Then Jesus said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to enter through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God..." (Luke 18:24-25)

 

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and yet loses his own soul? Or what can one give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26)

 

The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone... (Psalm 118:22)

 

The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him... (Psalm 25:14)

 

 

 

"Be my friend in this world as a foreigner, and leave behind you a memorable legacy, as we are nothing in this world but guests and there is no choice for the guest in the end but to leave..." (Pope Shenouda III)

 

كن يا صديقي في الدنيا كعابر سبيل واترك وراءك كل أثر جميل فما نحن في الدنيا إلا ضيوف وما على الضيف إلا الرحيل - البابا شنوده

 

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations... (Psalm 145:13)

 

I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys... Like a lily among the thorns so is my darling among the maidens... Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest so is my beloved among the young men... (Song of Solomon 2:1-3)

 

For what shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord... As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered..." But I consider my life of no value to me... What is more, I consider everything as loss for the surpassing knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have endured the loss of all things and I count them as nothing but rubbish, that I may gain Christ... (Romans 8:35; Romans 8:38-39; Romans 8:36; Acts 20:24; Philippians 3:8)

 

For what shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord... As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered..." But I consider my life of no value to me... What is more, I consider everything as loss for the surpassing knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have endured the loss of all things and I count them as nothing but rubbish, that I may gain Christ... (Romans 8:35; Romans 8:38-39; Romans 8:36; Acts 20:24; Philippians 3:8)

"If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified..." (1 Peter 4:14)

 

 

"The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing..." (1 Corinthians 1:18)

 

"The King's daughter is all glorious from within..." (Psalm 45:13)

 

"For Jesus Christ I am prepared to suffer still more..." (Fr. Maximilian Kolbe)

 

"The deadliest poison of our time is indifference..." (Fr. Maximilian Kolbe)

 

"When you come to appear before Me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of My courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to Me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all My being. They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide My eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood..." (Isaiah 1:12-15)

 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths... (Proverbs 3:5-6)

 

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children, as a hen gathers her offspring, but you would not have it..." (Matthew 23:37)

 

Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls... (Matthew 11:28-29)

 

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me shall not walk in darkness... I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me..." (John 8:12; John 14:6)

 

"Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for My sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold in this present time and eternal life in the age to come... " (Mark 10:29-30)

 

زهّر قداسة - القديس شربل

ترنيمة لقاء حب

Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless His holy name... (Psalm 103:1)

 

My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD; nor be weary of His correction: for whom the LORD loves He corrects, and He scourges every son He receives... (Proverbs 3:11-12)

 

O pure, Immaculate lady Theotokus 

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

O Mother, Queen of all/ and fleece which is all dewy

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

More radiant than the rays of sun/ and higher than the heavens

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

Delight of the pure/ superior to Angels

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

Much brighter than the firmament/ and purer than the sun's light

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

More holy than the multitude/ of all the heavenly armies

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

O Ever pure Mary/ of all the world, the Lady

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

O bride all pure, immaculate/ O Lady the all holy

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

O Mary bride and Queen of all/ our cause of jubilation

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

Majestic maiden, Queen of all/ O our most holy Mother

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

More honourable than Cherubim/ beyond compare more glorious

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

O greater than immaterial Seraphim/ and greater than angelic thrones

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

Rejoice, O song of Cherubim/ Rejoice, O hymn of angels

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

Rejoice, O ode of Seraphim/ the joy of the archangels

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

Rejoice, O peace and happiness/ the harbour of salvation

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

O sacred chamber of the Word/ flower of incorruption 

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

Rejoice, delightful paradise/ of blessed life eternal

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

Rejoice, O wood and tree of life/ the fount of immortality

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

I supplicate you, Lady/ now do I call upon you

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

And I beseech you, Queen of all/ I beg of you your favour

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

Majestic maiden, spotless one/ O Lady Panagia

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

I call upon you fervently/ O sacred, hallowed temple

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

Assist me, deliver me, protect me

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

And make me an inheritor/ of blessed life eternal

Rejoice, O unwedded bride

اخبرني يا من تحبه نفسي اين ترعى اين تربض عند الظهيرة

"Whoever touches you touches the apple of My eye..." (Zechariah 2:8)

 

A woman of noble character who can find? For her worth is far more than precious rubies... (Proverbs 31:10)

Jesus Christ, Bread of Life

Fr. Maximilian Kolbe

"Father forgive them for they know not what they do..." (Luke 23:34)

 

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him ... (John 1:10)

 

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and in His Law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper... (Psalm 1:1-3)

 

"Some people will not look up to heaven, until they fall flat on their back..."

 

But when he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will arise up and go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son but make me like one of your hired servants..." (Luke 15:17-19)

 

"86 years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong. Why then do you want me to deny my only King and Saviour? Bring the fire therefore quickly and burn my body with it. For this I choose over the denial of my only Sovereign Lord..." (Polycarp of Smyrna)

 

All the ways of a man are right in his own eyes, but it is the LORD who weighs the hearts... As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us... (Proverbs 21:2; Psalm 103:12)

 

Then the Kingdom of Heaven shall be likened to ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. At midnight, there was a cry: 'Behold, the bridegroom! Go forth to meet Him!' Then all those bridesmaids arose and trimmed their lamps. Then the foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ “Afterward the others also came, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But He answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is returning... (Matthew 25:1-13)

 

12.08.2024 - Introduction to Gospel of St. Matthew (1:1-17) Part 2

A righteous man may fall seven times a day and yet he rises again, but when the wicked falls, a disaster shall await him... (Proverbs 24:16)

 

شربل حكيم السما

“Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep over Me; but weep over yourselves and your children..." (Luke 23:28)

 

 

 

 

 

He who digs a pit for his neighbour, will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone it will return back to him... A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will not escape... (Proverbs 26:27; Proverbs 19:9)

 

For many will say to Me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, in Your name cast out demons and in Your name we performed many miracles?" But then I will declare to them, "I never knew you.. Depart from Me you who practice lawlessness..." (Matthew 7:22-23)

Tell me O You whom my soul loves, where do You pasture Your flock and where do You let it rest at noonday... (Song of Solomon 1:7)

 

 

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves... you will know them by their fruits..." (Matthew 7:15-16)

 

 

..but woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which appear beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean... (Matthew 23:27)