the CommonsSaint of the Month

Clubs - Saint of the Month

This section contains a collection of Saint of the Month submissions from each Coptic club. Each month a student from each club is designated to pick a saint, and present any aspect of the saint's life.

Saint Barsoum the “Naked” for September

Written by Maryam Demian | 04 September 2010
Posted in Ontario - CCSA - U of T

Saint Barsoum is one who perfectly fulfills Christ’s command to “sell everything you have and give to the poor”, so that “you will have treasure in heaven”( Luke 18:22). Although he was born to a rich family and had inherited a good fortune, his uncle seized it all. Rather than fight for wordly possessions, Saint Barsoum sought the heavenly ones because “moth and rust destroy” treasures on earth, but cannot affect those stocked for Heaven (Matthew 6:19). His method for storing up treasures in Heaven involved abandoning the world and living the life of a hermit. He understood the great disparity between treasure on earth and treasure in Heaven—between the ephemeral and the eternal. However, there are many ways of building up treasures in Heaven without leading eremitical lives, since we are not all called to be ascetics. And we could do so without entirely sacrificing our worldly possessions, because these serve a purpose, albeit temporarily. The key is recognizing where our true treasure is— and that requires wisdom and sacrifice.

Consider how ironic it is that we spend so much time and effort trying to build up our CV by acquiring prestigious education and careers— all of which will one day (and nobody knows when!) end. What will happen when death suddenly claims us and we are forced to face the Lord’s “fearful throne of judgment” and asked to give an account of our deeds? What good will your UofT or postgraduate degree do you then? What about all these wonderful references that professors have provided for you? Yes, they speak of your diligence and hard work (qualities we are called to have), but if this is our only concern, it is certainly not enough. It is important to not only be materially oriented (because that does serve the function of providing a good quality of life), but also heavenly oriented. If we want to be prudent, then we must know where to set our priorities. They should not be on earth, where they are subject to destruction, but in Heaven because every action (good or bad) is forever documented up there, and you are eternally rewarded (or punished) for it. Where would you rather be rewarded? On Earth with the perishable, or in Heaven with the incorruptible?

Upon leaving the monastery, Saint Barsoum led a highly ascetic lifestyle, fasting and praying for twenty years. Throughout that time, he wore only what he found necessary: a woolen cloak (hence the name “naked”). He took refuge in a cave at St. Mercarious’s Monastery and according to tradition he once came across a deadly serpent. Only through the repetition of famous verses, such as “you have given us the power to tread on serpents and scorpions” and enough faith was he able to render her harmless.

After that, Saint Barsoum went to live on the El Sharhran monastery’s rooftop, where he endured harsh weather and continued in his ascetic lifestyle to preach and strengthen others’ faith. On one occasion, when the number of people who came to learn from Saint Barsoum and receive his blessings exceeded the amount of food present, Abba Barsoum asked that some of the soup being prepared be brought to him so that he could pray on it. He then instructed them to mix this small amount with the rest of the soup being cooked. By God’s blessings, there was enough soup for the great multitude.

During a time when Christians were persecuted, Saint Barsoum was accused and imprisoned in Saint Mercarious’s monastery and eventually died there at the age of 60. He was buried in the monastery and until today many miracles do occur by him. An interesting note about that specific monastery is that in it there’s a palm tree which branches into three trunks instead of having a single one. It is believed that this tree represents the Holy Trinity.

As we commemorate his departure to Heaven on September the 10th, may we follow this saint’s example of humbleness and perseverance in faith so that we may focus on storing up treasures in heaven.

Glory be to God forever. Amen.

Archistrategos for Augustus

Written by Maryam Demian | 23 August 2010
Posted in Ontario - CCSA - U of T

…On the twelfth day of every month,

Fateer el malak we all munch,

In honor of Archangel Michael,

the head of every saint and angel…

I assume that the majority of us know at least this much about the Archistrategos, which means chief commander of all bodiless powers. We might also know that Archangel Michael works hand-in-hand with Archangels Gabriel and Raphael and that in the Doxology of the Heavenly this trio is compared to the Holy Trinity because they too work collectively.

To begin, the Psalms provide us with a perspective of angels in general, and from these we can learn to appreciate the significance of our Lord’s hosts. My all time favorite is: Psalm 91:11-12 “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways, they shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” Here we are told that the Lord’s angels serve as our continuous defense and fortification, and protect us from things even as small as a stone. Even more amazing is the notion that each one us has his or her own guardian angel who communicates with the Lord about matters concerning us. In Mathew 18:10 our Lord says “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” This verse reinforces the universal belief that each of us has an angel personally responsible for our affairs. It’s so beautiful to know that God has not left us estranged here and that even when we think we are alone, there is always a personal bodiless force responsible for our wellbeing. God has equipped us with so much and only when we realize all the power he has armed us with will we ever appreciate and give thanks to Him.

On a more specific note, in the Doxology of Archangel Michael we chant “Wherefore God sends unto us, His mercy and His compassion, through the supplications of Michael, the great archangel.” According to this then, Archangel Michael intercedes on behalf of all Christians and asks God to bestow upon us forgiveness and kindness. This belief most definitely has routes in the Bible. In Hebrews 1:14 we are told: "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?" Again in Tobit 12:12 Archangel Raphael tells Tobit “Now when you and your daughter-in-law Sarah prayed, I brought the remembrance of your prayer before the Holy One.” This once again reinforces the concept of angels interceding on our behalf and putting our supplications and requests before the Lord.

Archangel Michael, similarly to Archangel Raphael, makes appearance in the Bible. When Joshua sees a man “standing before him with a sword drawn in his hand” he asks the man whether he is on their side or on the adversaries’. The man replies by identifying himself as “the chief captain of the Lord” and tells Joshua to take his shoes off because the place he is in is holy (this was in preparation for the event in which the Lord spoke to Joshua saying “I will deliver Jericho into your hands” Joshua 6:2). Tradition tells us that this “chief captain of the Lord” is actually Archangel Michael and we see here that he served the role of preparing Joshua to receive the word of God—it is a mediatory role between a Father and his son.

So now that we know a little bit more about the role of Archangel Michael in our lives and angels in general, let us turn to those cakes we bake on every 12th day of the month: where did this tradition originate? And why do we do it? Back in the day, a righteous family: Dorotheus and Theopista used to commemorate Archangel Michael on the 12th day of every month by inviting friends and hosting a feast. On one month though, the family was going through financial problems and so couldn’t afford to host the festival. They had it in mind to sell some of their possessions to purchase the feasts’ commodities. The Lord would not allow it and sent Archangel Michael to ask this couple to host the festival and make three visits: the first was to a sheep master, the second to a fisherman, and the third to a merchant. From the sheep master Dorotheus would get a sheep, from the fisherman a fish, and from the merchant some flour. Dorotheus and Theopista obeyed and as custom held their festival. While serving their guests they both saw that their wine containers had been filled with wine and found many other valuable items. After the festival, Archangel Michael made his second appearance and told them to open the fish’s belly where the couple was astonished to find many coins: some were for Dorotheus to pay for the sheep, fish, and flour and the rest were for Dorotheus’s family. God had blessed this family because they desired to lavishly give out of the little they had. Archangel Michael told Dorotheus and Theopista: “I am Michael the Archangel who delivered you from all your tribulations and I have taken your oblations and alms up to God, you shall lack no good thing whatsoever in this world."

May we appreciate all the love and care the Lord has bestowed upon us in the form of his angels. Let us ask for the intercessions of the head of all angels, and ask him to send our supplications and alms to God so that they may be accepted.

Glory be to God forever, Amen.

Saint Moses the Black for July

Written by Maryam Demian | 02 July 2010
Posted in Ontario - CCSA - U of T

Upon reflecting on the life of Saint Moses the Black, I found two principles relevant to our present discussion. Our hope for a life with Christ and our faith seem to be grounded in these two simple clichés: 1) It is never too late, and 2) You can never be “too bad”. These two are beautifully expressed by St. Chrysostom: "Have you sinned? Enter the church, confess, and your sins will be erased. Repent any time you sin. If you sin again, repent again, and never lose hope, for the church is a hospital and not a court, for He does not condemn us for our sins" (Paradise of the Spirit). Saint John Chrysostom places no cap on the number of times we could repent and run into Christ’s arms of acceptance. It’s plain and simple, without exception or restriction: do it no matter what; do it every time.

It is sometimes difficult for one to relate to Saint Demiana or Saint George who did not carry, so to speak, an ugly past. For this reason, Saint Moses is an ideal patron saint. He comes close to the heart because we can all relate to his blatant sinfulness— the ugliness of his past and the beauty of his transformation. His is a hopeful story.

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Saint Moses was born in Africa in the 4^th Century. He lived his life a slave and worshipped the sun. Along the Nile River, Moses and his mob would terrorize citizens, looting, raping, and killing. He was probably the Bin Laden of his time. Sought by government officials for his crimes, he escaped and joined a colony of monks. He had heard that they possessed knowledge of the true God. There, a terrified Saint Isidore met him and placed him under the care of Saint Macarius. Saint Macarius preached to him, telling him how beautiful our God is. He became his spiritual father and taught him the ways of salvation. The Holy Spirit softened Saint Moses’ heart and allowed him to accept Christ; however, the struggle was difficult. The devil never missed a chance to remind him of his old sins and desires. Perhaps an enduring element of Saint Moses the Black’s past life was his perseverance. With it, he resisted the devil’s attempts to burden him with guilt and helplessness. He diligently served his fellow monks even when his body failed him.

Once, Saint Moses was attacked by a band of robbers— maybe because they were bewildered by his great transformation. His old strength emerged and when he had weakened them, he carried them to his fellow monks, who were gathered in prayer and praise. Saint Moses did not believe it to be Christian to hurt these robbers any further, and inquired what was to be done with them. The robbers were converted and became committed to a life of monasticism.

After passing a test in which the patriarch denied him the opportunity to be ordained, Saint Moses the Black became a priest. He established a monastery of 450 monks, the same number as those who had been in his mob.

Not only does Saint Moses teach us that no sinner is beyond redemption, but he also exemplifies humility by reminding us that we are all sinners who should not look down on others. It happened that he was once asked to join a judgment council wherein one of the brothers was to be convicted. He reluctantly came, carrying a sandbag with a hole from which sand seeped from. Upon inquiry, Saint Moses explained that wherever he goes, his many sins follow him, yet he has been asked to pass judgment on another’s sins. This allowed for a switch from judgment to humility.

Saint Moses the Black died in the hands of robbers who had attacked him and his fellow brothers in his cell. He received the crown of martyrdom, and until today remains a beautiful example to all sinners.

It is said of this Saint that he took the Kingdom of God by force. Contrary to what one may think, this does not mean that he gained it unjustly. According to John Chrysostom, the verse "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force" (Mat 11:12) means that one gains the Kingdom of Heaven through a struggle.

Let us ask for the intercessions of this great Saint that he may intercede on our behalf in front of Christ for our many sins. Let us set him as an example of hope that one may overcome this challenge no matter how difficult it may seem.

Glory be to God forever. Amen.

References:

Suscopts.org

Coptichurch.org

Saint Pope Yoannis for June

Written by Maryam Demian | 02 June 2010
Posted in Ontario - CCSA - U of T

In this day and age, we are blessed by the presence of Pope Shenouda III as father and patriarch of Coptic Orthodox children. Who preceded Pope Shenouda? That’s a question almost every Coptic can automatically blurt out. “POPE KYRILLOS VI!” But, that’s the furthest I can go. If you’re a little bit more Coptology literate you know that Pope Yusab II was Pope at around our grandparents’ time. But, even that seems way too far back. Any Google excavation before Pope Yusab II yields- literary- no images and little information. Fortunately, this month we’re going even further.

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June features Pope Yoannis who preceded Pope Shenouda by four enthronements! Just to place this on our timeline, Pope Yoannis lived at the time of Adolf…Hitler, Yikes! Together, we’ll unwrap his history and come to know of what brought him to such an honorable position, the issues he grappled with at that time, the state of the Church then, and finally his contributions to the Coptic Orthodox Church.

On December 1928 Pope Yoannis was enthroned as 113^th patriarch of Alexandria and like most other popes, he followed the typical monk, priest, bishop, Pope route. Being raised in a family that taught him Christian virtues and engrained in him the lives of saints, he could only aspire to follow in their footsteps. He left to El Baramous Monastery in Wadi El Natroun (The Monastery of Virgin Mary; picture below). As deputy of Saint Mark, he founded a theological school for monks, one in tune with Athens’s superior theological studies.

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Throughout his life as metropolitan and deputy of See of Saint Mark, Pope Yoannis greatly renovated older churches and monasteries and built newer ones. The Church saw a time of increased capital due to his prudence and good judgment. In addition, he improved the standard of Coptic schools to match the finest schools.

His good nature and intelligence was noted outside the Coptic community, and the government chose him as Coptics’ representative. When Pope Kyrollos V departed, Pope Youannis was elected as Acting Pope and was then officially ordained as Pope.

Pope Yoannis ordained a Coptic Metropolitan and priest for Ethiopia and strengthened the bond between the Egyptian and Ethiopian Church by travelling there and maintaining good relations.

Pope Yoannis is the one who revived the Holy Myron in the sense that it had not been made since the time of the 19^th Pope of Alexandria. The Holy Myron was passed on from the Apostles to Saint Mark and means “consecrated oil”. It is used to anoint those who are baptized and chrismated.

Throughout his papacy, the needy had their concerns addressed be it financially or through his support to charitable organizations. He assisted in the establishment of many projects that would benefit and strengthen Coptics.

During his legacy, Pope Yoannis lived through a great war between Italy and Ethiopia. Not only did the Ethiopian Church lose many of its bishops but Italy wanted the Ethiopian Orthodox Church to segregate from the Coptic Orthodox Church. Bishop Kyrillos, one of the surviving, was opposed to the separation and was accordingly exiled to Egypt. It happened that the Ethiopian Church separated from our Church and Bishop Abraam was made its patriarch after a hasty decision by the Italian governor. Soon after, that governor became blind and left and the Holy Synod excommunicated Bishop Abraam. During WW2, Ethiopia gained its independence and Bishop Kyrillos returned to Ethiopia.

Pope Yoannis witnessed the end of the war and the reconciliation of the Ethiopian church to ours. He departed on June 21 1942 and died naturally. We ask for his prayers and intercessions.

Glory be to God for ever! Amen.

Note: No pictures for Pope Youannis could be found.

Saint Helena for May

Written by Maryam Demian | 01 May 2010
Posted in Ontario - CCSA - U of T

You know how it feels when you own one of those little tubes filled with Holy oil of a blessed Saint, don’t you? It is like a prized possession; you feel empowered by it, and use it trustingly when your mom has an aching back or your older brother is going for his big interview. After all, it is an enduring element of a Saint who has deservedly earned his or her place in our Lord Jesus Christ’s Kingdom. But who actually claims to own or to have found something that belonged to or was touched by our King Jesus Christ? A lot of us wear a cross around our necks, or have one tattooed to our wrist. They’re symbols of joy and confidence that Christ has given us life by paying the price for our costly sins— so much so that Abouna Bishoy Kamel repetitively meditated on the picture of the crucified Christ with Mary Magdalene at His feet.

Tradition tells us of a saint, Empress Helena, who found the relics of the one Holy and True Cross, which Jesus Christ carried to his life-giving death. It cradled his Precious Blood, and held his Holy Body. She was born a Christian and was married to Emperor Constantius, the First Emperor of Byzantium. Her son, Emperor Constantine, was the first Christian Emperor of the Roman Empire. Thanks to his mother, he adopted her virtues and teachings. After seeing a vision in which she was told to go search for the Honourable Cross and the Holy Places in Jerusalem, Saint Helena set out to fulfill her vocation. Constantine supported her and sent his soldiers to help her.

Along with the Holy and True Cross, she found two others—which belonged to the left and right hand thieves. Saint Helena wanted to be confident that the Cross that read “This is Jesus, King of the Jews” was the authentic one, and appealed to Saint Marcarius. In response to her concern and to assure the saint, God allowed for a miracle. During a man’s funeral procession, Saint Helena placed each of the crosses in turn on top of the dead man’s body. Upon placement of the True Holy Cross, the man rose. This is the faith we are called to have in the Cross that our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified on. Upon drawing the sign of or wearing the cross, we must be assured and reminded of the Lord’s power over life and death.

Saint Helena found the Holy Cross buried beneath rubber in Golgotha. She built the Church of the Resurrection in that spot. Part of the Cross was sent to her son, Emperor Constantius, and the other part to the Church of The Holy Cross of Jerusalem in Rome. The rest of the Cross was entrusted to Bishop Marcarius and remains in the Church of the Resurrection. Until today, the relics of the Holy Cross can be found at The Holy Cross of Jerusalem Church in Rome, Italy, and in the Church of the Resurrection.

Throughout her lifetime, Saint Helena was the poor man’s friend. She generously gave to the churches, monasteries, and the less fortunate. Saint Helena departed in her eighties.

May the prayers of this blessed Saint be with us all, Amen. Enjoy your summer everybody!

Glory be to God forever! Amen.

Saint Konan for March

Written by Maryam Demian | 02 March 2010
Posted in Ontario - CCSA - U of T

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Remember the times when the Apostles preached about our Lord Jesus? This month (specifically March the 18th) history will take us that far back to honor a great saint, Saint Konan. Although probably not very popular or known by the majority, his biography is worthy of consideration and reflection.

Unfortunately, there is not much known about the specificities of Saint Konan and the only source I could find regarding his lifetime was our credible Synaxarium. However, together we will delve into the available snapshot.

A Syrian fighter, St. Konan was born to Nestor and Theodora who practiced astrolatry, or the worship of the stars. However, they must have been righteous people since their son grew to be a very virtuous young man. Like all parents, their wish was for their son to marry and though he refused, he found himself tied to this obligation. Saint Konan and his wife lived a pure life together that lacked any marital relation.

We see King Solomon’s saying “He has put eternity in their hearts” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) manifested in Saint Konan. The fact that God has programmed each one of us for an eternity or deeper meaning left Saint Konan searching for it. The stars and life of his parents, no matter how righteous, left him unfulfilled. He asked God to show him the way to “His True Knowledge”. This continuous thirst for the “True Knowledge” is not something that you and I can quickly attain and cling to. We are in a continuous thirst for this “True Knowledge”; there are times when we are closer to it and there are times when we are as desperate as Saint Konan when the powerless stars were all he had.

And of course, our Father’s promises are never without truth and manifestation. “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (1 John 5:14-15). It is evident that Saint Konan’s prayer was full of faith and trust for a response. “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (Luke 11:10) Here we see the precise phenomenon: Saint Konan truly sought the “True Knowledge”, Someone more than the stars that his parents worshipped, Someone he could spend the programmed eternity with, and he found God.

After an appearance from Archangel Michael requesting him to go to one of the apostles, Saint Konan had “found”: a sea of Christian faith and belief that he joyfully immersed himself in by baptism and Holy Communion. His virtues, now Christian nourished, matured to the extent that he was granted several gifts such as those of miracles and casting out devils. Saint Konan’s parents naturally saw the meaning and eternity he had built his life on and therefore converted to Christianity.

This way Saint Konan lived his life using the gifts he had been bestowed with to glorify Christ. Having authority over the devil, he once stopped a man from presenting a sacrifice to the devil. Satan confessed he was not God and as you would expect any hint of doubt people had had now disappeared as they cried out saying “One is the God of Saint Konan”.

Being an age of persecution, Claudius Caesar ordered the Saint to be tortured after his proclamation of belief in Jesus Christ. This left all who Saint Konan had touched and converted furious with the governor. Fearful, the governor fled and Saint Konan was nursed back to health by all those who loved him. He lived many years after which he departed in his own house which was then converted into a Church by the faithful.

May Saint Konan’s prayers be with us all and may we learn to faithfully search and seek the Lord and the “True Knowledge”.

Glory be to God forever. Amen.

St. Anthony - A Saint in Search of Perfection

Written by Joey | 06 February 2010
Posted in Ontario - CCSA - U of T

St. Anthony was born to Christian parents about 251 AD in the village of Kemmen El-Arous, near the city of Beni Suef. This small village was located in the middle of Egypt. As a youth St. Anthony grew up in the church absorbing all its biblical teachings. His love for Christ grew as each day passed.

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Following the death of his father, he came to realize earthly existence was but a passing of time. He began to examine the true meaning of life. It is said that St. Anthony learned his first lesson from a dead man. As he looked at his dead father's body, he learned something from it. His father had owned 300 acres of the best farmland in Upper Egypt and had wealth, power, and influence. This, St. Anthony would inherit.

It has been written that St. Anthony said over his father's body, "You have departed from this world not by your choice; I however, will leave it by my choice before I am forced out. Behold that great rich man filling the world with power and influence now lies motionless with no control over his own body." Thus began the many lessons St. Anthony would learn from others in his quest for spiritual excellence.

He would often ask, "How can I leave everything in this world and live only for the Lord Jesus Christ? I want to live as the Lord Jesus Christ and his disciples lived." To St. Anthony this was indeed the life of perfection to seek.

Then one day while attending church services he heard one of the deacons reading from the Holy Bible. "If you want to be 'perfect', go sell all you have give to the poor and come follow me" (Matthew 19:21). St. Anthony was a very serious listener and considered every word he heard as directed to him personally.

The first person that heard these very words was another rich youth similar to St. Anthony, but when the first youth heard these words he was very sad. Although the first youth heard these words from the Lord Jesus Christ himself, the first youth's heart was not touch nor did he follow the Lord Jesus Christ because his love for money was stronger than his love to follow the Lord.

St. Anthony heard the very same words from a deacon in a church and immediately went and sold all his possessions and gave them to the poor. He took the Bible reading and this Divine commandment seriously because this was the manner in which he lived his life. This was the second lesson St. Anthony would learn from another in his quest for spiritual perfection. This second lesson began his spiritual journey in which he would escape from the world.

The third lesson St. Anthony learned in his quest for spiritual closeness to the Lord was that of learning from many good examples. There were a number of ascetics living on the outskirts of his village. He learned quietness from one, humility from another, silence from the third, continuous prayers from the fourth, asceticism from the fifth, and keeping vigil from the sixth. He sought out the virtues in every person and learned from them. He did not imitate any one person but learned lessons from many.

The fourth and greatest lesson he learned was from a prostitute. While meditating by the Nile River, a woman came to bathe and undressed in front of him without any shame. He was very embarrassed and reprimanded her, he said, "Aren't you ashamed of being undressed in front of a monk?" She replied, "If you were a monk you would have gone to the mountain far into the desert because this place is not appropriate for a monk's residence. St. Anthony took her words as a lesson and said "truly God has spoken to me through this woman."

He immediately left that place and moved toward the desert. His moving was a blessing to the world. The woman's words did not make him angry or to seek revenge, rather he drew spiritual benefit from them.

"To the pure, all things are pure" (Titus 1:15).

It has been told that St. Anthony's fasting and prayers took him deeper and deeper into the desert and into his spiritual life. Through the spiritual exercises of fasting and prayer he gained self-control. This self-control would prove invaluable in his life with his continuous battles with beasts of the desert, demons, and his own human weaknesses.

His reputation exceeded the boundaries of the desert and many sought this holy man's blessing. Although he sought solitude, he would teach those seeking his counsel why he chose the Lord Jesus; why he loved the Lord Jesus, and why ultimately he chose heaven and everlasting life. His example taught those seeking his wisdom to meditate on the scriptures not to rigidly interpret them.

Many admired and loved the kind of life he pursued. It has often been recorded that those who met this saint would find his face radiant with the love of the Lord. When St. Anthony met others he was filled with the spirit of compassion and humility. Many chose to seek this happiness he modeled and follow his way of life. Thus, the name he has been affectionately called throughout the centuries, "the Father of Monks".

St. Anthony died an earthly death in the year 356 AD at the age of 105 years. The two monks who buried him, Marcarius and Amatas, never revealed the place of his burial. As St. Anthony's existence was very humble so was his passing from this earthly life.

Although this saint learned many lessons from others, he left this world with the greatest lesson of all, his example. He gave all to the Lord. But he received more than he gave. The land and property that now belong to the monasteries of St. Anthony greatly exceeds the 300 acres this saint had given up in Kammen El-Arous to follow the Lord. He gave up marriage and children. St. Anthony now has thousands of monk-sons throughout every generation that call him "father." Many of these sons became Popes and bishops. In addition, he has millions and millions of spiritual children such as you.

St. Anthony's eternal name will never be forgotten. The many monasteries, churches, and shrines in his honor are innumerable. St. Anthony had philosophers and noblemen come from all over the world to ask for his blessings. His love flowed out to all people who sought him and his behavior was characterized as good and gentle. Today, his fame is such that we call him, "St. Anthony the Great". He was a symbol of a life of solitude, meditations and prayers, a symbol of the life of a monk with all its virtues and spiritualities.

"Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for my sake and for the gospel who will not receive a hundred fold now in this time and in the age to come, eternal life" (Mark 10:29).

We commemorate St. Anthony the Great not only on his feast day but also in the council of saints in our Divine Liturgy and in the Midnight Prayers. He and his humble example are still among us today because he lived a life that had a beginning but no end.

May we pray that our minds will always be open to learning lessons from others, as did St. Anthony. That our hearts will always be open to a greater and deeper love found as St. Anthony found within the love of God. Let us all keep this great saint's example ever before us and consider a life with the Lord more precious than anything else.

New Year’s Saint (2010): Saint Demiana

Written by Maryam Demian | 01 January 2010
Posted in Ontario - CCSA - U of T

On January the 21^st, we commemorate the martyrdom of the pious St. Demiana.

As we reflect upon St. Demiana’s biography, let us keep this theme verse in mind: “But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10:33

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St. Demiana was born to a Christian father who ruled over Egyptian districts. Similar to St. Marina, who devoted herself to Christ, St. Demiana declined the opportunity of marriage and wed herself to Jesus Christ. As a teenager, she enjoyed reading and reflecting upon religious books in seclusion. Upon his daughter’s request, Morcos, St. Demiana’s father, built her a rustic house. There, St. Demiana, together with her 40 friends, lived there as nuns and abandoned the world’s chaos.

Under Emperor Diocletian’s reign, many Christians were forced to renounce their faith and worship two idols, Apollo and Artemis. One of these victims was Morcos, who upon subjection to promises of promotion, gave up his belief in Jesus Christ. Greatly dissatisfied, St. Demiana stood up to her father in disapproval and asked him how he could leave the One he had worshipped all these years, who created him and loved him to the extent that he gave his only begotten son as a ransom for men, for ephemeral treasures. The contrite Morcos knew he was mistaken, and moved by his daughter’s fervor, proclaimed his belief in Jesus Christ in front of the assembly. As a consequence, his execution was ordered.

When Emperor Diocletian found St. Demiana to be culpable for her father’s turnaround, he ordered his men to torture her. After each sanction, St. Demiana’s persecuted body was once again healed by the Archangel Michael. Faced with St. Demian’s impunity, Emperor Diocletian ordered that she be killed along with her 40 virgin friends. Throughout this persecution, St. Demiana prayed that God would keep her faithful and steadfast until the very last minute.

Emperor Constantine’s mother, Helena, honored St. Demiana after her death by placing her body on an ivory bed decorated with silk linen, and building a church in the same place.

Reflection

Many of us, when asked how we spend our time with friends, can come up with a long list entailing outings, movies, studying, shopping, gatherings, etc. Few of us ever have meetings with the Lord as a regular constituent of our schedule when with friends. We do not seem to have it engrained in us to bring friends along to spiritual meetings, seek to have Bible studies, or even pray together for a joint cause. Doing so ensures not only that we are always in the Lord’s presence, but also that all our friends are of one goal and character. This is the message we capture from St. Demiana’s life: that while she lived for the Lord, she guaranteed all those around her did as well. With her 40 friends, they gathered under one roof for the purpose of pious worship of the Lord. When her father went astray, her cogent words brought him back to our Savior. She lived to please only One, and it did not matter to her who she would have to confront, be it father or emperor.

When faced with tribulations and trials, we often pray to God that he take them away. It is easy to forget that Jesus, even though He had the power to remove Himself from the pangs of death, chose to go through it for our salvation. Similarly we should endure when in the midst of our misfortunes. Instead of or along with praying for an end to the trouble, it would be beautiful if we prayed that we come out as stronger believers and that we gain a new virtue. Hardships can be the source of many great virtues such as patience and perseverance, and withstanding them are ways of conquering life and going “through the narrow gate”.

May the blessings of Saint Demiana be with us as we start a New Year, the Year 2010.

New Year 2010!

Everybody loves new beginnings or “another chance”, and today by the grace of our good Father, we have all been blessed by yet another year. We thank Him for this wonderful chance and may everything we do this year be “worthy of the calling with which [we] were called” just as St. Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians. Lord help us as we reflect back on all the years that have passed, to live this one in a way that makes a Father proud of his children. Please God work in our hardened hearts and create a new heart, acceptable to You, in each one of us. May it be a year of stronger faith to all of us and may it be filled with joy, love, peace and success for all.

Glory be to God forever. Amen.

The Golden Mouthed-Church Doctor for November!

Written by Maryam Demian | 14 November 2009
Posted in Ontario - CCSA - U of T

Today, November the 14th, we celebrate Pope Shenouda’s 38th year as pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church! May God continue to keep us under this saint’s pastoral care, so that we may continue to benefit and receive the blessings of his beautiful words and service. If you haven’t seen the appearance of the dove during one of his latest sermons, be sure not to miss it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNXX42X2L_0. (Once you’ve watched it, note that doves don’t fly around at night!)
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On November, the 26th, we commemorate the departure of St. John Chrysostom, the patriarch of Constantinople.
Early life
St. John was born in Syria to a rich father and a religious mother who raised him in the manners of Christianity. He was wealthy in knowledge and intelligence and was a lawyer. In those days, the greatest achievement, eloquence, was mastered by St. John. From this emerged the title “golden mouthed” for he was one of the greatest orators. When his father died, St John realized he wasn’t fulfilled in this world and thus decided to become a monk to serve our Lord Jesus Christ. He wanted to rid himself of all possible want of pleasures and thus began mortifying himself, by not giving sleep to his eyes, spending two years without ever lying down and meanwhile continually reading the Bible. As a result, he needed to come back down from the mountain to receive medical treatment for his damaged kidneys. He was then ordained a priest.
A Patriarch
At the age of 49, he was nominated patriarch of Constantinople. During this service he fed the congregation with sermons that stressed the importance of considering the poor and abandoning the wordly life of wealth, sensual desires and love of the theater. He extended his care to the Goths by translating the Bible and preaching to them. Even though St. John was now in a position of power and great wealth, he transformed it to a missionary service where he continued to bring people to Jesus Christ. He converted the Episcopal palace into a hospital and ran everything under a simple and strict program. St. John was against unmarried priests living under the same roof with spiritual sisters and thus this practice was forbidden at the Council of Nicaea. He didn’t discriminate his teachings by keeping them away from those in strong positions. Instead, he stood up for what was right in the eyes of God. Once Queen Eudoxia took a widow’s garden forcibly, and when she refused to return it, he forbade her from entering the church and receiving Holy Communion. This greatly displeased her, so she exiled him, but he soon returned after the great disapproval of the people and after an earthquake almost destroyed the whole city. Eudoxia, greatly frightened and disturbed, asked the Emperor to bring St John back to his people.
Another time, a huge statue of Eudoxia was erected infront of the Agia Sophia church which caused the people to gather around and engage in immoral actions. This greatly displeased St. John and he repudiated them which once again angered the queen causing her to banish him. St John went from exile to exile until his health depreciated and he died and his body was returned to Constantinople in the Church of the Apostles.
Reflection
Upon reading on this great Saint, the figure of a courageous and trustworthy disciple of our Lord emerges. Three main reflection points: (1) Just like all the other saints, he was not fooled by golden palaces, extravagant attire, high positions and wealth of this world. He genuinely wanted others to realize how ridiculous it was to cling on to things that would not lead to everlasting treasures. He disciplined those who needed it, regardless of their standing, and set them on the right path. (2) Another one of the greatest messages we draw from St. John was his use of his talent for the glory of God and the benefit of God’s people. God equipped him with the ability to eloquently speak. We each have a talent(s) “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us” Romans 12:6, but many of us may use them in the wrong way. St. John could have used his oratory skills to, for example, negatively affect the queen and emperor of Constantinople or to bring people against any of his enemies. However, he channeled this talent to show people the way of living according to Jesus Christ. (3) St. John Chrysostom was also strong willed, and this can be seen in his stringent self mortification exercises. A verse that sums up St. John’s steps in life is 2 Peter 1: 5-6 “make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness”.

May we all benefit from the upcoming Nativity Fast (November 25th).

Glory be to God forever Amen!

The PROPHET of the Month of OCTOBER: Jonah!

Written by Maryam Demian | 01 October 2009
Posted in Ontario - CCSA - U of T

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This October, on Tout 25, the church commemorates the departure of the prophet Jonah.
His prophecy is found in the Book of Jonah and spans just 4 chapters.

Jonah, the son of Amittai, was a popular prophet at that time. Let us go back a few books, to Kings 1:17. Remember the widow at Zerephath and her son, whose jar of flour and jug of oil did not ever get used up, as spoken by the Prophet Elijah? While Elijah was staying at her house, her son died and then after Elijah cried out to the Lord, the boy was brought back to life. This son is said to be Jonah!

Chapter 1: Jonah disobeys

Jonah was appointed the task of going to Nineveh and “preaching against it, because [of] its wickedness”. Jonah, instead of obeying the Lord unquestionably, jumped on a boat and sailed to Tarshish. We will find out the reason behind his disobedience in chapter 4. When on the ship, a storm hit and the ship was about to break. The people unloaded their cargo and each pleaded to their god for the storm to stop. When they saw that their supplications were fruitless, they woke Jonah up and asked him who he worshipped. Jonah proclaimed “I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.” He told them that he was the reason God brought about this storm and that the only solution would be to cast him into the sea. After hesitance, they threw him in, and they feared and sacrificed to the Lord when the “sea grew calm”. Meanwhile God “provided a great fish to swallow Jonah” where he stayed 3 full days.

Chapter 2: Jonah’s Repentance

While distressed in the whale’s belly, Jonah calls on to the Lord and says a beautiful prayer. “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.” God then commanded the whale to release Jonah.

Chapter 3: Jonah obeys

God again sends his word to Jonah to “go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message [He] game [him]”. Nineveh, being a large city, required 3 days for such a task. It was only on the first day, when Jonah shouted “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned” when the people, from servants to the King, turned towards God and fasted. The result was that the forgiving “God repented of the evil, that he said he would do unto them”. This does not mean that God changed his intention, but rather than the people changed their attitude towards him.

Chapter 4: Jonah’s Displeasure

This is when Jonah explains to God why he disobeyed him in the first place! He tells God that he was in the right to not go to Nineveh because he knew God to be a “gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness” ie: he was afraid God would forgive the people. He felt so humiliated that he would look like a false prophet that he asked God to take his life. Jonah ran away to see what would become of Nineveh and God followed him and reasons with him on 2 separate occasions on whether it was good for him to be angry. But Jonah was stubborn and thought it was better for him to die. When Jonah gets angry that the gourd that covered his head from the sun withers, God asks him why he had pity on the gourd but not the people of Nineveh who “cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand”.

Reflection

The moral of the prophecy is simple: When we run away from God, he’s going to send us a fish. We often do the same thing Jonah does, we get too carried away “preaching” ie: going on with our normal life, without once thinking of God. When life runs smoothly, we feel a sense of sustenance, like we can go on without Him. Thankfully, though, a whale swims towards us and swallows us. Naturally, we turn to God and utter Jonah’s desperate prayer for deliverance. It is so beautiful when we are in the depths of a pit, a situation we think cannot ever be solved, and we plead for God’s help, and he comes to the rescue.

For those who are having doubts about how this could actually happen, let St. Cyril repeat: "Those who do not know God will ask, how was Jonah preserved in the fish? How was he not consumed? How did he endure the natural heat, and live, surrounded by such moisture, and was not rather digested? For this poor body is very weak and perishable. But if God be declared its Author, who would any more disbelieve? For God is all-powerful, and He transforms easily the nature of things to what He wills, and nothing can resist His ineffable will.” The same way we believe Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, we should believe in this miracle, for they are all just glimpses of God’s supremacy.

Another apparent message is God’s love and mercy for everyone, including heathens. God does not reject anybody and is always waiting for us to change our attitude towards Him, the same way the Ninevites did.

Jonah’s fast can also be called Nineveh’s fast because we commemorate both Jonah’s residence in the belly for 3 days and Nineveh’s repentance. In the Septuagint, it is said that the city will be overthrown in 3 days (instead of 40). This is more likely because it is stated that they fasted without eating or drinking. May we all reap the blessings of Jonah’s fast, because it is promised that anybody who needs to get out of a whale should fast it.

Glory be to God forever! Amen

1)http://st-takla.org/Feastes-&-Special-Events/Jonah-s-Fasting__Nineveh-s-Fast/Soom-Yonan__EN-01-Fish-Swallowing-Man.html

2)http://www.copticchurch.net/synaxarium/1_25.html#1

3)http://www.suscopts.org/q&a/index.php?qid=265&catid=229