English Bible Study

Fr. Mark gives the sermon on the 6th Sunday of Lent concerning the blind man in John 9.

Fr. Benjamin gives the sermon on the 5th Sunday of Lent concerning the paralyzed man.

Fr. Mina gives the sermon on the 5th Sunday of Lent concerning the paralyzed man.

The proverb starts off by stating that Wisdom has slaughtered her meat and mixed her wine. What is the meat or blood if they are not the very body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ? Who has prepared for us a meal of love, that we may enter into the eternal heavenly Kingdom with Him. Fr. Mina emphasizes that those who await their entrance into eternity in order to experience heaven, waste their effort because truly heaven is already within us. Wisdom cries out from the highest, inviting all to dine with her, while saying that the awareness of the Lord’s presence is the beginning of wisdom. Foolishness, adversely, uses the same words wisdom does to invite people over, but while mislabeling things in order to seduce its hearers. All sin can provide is a false reality that stems from lusts and desires that do not exist.

Wisdom existed before all ages. How then can we see Wisdom? God places us inside of His heart, mind, and thoughts throughout every prayer we offer, Wisdom invites us to have a very intimate relationship with the Holy Trinity and says, "Come, I will show you the economy of salvation of my love for you." The same love with which the Father loves Me and with which I love him. Jesus Christ, our Savior, is Wisdom. And how can one get hold of such fruits? It is through one's life's ongoing struggle and labor because, in asking for a virtue, one is asking for a Divine characteristic. Furthermore, when someone requests such fruit, he is taken on a journey along the path of righteousness (Proverbs 8: 20). Fr. Mina emphasizes that one is only able to ask God with boldness because Wisdom gives him the right to do so.

Fr. Benjamin gives the sermon on the feast of Annunciation.

Fr. Mark gives the sermon on the feast of Annunciation.

His Eminence Metropolitan Thomas gives the sermon on the 3rd Sunday of Lent on the gospel of the Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-32.

Fr. Mark gives the sermon on the 3rd Sunday of Lent on the gospel of the Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-32.

We are embarking on a journey to uncover God's Wisdom this week. King Solomon began the new proverb by saying that wisdom vies for the heart while lust vies for the external appearance. King Solomon had just concluded preaching against the practices of the immoral. As wisdom screams out from the top of the hills, inviting all of us who were found sick to come and have an encounter with her, this proverb encourages us to establish a genuine relationship with the Father. The unavoidable and recognizable voice of God is wisdom. Furthermore, it is spoken clearly to those who comprehend.

This week we are taken on a trip through the lens of Proverbs 7 which shows us the way that leads to the chambers of death. King Solomon shows us an example of a man who is lured down the path of iniquity. Not knowing that it would cost him his life. Sin here is represented by the immoral woman who seduces the simple to go with her and enjoy the luxurious, prideful, sinful life on her bed which is adorned with the finest linen on the outside, but in essence, it distorts the one word that best describes God: Love. Saying that love is the embrace of worldly longing and a vapid satisfaction.

Fr. Mina begins with Proverbs 6:20, where it is urgently urged that we retain God's commandment in our minds. According to Fr. Mina, until we temporarily live without God's commands, we are unable to fully appreciate their significance. The proverb then goes on to discuss living an immoral lifestyle outside of marriage, highlighting how many lives have been destroyed as a result of this route to sin and lifestyle. Pride and lust caused many people to lose their lives and walks with God. Fr. Mina makes a connection between the two, stating that people have made it their mission to follow their passions, which is why they are inextricably linked and frequently lead to one another. This week concludes with the opening of chapter 7, which emphasizes once more how crucial it is that we live according to God's instructions and bear His remembrance present in our lives!

This week's Bible study continues with a discussion on the value of work in one's life. According to what the Bible says, a person who does not labor should not eat. The work of God is not distinct from our occupations or our studies! God hastened us to subdue the earth during creation; every minute we spend studying or working at a job is a kind of subduing the earth. The proverb then goes on to describe the ant's labors, showing how, although producing relatively little each day, it accumulates enough food for the winter months over time, even if it does not see the results of its labors right away. Similar to how one's soul experiences winter, we must prepare ourselves by reading spiritual books that will keep our souls warm during this dark period. On the other hand, there is the slothful person who hides from God and the outside world and confides through a single habit. Fr. Mina talks about the seven things that God hates as he wraps up the proverb!

Fr. Mina continues by discussing the virtues of marriage in chapter 5 of the book of Proverbs, which states: "There is newness in marriage." Lust is there all around us and at the tips of our fingers. However, the holy mystery of marriage offers an opportunity to encounter a new kind of love—an unfathomably selfless love. This is the "running water" that King Solomon encourages us to drink from, as stated in Proverbs 5:15. The proverb concludes by emphasizing the value of privacy and stressing how much God values family life because it is the first system He established and was raised in. Fr. Mina divides the first three sorts of men in Proverbs 6 as follows: 1) The financially strapped 2) Indolent 3) A source of trouble. Fr. Mina discusses the significance of giving without expecting anything in return as he wraps up his discussion on the first category of men.

Proverbs 4:10-23 - Bible Study - Fr. Mina Dimitri by Saint Mary Coptic Orthodox Church, East Brunswick, NJ

Proverbs 4:1-9 - Bible Study - Fr. Mina Dimitri by Saint Mary Coptic Orthodox Church, East Brunswick, NJ

His Grace Bishop Suriel teaches about the life of St. Habib Girgis who is an immensely important figure in the history of the church and more importantly in Christian education, this is part 2.

His Grace Bishop Suriel teaches about the life of St. Habib Girgis who is an immensely important figure in the history of the church and more importantly in Christian education, this is part 1.

Fr. Mark gives the sermon during the Sunday Liturgy on the Gospel of John 3:22-36 concerning Baptism and it's role in our lives.

H.G. Bishop Suriel gives the sermon during the Sunday Liturgy on the Gospel of John 3:22-36 concerning Baptism and Witness.