A prayer for Alexandria Jan 1st, 2011 Martyrs

Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ, we ask and entreat your goodness O Lover of mankind,

+ please grant the afflicted Copts your comfort.

+ please grant their families and beloved, your strength.

+ please grant all Copts to see, find and seek you in this new era of martyrdom.

+ please grant church clergy wisdom.

+ please grant us to return to you, and come closer to you, and find our refuge in you.

+ please grant us spiritual wisdom to understand your message allowing

this to happen, and grant us to seek answers and solutions from you, not from people, nor from leaders nor organizations.

+ please grant us, Copts all over the world, to love and forgive those who kill us, persecute us, chase us, and transgress against us, especially those who do it knowingly, in full awareness and on purpose.

+ please grant us to react spiritually, as citizens of Heaven, as befit your children, and not in a natural human way.

+ please grant us to let resentment go from our hearts, towards those who persecute us.

+ please grant muslims who hate us to know the truth, so that the truth, You O Lord, set them free.

+ please take charge of our relationship with those who hate us and prepare evil for us and those we didn't manage to truly love yet, plant peace among us, O King of Peace.

Lord, we need peace, we need a solution, but we much more need, and therefor ask and seek, You Yourself to dwell in us, please grant us to be with You, always!

"And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said:

(Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David have said:
‘ Why did the nations rage,
And the people plot vain things?
The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the LORD and against His Christ.’
For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.)
And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness." (Acts 4:23-31)

Looking For a Church As Old As Christianity

I would love to introduce to you " Looking For a Church As Old As Christianity" Facebook page.

Here is the link for New Year's Resolution article:

http://www.facebook.com/notes/looking-for-a-church-as-old-as-christianity/early-church-and-new-year-resolution/143093822410498

Blessed 2011!

+Sh

Do We Need New Year Resolutions?

By: Victor Beshir

Before year end, many people write resolutions for the New Year to achieve certain goals that could lead to personal satisfactions. Yet, after the New Year starts, these resolutions gradually disappear and life never changes to better.

Behavioral psychology set the rules to change a habit or to start a new habit. Briefly, you need to practice or repeat the new habit for six months at certain times. Afterwards, this new behavior becomes a habit. Same rules were discovered 1500 years ago by the Desert Fathers who insist on concentrating on applying only one new habit a year. As one of the Fathers says, "Let's learn this year humbleness or meekness, or whatever you need to master." Then, they establish a disciplined daily routine to enforce daily repetitions regardless of mode, conditions, or even health status. This is how our Fathers became masters in all spiritual virtues.

Where to start? The Fathers say, "A person without prayers is a dead person." So, the beginning of spiritual life is a continuation of a prayful life. To make prayer a part of your daily routine, establish a time to pray regardless of your physical condition and give it priority number one for that time. Start by reading from the Bible to meditate in a few verses, following by a touching hymn, then pray. It is a great idea to add Agpya to your prayer. The best way to establish the habit of praying with Agpya is to start small and once it becomes a habit add more psalms.

Happy Blessed New Year.
In Christ,
Victor Beshir

CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM!

By Father John Abdalah

As Orthodox Christians, we greet one another with this confident exclamation during the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord. With this seasonal greeting we affirm that Jesus, who took on flesh and was born into our world, is indeed the Christ, and worthy of glorification.

This greeting is unlike other seasonal greetings about being merry (Christmas), glad (tidings), or happy (holidays). Not that I have any trouble with being merry, glad or even happy. I enjoy a spiked eggnog or a traditional Christmas shot of whiskey or arak as much as the next guy. But there is more to the preparation and celebration of Christmas than that. In this feast we celebrate our salvation through the good news of our Savior’s advent. When we greet each other with the news of Christ’s birth, we seize the opportunity to glorify the new born Savior. This greeting carries within it the promise of salvation, and the very meaning of life.

We will not escape the secularization of this feast. We will not change the marketing of goods, the office parties and the exchange of gifts. We will not avoid the need to spend money we may not have, eat too much or party ourselves silly. But with a little work to understand God’s revealed truth, we can transcend and baptize the now secular images to bring us deeper meaning. I offer the following examples of what I mean: Let every twinkling light on every bush and window remind us that Christ is the Light that brings us from darkness into light. Every light can bring us to him who is Light, just like the star that guided the Magi. Every light can remind us of the Christ child who enlightens us with Divine truth. This is the truth that sets us free. He is our light and our resurrection, the light of truth that will guide us from the manger to the empty tomb. This season of Christ’s birth is ultimately the season of salvation.

Let every sale in every department store remind us of how God loves us more than the world can understand. The retailers draw us in with sales so that we will come and shop with them. How much more does Christ draw us close? Christ took on flesh to call us home to Him. He suffered at the hands of his own creation, humiliated and murdered. This is the epitome of love. Every retailer, every jingle, every commercial can remind us of God’s own love for us.

Let every seasonal party remind us of the Joy of Salvation. To save us Jesus voluntarily came to take on flesh and suffer in his body. His sacrifice and his gift are reasons to celebrate. When we celebrate, we can remember all that God accomplished for us. We can remember His nature of love and mercy.

Let every Santa on the street collecting money, or posing for photos with children, remind us of the gifts God has given us and the opportunities God gives us to share with others. Think too of the example of St. Nicholas who taught us to fast, share our resources and love God with fervor.

Let every gift we present to one another remind us of the gift of life that Christ is for us. Christ gives us life as we are born anew into Him. Remember also that the Eucharist is life-giving and is given in his name.

Let every snowman, made of ice or styrofoam, remind us of how cold the world can be and how we need the warmth of our Savior. The world needs your example, your love and your witness in order for it to be warmed by God’s love.

Let every ribbon and bow on every package remind us how Christ has put Satan in bonds and freed us to love him and stay with Him. He who was born in a manger is He who could not die and defeated Satan in Hades.

Let every Christmas carol and seasonal song, remind us that we are called to praise God from the depths of our beings. Our soul wants to call out to Him who created us and who comes to us in this feast as a baby. Sing out, and let God hear your voice. Sing out and let others hear your testimony God has taken on flesh and dwelt with us as the prophets foretold. This is a time to sing out!

Perhaps you could add to my list and share your illustrations with our readers. Take a few moments to write down some secular images that you think can be given new meaning and send them to The WORD. By reading them next year, others may find practical ways to use secular images to be less distracted, and to focus more on the real meaning of this Holy Season.

Christmas comes at the end of the secular calendar. It is for us more than the end of one year and the beginning of a new year, and now a new century. It is for us a call to rededicate ourselves as we make God our Lord, and call him our Savior. Rededicated to Christ, let us charge boldly into the next century. Let us not be ashamed to proclaim that Christ is Born! Glorify Him! He is our God and we are His people.

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

From: this site

Christmas Wine!

Stop worrying, and start doing.

It is more important to enjoy drinking the wine, than it is to know the etiquette of how to drink wine.

Celebrating Christmas, the born of Christ, is much more important than worrying about which greeting people use (Merry Christmas vs Happy Holidays), or why people celebrate (Salvation of Christ vs secular customs), or right spending of money (Charity vs gifts)... let us start celebrating true Christmas ourselves!

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

$10 for old bird cage

I received this story this morning.

Enjoy!

+Sh

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There once was a man named George Thomas, pastor in a small New England town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying a rusty, bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit. Eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak....

"I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright.

I stopped the lad and asked, "What do you have there, son?"
"Just some old birds," came the reply.
"What are you going to do with them?" I asked.
"Take 'em home and have fun with 'em," he answered. "I'm gonna tease 'em and pull out their feathers to make 'em fight. I'm gonna have a real good time."
"But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do then?"
"Oh, I got some cats," said the little boy. "They like birds. I'll take 'em to them."
The pastor was silent for a moment. "How much do you want for those birds, son?"
"Huh?? !!! Why, you don't want them birds, mister.
They're just plain old field birds. They don't sing. They ain't even pretty!"
"How much?" the pastor asked again.

The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy and said, "$10?"
The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten dollar bill. He placed it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The pastor picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free. Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the pulpit, and then the pastor began to tell this story:

One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting. "Yes, sir, I just caught a world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait
I knew they couldn't resist. Got 'em all!"
"What are you going to do with them?" Jesus asked.
Satan replied, "Oh, I'm gonna have fun! I'm gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and curse. I'm gonna teach them how to invent guns and bombs and kill each other. I'm really gonna have fun!"
"And what will you do when you are done with them?"
Jesus asked. "Oh, I'll kill 'em," Satan glared proudly.
"How much do you want for them?" Jesus asked.
"Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you'll take them and they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, curse you and kill you. You don't want those people!!"
"How much? He asked again.
Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, "All your blood, tears and your life."
Jesus said, "DONE!" Then He paid the price.
The pastor picked up the cage and walked from the pulpit.

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The Title of the story: God's Grace!

from CNNWorld:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/11/25/egypt.christians.clashes/index.html

Christian protester killed in clashes in Egypt

By the CNN Wire Staff

November 25, 2010 6:05 p.m. EST

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• The clashes with police erupted over permission to build a church
• Police fired tear gas and arrested 93 people
• Building permits for churches are often a source of tension

Cairo, Egypt (CNN) -- Egyptian authorities have rounded up 156 people in connection with this week's deadly protests over plans to build a church near Cairo, the government announced Thursday.

Those arrested have been ordered held for 15 days while the investigation into Wednesday's clashes continues, Egypt's official Middle East News Agency reported.

Police battled about 150 demonstrators outside a government building in the Cairo suburb of Giza on Wednesday. Police turned to tear gas to break up the melee, while protesters responded with Molotov cocktails. The clashes left a Christian protester dead.

Tensions have been running high between Egypt's Muslim majority and minority Christians, who make up about 9 percent of the people. Copts, who are adherents of an Egyptian sect of Christianity, complain of discrimination, including the lack of freedom to build houses of worship. The government denies those accusations.

However, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has expressed concern that the Egyptian government and media have deliberately promoted sectarian friction ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for December.

"We've seen a clear uptick in recent weeks of incitement coming from media outlets and clerics espousing sectarian hatred and violence," said Leonard Leo, chairman of the independent, bi-partisan commission. "This kind of rhetoric goes too far and stokes the fire of extremists looking for ammunition to justify violent acts against religious minorities."

The commission said that earlier this month, ten Coptic Christian homes and several businesses were burned and looted in Qena province in southern Egypt following rumors of a romantic relationship between a Christian man and Muslim woman. Security officials imposed a curfew and arrested several Muslims, the commission said.

CNN's Ben Wedeman contributed to this report.