Coptic Orthodox Church - Tasbeha.org Community https://tasbeha.org/community/categories/coptic-orthodox-church/p48/feed.rss Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:45:57 +0000 Coptic Orthodox Church - Tasbeha.org Community en-CA Holy Light https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/9028/holy-light Sun, 28 Mar 2010 21:08:08 +0000 gregorytheSinner 9028@/community/discussions
Is this a ritualistic thing or is it b/c the tomb falls under the GOC's domain? ]]> happy Pascha?! https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/9030/happy-pascha Mon, 29 Mar 2010 08:44:03 +0000 mabsoota 9030@/community/discussions
i want to tell my friends 'happy easter' but without using the a name that comes from a pagan goddess. i don't want to say anything really long like 'may the blessings of our Lord be with you as we celebrate His glorious resurrection' although that is certainly better.
but is there a short way to say it without using the word 'easter'?
i mean i want to say it in english, obviously there are great ways to say it in arabic, coptic and greek.

do you just say 'happy Pascha?'
what do you all think we should say?

and may you all have a happy Pascha anyway, and may God bless you a lot during Holy week  :)]]> Need some assistance please...... https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/9096/need-some-assistance-please Sat, 10 Apr 2010 18:35:48 +0000 BrandonB 9096@/community/discussions
Anyway, I found myself drawn to Mass and began receiving Holy Communion again, as it is my right to do so.  I began attending daily Mass and would often find myself entering the Cathedral about 3-5 times a week including Sunday's.  Something always seemed to be missing, and when I actually scheduled a meeting with the priest, it seemed draining.  We spoke, however he did not seem very interested in the conversation.  This was in the middle of the afternoon in last summer.  I even noticed yawns out of him as he sat directly across from me.  I have worked in social work for a decade so I understand what sort of energy his job entails, however it was the breaking point for me.  I found myself attending mass consistently for about 6 months straight several times a week, but always felt as though spiritually something was missing.  Receiving communion was the highlight for me throughout the week and always felt amazing, I must say. 

I always battle with logic, reason, faith, and psychology when approaching religion in general, any religion that is.  I ask a lot of questions, dig deep for answers and attempt to give all the respect and tolerance they deserve.  My journey back to Catholicism lead me to dig deeper into Orthodox history and roots.  I also visited a couple Eastern Catholic Churches that were wonderful experiences, however, I never found myself returning after one visit.  It is very hard to feel welcomed in Church in general.  I then began this past fall to take "inquiry classes" at a local Eastern Orthodox Church (Once a week every Saturday along with attending evening Vespers) that I was greatly interested in, however the classes were rushed.  The priest seemed to blow through material and it was not inviting, and seemed as if he was attempting to give us a "fly by night education," one I am not looking for and did not get too much understanding out of. That was something that always turned me off about organized religion as a whole.  I have in my journey visited an Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church back on the East Coast where I am from and honestly feel it was the most accepted and welcomed I ever felt in a church.  I only visited once, and several men next to me in the church helped me out with my placement in the hymns and during the sermon, myself and two other men, non-Egyptian (we were the only three non-Egyptians in the church) were lead to the front of the church and assisted by a translator just before the sermon.  Again, even more reason why I never felt so accepted in any place of worship, ever, besides a mosque I attended once with a friend.  The overall experience was lovely.  I spoke to the priest, Father Yusef prior to entering that Sunday and he was more than happy to answer questions, speak to me, and went out of his way to return my call after I left a message for his daughter days prior.  I apologize right now for making this much longer than I thought it would be, but do want to add, I have always remembered that experience as being very welcoming and most of all the closest to GOD I have ever felt in a place of worship.  The reason I write is because I plan on attending an Coptic Orthodox Church here on the West Coast.  I plan on speaking to the priest before I attend, but wanted to know what the process of conversion is for an adult?  I should not use the term conversion, but acceptance into the true church of Christ?  I know there is information on this site, but it is mostly directed to Baptism and Confirmation of children.  I would not know what the proper steps are I need to moving towards communion with the church.  Any information would be helpful.  I plan on calling the priest later this afternoon.

Blessings my friends.

Brandon]]> Be careful https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/9067/be-careful Sun, 04 Apr 2010 20:58:18 +0000 John_S2000 9067@/community/discussions
Also many COC local forums in EG are under hacker attacks and Facebook is also used to gather info. There is a fake group called FaceCH this is a really bad one. An extremist group/person is behind it.

Pls be careful and remove ur personal fotos and info if there is need to do so.

GBU]]> Evolution https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/9098/evolution Sun, 11 Apr 2010 10:54:05 +0000 kokiie 9098@/community/discussions
In Genesis 2:7 it states, "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."

Couldn't the 'dust' mentioned above refer to an ape that God made into a human ? This might be a bit far-fetched.. but is something wrong with this train of thought?]]> Origins of the Cross? https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/9052/origins-of-the-cross Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:41:44 +0000 sodr2 9052@/community/discussions http://www.nazarite.net/satanic-symbols.html

Under the title: "CROSS," how much of this is actually true? Because my friend told be about this, but I have a hard time believing that the symbol of the cross (or even the sign of the cross) was never used before the 4th century or that Constantne was a pagan sun worshiper.]]> Theology and Church History for a beginner anyone? https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/9076/theology-and-church-history-for-a-beginner-anyone Tue, 06 Apr 2010 13:27:40 +0000 joeg 9076@/community/discussions
Ok, so I've just picked up "The Nature of Christ" by H.H. Pope Shenouda III, and have suddenly become really interested in theology and Church history. Well not really suddenly - I've always been interested, but haven't really done much about it. So, I'm posting this so that if any of you guys know any good introductory books to read on Orthodox Theology and/or Church History to please share them! I'm in no way an educated in theology and Church history beyond the mere basics i.e. I'm aware that we only accept the first 3 ecumenical councils (Nicaea, Constantinople, Ephesus) and have vague ideas of the topics on debate (Nicaea - Arianism, Constantinople - Arianism, Macedonianism, Ephesus - Nestorianism) and know very, very superficially about the Monophysite/Miaphysite/Dyophysite dispute that caused us to reject the Council of Chalcedon. I have done negligible reading on theology or Church History, an so am really deploring my ignorance  ;D

So, which works/books of which Church Fathers would you recommend for me as a beginner? Just so you know my circumstances, I'm 17 years old in my last year of school, and am studying medicine in September. Obviously my main focus is getting my grades for getting to medical school, but I would like to "study" (in the loosest sense, non-academically) rather than just casually read.

Is there any hope for me? Anyone got any suggestions? ;D]]> Anba Youannis https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6574/anba-youannis Sun, 11 May 2008 13:30:51 +0000 Enough 6574@/community/discussions anyways i was looking for liturgies that r prayed by Anba Yoannis and i only found one on stminamultimedia... and i already listenend to that one. Does anyone know where i can find any more litugies of Anba Youannis??? im a big fan of him lol
Anba youannis the one who does the kiahk praises often... hope u know which one im talking about
thanks in advance
Enough]]> What does the Coptic church explanation for Christ's date of birth? https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/9045/what-does-the-coptic-church-explanation-for-christ-s-date-of-birth Tue, 30 Mar 2010 23:43:55 +0000 Sheba 9045@/community/discussions
What does the Coptic Church say about the length of the time between Adam & Eve and Christ? What explanation does it provide to justify the duration and answer questions (for example, from protestants) about why God waited that long to come in flesh?

Also, why didn't God the Father or God the Holy Spirit come in flesh? Why is it that it is God the Son that became human? Do the Egptian protestants raise such questions on the Coptic Church at all?

Sheba]]> Is a Catholic Christian allowed to take communion at a Coptic Church? https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/8994/is-a-catholic-christian-allowed-to-take-communion-at-a-coptic-church Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:15:53 +0000 yihmeena 8994@/community/discussions How to Benefit Spiritually from Pascha Week https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/9034/how-to-benefit-spiritually-from-pascha-week Mon, 29 Mar 2010 21:41:36 +0000 Mozes 9034@/community/discussions


How to Benefit Spiritually from Pascha Week

by H.H. Pope Shenouda III




How do we enjoy the most spiritual week of the year?

1. Our behavior inside and outside church:

It is very noticeable that many people during Passion Week act very differently inside church than they do outside church. Inside church… black curtains, sad hymns, solemn readings, and complete concentration on the suffering of Christ. However, outside of church, we often laugh, joke around, socialize, think and talk about many worldly issues. We lose all the spiritual depth that we gained inside church. Let us concentrate our thoughts, conversations, and meditations around the events of this Holy Week and the passion of our Savior.

2. Retreat:

During our regular fasting days, we put the words of the Bible before us, "Consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly " (Joel 1: 14). How much more then should we apply this commandment during Holy Week? This week should be characterized by solitude and retreat with God by staying away from idle discussions, various means of entertainment and pleasures. Reserve your time for God and to spiritual activities worthy of this week.

3. Follow the steps of Christ:

Meditate on the events of the week one by one, from Palm Sunday when Christ refused His worldly kingdom and the Jews gave up their hopes in Him, until they crucified and buried Him. On Palm Sunday, ask yourself: Is Christ King and Lord over everything in my life? Do I, like Christ, turn down worldly glory for spiritual and eternal glory? And during the "general funeral" afterwards, consider yourself attending your own funeral (because during this week the church will not hold funeral services). Also, when the church denounces Judas' betrayal with a kiss on the eve of Wednesday's Pascha, ask yourself in prayer, "How often, O Lord, have I betrayed You?" "How many times have I told You words of love in prayers, while my actions show the opposite and my heart is far away from You?"

4. Share in the fellowship of His suffering:

St. Paul said "That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering, being conformed to His death" (Philippians 3:10). Can we give ourselves an exercise this week to share in the fellowship of His suffering and be conformed to His death? Can we follow Him in His suffering and ascend with Him to the cross? Can we say with St. Paul "With Christ I have been crucified; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Gal. 2:20). Therefore, in order for Christ to live in us, we have to carry our cross and follow Him. If you have a cross in your life, don't complain about it, but rather rejoice in it and bear it for Christ’s sake. "For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him but to suffer for His sake" (Phil. 1:29).

5. Asceticism:

Whoever puts the suffering of Christ before Him will not take any pleasure in eating, drinking or pampering the body. But in order to succeed in pursuing asceticism,

we must satisfy our souls with spiritual food so that it may thrive and overcome physical hunger.

6. Spiritual readings:

Spiritual readings are also food for the soul. The church has organized for us a treasure of appropriate readings for every day of Holy Week. This consists of Gospel readings, Old Testament prophecies that correspond to the events of each day, spiritual explanations and sermons of the church fathers and on Holy Saturday (Apocalypse night) the church reads the entire book of Revelation.

7. Hymns:

The hymns of Passion Week are moving and full of spiritual depth. Also, Hymns, like reading, preserve thoughts from wandering and guides them in a spiritual direction.

8. Prayer:

Since the prayers of the Agpeya are not used during Holy Week, we are to substitute personal prayers in their place. This is in addition to the intensive prayers of the church asking the Lord, who bore the sins of the world and died for us, to forgive and have mercy upon us according to His great mercy.

]]> A story on Baptism https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/8984/a-story-on-baptism Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:48:57 +0000 abanoub2000 8984@/community/discussions
]]> Beautiful contemplation on the Holy Great Fast. https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/9000/beautiful-contemplation-on-the-holy-great-fast Tue, 23 Mar 2010 06:01:24 +0000 jojo204 9000@/community/discussions http://www.suscopts.org/resources/literature/742/the-prayer-that-broke-satans-kingdom/

The Prayer that Broke Satan's Kingdom 
The Lord's Prayer and the Temptation on the Mount

The philosophers and wise men of the world are infamous for practicing the disreputable art of preaching what they have not done; from their ivory towers they would fain declare hollow precepts to the sub-creatures on the ground, but scarcely are they seen to be engaged in the struggle for a praiseworthy life. But it was ever our Lord's method to teach only those things which He had personally practiced and achieved during His sojourn on earth. Not once had He ever said anything in His teaching to the disciples but that which naturally flowed from a soul that was "perfected"1 by a virtuous life of constant effort and toil. When He taught them on the holy mountain to have mercy on others, He spoke from a wealth of personal instances in forgiving His neighbors who had undoubtedly wronged Him on sundry occasions. When He stooped to cleanse the disciples' feet during the Last Supper, it was not as an isolated bit of didactic drama, but a real and earnest act that reflected a lifetime of humble foot-washing and service to others during His former days in Nazareth. And after casting the demon out of the paralytic boy,2 His statement to the disciples, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting," was certainly not a mere theorem He had just discovered; but in all likelihood His mind was reaching back to those forty days in the wilderness, where by intense prayer and fasting He had cast out the father of demons.

There is one particular case of teaching our Lord gave to the disciples which especially urges us to search into its origins: the Lord's Prayer.3 St. Luke in his Gospel tells us that Jesus had just finished praying in a certain place, where a disciple had evidently been watching the majestic sight of the Son in full communion with His heavenly Father, and in whose heart was kindled the flame of holy envy which the church fathers so commonly describe as happening to a person who witnesses another soul in union with God. The disciple requests instruction in like prayer, and in response Jesus recited those precious words which have been the heart of Christian prayer until today. It is the best summation of all the most important doxologies and supplications man can offer; but where did our Lord find this divine compendium of prayer? When, why, and how did He (in our modern jargon) "develop" it? It is impossible to believe that He simply improvised in a moment a few lines which He considered beneficial to the disciples. Rather, as all other teaching He offered, it must have arisen from hidden depths, from the inner springs of that spiritual Life which would become the model for everyone who believes.

The seminal event which may have given rise to the main tenets of the Lord's Prayer, or at least sowed the seeds for its growth, was our Lord's forty day struggle in the wilderness.4 For every line in the prayer appears to reflect some incident or remark made during that momentous encounter between the Prince of Light and the Prince of Darkness. Christ's prayer in the desert no doubt extended ceaselessly throughout the entire period; but the eleven lines that comprise our prayer are a core distillation of that divine communion with the Father which accompanied our Lord through the long, strenuous days of desert solitude, and towards the end, the desperate attempt made by Satan to bring down our Lord in the hours of His utmost exhaustion.

For many centuries had the prince of this world held his sway over mankind, but it could not have been with a sense of security free from uneasy apprehensions. He doubtless knew of the prophecies that spoke of a mighty heel that would one day crush his head; of a new covenant which God was to make with His people; and of a deliverer who would rise with healing in His wings. Moreover, there were those Jewish rites and ceremonies that seemed to prefigure a great event disastrous to his reign. And it must have been with the darkest forebodings that he witnessed one Human who finally appeared stronger than himself and his satanic arts. For thirty full years Jesus had resisted all the seductions that led His human brethren into sin. And the gnawing anxieties within Satan's breast must have reached a heightened terror when, at the River Jordan, the heavens parted, God the Spirit descended upon Him, and the eternal voice spoke: "This is My beloved Son." The Son of God! But who could this mysterious Person be? In the wilderness Satan found his opportunity to put Christ to the severest test; and if He would not be overcome, then at least He might answer a few vital questions.

"The tempter came to Him and said, 'If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread'" (Matthew 4:2). If you are the Son of God....The words of the baptismal scene at the Jordan are still ringing in Satan's ears. As St. Chrysostom points out, Satan was thrown into a wild perplexity by the contradictory events of the Epiphany, which displayed Christ as Son of God, and His hunger, which displayed Him as Son of Man. The devil at any rate wished to believe Jesus' Sonship as false, or to render it false by prevailing up on Christ to doubt it. Since, for Christ to doubt His Father's word would be virtually to renounce His Sonship, Satan sowed his seeds of doubt, as he successfully did with our parents in Eden—"Did God really say you must not eat of any tree in the garden"?5 Doubt has always been one of Satan's most insidious weapons against us, depriving us of the comfort of God's presence, His promises, and His word. Satan's challenge could be reworded, If God is really Your Father.... A precious Fatherhood! In Eden, Satan had temporarily stolen from us our original purity, joy, and wholeness, and now would he repeal our Divine Parentage? That would be the final blow to humanity, for Christ's response would in a moment chart the path of our eternal destiny. Before Jesus gave His response, there must have been some inner movement of the soul, and the feelings that likely passed over His divine heart would have been expressed in the words, My Father in heaven....holy is Your name! Ah, the words that were designed to inspire doubt in the Son of God would rather turn His thoughts lovingly to that eternal relationship, which must have been His chief joy. Is it any wonder that, in teaching the disciples, the first words of prayer should be, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name"?

...tell these stones to become bread. If Christ would not doubt His Father in thought, then working such a miracle would do so in action; for the forty days of fasting were not achieved by sheer physical exertion, but by an ecstatic rapture of prayer which bore Him through the period without giving thought to the body. The human physiology begins to gnaw at the mind even after 12 hours without food; but the Father with whom He communed would provide life and strength when bread did not. He was naturally the antitype of the Israelites' forty-year wandering in the desert, where they were being chastened and taught to depend not on bread alone, but on every one of God's words. How often must the petition have fallen from Jesus' lips, Give me today My true bread! And this experience in the desert He transfers over to our daily petition, "Give us this day our daily bread," which, in expressing it, we participate in Christ's spiritual struggle in the desert. The devil's shrewd suggestion was for Him to exert His divine power to immediately relieve the hunger, an implied distrust of heaven's support. But Jesus does not offer any counter-argument to Satan's suggestion—for he should never be argued with—but simply quotes from the book of Deuteronomy, and allows the Holy Bible's power to work its devastating effect on Satan's schemes.

Seeing that Christ was too strong for the temptation which had proved useful against most of humanity, the unyielding enemy quickly shifts to his next suggestion—the love of glory. By a mysterious method which it is futile for us to inquire into, the Lord is conveyed to the pinnacle of the temple in Jerusalem, and Satan compels Jesus to fling Himself into the air, for as the Jewish sages had affirmed, the Messiah would make his first appearance to Israel from the roof of the temple. What more glorious way to reveal Himself, then by gently gliding through the air like a dove, amidst the shouts and acclimations of the people? It was a further consideration that the Scriptures themselves seemed to prophesy such an event, implied the Accuser, when he quoted a Psalm which the Rabbis themselves believed would be fulfilled by the Messiah: "For He shall give His angels charge over you...Intheirhands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone," craftily omitting a key phrase, "...to keep you in all your ways."6

The deviousness of this second attack was much deeper than the previous, firstly because all that Satan said was in fact true—it was near the time that Jesus would reveal Himself to Israel; and secondly because it was adequately supported by Scripture—the angels would indeed bear Him on their wings were He to jump. The deception was in the will. From Christ's early childhood, Satan had undoubtedly observed that never had He done or said anything that was at variance with God's will. There was always the utmost concord between God's promptings and Jesus' acts; never had Jesus shown any remorse about an act that was done in opposition to, or in advance of, God's will. But now Satan presses Him to act on His own will—or rather that of Satan's—and perform a self-aggrandizing feat. The deed would not bring any glory to God but only to Himself.

...Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven! The perfect harmony between the will of the Father and Son that had endured in heaven from the beginning must now continue on earth. Although Satan was the master of cunning, yet was he utterly foolish to imagine that the will of the Father and Son could be broken, or the glory of the One pursued without the glory of the Other. Jesus immediately repels the dark proposal with a single line: It is written again, "You shall not tempt the Lord your God".7 To usurp the Father's glory for Himself was unthinkable, but to test or challenge the Father's will was a still more impossible prospect. Christ therefore quotes again a Deuteronomic passage, which referred to the Israelites' murmuring about their thirst in the desert and their provocative question: "Is the Lord among us or not?"8 Satan naturally saw it fitting that, as the Israelites of old put God to the test in the desert, so should Jesus. For if God was really with Him, He would dispatch the angels to rescue Him from the perilous descent.

As soon as the Lord dismissed the demonic suggestion, He would turn once again to that consoling and joy-giving prayer to God, which He was later to summarize for His disciples in a few brief words: Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. For this would be one of the greatest methods of preventing the arch-enemy from driving a wedge into the relationship between God and the disciples. To always seek the Father's will, to desire always to please Him, is the shortest and most direct path to personal holiness.

In the first two temptations, Satan speaks nothing of himself and reveals nothing of his purposes, but instead probes and prods this mysterious Person, in order to ascertain the powers and privileges which His Sonship conferred, and if possible, to control them by his own schemes. However, having been foiled in these attempts, he drops the mask, appears as his diabolical self, and boldly claims homage from Christ. "Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.'All this I will give you,' he said, 'if you will bow down and worship me.'"9

This third temptation had a special adaptation to Christ's Person which Satan trusted would make it a powerful allurement; and as it was the last, so was it the most pernicious, of the three attacks.

The Jews knew of a universal kingdom that was to be set up in the days of the Messiah. From His earliest days as a child, Christ had heard the Scriptures foretell time and again the days when Israel's Deliverer would rule; and we can only imagine with what wonder and reverence the Boy Jesus pondered those ancient prophecies which spoke directly of Himself. But He equally knew that His Kingdom would not be gained by earthly methods or by easy inheritance, but rather by suffering and death. And Satan must have known, from his ability to quote the whole Holy Bible, the prophecies that predicted the toil and strife involved in his Rival's accession to the throne.

He decided to make a bold attempt. He would show Him all the world's kingdoms which had been his as the prince of this world, and he would give them over to Christ without a single blow being struck, without a single pain to endure. Satan was willing to peacefully hand his scepter to Christ, and bypass the immense struggle needed to inherit humanity, if only He would bow down to him. A reckless and blasphemous attempt, for who gave Satan these kingdoms to thus claim and give away? This last temptation was unique in that it included a bribe, like that presented to our first parents when they were beguiled into disobeying God with the appealing offer of divine knowledge. But the magnificent panorama presented before our Savior's eyes was more grand and glittering than Eden's fruit, the best Satan had to offer; and its acceptance would have meant our downfall. For to have taken Satan's gift would have immediately disqualified Jesus as the Messiah, as our spiritual Redeemer, and as Savior of the world—for though all worldly dominion and principalities might have been granted Him, all of that including Christ Himself would be subject to Satan, now given full power by Jesus' worship.

...Thy kingdom come. Jesus' eye refused to rest on the seducing spectacle, and no sooner was the temptation offered than it was immediately refused. And as Satan drops his mask, so does Christ address him directly: "Away with you, Satan! For it is written,'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'"10 The rebuke causes Satan to immediately vanish "until an opportune time," that is, a future chance to sabotage Christ's kingdom. And he found it when the Lord announced His coming death and resurrection to the disciples. Satan somehow sensed that the events were directly linked to Christ's victory; and so he silently steals into Peter's bosom and attempts to dissuade Jesus from His purposes, whereupon He delivers another searing reprimand to the evil one: "Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."11 Following every attempt to convince Jesus to abandon the Kingdom of God for His own earthly rule, we can imagine the Lord lifting His heart in sincere thanksgiving and declaring joyfully, "Your kingdom come..."

These three trials our Lord passed through cover in a symbolical way the whole range of temptations to which mankind is subjected. "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin."12 Yet, our Lord still needed to include that line in His prayer which He personally would never employ, but which the rest of humanity was in need of reciting; because though He overcame every temptation for us, we would still fail day by day: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." And then follow that supplication which is an precise echo of the temptation on the mount: "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." It was the Spirit that drove Him into the wilderness to be tried;13 and although He is the Almighty, yet never would He intentionally cast Himself into harm's way. That brief interview with the evil one, that terrible presence encircling His pure conscience like dark clouds, must have been a most repugnant and contrary experience for our Lord. And he teaches us never to seek the same, but to daily request deliverance from such trials; but if they come, the victory is made available by His first triumph.

There are few incidents in the Holy Bible which afford us so much hope, so much victory, strength, and promise, as our Lord's temptation on the mountain. Every serious conflict which arises in the Christian's heart can find its counterpart in one of these three trials. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,14 are all here represented and overcome in the Gospel. What place is there then for excuse or complaint? We might bemoan our current circumstances, and the disagreeable straits through which our soul must pass just to survive; but if the Captain of our salvation needed to pass through such a grievous episode—and worse was still awaiting Him—then so must we. The Spirit that led Him into the wilderness will presently guide us through the desert of this world. The power to change stones to bread and feed His flesh; the glory of soaring from the temple's roof amidst the hails of the people; the kingdom pledged to Him if He would bow and worship—all enticing offers of the greatest of man's desires. But in the end Christ was victorious, and the devil vanquished; and with what joy must the sweet strains of praise have arisen to heaven from His holy lips as He prayed: "...for Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen!"

1= Heb 5:9
2= Mk 9
3= Mt 6; Lk 11
4= Mt 3; Lk 4
5= Gen 3:1
6= Ps 91:11, 12
7= Mt 4:7
8= Deut 6:16; Ex 17:7
9= Mt 4:8
10= Mt 4:10
11= Mt 8:32
12= Heb 4:15
13= Mt 4:1
14= 1 Jn 2:16]]> Unleavened/Leavened Bread for the Last Supper https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/9021/unleavened-leavened-bread-for-the-last-supper Sat, 27 Mar 2010 05:10:30 +0000 Zoxsasi 9021@/community/discussions
Why does the CoC use leavened bread (i.e. with yeast)  to be used as the Body of Christ, when Christ Himself used unleavened in the last supper?

Also, which Church uses which type of bread?

Thanks]]> The gospel according to.... https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/9006/the-gospel-according-to Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:55:05 +0000 abanoub2000 9006@/community/discussions
http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/gosthom.html

The gospel according to thomas!? Why didn't I get a text message about this existing?

So does our church like believe this and stuff?

why is it just a list of quotes?

Help me! I am So confused!! this would destroy the song I used to learn the books in the bible!! ]]> KE EPERTOOOOOOOOO https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/9004/ke-epertooooooooo Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:40:33 +0000 deaconmark123 9004@/community/discussions Lamentations 3 https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/9002/lamentations-3 Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:08:42 +0000 PaulSamir 9002@/community/discussions NEW Paschal Week Videos https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/8997/new-paschal-week-videos Mon, 22 Mar 2010 21:00:14 +0000 hardyakka 8997@/community/discussions
part 1 - image

part 2 - image

Enjoy

Bish
www.stnoufer.wordpress.com]]> Great Videos of Coptic Liturgy https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/8993/great-videos-of-coptic-liturgy Sun, 21 Mar 2010 02:00:49 +0000 bkovacs 8993@/community/discussions
Part 1

image


Just go to sidebar to watch Parts 2-10]]> Saint George Issue - Please clarify!! https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/8990/saint-george-issue-please-clarify Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:47:51 +0000 Zoxsasi 8990@/community/discussions
I was just reading the Travel Egypt site, and they have a section on Copts and Muslims. Apparently, a touristic site in Christian Egypt is Mar Guirguis.

But look what it says:

À ne pas confondre avec le héros britannique, tueur de dragon, Mar Guirguis fut l’un des premiers martyrs de Palestine, exécuté par les Romains au IVème siècle. La première église à porter son nom fut édifiée quelque six siècles plus tard, au sommet d’une tour romaine.
"Not to be confused with the British Hero: Killer/Slayer of Dragons, Saint George was one of the 1st Martyrs of Palestine, executed by the Romans ... etc."

I thought they WERE the same? I thought that our St George (the roman soldier who was born in Palestine) WAS the same theirs!! At least that's what Anba Angaelos said during the consecration of St. George's Cathedral in Stevenage.

Are they right? Is St. George of the UK different than the Coptic St. George. Its just that even our own St. George, we depict him killing dragons.. so why is that?


Thanks]]> General Funeral https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/8988/general-funeral Sat, 20 Mar 2010 15:10:18 +0000 marmar_26_4eva 8988@/community/discussions ]]> Marriage Issues https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/8983/marriage-issues Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:46:50 +0000 Zoxsasi 8983@/community/discussions
Let's say a woman is a widow and has a daughter. Let's say she marries a man a BIT younger than her, and after a while, she dies.

The man can then marry again; but my question is this:

Can the man marry the daughter of his wife. I mean, its not his biological daughter.

Is that allowed in the Church?

Thanks]]> Bread of Life https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/8975/bread-of-life Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:56:49 +0000 gregorytheSinner 8975@/community/discussions
John 6:47-71

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."

The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?"

Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven--not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever."
Our church tends to use this passage alot, to refer to the Holy Eucharistic Sacrament.  I'm just wondering, should this passage really be taken literally, or can it be taken figuratively, like the water in the story of the Samaritan woman.]]> British Orthodox Church Hymns https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/8960/british-orthodox-church-hymns Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:17:42 +0000 Zoxsasi 8960@/community/discussions
Can anyone tell me what hymns they sing in the BoC? For example, do they do Agios Otheos? And is it the same tune as ours (in the CoC)?
Do they have Apenshoise?

Do they even have Coptic in the mass at all?

Finally, whilst we're here talking about that, could someone kindly point me to the lyrics of Apenshoise for lent?

Thanks]]> NEW COPTIC BLOG https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/8966/new-coptic-blog Thu, 18 Mar 2010 02:40:55 +0000 hardyakka 8966@/community/discussions
New Posts

- St John Chrysostom on Caring for the Suffering Members of Christs bodies

-St Macarius The Great - How Christ Changes Man

-Enemies of Faith

-Chalcedon - The treachery that split the Christian world

-ST John Chrysostom on Choosing the right partner for marriage

- Alcohol and its effects on the Human Brain

- St Ephraim the Syrian - How Many times did i promise?

Hope You Enjoy these posts on www.stnoufer.wordpress.com

Bish]]> Elijah and Enoch https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/8955/elijah-and-enoch Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:38:06 +0000 geomike 8955@/community/discussions LOL]]> St John Chrysostoms Boldness https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/8873/st-john-chrysostoms-boldness Wed, 24 Feb 2010 09:21:24 +0000 Ioannes 8873@/community/discussions
[Moderator: Please do not post against other Christian groups during Lent. I have asked you several times. Now is a time to be concentrating on our own weaknesses.]]]> Priests Swimming? https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/8947/priests-swimming Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:23:46 +0000 Neniotee Ethoab 8947@/community/discussions Marsa Matrouh https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/8948/marsa-matrouh Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:59:49 +0000 Godislove_ 8948@/community/discussions asking the saints to pray for us https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/8938/asking-the-saints-to-pray-for-us Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:58:36 +0000 mabsoota 8938@/community/discussions i'm running out of explainations again for a protestant enquirer, so i need help!
please explain, if you can, why the saints who have departed pray for us, and why we ask them for their intercesions to God on our behalf.
i have explained that in hebrews 11 we are told of a great crowd of witnesses that see what is happening in our lives, and said that we don't stop praying just because we have died, but can anyone add anything else?
i can accept the tradition based on the Bible verses i understand, but i obviously don't understand it very well coz i can't explain it!
please help  :)]]>