The blessed prophet David shows that those who put their trust in God were most courageous when he says, “Act like men and let your hearts be strong, all you who hope in the Lord” (Ps. 31:24, LXX). For those plants which are in pleasure gardens both increase, bloom, and are raised to a great height by abundant streams of waters. And a man’s soul, by the comforts and encouragements of the Holy Spirit, becomes – …

All humans are influenced by their interactions with significant others throughout their lives. One’s social context helps people understand, organize, and define themselves and their situations. Thus it is common and natural that the loss of a significant other brings a great loss of one’s own identity and reality. The loss of a person who has been so important in defining one’s self and environment leads a person to grief. The absence of this relationship – …

People react quite differently when confronting suffering. Some cry out in anger; others rebel in frustration. Another might seek scapegoat to vent his frustrations. A fourth might instead abandon the way of purity and righteousness, and decide to live a life of pleasure and lust, feeling almost justified to lust for his light affliction. St. Cyril of Alexandria explains that the entire purpose of the Incarnation was for our Beloved, Lord Christ was to save – …

On November 29, 2009, servants of the churches in the southern region of the Diocese gathered at St. Mary and St. Verena Coptic Orthodox Church in Anaheim for a Servants’ Meeting. His Grace Bishop Serapion opened the meeting with a prayer followed by a lecture entitled "Who is the Orthodox Servant?" This lecture addressed stereotypes concerning practices and attitudes in the service that are considered Orthodox and not Orthodox. His Grace taught the gathering that – …

On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some – …

The Church recently celebrated the 29th day of the Coptic month of Paopi. The 29th day of certain months in the Coptic calendar is very special, because the Church, in Her wisdom, commemorates the Feasts of the Annunciation, Nativity, and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ on these days. We have this commemoration on the 29th of every Coptic month with the exception of two months, Tuba and Meshir. When we think about these three – …

As Coptic Orthodox Christians, we celebrate the Feast of the Cross twice a year, on September 27 and March 19. For all of us, the Life-Giving Cross must play a pivotal role in our lives. Therefore, we felt it is apropos to present a brief glimpse into the life of a contemporary cross-bearer, the late Fr. Pishoy Kamel Is’hak, whose departure we commemorate on March 21st. It is not coincidental that his departure was on – …

I would like to congratulate you on the blessed fast of St. Mary wishing you many returns of the blessed fast and a joyful feast. The fast of the Virgin St. Mary is a beautiful spiritual time and a blessed opportunity to contemplate on the virtues of the Holy Virgin Mary. St. Mary is a treasure of virtues. In her life we see an example of strong faith and a life of submission. She is – …

1. The Queen who is by the Right Side of The King. In this, we mention the words of the psalm “At your hand standsthe queen in gold from Ophir” (Ps. 45:9). That is why, in her icon, she isportrayed at the right hand of the Christ our Lord. And we say about herin the divine mass “the Lady and the Queen of us all” 2. Our Mother the Holy Virgin. When the Christ our – …

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Lk. 9:23) As we look at this biblical commandment said by our Lord Jesus Christ and mentioned in all the synoptic gospels (Matt. 16:24; Mk. 8:34; Lk. 9:23), we may find ourselves puzzled and at loss. As Orthodox Christians, we certainly want to follow our Lord Jesus Christ and fulfill His commandments in our lives, – …

“Here am I and the Children Whom the Lord has given me.” (Is. 8:18) Children are a gift from God, as it is written in the Psalms, "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward." (Ps. 127:3) Parents have a responsibility towards their children, as St. Paul wrote, "And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition – …

Many regard the period of the Fifty Holy Days to be a time to lax spiritually, especially that it comes after the asceticism of Great Lent, with its daily Divine Liturgies, and Holy Pascha Week, with its long prayers and comforting hymns. What further strengthens this belief in the mind of many is the fact that the Fifty Holy Days is a period that is unique for being devoid of any fasting days, something that – …