We gathered to discuss the event of Jesus' appearance to His disciples and to Thomas (John 20:19-31). The brother whose turn it was to speak to us, led us with words that revive the heart. What struck him first was that the disciples, after Jesus appeared to them and commissioned them with what God the ...
Read moreMonthly Archives: May 2024
Upbringing on Rudeness
I have never known a time like our current era, in which some of us boastfully proclaim themselves as superior teachers over others in the Antiochian Church. Where are they from? All you know about them is that they appear on social media, hurling insults at you or others for any deviation from what they ...
Read moreThe Greatest Ministry
What strikes us first in the account of the Myrrh-bearing women (Mark 15:43-16:8) is their determination to go to Jesus' tomb. They knew that there was a great stone at the entrance that would hinder them from reaching their goal. Yet, they pressed onward. This is our lesson. When we seek God in any circumstance, ...
Read moreBook Journey
When you need to take a break from your troubles, take two or three days to move to another place. If this is difficult for you, visit a familiar bookstore, buy yourself a new book, and read it. Books are journeys too.
Read moreMinistry of Gifts
He was struck by an "article" I had written about the deaconess of Alexandria Angelic Molen (May 13) who was elevated to archdeaconess on Great Saturday. He was concerned that this ordination may be a preliminary step to ordaining women as priests. I responded with what he already knows: "That the major Churches explicitly believe ...
Read moreGaza’s Victory
How long will anger keep consuming us over this murderousness to which no one in the world seems to have been able to say: "Enough"? We are all witnessing the beast chasing down people reduced to mere skeletons by the oppression of hunger and displacement... Who is questioning this world, biased in favor of the ...
Read moreBefore Our Lives
My intention was to propose to him to dedicate his life to serving the Church. The Church lacks servants in both the diaconate and priesthood, as well as in other ministries. I do not need to embolden myself to talk to him; the young man is a dear brother. Moreover, his talents are evident. He ...
Read moreTrue Healing
I went through a bout of illness the evolvement of which prompted me to ask my doctor about what was happening to me in detail on a daily basis. He once asked me: “Why do you involve yourself in these details?”. I replied: "Without knowledge, there is no true healing"! I am referring to general ...
Read moreAngelic the Deaconess
On the last Great Thursday, the Church of Alexandria ordained Ms. Angelic Molen to the diaconate. This step, which some of us described as bold, I would like us to see it as natural, even centuries overdue! A friend of mine, who initially shared the news with me, showed me a photo of our Patriarch, ...
Read moreThomas Sunday
The Gospel passage read by our Church today on Thomas Sunday recounts two appearances of the risen Jesus (John 20:19-31). In the first appearance, Jesus reveals Himself alive to the disciples’ assembly, then in the second to Thomas, who was absent during the first appearance. Let us reflect a little on this salvific event. Why ...
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