Sunday School Corner

“Do not give an advantage to a high ranking person over a less important person. That is, do not keep a poor man waiting while you attend to a dignitary. This should not be so. If you get into such a situation, finish the poor man’s work before the dignitary. You can, of course, show respect by bringing him a chair to sit on and offering coffee while he waits. Do not cheat your conscience.”
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The death of martyrs is encouragement to the faithful, daring of the Church, confirmation of Christianity, destruction of death, proof of the Resurrection, mocking at demons, condemnation of the devil, teaching of true wisdom and a pious way of life, instillation of disdain for present material benefits and the path of striving for the good to come, comfort in the face of the misfortunes which befall us, an inducement to patience, instruction in courage, the root and fount and mother of all blessings........The blood of martyrs nourishes the Church much more than the moisture of dew brings gardens in bloom."
John Chrysostom
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What if God couldn't take the time to bless us today because we could not take the time to thank Him yesterday...
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St. Zacharias, the priest, was martyred on 8 Tute by the hand of Herod the King. When the angel Gabriel announced to him the birth of John his Son, he did not believe his word and the angel made him dumb, unable to speak until the child was born. (Luke 1: 18-22) When they named the child, he asked for a writing table and wrote that his name would be John. Then he spoke, and praised God. (Luke 1:63-79) The Holy Gospel gave testimony concerning him, that he and his wife were righteous, walking in the Law of God without blemish.

When our Lord Christ was born, and the wise men came to worship Him, Herod was troubled and feared for his kingdom. Therefore, he gave the order to slay all the children of Bethlehem, from two years old and under, so he would kill the Lord Christ among them. The angel of God appeared to Joseph in a dream saying, "Take the child and flee to Egypt." St. Joseph took the child Jesus and St. Mary, His mother, and went to Egypt as the angel of the Lord had told him.

But John's mother took him and fled to the mountain were she dwelt, bringing him up for six years. After her departure to heaven, the child remained in the desert till the day of his appearance to Israel. (Luke 1: 80)

It was said that during the slaughter of the children, Herod thought that John was the Christ. He requested John from his father, Zacharias, who said, "I do not know where the child is." They threatened to kill him, but he did not heed. Herod ordered his soldiers to slay him.

It was also said that when Herod sought John to slay him, Zacharias escaped with him to the temple and put him on the altar and when they caught up with him, he told the soldiers, "From here I accepted him from the Lord," and thereupon the angel of God snatched away the child, and took him to the desert Zifana. When they did not find the child, they slew Zacharias between the temple and the altar. (Matthew 23:35)

Zacharias the priest, son of Bar-a-chi-as, is not Zacharias the prophet, who was one of the twelve minor prophets. Zacharias the prophet was not martyred but died and his body was found without decay.

His prayers be with us. Amen.

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In the valleys I grow
Sometimes life seams hard to bear,
Full of sorrow, trouble and woe
It’s then I have to remember
That it’s in the valleys I grow.

If I always stayed on the mountain top
And never experienced pain,
I would never appreciate God’s love
And would be living in vain.

I have so much to learn
And my growth is very slow,
Sometimes I need the mountain tops,
But it’s in the valleys I grow.

I do not always understand
Why things happen as they do,
But I am very sure of one thing
My Lord will see me through.

My little valleys are nothing
When I picture Christ on the cross
He went through the valley of death;
His victory was Satan’s loss.

Forgive me Lord for complaining
When I’m feeling so very low.
Just give me a gentle reminder
That it’s in the valleys I grow.

Continue to strengthen me Lord
And use my life each day
To share your love with others
And help them find their way.

Thank you for valleys, Lord
For this one thing I know
The mountain tops are glorious
But it’s in the valleys I grow!


Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks? The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it. The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.

When the storms of life come upon us ... and all of us will experience them...we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God.

The storms do not have to overcome us. We can allow God's power to lift us above them. God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure, and disappointment into our lives. We can soar above the storm. Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them. The Bible says, "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on the wings like eagles." Isaiah 40:31.
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(Synopsis from: “The story of the Copts, by Iris Habib El-Masry)
The first few years after Abba Demetrius had taken the helm of the Church were peaceful years. Then the severe persecutions of Emperor Severus broke out, and many a staunch believer was martyred. Among them was St. Leonidas, father of one of the most famous figures of the early Christian Church, Origan. Abba Demetrius, was sent into exile Upon his return, and finding out that St. Clement the Dean of School of Alexandria, had gone to rest, and also hearing from many about this vibrant young man, his heroism and zeal towards Christianity. He appointed Origan, as the Dean of the school, despite being only eighteen years of age. He proved that his Christian ardour and his passionate interest in the School more than made up for his youth. Through his efforts it flourished again, and a period of constructive work followed. The Faithful increased in number continually. Origan set to writing books, not only to teaching; his prolific productivity is still an object of amazement. Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamin, in Cyprus, says that Origan wrote six thousand books, while Jerome says that however fond a person may be of reading, he can never read all of Origan's books, because they are so numerous.
But for all his knowledge, Origan committed a grave error. In his zeal, he misinterpreted our Lord's saying concerning those who make themselves eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven – and carried it out literally on himself. For this error, he paid dearly later on in his life. The Pope ex-communicated him after 28 years of relentless service. Upon his ex-communication, Origan settled in Palestine, opened a school there, which became the means of spreading the Word of God and converting many more people to Christianity among whom were Gregory, the Wonder-Worker, and his brother Athenodorus. Origan, lived away from Alexandria for 23 years which were the most fruitful of his life.
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Count it all joy, my brethren when you fall into various trials.” (v. 2)
St. James did not say, “my children,” like St. John, but “my brethren.” The reason for this is that he talks about temptations and sufferings, so he wants to stir in them the spirit of courage as brothers, and that they are no more little children. His saying “my brethren” reminds them of their fellowship together in spiritual brotherhood through the new birth as children of God, which makes them accept the sufferings without grumbling, but in complete submission and not only joyfully but in “all joy.”
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