Saturday 26 March 2033
17 Baramhat 1749
Readings for Saturday of of the Great Lent
Matins Psalm & Gospel
From the Psalms of our father David the prophet and the king, may his blessings be with us all. Amen.
Psalms 142 : 5,7
| 5 | I cried out to You, O LORD: I said, "You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living. |
| 7 | Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your name; The righteous shall surround me, For You shall deal bountifully with me." |
Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord. Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, unto Him be the glory forever, Amen.
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to our teacher Saint Luke the Evangelist. May His Blessings be with us all. Amen.
Luke 16 : 19 - 31
| 19 | "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. |
| 20 | But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, |
| 21 | desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. |
| 22 | So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. |
| 23 | And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. |
| 24 | "Then he cried and said, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' |
| 25 | But Abraham said, "Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. |
| 26 | And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' |
| 27 | "Then he said, "I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, |
| 28 | for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' |
| 29 | Abraham said to him, "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' |
| 30 | And he said, "No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' |
| 31 | But he said to him, "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead."' |
Glory be to God forever.
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Divine Liturgy
Pauline Epistle
Paul, the servant of our Lord Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, appointed to the Gospel of God. A reading from the Epistle of our teacher Paul to the Philippians.
May his blessings be with us. Amen.
Philippians 4 : 4 - 9
| 4 | Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! |
| 5 | Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. |
| 6 | Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; |
| 7 | and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. |
| 8 | Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. |
| 9 | The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. |
The grace of God the Father be with you all. Amen.
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Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle of St. James . May his blessings be upon us. Amen.
James 3:13-18 James 4:1-6
| 13 | Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. |
| 14 | But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. |
| 15 | This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. |
| 16 | For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. |
| 17 | But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. |
| 18 | Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. |
| 1 | Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? |
| 2 | You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. |
| 3 | You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. |
| 4 | Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. |
| 5 | Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"? |
| 6 | But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." |
Do not love the world or the things in the world. The world passes away, and its desires; but he who does the will of God abides forever. Amen.
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Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of our fathers the apostles, may their blessings be with us. Amen.
Acts 24:24-27 Acts 25:1-12
| 24 | And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. |
| 25 | Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, "Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you." |
| 26 | Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him. |
| 27 | But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound. |
| 1 | Now when Festus had come to the province, after three days he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem. |
| 2 | Then the high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they petitioned him, |
| 3 | asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem--while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him. |
| 4 | But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly. |
| 5 | "Therefore," he said, "let those who have authority among you go down with me and accuse this man, to see if there is any fault in him." |
| 6 | And when he had remained among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought. |
| 7 | When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about and laid many serious complaints against Paul, which they could not prove, |
| 8 | while he answered for himself, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all." |
| 9 | But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?" |
| 10 | So Paul said, "I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know. |
| 11 | For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar." |
| 12 | Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, "You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!" |
The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty, and be confirmed, in the holy Church of God. Amen.
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Synaxarium
Day 17 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Baramhat.
May God make it always received, year after year, with reassurance and tranquility, while our sins are forgiven by the tender mercies of our God my fathers and brothers. Amen.
The Seventeenth Day of the Blessed Month of Baramhat
Departure of Lazarus, the beloved of
the Lord
On this day the righteous Lazarus, the beloved
of the Lord Christ, departed. He was the brother of Martha and Mary who
anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair. When
Lazarus fell sick the sisters sent to the Lord Christ saying: "Lord, behold,
he whom You love is sick." When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness
is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be
glorified through it." Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place
where He was" to magnify the miracle. Then after this He said to the disciples,
"Let us go to Judea again." The disciples told Him, "Rabbi, lately the
Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?" Jesus answered,
"Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he
does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. "But if one
walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." These
things He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps,
but I go that I may wake him up." Then His disciples said, "Lord, if he
sleeps he will get well." However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought
that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them
plainly, "Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not
there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him."
When the Lord came to Bethany which is nearby Jerusalem
He stood before the tomb and said: "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister
of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench,
for he has been dead four days." Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you
that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" Then they took
away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted
up His eyes and prayed then he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come
forth!" And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes,
and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him,
and let him go."
(John 11:1-45) That was to manifest the reality of his
death, so no one would think that this was deception with previous arrangement,
for that the miracle was magnified and many believed.
May The prayers of this righteous be with us. Amen.
Commemoration of the Saints George the
Ascetic, Belasius the Martyr, and Anba Joseph the Bishop
On this day also the church
celebrates the commemoration of the Saints George the ascetic, Belasius
the martyr, and Anba Joseph the bishop.
May their prayers be with us. Amen.
Departure of St.Basilius, Bishop of Jerusalem
On this day also of the
year 1615 A.M. (March 26th., 1899 A.D.) the great father Anba Basilius,
Metropolitan of Jerusalem, departed. This father was born in the village
of El-Dabah, Farshout county, the province of Quena, for righteous parents.
They nursed him with the milk of righteousness since his young age, as
they taught him reading and writing, so he grew on loving perfection and
moral excellence. When he was twenty-five years old he went to the monastery
of St. Antonios and put on the monastic garb in the year 1559 A.M. He persevered
in worshipping and ascetism and because he was adorned with righteousness
and piety they ordained him priest in the year 1565 A.M. and archpriest
(Hegumen) in the year 1568 A.M., then they appointed him an Abott for the
monastery. He managed the monastery well with gentleness, wisdom and meekness
that made the blessed Anba Kyrellos IV to ordain him Metropolitan for Jerusalem
and the parishes that were attached to him: El-Kaliobia, El-Sharkia, El-Dakahlia,
El-Gharbia, Suez, Domiat, and Port-Said. He had shown prudence in managing
the affairs of these parishes that made him the center of admiration and
pride to the Copts. All his efforts were dedicated for the building of
churches all over his parish, buying and renovating properties in Jaffa
and Jerusalem. He was loved by all the people of Syria and Palestine, regardless
of their religion or political persuasion, especially the rulers of Jerusalem,
for his wise policy and straight morals. During his days a dispute aroused
from the Ethiopians where they claimed their ownership for the monastery
of El-Sultan in Jerusalem. Because of this father and his vigilance they
could not establish an ownership for the monastery. He attended the enthronement
of Pope Demetrius II, the hundred eleventh, and Pope Kyrellos V, the hundred
twelfth. He spent his days in continuous effort for what was good for his
people and departed in peace.
May his prayers be with us. Amen.
Martyrdom of St.Sedhom Bishay in Domiat
On this day also the church
commemorates the martyrdom of Sedhom Bishay in Domiat on the 17th. of Baramhat
year 1565 A.D. (March 25th., 1844 A.D.). He endured the torture for the
Name of the Lord Christ and his martyrdom made the rising of the Cross
during the Christian funeral processions openly, for it was forbidden before.
This martyr was a clerical employee in the government of the port of Domiat
during the days of Mohammed Ali Basha the Governor of Egypt. A revolt of
mobs in the port arose, they seized Sidhom Bishay and accused him falsely
that he cursed Islam and witnessed against him before the religious judge
a low uncivilized person and a donkey driver. The judge decided either
he would forsake his faith or be killed, he whipped him and then sent him
to the Governor of the city. After the Governor had examined his case he
issued the same judgement against him as the judge did. Sidhom was steadfast
in his Christian faith, not caring to be killed. They whipped, dragged
him on his face down the stairs in the Governor palace, then they put him
on a buffalo facing the tail and went around with him in the streets of
the city insulting and degrading him. The Christians in the city became
afraid and locked themselves in their houses.
The mob continued to insult
him and tortured him in different ways until he was about to deliver his
soul; so they brought him to the door of his house and left him there.
His family went out and brought him inside and five days later he departed
to heaven. His departure was a great martyrdom, and the Christians counted
him among the holy martyrs. They gathered regardless of their denomination
and joined in his funeral in a celebration that there was nothing like
it before. The Christians carried their arms and the priest put on their
vestments headed by the Archpriest Yousef Michael who was the head of the
Coptic congregation in Domiat and accompanied by the priests of the other
denominations. They marched in his fu.eral in the streets of the city and
in front of him the deacons carrying the banners of the Cross, and they
arrived to the church where they prayed the funeral rites. The people went
on objecting this reprehensible and painful incident and talking about
the patience and endurance of the different kinds of torture in silence
and the steadfastness of Sidhom the martyr. The prominent people of the
Christian community in Domiat deliberated as how to avoid these incidents
in the future. They decided to ask the consuls of the foreign countries
to mediate with the ruler of the country and the Pope the Patriarch of
the Copts and sent to them detailed reports. Mr Michail Sorour the official
representative of seven countries in Domiat was in charge of this mediation.
The ruler of Egypt was concerned about this incident and sent two official
representatives to examine the case. So they reopened the inquiry and they
realized the injustice and the ill-treatment that befell the great martyr
and convicted the judge and the governor for their wrong doing, stripped
them from their honor then exiled them. They asked, as a good will and
to comfort the people, to allow the raising of the Cross publicly before
the Christian funerals, and the ruler allowed that in Domiat. This was
allowed later on all over the country during the Papacy of Pope Kyrellos
IV.
May The blessings of this great martyr be with us and glory be to
God forever. Amen.
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Divine Liturgy Psalm & Gospel
From the Psalms of our father David the prophet and the king, may his blessings be with us all. Amen.
Psalms 61 : 1,5
| 1 | Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. |
| 5 | For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name. |
Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord. Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, unto Him be the glory forever, Amen.
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to our teacher Saint Matthew the Evangelist. May His Blessings be with us all. Amen.
Matthew 21 : 33 - 46
| 33 | "Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. |
| 34 | Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. |
| 35 | And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. |
| 36 | Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. |
| 37 | Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, "They will respect my son.' |
| 38 | But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, "This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.' |
| 39 | So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. |
| 40 | "Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?" |
| 41 | They said to Him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons." |
| 42 | Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD's doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes'? |
| 43 | "Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. |
| 44 | And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." |
| 45 | Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. |
| 46 | But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet. |
Glory be to God forever.
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