Vol: 8 Issue: 10
Baba 1731 / Oct 2014
The Five Ways of Repentance By: St John Chrysostom Do you wish that I shall speak of the ways of repentance? They are many, and various, and different, and all lead to heaven. The first way of repentance is condemnation of sins. “You must declare your own sins first that you may be justified.” Wherefore also the prophet said “I said, I will speak out, my transgression to the Lord, and You remitted the iniquity of my heart.” Condemn yourself therefore for your own sins. This is enough for the Master by way of selfdefence. For he who condemns his sins, is slower to fall into them again. Awake your conscience, that inward accuser, in order that you may have no accuser at the judgment seat of the Lord. This is one way of repentance, the best; and there is another not less than this, not to bear a grudge against your enemies to overcome anger, to forgive the sins of our fellow-servants. For so will those which have been done against the master be forgiven us. See the second expiation of sins: “For if you forgive” He said, “your debtors, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you.” Do you wish to learn a third way of repentance? Fervent and diligent prayer, and to do this from the bottom of the heart. Have you not seen that widow, how she persuaded the shameless judge? But you have a gentle Master, both tender, and kind. She asked, against her adversaries, but you do not ask against your adversaries, but on behalf of your own salvation. And if you would learn a fourth way, I will say almsgiving. For this has a great power and unspeakable. For Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar when he had come to all kinds of evil, and had entered upon all impiety, “O King let my counsel be acceptable unto you, redeem your sins by almsgiving and your iniquities by compassion on the poor.” What could be compared with this lovingkindness? After countless sins, after so many transgressions, he is promised that he will be reconciled with him he has come into conflict with if he will show kindness to his own fellow-servants. And modesty, and humility, not less than all words spoken, exhaust the nature of sins. And the
publican is proof, being unable to declare his good deeds, in sight of all, bringing forward his humility, and laying aside the heavy burden of his sins. See we have shown five ways of repentance: first the condemnation of sins, next the forgiveness of our neighbors’ sins, thirdly that which comes of prayer, fourth that which comes of almsgiving, fifth that which comes of humility. Do not then be lazy; but walk in all these day by day. For the ways are easy, nor can you plead poverty. And even if you live poorer than all, you are able to leave your anger, and be humble, and to pray fervently, and to condemn sins, and your poverty is in no way a hindrance. And why do I speak thus, when not even in that way of repentance in which it is possible to spend money (I speak of almsgiving), not even there is poverty any hindrance to us from obeying the command? The widow who spent the two mites is a proof. Having learned then the healing of our wounds, let us constantly apply these medicines, in order that we may return to health and enjoy the sacred table with assurance; and with much glory, reach Christ the king of glory, and attain to everlasting good by the grace, and compassion, and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom and with whom be glory, power, honor, to the Father, together with the all holy, and good and quickening Spirit, now and always and for ever and ever. Amen. – language updated by – RAS, original taken from Three Homilies Concerning the Power of Demons, Homily II
Year 9 boys from St Abraam Church
Archangel Michael church Year 12 class spending a retreat at the monastery
Archangel Michael church Youth
A Group of Ethiopian youth celeprating the feast of St Takla
St Barbra year 11 boys
Boys from St Abanoub Church
Years 3&4 from St Marks Sunday School during a trip to the Monastery
The Blessed Woman Thais And now I desire to narrate to you the excellent history and the great repentance of the blessed woman, Thais. For speech concerning her is most excellent, and it is full of encouragement and penitence of soul to those who love God. This woman had a mother who, because her daughter was beautiful of face, made her to take up a position in the market, and the rumor of her beauty travelled to every place, and those who were living afar off desired greatly to see her; and no man who looked upon her was satisfied with the sight of her face, because she burned like a flame of fi re into the hearts of those who saw her, and many by reason of their mad love for her sold whatever property they had to her parents that they might have commerce with her. When St Bessarion, the servant of God, heard these things concerning this woman and that through her beauty she was dragging many to destruction, he arrayed himself in the apparel of a man who was in the world, and took with him one dinar and went to her, and when he saw her he brought forth the dinar and gave it to her; and having taken the dinar she said to him, “Let us go into a room,” and he said to her, “Yes, let us go in.” Having gone in, the blessed man Bessarion saw the couch which was laid out, now it was a very high one, and the woman said to the old man, “Come, get up on this bed”; and he said to her, “Have you not inside this chamber, another room?” and she said to him, “Yes.” Then he said to her, “Let us then: go in there.” Thais answered and said to him, “If it is that you are ashamed of men seeing you, know that no man can see us in this chamber; but if it be God of Whom you are afraid He can see us in whatever place we enter.” The blessed man Bessarion hearing these words, said to her, “My daughter, do you know that God exists?” She said to him, “Yes, I know that God exists, and that there will be kingdom, and judgement.” Then the old man said to her, “If you know that God exists, and that there will be kingdom and judgement, why do you destroy men in this manner?” Immediately the woman cast herself at his feet, and said to him, “I know that there is repentance for those who sin. But I beseech you, master, to tarry with me for three hours, and whatsoever you wish to do to me that do because of all the evil things which have been done by me.” Having told her in what place he would await her he left her and went away. Then in that same hour the woman took everything which she had gained by fornication and burnt it with fi re in the midst of the city, and she said, “Come, all you who have had commerce with me, and see that I am burning before your eyes every possession which I have gathered together by means of sin”; and the things which were burned were worth three hundred pounds of gold, and there were also goods and apparel of all kinds; and after she had burned up everything she went to the blessed man Bessarion. When Bessarion saw her he took her by her hand and led her along and brought her to Page 4
a religious house of sisters, and he shut her in a little cell, leaving her only one small window in the wall through which a woman passed in food to her. The blessed Bessarion said to the head of the house, “Give her a pound of dry bread each day, and water according to her need.” Then the blessed woman Thais said to the venerable Bessarion, “With what petition do you command me to pray to God, that He should forgive me my sins?” The blessed Bessarion said to her, “You are neither worthy to pray to God, nor to make mention of His Name with your lips, nor to stretch out your hands to Him; for your lips are unclean and polluted, and your hands are contaminated with impurity; you shall only sit down and gaze towards the East, and you shall say nothing except, ‘O You who did create me, have mercy upon me.’” Having dwelt in that cell for a space of about three years, the blessed Bessarion had mercy upon her, and the blessed man went to Abba Anthony that he might learn from him whether God had forgiven her sins or not. Then having spoken concerning her to Anthony that blessed man called to his disciples, and said to them, “Let each one of you shut himself in his cell all night, and pray to God that we may see to whom shall be revealed the matter concerning which the blessed Bessarion has come to us this day.” When they all had done as they had been commanded and when a long time had elapsed, the blessed Paul, the chief of the disciples of Saint Anthony, looked into the heavens and saw a couch which had been spread with great splendor, and three angels who were carrying three lamps were standing before that couch, and a crown of glory was laid upon it. Having seen all this glorious sight, he said, “This couch can only be for my father Anthony.” Then a voice came to him from heaven, saying, “This couch is not for Anthony, your father, but for Thais the harlot.” The blessed Paul rose up early in the morning and related the vision, which he had seen. The blessed Saint Bessarion came back from Abby Anthony in great joy, and he went to the religious house of the sisterhood, and he opened the door that he might bring the woman out from the cell in which she was secluded; but she made entreaty to him, saying, “Leave me here until my death, for my sins are many.” Then the blessed man said to her, “Behold the merciful God has had compassion upon you, and He has accepted your repentance.” Then she wished to go forth from her cell. She answered and said to him, “Believe me, 0 Father, from the day in which I entered this cell I have made all my sins a mighty burden and I have set it before my eyes, in such a way that as the breath of my nostrils have not separated itself from me, so my sins have not separated themselves from me until this hour.” The blessed Bessarion answered and said to her, “God has not forgiven your sins because of your repentance, but because of the thought which you had that you would deliver yourself over to Christ.” This blessed woman Thais lived after her repentance fifteen days, and departed to our Lord in peace. Thus was the crowning of the blessed Thais, who was lost and found, and was dead and came to life by the grace of Christ, to Whom belong mercy, and compassion, and glory, and honor, forever and ever. Amen. (From the Paradise of the desert Fathers)
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Three newly ordained priests during their 40 days
With the Grace of God, the ordination of 3 fine young Priests namely: Rev Fr Abraam Rizk, Rev Fr Joseph Ghattas and Rev Fr Thomas Dos, took place at St Anthony & Paula Church in Sydney Australia, on Saturday 13 Sept 2014 by the laying of the Blessed Hands of H G Bishop Danieel; bishop of the Diocese of Sydney, H G Bishop Mar Malki Malki; Bishop of the Syrian Orthodox Church and H G Bishop Anba Daniel; bishop and Abbot of St Shenouda Monastery Sydney Australia and it was a wonderful day. After the ordination, all the 3 new Priests arrived at St Shenouda Monastery to spend their 40 Days for their contemplation and learning about the Church Rituals. God willing, each one of them will have a day when he will pray the whole Liturgy by himself for the first time, as follows: 1- Rev Fr Thomas Dos on Saturday 4/10/2014 at 9am-12pm. 2- Rev Fr Abraam Rizk on Monday 6/10/2014 (Public Holiday) at 9am-12pm. 3- Rev Fr Joseph Ghattas on Saturday 11/10/2014 at 9am-12pm. We wish the new priests a very fruitful service
The Harlot Whom a Subdeacon Drove out of Church A certain old man said, there was a harlot who was so beautiful and so rich that all princes flocked to her. One day she went into the church and desired to pass inside the gates, but a subdeacon who was standing at the door would not allow her to do so. He said, “You are not allowed to enter into the house of God, because you are an unclean woman.” While they were striving together, the Bishop heard the sound of the noise. The Bishop went out to see what was the matter. The harlot said to him, “The subdeacon would not permit me to go into the church.” The Bishop said to her, “You are not permitted to do so because you are unclean.” Having repented within herself, she said, “I will never play the whore again.” The Bishop said to her, “If you will strip yourself of all your possessions, I shall know of a certainty that you do repent.” She brought her possessions. The Bishop took the possessions and divided them in the fear of God among the needy. The woman went to the church, and wept saying, “If it has happened to me thus in this world, what would have happened to me in the next?” She repented, and became a chosen vessel.
St Anthony’s Church Sunday school and youth
St Mark’s Church Youth
St Anthony’s Church Group
Youth from St Abanoub’s Church
Archangel Michael church Girls
New se ea Rel
God Became Man God’s delight is in mankind; God’s love for humanity exceeds any imagination and the incarnation of God’s Son by becoming human is the biggest proof of God’s love for us and the strongest evidence of God’s providence for the sake of proclaiming His love for mankind, who was created in God’s image.
If the cross revealed to us the great love, which fills the heart of Jesus Christ, then the mystery of incarnation proclaims the magnificent love, which fills the heart of our heavenly Father who accepted that His Son be incarnate through the womb of a virgin whose name was Mary. This booklet by the late bishop Poemen sheds light on the meaning of the incarnation theologically and what are its implication for our lives.
We have finally reached the final stage of our Christian Music Competition. Ten very talented artists have submitted their work, now is up to you to vote for the best song of the year. Please follow the instruction for voting for your vote to count. Voting Ends Thursday 16th of October
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