Vol: 7 Issue: 5
Baramouda 1729 / May 2013
The Joy of the Resurrection By H.H. Pope Shenouda III The angels proclaimed the news of Christ’s resurrection to the women saying, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but He is risen" (Luke 24: 5-6) The news of the risen Christ brought tremendous joy to the disciples, but terrified the Jewish leaders. As much as the day of the crucifixion was painful emotionally, it was a day of salvation. However, people did not see Christ opening the doors of paradise, they only saw the suffering, insults and nails. As much as the disciples were disturbed and sad on Friday, they were very joyful on Sunday. The promise of the Lord to them was fulfilled when He said, "But I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you" (John 16:22). Through His resurrection, they rejoiced that the resurrection is possible and realistic. He was the evidence. That is why St. John describes Him, "whom we have seen with our eyes and touched with our hands" (1Jn 1: 1). St. Peter also bears witness that "we have eaten and drank with Him after His resurrection from the dead." (Acts 10: 41). Through the resurrection, the fear of the disciples was turned into courage and indifference to all the powers that were fighting them. All their enemies could do is threaten to kill them, but what can the threat of death do to one who believes in the resurrection and has seen it! In the resurrection, the disciples felt that they were under the wings of a powerful God. The One in whom they believe holds the keys to life and death. He is the resurrection and the life. He is the source of life, not only on earth. but eternal life also. The disciples rejoiced because God fulfilled His promise to them, when they saw the promise of His resurrection fulfilled, they were reassured of the outcome of all the
other promises, like, "I go to prepare a place for you... and I will come again and take you, so that where I am, there you will be also" Jn. 14: 2-3). They believed His promise that He is with us until the end of days (Matt. 28:20). Thus, all His promises gave them power, comfort and joy. Through the resurrection, the cross became a glorious crown, instead of a symbol of suffering. That is why St. Paul says, "I rejoice ‘in weaknesses and insults and persecutions for Christ’s sake" (2 Cor. 12: 10). He also says, "we suffer with Him, so we can be glorified with Him also" (Rom. 8:17). The resurrection of Christ gave believers hope for an after life and for an eternal fellowship with Christ. This hope enabled them to put all their treasures in heaven and live as strangers in this world. St. Paul described life in heaven as, "what no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor entered the mind of man, what God has prepared for those who love Him" (I Cor. 2:9). The resurrection, then, is not an end in itself, but a means to the end which is everlasting life with God. The disciples rejoiced for the heavenly body that comes with the resurrection. Christ will raise our bodies also as He Himself rose. Human nature will be glorified in the resurrection from death. St. Paul says that "the body which is sown in corruption will rise in incorruption, and that which is sown in weakness will be raised in power" (1 Cor. 15:42-44). He also said that the Lord will change the body of humility into the image of His glorious body (Philippians 3 :21). The disciples rejoiced because in the resurrection, Christ revisited them. Christ spent a period of forty days with them, healing their wounds and doubts and forgiving their weaknesses. It was a period to prepare them for the upcoming mission. The resurrection gave the Christian mission faith and confidence. Confidence in the risen Christ whose disciples lived with Him for forty days after the resurrection, showing Himself to them with many proofs and talking to them about matters of the kingdom of God. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord and their joy became a way of life for them and Christians after them.
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Year 11 class from Archangel Michael Church
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Resurrection, Monasticism, and New Creation By: Fr Anthony St Shenouda “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2Co 5:17 The resurrection of Christ is a turning point in human history. It was the resurrection of our Lord that gave humanity a new chance to enjoy being in Christ again after a long period of separation from Adam’s fall to the resurrection of Christ. It was Christ’s victory over death that gave humanity a new lease on life, since through Christ’s death and resurrection death was transformed from being an end of life to a beginning of a new life. As St Paul said: “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection… knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.” (Rom 6:5,9). This newness of life has since been celebrated in many of the church sacraments. But the most profound celebration of Christ’s resurrection and his gift of being a New Creation is celebrated in the monastic life. There are many aspects in the process of consecrating monks that point to this significant truth. In the rite of consecration of a monk, the monk lies down and is covered from head to tow and the funeral prayer is prayed on him or her. After praying the funeral prayer with its sad tunes the monk is then uncovered and raised up and joyful tunes are sung. This rite of ordination clearly points to the fact that the monastic life is a death to the world and being raised again in Christ Jesus. It is therefore for a good reason that the early monks looked at the monastic consecration to be a second baptism. Since like baptism it involves death to the old man and resurrection into the new one. As St Paul said: “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Rom 6:4) After the newly consecrated monk is raised he is given a new name as a sign of his new life. His old man has just died and the one alive now is a new man. In fact sometimes monks are given the chance to choose their new name but some object saying “a new born baby has no choice in what name he is given.” Not only is their first name is changed but also their family name is changed to the name of the saint of the monastery. So if he was ordained at St Macarius’s monastery he would have “St Macarius” or in Arabic “el Macari” as a family name, as a sign that he no longer belongs to his biological family but to a new heavenly family that share and enjoy the Page 4
same new life of resurrection. This relationship between the change of name and enjoying the life of the resurrected Christ is not only symbolic but it is Biblically rooted. In the book of revelation; “to him who overcomes… I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except he who receives it.” (Rev 2:17) In St Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he explains how after the general resurrection and the second coming of Christ we will be raised in spiritual bodies. Our physical body which was “sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, is raised a spiritual body.” (1Co 15:44) It is for this reason that the early church referred to monks as “heavenly beings or earthly angels” which expresses their deep belief that the monastic life is the perfect example of the life of the resurrection and new creation. Not in a celestial realm but lived here on earth. Therefore, though every Christian gets to enjoy the life of new creation of the resurrected Christ, the monastic life is a continuous life example of this new life. It is through the monastic life that one can truly say the “old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
Right: Boys from St Barbra Church with Fr Kyrillos Farag
Left: St Mark’s Boys with Fr Kyrillos Farag Page 5
Resurrection and sacraments By: Fr Mathew the poor The Resurrection as an unseen power granted to us through Baptism and the Holy Eucharist: We do not believe that Christ’s Resurrection is something that concerns Him only but it primarily concerns us too. Christ was risen for our sakes ‘he rose and raised us with him’ as the Apostle Paul says, so in believing in Christ’s Resurrection is included our participation in the Resurrection. Christ died for us in the body so that death may not have any power over us, and may no longer be considered as a punishment for us but as a way and means to the Resurrection and life everlasting. Therefore, Christ’s Resurrection from the dead carries within its power and impression a new life and another birth to all mankind. As the Apostle Peter says: "has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead". ( 1 Peter 1:13). From this verse it is clear that Christ’s resurrection was not Christ’s alone, but it was a Divine act that encompassed all mankind all those who believe. Christ gave us a second birth by his Resurrection, so we became as the Bible says. ‘Children of the Resurrection’ i.e. children over whom death has no sovereignty, "But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection." (Luke 20:35-36). From this it is clear how Jesus became the second Adam by whose death and resurrection from the dead, we were born again to everlasting life. Baptism gives the concealed power of the Resurrection:in order to complete the second birth as Jesus promised Nicodemus, Christ has so decreed that after believing the word, we are reborn spiritually through him, living body by water and the Holy Spirit in Baptism. Christ has given this, great importance, especially after his Resurrection as we see at the end of every Gospel because when we are reborn through Christ’s living body, we are instantly transformed into children of the living God, Children of the Resurrection Children of the cross, the blood and the empty grave over whom death will have no power; or as Christ says, ‘They cannot die’. Therefore, we receive the strength and power of the Resurrection as we go through burial in the water; but this remains an invisible and unproven power of the Resurrection until its deeds are fulfilled through the spiritual behaviour in the course of life. For example: a baby is born with the potential to stand and walk in his human nature but remains unable to use those potentials until he grows and develops. Page 6
The Eucharist gives us the Resurrection in a form of mutual confirmation: In the Eucharist the Resurrection starts taking its clearest form. Here, we eat the invisible body, thus we receive the life that is in it, i.e., we receive the resurrection. The power of this expression is made clear when we know that eating the Eucharist takes place on two levels a visible living level in the materials of the sacrament bread and wine and a spiritual, invisible level when we eat and drink the divine body and blood which are ‘true food and true drink’. The truth is ‘Alithia’ something that transcends the senses and human brain, ‘Alithia’ is here Christ himself, ‘am the truth’. Therefore, in the Eucharist, we eat Christ -- the risen Christ in a spiritual body eaten in spirit as truth is. We eat it and drink it and unite with it, as we eat the bread and drink the blood, which are then transformed within us as strength and energy for the continuation of our bodily life. In the Eucharist, we receive the Resurrection as a power that flows in our soul giving it spiritual energy, light, holiness, purity and everything necessary for everlasting life and the way to heaven for all the children of the Resurrection. Every time we eat the bread of the Eucharist and drink from the cup we are confirmed in Christ’s Resurrection and Christ’s Resurrection is confirmed in us day after day so that we may fulfil the will of the Father as children of the Resurrection. Thus, the Eucharist is a nourishment for the Resurrection and an eternal remedy that cures all the ills of the children of death. It is the food of the wedding guests who are invited to eat from the Lamb in eternal bliss. (From: Coptic Church Review 1.1, p9-10)
Above: St Abanoub Sunday School class spending the day at the monastery
Sunday School trip from St Abraam Church
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DA Approval for monastery Project By: Bishop Anba Daniel I am delighted to announce to you the good News of getting the DA: the approval of our Project on the Land of the Monastery (from Singleton Council). This Project will consist of a Large Cathedral that will accommodate nearly 500 Worshipers and a Services-Building that include: Dining hall, big Kitchen, Bookshop, Lounges, Offices, etc, etc. This essential Project will be a great addition to our blessed Churches in Australia and will serve the many generations to come. This Project had been blessed and approved by late Baba Shenouda 111. (May God repose his pure Soul). We need all your Support, Contributions and Donations so to Construct such a big Project. To get the blessing in sharing with this Project, you can send your Donations direct to the Monastery Account: “The Coptic Orthodox St Shenouda Monastery Trust Building Fund” Westpac Bank: BSB: 032274. Account No: 26 4341. It is Tax Deductible. This big Project needs consistent income to ensure available Funds. So to enable you to do that, you can do it through “The Bank Direct Debit System”. The Bank will withdraw direct from your Account to the Monastery Account, the amount you want to donate weekly or monthly. To obtain the Forms for the “Direct Debits” you can download it from the Monastery Website: <stshenoudamonastery.org.au>. After filling these Forms, you can send/post it straight to the Monastery (P.O. Box 292. Windsor. NSW. 2756 or email it to: fr.wissa@live.com.au. May our Gracious Lord Jesus Christ reward you 100 Folds. Amen. Bishop Anba Daniel. 22/4/2013.
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