||    Pope Shenouda    ||    Father Matta    ||    Bishop Mattaous    ||    Fr. Tadros Malaty    ||    Bishop Moussa    ||    Bishop Alexander    ||    Habib Gerguis    ||    Bishop Angealos    ||    Metropolitan Bishoy    ||

 

“And you He made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins, …

that in the ages to come He might show

the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 2:1-7

 

Father Matta El-Meskeen (Matthew the Poor)


 

 

THE APOSTLE PAUL reveals the act of redemption that was fulfilled, in words

filled with sadness, to return those far and near, through it, to the love of God.

Paul the Apostle’s words acknowledge his sinful past full of offenses and sins

placing the guilt of that shameful conduct on the preceding general condition of sinners;

being according to the plan of the prince of the power of air who acted without

hindrance, this evil spirit consequently working without limits with the sons of

disobedience. He avows that everyone used to follow him, were even trained, subject to

him without resistance, doing everything their hearts and thoughts desired. They thus

became according to their social standard children of disobedience and children of

God’s fury, all without exception.

But in a blessed moment and at the accepted time God’s mercy intervened due to

God’s great love without any merit on the part of man. But the love of God was

preceding and overflowed on those who believed in Christ. After having been surely,

inevitably, and necessarily counted dead in sin God planned according to His everlasting

will to give man a new life and create a new spiritual creature. According to the prior

pleasure of the will of God He gave man of His rich love and raised him with Christ

from death giving him life through resurrection with Christ from among the dead. God

subjected His free abounding grace to enter and open in front of man the doors of

salvation after having been unjustly subjugated to the weight of sin by the unjust one.

The work of God became the subject of the talk of all the heavenly creatures and

God’s mercy to man who was satiated by toil, misery and tears was thus revealed.

God raised the new creation in Christ to heaven in accordance to His power of

resurrection from among the dead. Man was in the forefront of the procession of

Christ’s redemption being the Son of God bearing the promise to enter into His

Kingdom.

How bountiful are the mercy and extreme grace of God that changed man from the

old creation deserving death with Christ to the renewed nature of man with which he

could apply his competences in the midst of the angels of God and His saints, speaking

about the free grace that made him a new spiritual creation.

Prayer

That which You accomplished in us and for us O God, surpasses our imagination,

For man to be transferred from an old rejected creation to the condition of sons

Rising from the creation of dust to the creation of mercy and grace in the highest,

These are matters the mind cannot believe as we are under the world’s weight.

But through our spirit we praise and glorify You because You accomplished a great

deed. For after man was searching for a sinner to talk to, all our group have become

righteous.

We practically forgot we were sinners because Christ our pride fills our hearts.

Christ, Your beloved Son, did well, as He made us live in Him,

Even made us know He also lives in us through faith.

Hence we have trodden on sin and given our backs to the enemy of our breed.

July 12, 2005

 

 

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