St. George

Coptic Orthodox Church

Bellflower - California

كنيسة الشهيد العظيم مارجرجس- ببلفلاور

Those whom you have enlightened with Your Love could not stand to live among people. They put off every physical love and became strangers, to seek the Beloved. They took off their joy and followed this way with tears. They wept when they found themselves unworthy for the beauty of the Beloved. They rejected every physical pleasure and despised every human engagement, and loved misery and toil in order for the heart of the Beloved to have compassion on them.

They forsook the father, the mother, the brother, and the friend, and sought to be rich with His Love, for they realized that there is great love for them in His Heart. In His Love there is comfort which surpasses everything. Once they realized the desire of love for the Only One, they were impatient to stay in the worldly joy even for one moment. They ran in the road of sadness without being full, and they sought God casting their sufferings. They mortified their flesh with its desires happily, and drank the bitterness of myrrh joyfully.

Oh! This Divine Love! You have robbed everything from them, even themselves, and they have not felt that they are living, but the Lord Christ is living in them. They were drunk with His Love, and when they heard His saying: "Blessed are those who weep", they did not stop weeping.

Who is that who is inflamed with His Love? When his knees were unable to stand in prayer, he fell upon his face, and whenever he rises, he falls again. From the warmth of his prayers, his eyes poured fountains of tears which burned his cheeks from its heat, and fell on the ground to wash its curse.

 Oh! This Divine Love! You raised the soul till you seated her in the light of her Creator and purified her and the beasts saw the image of her Creator in her, they did not stop to breathe her aroma.

Effects of Association With others

Many are the effects of people on those they associate with … and easy is the absorption of their attitudes, thoughts and psychological condition.

If you associate with a person who always suspects, suspicion would soon get to your heart. The opposite happens if you associate with one who has deep faith; he might be able to plant his faith in your heart.

The one who has many fears, who always expects harm and evil, could easily spread fear among those who associate with him. As for the courageous one who has a strong heart, he strengthens their hearts and his courage and firmness flow to them…

It is enough for a group of people to have one person who very often complains, curses all situations, grumbles from everything, till those who sit with him leave with hearts full of complaints and grumble!

This shows the effect of rumors and news on people…

It is another kind of effective association, either of the thought, opinion, news or feelings that surround them…

That explains the effect of friendship, relationship and marriage… even companionship and neighborhood. As said in the proverb: "Ask about the neighbor before you ask about the house".

Therefore, you ought to be selective in checking your friends. Outline the limits of your relationship with friends, neighbors and those you associate with.

It would even be better if you associate with those who are in a better position than you. You will be able to benefit from them, as they could lift you up with them.

Do not think that you are too bright to be affected. Very few are those who do not get affected by people surrounding them…

Many times one talks to you and you understand from his way of talk and thought, that it is carried from another person that you know…!

Many are like a mirror that gives you a reflection of the one who sits in front of it…!

Others get affected in a hidden way that shows on by, after a while.

Some distinguished characters could be affected by their own attendants and helpers. One member of the attendants could be the main key of the personality.

Fear man who has a sensitive system that picks up quickly…!

Question: Why does the whole world run on (talks continuously) sex today? Why do all kinds of media such as newspapers, magazines, T.V., the internet, movies, schools, and colleges abound and team with sexual things?

Answer: God answers these questions in the Holy Bible:

1. "In latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons." (I Timothy 4:1)
2. "In the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, … disobedient to parents, … unholy, … without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, … lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." (2 Timothy 3: 1-4)
3. "Scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts." (1 Peter 3: 3)
4. "As Sodom and Gomorrah … having given themselves over to sexual immorality." (Jude 1:7)
5. "There would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts." (Jude 1: 18)

Question: Who is our role model to follow in his footsteps?

Answer: Read the story of Joseph In the Holy Bible (Genesis chapters 39-42) to learn a moral lesson of vital importance to all of us. You don’t have to give in. Do just as Joseph had done.

1. He refused to "do such a wicked thing and sin against God." (Genesis 39: 9)

2. "Thus, because Joseph walked with the Lord, the Lord was with him and therefore he was a successful man." (Genesis 39:2)
3. And, because of his chastity, he became "the governor over all the land of Egypt." (Genesis 42: 6)
4. When the people of Egypt cried to Pharaoh for bread, he told them: "Go to Joseph, whatever he says to you, do" (Genesis 41: 35)

The Maker of all human beings is recalling ALL units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to the serious defect in the primary and central component of the heart.

This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units.

This defect has been technically termed, "Subsequential Internal Non-Morality", or more commonly known as S-I-N, the primary symptoms are loss of moral judgment.

Other Symptoms of SIN Include:

+ Loss of direction

+ Foul vocal emissions

+ Amnesia of origin

+ Lack of peace and joy

+ Selfish, or violent, behavior

+ Depression or confusion in the mental component

+ Fear

+ Idolatry

+ Incorrect use of maternal components

The Manufacturer, who is neither liable or at fault for this defect, is providing factory authorized repair and service, free of charge, to correct this SIN defect.

The number to call for the recall station in your area is:

Once connected, please upload your burden of SIN by pressing R-E-P-E-N-T then C-O-N-F-E-S-S.

Next, answer to J-E-S-U-S into the heart.

No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, JESUS will replace it with:

+ Love

+ Joy

+ Peace

+ Patience

+ Kindness

+ Goodness

+ Faithfulness

+ Gentleness

+ Self-control

Please see the operating manual, the HOLY BIBLE, for further details on the use of these items.

WARNING: Continuing to operate the human unit without correction, voids the manufacturer's warranty, exposing owner to dangers and problems too numerous to list and will result in the human unit being permanently impounded.

DANGER: The human units NOT receiving this recall action will have to be scrapped in the furnace.

Those Saints, your living image

Those Saints light with Your light, which you You have poured over their heads. Glory be to You, O Lord, Who gave His glory, light and honor to our race.

This is the image of Your pure apostles, Your living Image, Who arrived to You as ambassadors interceding on our behalf.

These are the martyrs who went through the battle of suffering and were partakers of the sufferings of Your Cross and washed their clothes and whitened them with the Blood.

This is the picture of Your Saints who washed themselves with their tears and purified their bodies with their fasting, therefore they received great gifts.

 They were strengthened in their struggle with your great power and trampled over sin with their feet and conquered the traps of the enemy with Your grace. Here the beauty and the light of Your face were emitted from their faces with amazing glory.

Once there was a a boy lying in bed. He was in a dreadful state of being a fool and was acting like an idiot. His mother was kneeling beside him. She looked at her retarded son. She was heart-broken because of the sad state of her son and cried out in agony and pain saying, "O my son! I have satisfied your thirst and hunger. I have fed you. I have clothed you in the most fashionable manner. I have loved you. I have sacrificed and devoted all my comfort, money, time and life to caring for you, and treated your illness and up to now you have never known me."

This is exactly what God may say to us. It is a terrible thing to break the heart of God. Jesus is knocking at the door of your hearts. But we deliberately don’t want to open to let Him enter and bless our lives. You are breaking Jesus’s Heart because of your rejection. Why are you rejecting Jesus? What will happen if you refuse to open your heart to him? He will say, "Depart from Me … into the everlasting fire." (Matthew 25: 41)

But if you live with Jesus it means to live the life of righteousness, the life of unselfishness and service to others. In the end you will listen to His Holy voice, "Come, you blessed of My Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." (Matthew 25: 34)

 "I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." (Revelation 3:20)

The Christian Family

Question: Why are our children at a loss and a mess while listening to their parents fighting and yelling at each other?

Answer: Our christian home depends on three persons. Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of our home, dad and mom. This triangle that has three vital signs must cooperate, heart and soul, with each other. If any problem arises at home, let us ask ourselves this question, "What would Jesus say on such an occasion?" "What would Jesus do to solve this problem?" Husbands and wives should never argue or yell at each other in front of their children. Sooner or later, your beloved innocent kids will act exactly as you have just done before them. You are good role models to your children. Remember that "A soft answer turns away wrath; but grievous words stir anger." (Proverbs 15:1) Make it your motto, "Forget and forgive." Let it be your chief concern to give controlled freedom to your children. Read the Holy Bible and pray with them every day.

At home there nay be worry, tension, anxiety or mistrust. But so long as we have a firm belief and faith in Jesus Christ we can say, "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me." (Philippians 4: 13)

For the welfare and for the peace of the whole family, listen to the following holy verse, "Better is dry morsel with quietness, than a house full of feasting with strife. (Proverbs 17: 1) In this way everything will run smoothly and peacefully.

On the day of judgment you are going to give a full account of your children because you are responsible to God for their good upbringing. Beware and watchful, take good care of your children because time is running out.

I behold a new and wonderous mystery. My ears resound to the shepherd’s song, piping no soft melody, but chanting full forth a heavenly hymn.

The angels sing. The archangels blend their voices in harmony. The cherubim hymn their joyful praise. The seraphim exalt His glory. All join to praise His holy feast…, beholding God here on earth and man in heaven. He Who is above, now for our redemption dwells here below, and he that was lowly is by divine mercy raised!!!

Bethlehem this day resembles heaven, hearing from the stars the singing of angelic voices, and in place of the sun, enfolds within itself on every side the Sun of Justice.

Since therefore all rejoice, I too desire to rejoice. I too wish to share the choral dance, to celebrate the festival. But I take my part, not plucking the harp, not with the music of the pipes, nor holding a torch, but holding in my arms the cradle of Christ. For this is all my hope, my life, my salvation, my pipe and my harp…

In heaven He alone is the Only-Begotten Son of God; on earth He alone is the Only-Begotten of the unique Virgin.

What shall I say! And how shall I describe this Birth to you? For this Wonder fills me with astonishment. The "Ancient of days" has become an infant!

He Who sits upon the sublime and heavenly Throne, now lies in a manger!

He Who cannot be touched, Who is simple, without complexity and incorporeal, now lies subject in the hands of men!

He assumed my body, that I may become capable of His world: taking my flesh. He gives me His Spirit, and so He bestowing, and me receiving. He prepares for me the treasure of life.

He is considered a great Orthodox theologian.

Origen lived the life of strict self-discipline and self-denial. He used to sleep on the ground and walk bare-footed. He never ate meat or frank wine. And in order to avoid being seduced into fleshly lust (1 Peter 2: 1) , he turned himself into a eunuch (he castrated himself), "for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake" (Matthew 19: 12) . His noble aim of being castrated was to work freely in instructing and teaching the female students at the School of Theology as well as male ones.

Origen wrote hundreds of books, translations, biblical commentaries and pamphlets. But his great writings were the following:

1. "The Hexapla: (Hex = six) He gathered six translations of the Old Testament. He spent 28 years in writing these volumes.

2. He also wrote "Homelitics" (the art of preparing and delivering sermons). Origen was well known for his wonderful preaching in Greece, Palestine, Arabia, Antioch and Rome.

3. In AD 248, he wrote his great vindication (defense) of Christianity against pagan attacks.

4. His Orthodox Doctrine: (Teachings)

The word "Orthodox" means straightforward, conforming to the right beliefs of the Church. Most of the honest Christian scholars supported Origen saying that he was the first scholar of all churches in the East and West after the Apostles of Jesus Christ. Never shall we forget Saint John Chrysostom (of the golden mouth) who was exiled because he honestly defended the true orthodox principles.

5. His Death:

After being persecuted and tortured, Origen died in AD 254 at the age of 69 at Tyre, Palestine. On his tomb, they wrote: "Here sleeps Origen the great".

This is a short account of the life of the brilliant Orthodox star that shone in the 3^rd century and has remained shining throughout the future generations because of his biblical achievements, his chastity and his power of preaching.

"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, arousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God".

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." (Galatians 5:19-25)

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Last modified: August 16, 2008