“In the Beginning was the Word,

And the Word was With God, and the Word was God.”

 (John 1:1)

 

 Amazing are the Coptic Liturgical Readings, especially those offered in the Nativity Season. In this period, the Church offers a precise theological and spiritual insight, through the awesome hymns and the carefully selected Biblical readings. The main theme for these readings is the ‘Word of Good.”

  

 Obedience to the commandments of God through faith is the access to the Mystery of Incarnation. In the parable of the sower, the word of God is the seed for the soil. Through his obedience to the Word of God, Abraham manifested his faith, “and it was accounted to him for righteousness" (Ro 4:3). Hence, he received the promises, “so that he became the father of all those who believe” (Ro 4:11). Similarly, “Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name” (Ro 1:5). (All these verses are in the readings of the first Sunday of Kiahk).

 

Moses is the one who “received the living oracles to give to us” (Act 7: 38). And, through obedience of the Word, Moses furnished the tabernacle, for the rest of the Lord in wilderness, according to the pattern that he had seen. David who meditated and praised the Word of God, “found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob. "However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands"” (Act 7: 46-48).

 

St. Mary ‘has found favor with God’ through her obedience to the word, "Let it be to me according to your word", hence the Lord found his dwelling in her womb. She found the "dwelling for the rest of the Lord", for her father David who did not succeed to find it. She became the tabernacle of witness which Moses saw its pattern in the wilderness. Mary received the promises, whereas her father Abraham died in faith without receiving them, but having seen them afar off was assured of them and embraced them. Abraham through the righteousness of faith became the father of all believers. Similarly St. Mary through her faith became the new Eve, the mother of all the beings to live forever.

 

Obedience to the word of God is our means for the understanding and embracing of the mystery of incarnation, to find a dwelling for the Lord to rest inside us. The obedience of God’s word is the sign of our love to God, as Jesus said, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him” (Jon 14: 23). Also, keeping Jesus word shows the faith, "That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you being rooted and grounded in love” (Eph 3:17). “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1Co 3: 16). Through loving God and keeping the true faith the Holy Trinity dwells in us, "… For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: I will dwell in them and walk among them” (2Co 6: 16). "This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it” (Ps 132:14).

 

The efficacies and the blessings of the mystery of incarnation are received in our New Birth through obedience to the word of God. Hence, the liturgical readings in the beginning of the Nativity Season urge us to listen to the word of God earnestly,  “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow…” (Mr 4:3). The Pauline reading in the feast of nativity empathizes the same theme,  “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away… how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,” (Heb 2: 1-3). At the end of the season, the readings conclude this theme, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God … In Him was life, and the life was the light of men’ (Jon 1. 1-4)

 

Our New Birth is the gift we receive through the word of God.    “And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger", the manger of the heart.

           F.Y.

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IN THIS ISSUE

The English Section:

The first article, “Be Transformed”, byFr. Matta El-Meskeen is a call for transformation. In this second part of the article, the author pursued the call for transformation in the epistles of St. Paul.

The second article is, “The Heavenly Banquet and The Table of the Messiah in the NT”, by Rodolph Yanney, MD. In this part, the writer presents the Lord’s teachings on Eucharist in the Gospel of John.

The third article is from the great contemporary Russian Orthodox writings, “The Lost Scriptural Mind” by Fr. Georges Florovsky.  In the second part of the article, the author emphasize on the importance of considering the unity of Christ’s Natures (Divine & Human) in teaching the modern man. This is to comply with the conclusion of the Ecumenical Councils and the teaching and doctrine of St. Cyril of Alexandria (The Pillar of Orthodoxy).

The fourth article, "The Just Shall Live By Faith” by M. Helmy discusses the subject, in the light of the sayings of St. John Chrysostom, as shown in his commentary on the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans   

The Arabic Section:

The first article, “We Want to See Jesus”, by Dr.Guirguis A. Ibrahim, PhD. addresses the need of the people to see Jesus. There are many talks and books about a man called Jesus, but what the people hear and read, looks as nice but impractical values, which no one can comply with. Even many of the authors who write and talk about Jesus can’t implement his teachings. The world is in need to see Jesus alive in the life of the teachers ofChristianity rather than to hear more teachings.

The second article is “The Bible & The Doctrine of the Millennial Kingdom” by  Fouad Youssef. It discusses the Biblical view, which is the basis for the orthodox understanding of this doctrine. 

The Third article, “For Indeed, The Kingdom Of God Is Within You”, By Origen, is from the fathers teachings. Origen’s reflections on this verse, explain the spiritual meanings, which direct to our unity with God and the receiving of our new birth and resurrection in Christ.

The last Arabic article is “The Organization of The First Season of the Coptic Lectionary” by Fouad N. Youssef.  This subject is very important and vital to the Coptic preachers and teachers of the word.

 

We thank every person who offered help in publishing and distributing the magazine, asking the Lord to reward them with His heavenly blessings. Also, we ask for your continued prayers for the success of this work serving the “Word of Life.”

REMINDER

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