destroyed by Emperor Vespasian and his son Titus. He intended with malice to prove the invalidity of the saying of the Lord in the Holy Gospel: «Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left her upon another, that shall not be thrown down» (Matthew 24:2). He supplied the Jewish people with money to rebuild it. He put Elebius, who asked the Jews to assist him secretly, in charge.
Many of the Jews, men, women, old and young, gathered. They started digging the foundation with eagerness, transferring the dirt and rocks away, some with baskets and the others in the tails of their dresses. St. Kyrillos (Cyril), bishop of Jerusalem, ridiculed what they were doing.
When they finished raising the rocks of the old foundation, they started to put down the new one. A severe earthquake took place, filled the excavation with dirt, dispersed the building material and killed many of the workers. The Jews were not terrified of that, and returned to the work again. Out of the depths of the earth, fiery balls came, showering the workers with rocks and hitting them so they stopped building. Many of them believed because of that and especially because they had fulfilled the prophesy of the Lord Christ, with their hands, about the destruction of the building of the temple from its foundation. St. Gregory the Theologian and St. John Chrysostom had mentioned this incident. The Jewish historian Emian, in the fifth century, had mentioned this account also incidentally in his writings.
Nevertheless, the Jews told the Emperor, «The reason for what happened is the presence of the bodies of Christian leaders in that place. They must be removed from it, otherwise the temple will not be built.» Julian ordered that the bodies of the saints be removed from the place and burned. When they took the bodies of St. John the Baptist and Elisha the Prophet to burn them, some believers came forward to the soldiers, gave them a sum of silver and took the two bodies. They brought them to St. Athanasius, Pope of Alexandria. He was pleased and placed them in a special place until he could build a church for them. One day St. Athanasius was sitting in the garden with his scribe, the one to be Pope Theophilos (23rd Pope) who succeeded him on the Chair, and told him, «If God gives me long days, I will build in this place a church in the names of St. John the Baptist and Elisha the Prophet, and I will lay their bodies in it.»
When Pope Theophilos was enthroned on the Chair of the See of St. Mark, he remembered what Pope Athanasius had told him. He built the church and relocated the pure bodies to it. On their way to the church carrying the holy bodies, they passed by a house of a pagan woman. This woman was in labor for the last four days. She had a difficult labor and she was in severe pain. When she heard the singing and the chanting of the people as they passed by, and when she knew what was happening, she
vowed, saying, «O John, the saint of God, if you deliver me from this tribulation, I will become a Christian.» Before she had finished what she was saying, she gave birth to a boy, and she called him John. Then, her family and she were baptized. They laid the bodies with great honor in the church. Many miracles and wonders were manifested through them.
As of the end of Julian the infidel was as follows: He decided to declare a war against Sapor, King of Persia. St. Basilius the Great, the author of the liturgy, and some bishops went to meet him. Emperor Julian asked them, «Why have you come.» St. Basilius replied, «We came asking for a shepherd» He mocked them saying, «Where did you leave the son of the carpenter?» The Saint answered with courage and pride, «We left him making a coffin for you, for you have lost all wisdom and knowledge.» Julian told him, «I have read and memorized it.» St. Basilius replied, «But you did not comprehend it.» Julian became angry and ordered them seized, to be slain after his return from the war with Sapor. St. Basilius told him, «You will not come back, for God has spoken by my mouth.» The Emperor ordered them imprisoned.
The Emperor went to the war. St. Basilius prayed before the icon of St. Marcurius Abu-saifain<\A>, asking for the chastisement of the Emperor because he insulted his Lord Christ. St. Marcurius disappeared from the icon, and when he returned, his sword was dripping blood.
During the war, Julian was shot by an arrow in his liver. Thlodoritius said in his history of the church: «When this infidel Emperor was stabbed, he took a handful of the blood that was pouring out of his side and scattered it toward the heaven, saying, ‹You have defeated me O Son of Mary.›» The prophesy of St. Basilius was fulfilled in him and the church was saved from his evil.
When St. Macarius, Bishop of Edko, was martyred, they placed his body with the bodies of St. John the Baptist and Elisha the Prophet.
May their prayers be with us. Amen.
The Departure of St. Abraam, bishop of El-Fayyoum 10th June - 3rd Baouna
Today also, the saint Anba Abraam, Bishop of El-fayyoum and El-Giza, departed. This was in the year 1630 A.M. (June 10, 1914 A.D.). This saint, whose name was Paul (Boulos), was born in 1545 A.M. (1829 A.D.) in the Estate of “Gilda”, district of Mallawi, governate of Miniah, to righteous parents. They brought him up in a Christian manner. They sent him to the church school, where he learned religious subjects and the church hymns. As he was a very bright student, Anba Yousab, the Bishop of Sunabbo ordained him a deacon for the church of Gilda. His heart longed for the monastic life, so he went to El-Muharrak monastery where he was ordained a monk by the name of Paul Gabriel El-Muharraki. He was nineteen years .old
He was meek, humble, had a pure life, and he prayed much in seclusion. Accordingly, the monks loved him exceedingly. When Anba Yakoubos, bishop of El-Meniah, heard of him, he summoned him. He retained him in the episcopate for a period of time during which he promoted him to a priest. When he
returned to his monastery, the monks with a consensus decided to make him the abbot over the monastery after the death of their Abbot. He was then promoted to archpriest (hegumen) in the days of Abba Demitrius the second (111th Patriarch). He remained Abbot of the monastery for five years, during which the monastery was the refuge for thousands of the poor. So he was called the father of the poor and the destitute. During his time as abbot, he did not spare an effort to improve the condition of the monastery spiritually and physically. He improved its finances by developing its agricultural land. As he increased his charity toward the poor, the orphans and the widows, some of the monks became more resentful of him, for they considered these charitable works as squandering and extravagant acts. They complained against him to Anba Morcos, Metropolitan of El-Behira, who was the acting Patriarch after the death of Pope Demitrius. Anba Morcos accepted their complaints and deposed him as the abbot of their monastery. Shortly after his dismissal, he left El-Muharrak monastery and went to the monastery of El-Baramous. Several monks from the El-Muharrak monastery went to the monastery of El-Baramous, with archpriest Bolous (Abba Abraam), because they did not like the attitudes of the complaining monks. He stayed there for .some time studying the Bible and teaching the monks
The abbot of the monastery of El-Baramous at that time was archpriest Youhanna the Scribe, who became later on Pope Kyrillos the fifth (112th Patriarch). In the year 1597 A.M. (1881 A.D.), Pope Kyrillos the Fifth chose and ordained him a bishop for the parish of El-Fayyoum and El-Giza. He replaced its reposed bishop, Anba Eisak, and was ordained with the name of Abba Abraam
:During his episcopate, he became famous for two attributes
The First: His charity to the multitude of poor that came to the bishopric residence. He gave them all what he had of money. He made the bishopric residence a shelter for many of them. He offered clothing for those who had no clothes and food for those who were hungry. He never allowed anyone to offer him food that was better than that offered to the poor. Once he went down to visit the poor while they were eating, and found that the food he was offered that day was better than that offered to them. He became very sad, and immediately relieved the nun .supervising the feeding service of the poor from her duties
The Second: He was famous for his prayer of faith. Many miracles were performed, through his prayers, on his hands. His fame was spread to all parts of Egypt and also to some parts of Europe. Many patients, of different religions, came to him, seeking the blessing of his prayers and were healed. Anba Abraam was well read of the holy books. He always gave to his visitors advice, instructions and sermons which showed the great depth of his knowledge. More important was that he possessed a pure nature and many virtues. Particularly, his severe denial of himself, and his true renouncement of the pleasures of life and its vain glory. His food and clothing were just bare necessities. His ambition never looked up to the glory of higher ranks or positions. When the Patriarch wanted to promote him to the rank of metropolitan he apologized saying that
the Holy Bible did not mention any ranks in the priesthood .except the ranks of the priest and the bishop He was also straightforward in revealing his own opinion, looking only for the truth. He never gave any attention to the rank and greatness of people in higher places, for their greatness was far less than the greatness of the truth. For this reason, all the metropolitans and bishops of the church .avoided his anger and sought to please him Abba Abraam departed to the heavenly bless on the 3rd day ( of Baouna, 1630 A.M. (June 10, 1914 A.D
More than ten thousand Christian and Moslems walked in his funeral precession. His pure body was laid in the tomb, which was prepared for him in the monastery of the Virgin Mary in El-Ezab. Many miracles were manifested through him after his departure, and his tomb became and still is a .pilgrimage for many who have special needs or infirmities May his prayers be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen
The Departure of St. James of the East.
12th June - 5th Baouna
On this day, St. James of the East (Oriental), the confessor, departed. He lived and worshipped in one of the monasteries of the East. He was a contemporary of Emperor Constantine the Great, Julian the Infidel, and Jovianus the Believer. When the latter was killed, Valens, his brother, reigned in his stead. He was an arian and he closed the Orthodox churches and allowed the Arians to open their churches. The grace of God moved this Saint and he went to the city of Constantinia. He met the Emperor on his way to war. He stood before the Emperor and said, «I ask you to open the churches of the believers, that they may pray for you, so may God make you victorious against your enemies, otherwise God will forsake you and you will be defeated before your enemies.» The Emperor became angry at what St. James said and commanded to beat and imprison him. The Saint told him; «Know that you shall be defeated before your enemies, and you shall die by burning.» The Emperor became enraged and ordered to keep him under guard until he should return from war. The Saint told him, «If you return safely, then God has not spoken by my mouth.» The Emperor went on to fight his enemies. When the two armies faced each other, the Lord forsake him, so he was defeated before his enemies. They pursued him until he came to a certain village to which they set fire. Its people escaped, but he and some of his men remained and they were burned. Those of his soldiers who returned to the city of Constantinia told the believers what had happened. Thus the prophecy of the holy man was fulfilled. The believers assembled, and brought him out of prison with great honor. The Arians knew that the divine grace and the spirit of prophecy dwelt in him, as they believed in the accuracy of his faith. Many turned from their error, confessing that the Son of God is equal with the Father in essence. This saint spent the rest of the days of his life in devotion to the ascetic life, and in fighting the spiritual fight until he departed in peace. May his prayers be with us. Amen.
Meditations on the Bible Reading of the Pentecostal Feast Day.
The Feast of the coming of the Holy Spirit
John 15:26-John 16:5.
The Feast of Pentecost, the word Pentecost means the fiftieth day and it is a Greek word for the Jewish feast of Weeks (Leviticus 23). It is named thus because it falls fifty days after the harvesting and offering of the first-fruits of barley, which is normally celebrated during the Jewish pass-over period. On the fiftieth day, the harvest is completed and hence it is the feast for harvest and on this day the first-fruits is offered as an offertory on the Altar for God in the temple. The harvest season normally begins with barley until wheat is harvested last on the fiftieth day. After the destruction of the Jerusalem and the Temple, this day (feast) had a singular meaning which is to celebrate the Law, this day is also considered the day the Law was presented to the Jewish people. No doubt, this feast with all it’s different meanings is the most suitable for the Coming (descending) of the Holy Spirit on the disciples, for this is the day of establishment of the church of the New Testament as it is the day of receiving the Law of the Old Testament and is the day of offering the fruits of salvation before the Lord as it is the day offering the First-Fruit of the earth to the Temple. Again, it is the day which the waters of salvation were offered to the thirst people who were in darkness, to the gentiles and all the world, as it is the day all the followers are quenched their thirst with joy from the First-Fruits of the new grounds.
Shavuot (Pentecost): a Hebrew word meaning feast, and what is meant with this word is Feast of the Coming of the Holy Spirit on the disciples, on the fiftieth day which is one of the three great Jewish feasts with special meaning where all (male) Jews were required to gather in Jerusalem from all diaspora to celebrate the feast of Shavuot (Weeks or Pentecost). On this day all the strangers and nations would unite in one unity offering thanks giving offertory to God and on this day, all nations, people and languages are united in the Holy Spirit as uniting bond in the Body of The Lord Jesus Christ. Despite everyone in the Lord Jesus Christ, still has his or her own personality and free will but trough the Holy Spirit the whole is in harmony and all become like strings of one instrument played by the Holy Spirit the most beautiful heavenly hymn.
The presence of the Holy Spirit in God’s people is the secret of their joy, victory and power for He (the Holy Spirit) who guides and comfort them.
+ These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble: How deep is the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the life of God’s sons and daughters, indeed He protects them from stumbling and falling, He (the Holy Spirit)
is faithful eye which sees the unseen and guides, alert and provides amazing wisdom which all the opposers cannot resist. In the miracle of curing the lame man at the gate of the temple, St Peter stands and address the people saying “why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?” and when the priests and captains of the temple put them in prison till the morning and asked them how they did this and Peter answers “let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified…by Him this man stands here before you whole” and the marvelled as “they were uneducated and untrained men” (Acts: 3&4). Thus, the world sees us with scientific measures and worldly logic, but the Holy Spirit gives God’s children a different measure above all the world’s knowledge and wisdom. The world logic cannot last before the logic and wisdom of God’s children.
Julian the Apostate the Roman emperor tried rebuild the Jewish temple as a proof of Christianity’s teaching and refute the Holy Bible in saying temple will be destroyed and twice his attempt fail and tongues of fire emit from the ground preventing the laying of foundations for the temple, even to the extent that he was killed in war by an arrow and he said “You have won O’ Galilean”! Emperors and governors trembled before the (Christian) martyrs at their trails, Phelix the governor was taken back by St Paul the apostle’s speech about salvation and purity and judgment.
Erianos governor Antinopolis of southern Egypt was known for his vicious persecution of Christians martyrs and that he used to enjoy tormenting and subjecting the martyrs to severe agony, Christianity has converted him from a human wolf hungry for the shedding of blood to a meek lamb taken to the slaughter on the hands of a Christian piper called Philemon, who was tempted by a deacon called Apollinaris to go and offer incense in his place to pagan gods, but before the governor (Erianos) the Holy Spirit worked in him (Philemon) and confessed his Christianity and refused to offer incense to idols, the governor became angry and orders the arrest of the deacon and killing of Philemon by arrows, however his eye was wounded by an arrow meant for Philemon, and he asked Philemon to cure him, but Philemon told him after his martyrdom, he can go to his grave and rub some of the earth of his grave on his eye, and it will be cured, After Philemon martyrdom the governor went to his grave and rubbed his eye with some of the earth and his eye was cured and Erianos became a Christian and was martyred for the sake of Jesus Christ.
You my beloved, who do you take your guidance,
encouragement and power in your tribulations, do you take it from your peers and their wisdom or from the Holy Spirit in your life? How often, we open our hearing to people’s idol talk seeking comfort for ourselves and find only pain, troubles and discomfort. Have you ever thought, my beloved, to open your heart to God’s Love and put all your trobles between His hands instead of the world, for the people’s wisdom will never solve your problems, but it might even complicate it more, when you are troubled, it might make more troubled! When you are sick, they (the world) offers more sickness, but the Holy Spirit within you He alone can cure, comfort and offer you solace.
+ for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you:
He (the Holy Spirit) is the Helper, the Comforter and Joyful and He is the reason for God’s children’s joy in the midst of all tribulations and heaviest pain. People of the world when faced with troubles, seek escapism from reality because they cannot endure tribulations and look for escapism and there are many ways in the world for escapism. Such as adopting physical pleasures or worldly pleasure and loud parties with much song and dance but is this a true cure for the troubled sole, they are like Nero (the Roman Emperor) who sat drinking and dancing while Rome was burning. It is a kind of committing suicide and giving up unable to face reality, like the person who convinces himself, that smoking or drinking alcohol is the way to drown his sorrows. Others seek comfort, in gossiping about others and watching them, in other words, devouring them and what is amazing is that they suffer the same from others who will gossip about them and judge them and maybe more and worse, like Ham who saw his father (Noah) exposed (Genesis 9), so he went out and told his brothers and thus deserved to be cursed and become a slave to his brothers. Others specialise in solving problems with more problems! They excel in creating problems and when their problems occur, they will create problems for others to forget their own problems. It is treating wrong with wrong, using Satan to expel Satan and like those The Lord Jesus Christ says to them “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand” (Mark 3:24).
You, my beloved where is your helper? To whom do you go for hep when you are in trouble or in pain? Do you escape to God? Do you enter your bedroom and lock the door and wrestle with God till the morning? O’ troubled sole, you will not be comforted or find help and comfort except in the bosom of the Lord Jesus Christ, only in His side which is wounded and open for you to entre. He alone is the comforter because our soles is from Him and will only find its comfort in Him.
+ He will convict the world of sin, and of righteous-
ness, and of judgment:
Are you willing to accept convictions? Are you ready to be convicted for your sins and short comings? For your sins, evil doings and stumbling? The Holy Spirit will condemn the sin which unbelieving and not trusting in His promises to you. Just as He condemn for the short comings in doing good. Because you are now left for yourself to do good and righteous deeds, Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin (James 4:17). The Lord Jesus Christ is risen to heavens, but He sees you and asks you for your short comings and the weakness in your love and being lukewarm for you have left your earlier love. Know this my beloved, there is judgement, there is giving an account for every bad word, all wasted time and every action which is not fitting. Be not a lover of the world, for the Lord has judged the world and condemned all its sinful ways as we are not from the world or followers of the world. My beloved, let the (Holy) Spirit within you, guide you teach you and work within you for righteousness. Let Him comfort you in your troubles and convict and condemn (the sin) and by this He will take you to a triumphant life and glory.
+ Feast of Pentecost:
Today Sunday 8th June is the Feast of Pentecost – Fiftieth day after Resurrection when the Holy Spirit filled the Holy Disciples as the Lord promised them that He will send His Holy Spirit the comforter to fill them and stay with them forever and asked them not to depart from Jerusalem until they are filled with this special power from the Highest. On that day, the Holy Spirit descended upon them as cloven tongues of fire and they started to talk in tongues and to teach so much that three thousand believed that day as they heard a sermon from St Peter. It is the Birthday of the church of the New Testament and the start of the preaching mission of the disciples all over the world. Let us ask the Lord to work in us and make us honest witnesses to him and live Gospels read by all people. At St Mary’s Church the service programme will be: 5:30am Matins prayers and the procession of the Resurrection.
6:30 - 8:30 am First Liturgical Service
8:30 - 10:30 am Second Liturgical Service English
8:30 - 10:30 am third Liturgical Service Arabic 11:30 - 1:30 pm Kneeling Down (Sajda) Prayers. Holy Apostles Fasting starts on tomorrow Monday 9th June.
Holy Apostles Fasting
Tomorrow Monday 9th June the Holy Apostles tasting starts directly after we celebrate the Holy Feast of Pentecost. The Fasting is continuing until 12th July which is the Feast of Martyrdom of St Peter and Paul- the feast of the Holy Apostles. This fasting has been ordered by the Lord Himself when He was asked by the Pharisees why His disciples do not fast as St John’s disciples. The Lord told them that when the Bridegroom is taken from them they will fast. This was pointing to the Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord. The Lord also ordered His disciples not to leave Jerusalem until they are filled with the Holy Spirit. So, the day of Pentecost is truly the day of a start for the new church. The Birthday of the church of New Testament. That is why the church who feels as stranger in this world is carrying the Cross following the Lord. Fasting is also a sign of carrying the Cross in rejection to the world pleasures. We have also witnessed His Resurrection and Ascension and looking forward for His Second Coming. Let us follow the steps of our Lord declaring and witnessing for His Salvation on the Cross on the way to get united with her Bridegroom.
«George Rafael (AKA Adel Naguib) has been a faithful member of the Coptic Orthodox Church. He grew up and served at St. Mark Cathedral in Alexandria. At an early age, HHG Late Metropolitan Pakhomius (of Behaira and five western cities) ordained him as an Aghnustus. Then Ebiziacon at St. Mary, Melbourne. He has actively participated in the liturgical life of the Church for over fifty years.
George holds a master›s degree in Primary Health Care and is currently pursuing a candidature for a Doctor of Social Work (CSU). He worked as a clinical and senior social worker for over forty-five years. He spent a decade as a senior social worker in the Education Department of Egypt. In Australia, he has gained experience in various acute and community health settings. Ultimately, he pursued a career as a private clinical psychosocial and family therapist.
From 1981 to 1991, George volunteered as a social worker at St. George›s COC—social office - Alex, (which covered about four thousand families in need).
George holds other qualifications, having studied LLB (four years prior to immigrating to Australia). Advanced Diploma in Electronics (Engineer Faculty—Alex Uni) and an Electrical A Class and contractor licence (Australia).»
Nagui Edward Rofaiel
67 years old
Faculty of commerce Cairo university 1979
Chief Accountant before immigration
Immigration year 1988
Finish studies at RMIT
Member of institute of public Accountants
Married with 2 daughters and 4 grandchildren.
Ordained as a Deacon in St Mary 1995
Ordained as Episiacon 2005
Served in St Mary as a Deacon, Sunday School servant, and Treasurer
The Feast of Pentecost
By H. H. Pope Shenouda III
The Glorified Lord Christ lived with them in His body until He rose to Heaven then promised them the Holy Spirit to stay with them forever, the Spirit of truth, the Comforter. So what should we know about the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit, therefore it existed since ever. We read about it in the first verses of the Genesis Book. The divine response says: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” (Gn 1:1, 2).
And Isaiah talks about the Holy Spirit and gives Him names in his saying: “The Spirit of the LORD…The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.” (Is 11:2).
And we add to that in the third Hour Prayer (Terce) of every day and say: “a spirit of prophecy and chastity, a spirit of holiness, justice and authority” and call Him by saying: “O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, who is present in all places and fills all, the treasury of good things and the Life-Giver”.
And the Lord says about Him in the St John’s Gospel “the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father” (Jn 15:26). And the doctrine of being proceeded from the Father was mentioned by the Ecumenical Council in Constantinople in the Faith Creed. Yet our brothers, the Catholics add to it “Filioque” meaning “and from the Son”. And this is opposing to the Holy Trinity Doctrine. In assimilating the Holy Trinity to Fire we say: “Fire brings forth heat; and light proceeds from it” and we do not say that the light proceeds from heat! But the light and the heat both come from the origin, which is the fire and not one from the other.
The Holy Spirit used to work in the Old Testament as well. In the story of Samson we read that “the Spirit of the LORD began to move upon him at Mahaneh Dan” (Judges 13:25). And we also read that after Saul was anointed as king that “the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied” (1 S 10:10). This also happened when David was anointed by Prophet Samuel to be king “the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward” (1 Sam 16:13). And the way the Holy Spirit came upon both Saul and David were through the Anointing Oil that the Lord ordered them to prepare in Exodus Book (Ex 30:22-31). And Aaron was anointed as a high priest when Moses poured from this holy anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him (Lv 8:12), as we say in the psalm “It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments.” (Ps 133:2). And with this anointing oil the tent of meeting along with the altars and the utensils were anointed and became holy (Ex 40, Lv 8). With this anointing oil also, kings and prophets were anointed (1 Kings 19). And as a result, to the anointing, the Holy Spirit comes upon them and so comes His gifts as well. And we read in prophet Joel the Lord’s saying: “And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.” (Joel 2:28) And this is what happened on the fiftieth day (the Day of Pentecost), as St Peter the Apostle explained this verse from Prophet Joel’s Book (Ac 2:16, 17)
The Holy Spirit also could be transferred from one person to another. This happened to the seventy elders on the days of Prophet Moses when the Lord said to him: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel. Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them” (Nm 11:16, 17). And here the bible says: “Then the LORD came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied” (Nm 11:25)
We notice that before Moses, when Joseph the Righteous interpreted the Pharaoh’s dream, “Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?”” (Gn 41:38). And here was the Holy Spirit’s gift interpreting dreams, i.e., the Spirit of knowledge. Also there is another work for God’s Spirit in every art, so as to what the tent of meeting needed “Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.” (Ex 31:1- 5) Here we see that the Holy Spirit works even in the talent of workmanship that is given to some even in jewellery and carving woods. Among the most important characteristics of the Holy Spirit is that it is Who spoke in the prophets.
This is a statement in the content of the Faith Creed. This means that the Holy Spirit is the source of the divine response of the Holy books. the Holy Spirit was the source of all what the prophets and apostles said in the holy books.
In this St Peter the Apostle said in his second epistle “for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 P 1:21)
Nowadays, In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is given through three ways: The Holy Anointing, Laying Priests’ Hands and The Holy Breath.
As for The Holy Breath, it was written in St John’s Gospel that our Lord Jesus, after His Resurrection, when He appeared to His disciples, the saints, in the upper room, He told them “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”” (Jn 20:2123)
In the ordination of the bishop or the priest we breathe in his face and say “Accept the Holy Spirit”, so he opens his mouth to accept the holy breath and says with the psalm “I opened my mouth and accepted myself a spirit”.
As for Laying Hands, the Holy Spirit in the time of our fathers the apostles was given through the apostles laying hands. This was mentioned in giving the Holy Spirit to the People of Samaria. The Apostles Synod in Jerusalem sent them St Peter and St John “Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.” (Ac 8:14-17) And the same was done to the People of Ephesus “And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them” (Ac 19:7). Same applied to the Priesthood Sacrament, St Paul the Apostle said to his disciple Timothy “I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” (2 Ti 1:6)
The Holy Anointing was also known in the apostolic age. St John the Apostle says about that: “But you have an anointing from the Holy One…” (1 Jn 2:20) “… But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you.” (1 Jn 2:27)
We, in anointing children after baptism: we anoint them with the Holy Chrism (Myron) and lay hands on them and breathe in their faces. And say to them: “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
With the Holy Anointing Sacrament, we become temples for the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit dwells in us. St Paul the Apostle talks about that in his first epistle to Corinthians and says: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Co 3:16), and “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you” (1 Co 6:19). Then every one of should remember that on the day he was anointed with the Holy Chrism (Myron) that he became a temple for the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit became dwelling in him.
The Holy Spirit works in priesthood and priesthood is granted through the Holy Spirit.
It has the power of forgiving sins. But someone may say: How is that? And no one can forgive sins except God alone! We say: Yes, the Holy Spirit that is in the priest is one who forgives sins. As we say in the Holy Liturgy “be absolved by my mouth through the Holy Spirit,” so it is the Holy Spirit that forgives sins. And this forgiveness comes from the priest’s mouth. And the absolution that the priest gives through the absolution prayer in which he says: May God absolve you, may God pardon you, may God forgive you. And the Holy Spirit is present also in all the Church Sacraments. He also is present in all the Holy Synod decisions. In the first decision that came from the Synod in Jerusalem on the days of our fathers the apostles, they said: “it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us.” (Ac 15:28)
The Holy Spirit works in the Service too. The Church fathers, the apostles did not start the service until the Holy Spirit came upon them and the Lord’s promise saying: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me” (Ac 1:8) was fulfilled in them. The Holy Spirit was the One choosing the servants, like when He said: “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Ac 13:2, 4). And it was Him who directed the servants in their paths and worked in them and using them.
Asking for the Holy Spirit is a point of our daily prayer of the Third Hour (Terce). We ask it to come upon us and purify us from all defilement of body and spirit. And we cry to God saying: Your Holy Spirit, O Lord, do not take away from us. It is part of our freedom to accept the Holy Spirit, work with Him, and go into the “Holy Spirit Partaking”. And we are also free to reject and quench the Spirit and fight the Spirit. And the most serious thing is to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, meaning to reject it completely all through the life. But how beautiful is the bible’s saying: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” (Ro 8:14)
Here I would like to warn those who are deceived and think that every spirit that leads them is God’s Spirit!! The apostle says: “do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 Jn 4:1)
New Born
Baby Lilly Abigail daughter of Patrick Wehlan & Helen Riad 20th May 2025
May the Lord bless the baby to be source of blessings and joy for her parents and the church
Congratulations to Abouna Shenouda Boutros on graduating Doctor of Ministry with the thesis Titled Towards an Orthodox Understanding of Gender: A Theological Framework to Support Clergy in Their Ministry of Those Suffering Gender Dysphoria” May the Lord preserve his priesthood for us for many years
Celebrating 1700 years of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea 325AD attended by 318 Bishops
St Mary’s Church reminds you of Donations to support the Loans for the new building
The Bank Loan currently is $6,800,000
Thanks for all your generous support and prayers
One year ago on Lazarus Saturday 27th April 2024we started using the new building. we thank our Lord who supported us through the prayers of ST Mary and all the saints. We are waiting to start Child Care Service soon Thanks to all who offered support and prayers
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)
