On the 13th day of the Blessed month of Tuba we celebrate the lives of; Pistis, Helpis, Agape and their mother Sophia. St. Sophia was from a rich and noble family of Antioch. God granted her three beautiful daughters whom she named; Pistis which means faith, Helpis which means hope, and Agape which means love. Their mother's name, Sophia, means wisdom.
Sophia took her three daughters to Rome to teach them the church subjects and to worship. When the report reached Emperor Hadrian, he summoned them. He tried to force them to forsake their Christian faith. Seeing them only as little children, he at first felt quite confident in his ability to convert them. However, their mother encouraged them to be steadfast in their faith of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Pistis was twelve years old. Helpis was eleven years old. And little Agape was only nine. When the emperor saw their dedication to the faith he grew angry. Enraged at their commitment to Christ he set out to torture them one by one. He first tortured the older child Pistis. He had his guards tear at her body with whips, then cast her into a fiery furnace until finally they beheaded her. But during that torture she did not waver once.
The Emperor then commanded the guards to torture the next daughter, Helpis. He ordered the guards to comb her body with hot sharp iron combs, then struck her neck with the sword. All of this happened in the viewing of the youngest sister Agape. The Emperor, as well as his guards, we're convinced the little girl was terrified, and therefore willing to recant her Christian faith. To their amazement, she did not. Overcome by sheer rage the Emperor ordered the guards to cast her into a fiery furnace, crush her body, and then finally beheaded her.
During this horrific ordeal the blessed and beautiful Sophia prayed earnestly for the salvation of her children. She rejoiced exceedingly and thanked the Lord that her daughters had been steadfast in their faith and received the crowns of martyrdom. They had become brides to the Lord Jesus Christ. She took their bodies and shrouded them with expensive shrouds. She then asked the Lord to receive her spirit and the Lord hearkened to her prayer and she delivered her pure spirit into the hand of the Lord. The believers took their bodies and buried them with great honor..
Lessons from this story
This is a very hard story to hear. Any parent would be disturbed by these images. But there's no way to tell her story without showcasing what each of the daughters witnessed and endured. And though we of course celebrate the strength these little girls held in the face of such a horrible behavior, we must focus on the sheer importance their mother played in their salvation. There is no greater blessing than being a parent. But in truth, there are times of no greater source of frustration, aggravation, and fear.
Our role as a mother or a father is to highlight the beauty, the truth, and the power a deep Christian faith brings to the individual. Children this day are bombarded with messages that have nothing to do with a Christian life. Virginity is more than just the Purity of the body, it's the purity of knowledge. For when we recall the story of Adam and Eve, they lived in purity because they knew not the difference of good and evil. They lived a life according to their first nature, which was created out of an abundance of love. They enjoyed a life without hardship, walking daily content and without any temptation whatsoever.
The hardest thing for a parent is balancing work life and a family life. But not time with the family born out of an obligation, for a child knows when you are not really enjoying their company. But to see the true joy of time with our children. For one thing that is glaringly obvious about this telling of Sophia's story, that the thief in the night can come at any time.
No one can fault a mother or a father for being tired at the end of a hard-working day....

On the 23rd day of the Coptic month of Tute we celebrate the life of Saint Thecla, also known as Takla.
On this day the church celebrates the commemoration of the first female martyr, St. Thekla, the bride of Christ. She was a deaconess and a disciple of the apostle Paul. She was an example of virginity and purity and a model for enduring strife and hardships.
Thekla was a very beautiful and well mannered only daughter to honorable pagans. Born and raised in the city of Iconium, a large city in Asia minor, she was to be engaged to one of the noblemen of that city. But when St. Paul came to Iconium, on his first missionary journey between 45 and 50 A.D., Thekla heard his preaching.
She marveled at his teachings and became a follower. Never before had she heard such words, and through these words she discovered and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. She was baptized and vowed her virginity to the Lord, thus braking off her engagement. For all of her life Thekla believed in the importance of her physical beauty, now she was only concerned for her inner beauty.
Her mother noticed a change in her behavior. She asked her about the secret of this change, thinking that her young daughter had found a new love in her. Thekla indeed had found a new love, and told her mother that she had become Christian and vowed her purity to the Lord Christ. Her mother was enraged and tried to persuade her but Thekla refused. Her mother went to the governor of the city and asked for his assistance. He too tried to convince her to abandon Christianity and return to the worship of idols. Thekla refused to bow before anything or anyone but the Lord Christ. The governor ordered her to be burned to death but a storm put out the flames and she safely escaped death .
Thekla left her city and went looking for St. Paul. She found him and joined him in the city of Antioch. He left her there to serve among the women. The governor of the city seized her, and cast her to the wild beasts. But they did not harm her. Then the governor had her thrown into a pit full of poisonous snakes. They also did not harm her. Both exhausted and limited in intellect to explain such things, he ordered her to be released. St. Paul witnessed the Lord within her, sent her back to her birthplace of Iconium to preach to the people of her city about the life-giving faith. When she realized that her mother was still insisting her to return back to paganism, she left to the city of Tyre in Syria to pursue her ministry. Many believed through her words.
In the later part of her life, she lived in seclusion and contemplation, a perfect life of asceticism. God granted her the gift of healing and many were cured with her prayers. She was 90 years old when the Lord called her to her true home, and her body was buried in Seleucia, the port of Antioch. The church calls her “the martyr without shedding blood.”
Lessons from this story
In the very beginning of this story of a young and beautiful girl, she is referred to as “a model of strife and enduring hardships”. Life presents us with many hardships that are not measured by our physical suffering - which of course many saints have suffered from. But this title points not to the physical suffering for in hearing her story, we see she did not suffer any pain from the attempted tortures. Her struggle, her enduring struggle, was against the first nature of her life.
She left her physical beauty behind her and there is no mention of that life calling to her. But her mother pleaded with her to return to her pagan ways. You can almost imagine her mother showering her with gold, jewels, soft clothing, all the enticements the pagans had to offer. It was probably enough to cause her to leave her home town for the second time and preach in Tyre of Syria.
Our daily lives are bombarded with temptations, via phone, text, email, tv, radio, friends - you name it. There are enough physical attractions in this...

St Marina the Martyr
On the 23rd day of the Coptic month Abib we celebrate the departure of St. Marina of Antioch.
Marina was born to a wealthy family of pagans in the city of Antioch. She was raised with no knowledge of Christ in her life. Yet at a young age Marina’s parents passed away and she went to live with a nanny, who was a practicing Christian. Each and every night Marina would hear the stories of how ordinary people became martyrs for Jesus Christ. The nanny spoke with such reverence for these “saints” that Marina was inspired and yearned to taste the sweet mercy of the Lord. Though men were drawn to her beauty, she was drawn to a life with God.
And it came to pass that one day Marina was indeed tested and tempted by the Devil’s snares. The governor of Antioch, a rich and powerful man who was accustomed to getting what he wanted, fancied Marina and desired her. But when his soldiers came to her, she told them that she belonged to Jesus Christ. When the governor heard this, he was distressed for he lusted after her with blinding passion. So he had her brought to him by force and offered her to worship his false gods and to forsake the One True God. But she refused.
He demanded to know how she, at such a young age, could defy him for she was only fifteen. To which she replied, “I am Christian. I believe in the Lord Christ, and my name is Marina.”
He made many promises, including marriage, but she still did not bend to his will. She cursed the idols he worshipped and insulted him calling him a fool. He became enraged. He ordered her body to be scraped with hot iron combs, and then rubbed with vinegar, salt and lime. From his selfish and greedy view, if he could not have her then no one will have her. The governor only saw her outwardly beauty. God cares not for the beauty of the ever-dying flesh – but for the eternal growth of our spirit inside.
And through this spirit, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, she endured with patience.
Disgusted by their futility, the governor ordered her to be tossed into prison. Thinking she would die from the wounds they had created. But the Lord God sent an angel to heal all her wounds.
While she was standing up praying, giving thanks to the Lord with her hands extended in the form of a cross, a huge and terrifying serpent came forth. When she saw it she was frightened and her whole body trembled. The serpent swallowed her up, and her soul almost departed from her. She made the sign of the cross and prayed while she was in the belly of the serpent. It split open and fell on the ground dead. Marina was unharmed.
The next morning, the governor ordered her to be brought before him assuming she was dead. When he saw that she was alive and well, he marveled at her trickery. “Your sorcery has become evident today, so listen to me. Worship our gods and much good would be for you, and I will give you all that I have promised you.” To the unbelieving governor, Marina’s healing was the act of sorcery – for that is all he knew. Marina looked at him and at the worthless idols with contempt and proclaimed, “I worship the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, the God of heavens and earth, and whatever you wish to do with me, do, for I will not give into your will.”
Again, angered and frustrated, the governor ordered her hanged on a squeezing wheel, to squeeze the life out of her. And again cast her in prison, assuming she would die. The angel of the Lord came to her, and healed her yet again.
In the midst of her praying and giving thanks to God, the Devil appeared to her and said, “O Marina, if you obey the governor that would be for your good for he is merciless, and he wishes to erase your name from the face of the earth.” Realizing that this vile creature was the Devil, she caught the hair of his head, took an iron rod and beat him. “Stop it O Satan!” She proclaimed. She then bound him with the sign of the cross. The wretched beast...

St Colluthus of Antinoe
On the 23rd day of the Coptic month of Bashons we celebrate the life of Saint Colluthus of Antinoe.
Colluthus was the son of God fearing parents. His father was a governor over the city of Antinoe, and before Colluthus was born, his father prayed to the Lord Jesus to grant him a son, and God did. He taught him the Christian principles, the church doctrine and Colluthus was pure from his youth. His father wanted him to get married, but he did not accept. However, his sister was married to Arianus who became the governor after her father. When the his parents departed, he built a place for strangers to stay. He also studied medicine and practiced it to cure the sick without charging them money.
When Emperor Diocletian apostatized, Arianus the governor followed him to keep his position, and started to persecute Christians. Then Colluthus rebuked him for forsaking the worship of the one True God, and Colluthus cursed the idols of the Emperor. Arianus did not hurt him for the sake of his sister, but he sent him to the governor of El-Bahnasa, where he was put in prison for three years. His sister meditated for his release until another governor took over who threatened Colluthus and tortured him. The angel of the lord came to him to comfort and strengthen him, until at last, the governor cut off his head. He was granted the crown of Martyrdom. His family prepared his body for burial and kept him in a place until the end of the persecution, when they built a church to honor him.
Lessons from this story
In the parable of the sower, there are four sets of seeds; those that fall to the wayside and are eaten by birds, those that fall on stony ground, grow without deep roots and wither in the sun, those that fall in thorny bush and are strangled as they grow, and lastly those that fall on good ground and grow deep roots.
This parable is an allegory for believers. In comparing St Colluthus to his brother-in-law, there are two of these above mentioned seeds. St Colluthus representing the seeds that fall on good ground and grow with deep roots, yielding crops versus his brother-in-law Arianus who is like the seeds on stony ground. His faith grew for a little while, but when the sun came (Diocletian) his faith withered away.
History is filled with these examples, even among ourselves we see some who grow deep in the faith, while others are caught up in the world (strangled by the thorny bush) or whose faith was only superficial like St Colluthus’s brother-in-law. Faith is not an academic pursuit, though knowing the lives of saints, the scriptures and church writings are important, we must remember that we are blessed with a wealth of resources to help us understand our faith in depth. But these early saints had none of that. Their faith was derived wholly from an inner peace of knowledge, not mentally, but emotionally. They knew the faith by feeling the faith, breathing the faith and living the faith.
We make an effort to make these stories relevant in your daily life to reinforce the importance of personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Not just the church, not just the family and friends in the church, but Jesus Christ above all. As you continue to grow, to learn, to mature in your spiritual life always remember if the only thing you know, the only thing hold dear is your trust in Jesus Christ, then no matter what happens here you will be safe there.

Prayer
Oh God you are the great teacher who guides us through this world along the ever-narrowing path that leads to eternal life. Surround us always with your angels and saints that they may pray on our behalf to eventually bet met at the door by the thief on the right who says “welcome.” May the prayers of St Colluthus be with us all, amen.

St George, friend of St Abraam
On the 18th day of the Coptic month of Bashons we celebrate the life of St George, the friend to St Abraam.
George, the companion of St. Abraam, was a shepherd for his father’s herd, who were saintly Christian parents. As he desired becoming a monk, he left his family when he was only fourteen years old. He went to the wilderness of St. Macarius. While he was walking on the road, the devil appeared to him in the form of an old man and said, "Your father thought that a wild beast had killed you, and he rent his garment, grieving over you. You should return to him and comfort his heart. Then return to the wilderness". George was astonished at this revelation. Saying to himself: "The Bible says: 'He who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me.'" And when he said that, the devil became like smoke and fled from him. Immediately, the angel of the Lord in the form of a monk appeared to him, and guided him to the monastery of Abba Orion. He remained there for ten years, not eating any cooked food, fruit or wine.
He then desired to live alone in the inner wilderness and went to the monastery of the Roman Saints Maximus and Domadius in Scetis. At the same time, St. Abraam arrived to the monastery. They went together to the monastery of St. Macarius and met St. Yoannis, the archpriest of Sheahat. He gave them a cell close by him to live in, which was known as the cell of Bageeg, where St. Abraam departed. Shortly after George also departed. He was seventy-two years old.
Lessons from this story
What a comparative experience this young boy had. Having left his home at the young age of 14 years, he would not have the knowledge nor the learned discernment to know a devil from an angel - for both appeared to him in a similar form. One an elderly man, the other a monk. Only his knowledge of the Bible helped to know which was true guide and which was false prophet.
In our daily lives we interact with all types of people. For business, for pleasure, during service, or a multitude of other situations. It is virtually impossible to know who would guide us correctly and who would led us astray. Most people's intentions can be figured out pretty quick, but sometimes we are often completely shocked or unprepared for a person’s intentions.
Living a prayerful life, inviting God the Father into every aspect of our life is a sure fire way to make sure no ill intentions befall us. Does this mean we will not make bad mistakes? Of course not. God grants us free will. But we should be smart about our requests to God.
God loved Solomon greatly for he “have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life—but have asked wisdom..” (2 Chronicles 1:11) Wisdom is perhaps the greatest gift the Lord God could grant us, more so than riches, power or worldly lusts. Through wisdom we can navigate the world filled with so many temptations that are designed to literally draw us to hell. Even though they appear as minor offenses, each of them is designed to desensitize us to wrongdoing.
In his innocence of the world and being raised by devout Christians, George was well prepared to repel against the temptations of the devil, using his love for his father as a trick to turn George a way from a path of piety and monastic living. But the Lord tickled the memory of George’s knowledge of the Bible and the devil was revealed.
This telling of this saint’s story can help us highlight the importance of daily prayer, daily bible reading and lending our decisions on the guidance of the Lord. There is a saying, “haste makes waste”, this is true for us as well. If we hastily make decisions, they are typically being led by emotions. Don’t be in a rush to make a decision. Pause, pray and wait for the guidance of the Lord.

Prayer
God bless us with wisdom in our daily life. Help to quell the rising emotions this world...

St Leontius the Syrian
On the 1st day of the Coptic month of Paona we celebrate the life of St Leontius the Syrian and the consecration of the church in his name..
This Saint was martyred in the city of Tripoli on the 22nd day of Abib. A Christian woman, the wife of a great nobleman and prominent army commander, gave money to the soldiers to retrieve his holy body. She wrapped it in expensive cloth and laid it in a coffer inside her house. She made a picture of him and she hung a lighted lamp before it.
It happened that Emperor Diocletian became angry with her husband and shut him up in prison in the city of Antioch. She became sad, and prayed to God, and asking St Leontius to intercede on her behalf, to save her husband from prison. God accepted her prayers. St. Leontius appeared to her husband in prison and told him, "Do not grieve or be sorrowful, for you shall be delivered tomorrow, and you shall eat with the Emperor at his table, and shall return safely to your home."
The Saint then went to the Emperor, and woke him up. When the Emperor saw the Saint, he became terrified. The Saint told the Emperor, "I have come to you, O Emperor, to order the release of the army commander. Honor him, and let him go to his house, lest you be destroyed." The Emperor, who was trembling, replied saying, "Whatever you command me, O my lord, I will do." The next morning, the Emperor brought the commander out of prison, honored him, and dined with him at his own table. The Emperor told him about the horseman that appeared to him, then dismissed the former prisoner to return to his hometown.
When he arrived in Tripoli, he told his wife and his family what had happened to him. His wife told him, "The good that happened to you was through the blessings of St. Leontius." Then she uncovered the body of the Saint, and he took the blessing of the Saint. When he saw his face, he realized that he was the one that had appeared to him in prison.
After the death of Diocletian, they built a church in his name, relocated the body to it with great veneration, and that church was consecrated on this day.
Lessons from this story
Relics of the saints are very important to the orthodox church. For those are unfamiliar with this, it means we preserve the bodies of saints and when a church is built, under the auspice of the saint, a small portion of the body, or relic, is honored and painstakingly stored in the new church.
Why? Because God wastes nothing. After the feeding of the 5,000, from five loaves and two fish, Jesus instructed his disciples to gather up all the fragments. Jesus Christ performed a miracle, turning that meager amount of food into a banquet of food for 5,000 people. This miracle was not to be trampled on or discarded, but venerated. So all the fragments were gathered up. We see this same care at the orthodox altar when the body of Christ is shared through communion. If the smallest crumb falls from the paten, the priest stops, the deacons assist and the priest gets down on his hands and knees and either eats the crumb or burns it.
Life is precious to God for all life emanates from Him. When a miracle happens through a saint, that body represents the body of Christ, the presence of God’s power, mercy and grace. These lives of the saints that we share with you are not just their story in the hopes you may emulate or be inspired by them, but a reminder that each one of use has within us the same breath of Life as these saints do. So when you see a priest stopping the congregation to lean over pick up a crumb that has fallen, remember the parable of the lost coin or the lost sheep. As the priest bends down to pick up the piece of the body of Christ, that is exactly what God does for us everyday.
You are always important to Him.

Prayer
Thank you God for your Grace, mercy and Kindness. Help us always appreciate you every aspect of our lives. And may the prayers and...

St Isaac, Priest of Cyprus
On the 19th day of the Coptic month of Bashons we celebrate the life of Saint Isaac, Priest of Cyprus.
Isaac was born in an Egyptian village to poor parents, but he was rich in his righteous works. When monks from a nearby monastery were in his village selling monk-made crafts, he followed them back to the wilderness. He served them under the yoke of obedience. When he became a monk, he excelled in asceticism and worship to the point that he never possessed two garments at the same time. They asked him once: "Why don't you possess two garments?" He answered: "Because when I was in the world before being a monk, I did not have two garments at the same time."
He wept very often during his prayers, and he mixed his bread with the ashes of the censer and ate it. Once he became sick of a grievous sickness, and some of the brethren brought him food, but he did not eat it. One of the brethren described to him the benefits of food and urged him again to eat some of it. He insisted on not eating anything of it, and said to him: "Believe me my brother that I desire to remain sick for thirty years."
When he became seasoned and everyone heard about his virtues, the fathers by consensus decided to ordain him a priest. He fled and disappeared among the fields. When they were looking for him, they passed by the field, where he was hiding in and sat to rest. They had with them a donkey, which went into the field and stood where the father was. When they went after the donkey to catch it, they found him, and they wanted to bind him so that he could not escape again. He said to them: "I will not escape now, for I know that this is the will of God." He went with them, and they ordained him a priest, and he increased in obedience to the elders and in teaching beginners Christian virtues. When the time of his departure drew near, they asked him: "What can we do after you leave us?" He told them: "Do exactly as you have seen me do, if you wish to remain steadfast in the wilderness", then he departed.
Lessons from this story
Poor Isaac, he had no honor for himself. Born poor, it was easy for him to leave the dust behind and follow the monks into the wilderness and there he served. But the story said “the yoke of obedience”. The word usage implies that Isaac had no honor for himself at all, only the will of the monks he served. A truly distinguishing gift.
Blindly accepting orders from our superiors does not come with a tiny bit of pride swallowing. Our oldest son was preparing to serve in the United States Air Force and I remember a distinct conversation I had with him about absolute acceptance of whatever order is given. That he has to set aside his own reasoning, logic, and self-pride to serve with absolute obedience. It is the main element of a cohesive military. To disagree is a court-martial.
In our daily life we often interact with people who bark commands at us, and we do, in most cases, follow especially job related. But they always come with a bit of tongue-biting. As much as we would like to lash out, we don’t. This “yoke” referenced in St Isaac’s story really implies a hardship was purposefully placed on him, to test his resolve. So it should not come as a shock that when they finally decided to make him a priest, he ran away.
In his letter to St Timothy, St Paul writes, “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.” Double honor? Poor Isaac fasted so much from his own self-worth that didn’t even have a crumb of honor for himself. And yet, as a priest, he was expected to receive a double portion. It was not the pride he fled from, for pride was a complete stranger to this lowly servant. No it was so ingrained in him that he was unworthy, that to be given honor of the highest order was not for him, unless he knew it was from God.
The greeks have a term called kenosis. It means we must...

St Ammonius
On the 20th day of the Coptic month of Bashons we celebrate the life of St Ammonius.
Ammonius was born in the year 294 in a village near Mariot, in Egypt. He was, as St. Antony was, born to a righteous and wealthy Christian family. He lost his parents while he was young and was given to his uncle as his guardian. He longed for the life of purity, chastity, and holiness. Nevertheless, his uncle forced him to be engaged to a rich girl against his will. Since he could not disobey his uncle, he talked to his bride to be, with a spiritual dialogue. With the help of the Holy Spirit, he was able to have a good influence on her. She then longed for the life of purity and it was planted in her heart the desire to consecrate herself as a bride for the True Bridegroom Jesus Christ. Thus they decided to accept the marriage arrangement, but decided to live as brother and sister.
They remained like this for seventeen years, keeping themselves pure and chaste, after which his wife departed to the eternal bliss. Ammonius saw in a vision St. Antony calling him to put on the monastic garb. When he woke from his sleep, he rose up and went to St. Isidore, who put on him the holy garb. He dwelt with him for some time, after which he went to mount Tounah, to be with St. Antony.
Ammonius remained with St. Antony for a time as his disciple, and studied the cannons of holy monasticism. He built for himself a cell in mountain. He fervently worshipped God there, and the devil envied him. He came to him in the form of a nun and knocked on his door. When Ammonius opened the door and asked the devil to pray with him, the devil became like a flame of fire and vanished.
Then the devil found a woman and moved her to entice Ammonius to fall in sin with her. She wore the best of her clothing, came to him at dusk, and knocked on the door of his cell, saying: "I am a traveling woman, and I have lost my way. It is dark now. Please do not let me stay outside lest the wild beasts kill me, and you become responsible for my blood."
When he opened the door and knew the snare of the devil who sent her, he started to preach to her and put the fear in her heart of the tortures of hell which is awaiting sinners. He indicated to her the delight and the bliss which is awaiting the righteous. God opened her heart, and she understood what he said to her. She knelt to his feet weeping and asked him to accept her and assist her in saving her soul. She took off her apparel and he put on her a sackcloth of hair. He cut off her hair and called her "The simple minded or the naive". He taught her the way of righteousness and she excelled through many prayers and fasting, and surpassed many saints by her fasting and perpetual prayers.
The devil tried to snare him again. But this time in the form of a monk who went around in the monasteries weeping and saying: "Father Ammonius the hermit has married and keeps the woman with him in his cell. He has put the monks to shame and has disgraced the monastic garb." When Father Apollo, who was like the angels, heard of that, he took with him Father Yousab and Father Nohi (Bohi), to the cell of Father Ammonius. They knocked on the door of the cell, and when she opened to them they realized the matter. They entered and prayed together as the custom and sat to talk about the greatness of God. At the end of the day, Father Ammonius told them, let us go to see the "Naive One" for she was baking some bread. When they went out to where she was, they saw her standing in the midst of a great fire, and her hands were stretched out towards heaven praying. They marvelled exceedingly and glorified God. After they had eaten the bread, everyone went separately to sleep and the angel of the Lord revealed to Father Apollo the story of the "Naive One" who was staying with St. Ammonius. And that God brought them there to be present at the time of her departure.
About the third hour of the night, she became...

St Martha
On the 3rd day of the Coptic month of Paona we celebrate the life of St Martha.
Martha was born in the city of Cairo to wealthy Christian parents. She loved fornication and unchastity in her youth and her works became known. However, the mercy of God from above encompassed her, and moved her to go to church. That was on the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. When she came to its door however, wishing to go in, the servant delegated to watch the door told her, "It is not right for you to go into the holy church, for you know what you are?" A confrontation took place between them, and when the Bishop heard the clamor, he came to the door of the church to see what had happened. When he saw the girl, he said to her, "Do you not know that the house of God is holy, and only the pure may enter." She wept and said, "Accept me O father, for I am repentant from this instant. I have decided not to go back to my sinful life." The bishop replied, "If it is true what you have said, go and bring back here all your silk clothes and gold ornaments."
She quickly home and brought back all of her possessions and gave them to the Bishop. He ordered that they be burned immediately, then he shaved off the hair of her head. He put on her the monastic garb and sent her to one of the convents. She fought a great spiritual fight, and she frequently said in her prayers: "O Lord, if I could not bear the disgrace from the servant of Your house, so please do not put me to shame before Your angels and saints." She continued the spiritual fight for twenty-five years, during which she did not go out of the door of the convent, until she departed in peace.
Lessons from this story
“Who shall cast the first stone.” Jesus said. Not really a question, but a statement. Martha’s life is like so many of use in that we get lured by the many temptations of this world. It need not be sex, greed, anger or any well known vice. Sometimes it can be the lesser known sins like laziness.
When we think of the Prodigal Son we must remember that he, while sitting in the filth of the pig mud, made the effort to come home. But he did not even get halfway down the road when his father spied him and ran out to meet him. Although it does not say in this story, I can almost hear the rejoiceful singing of angels and saints the day Martha changed. But when was that actually? Was it when the bishop burned her possessions? Shaved her head or put on the covenant garb of a nun? It when, in her heart, she said “I am repentant at this instant.” In that very moment did the heavens rejoice.
My father always said to me, “never do anything halfway. Either do it or don’t.” We all work and are distracted by other affairs of the mind and heart. We have a deadline, a project, something that takes our full concentration that even the slightest distraction can make us mad, lose our train of thought and/or focus. This is what my father would say “halfway”. Doing something right takes all your might. Not just physical, but emotionally, spiritually and mentally.
Participating in our own salvation needs the same kind of singular dedication. When you come to church, leave your cell phone in the car, leave your watch at home. Come all the way, not just halfway.
Prayer
May the prayers of St Martha be with us and her intercessions be heard to help each of us find the strength, like she did, to focus fully on you oh Lord. And may we all be grant the chance to meet her face to face as well with you our Lord Jesus Christ.

St Andronicus
On the 22nd day of the Coptic month of Bashons we celebrate the life of St Andronicus.
Andronicus was chosen by the Lord to be among the seventy disciples whom He sent before Him to preach the kingdom of God. He received the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room on the day of the Pentecost. St. Paul mentions his name in (Romans 16:7) saying: "Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me."
He preached the Gospel in many cities in the company of Junia, and they guided many to the Christian faith, and performed many miracles, healed the sick, and transformed many idol temples in to churches. When they completed their course, and the Lord willed to take them from this world, Andronicus became ill for a short time and departed in peace. Junia buried him in a cave, and he prayed to the Lord to take him also. He departed on the next day.
Lessons from this story
Andronicus is a classical greek name, which means “male victor or warrior.” Although not much is mentioned about his life, his struggles or his contributions - which is strange for someone so beloved by St Paul. Indeed, we can surmise quite a bit more details simply by St Paul’s simple statement.
He calls Andronicus his “kinsmen”. That is akin to calling him brother, or family. Though there is no record of them being actual actual family, this term of endearment was meant as a reference to their united effort on behalf of the Lord Jesus Christ. But a true honor to be called family by the venerable St Paul. Even in his time, we was considered such a pillar in the Christian faith, that to receive a nod by him is akin to the President going on national TV and calling you, by name, with honor. So we must believe that St Paul is calling out the virtues of Andronicus by calling him kinsmen.
There is also a reference to to Andronicus being a fellow prisoner. But again, the telling of his story makes no reference to any imprisonment. But sure, to be called kinsmen also meant that Andronicus endured a great many challenges in spreading the word of salvation through Christ among the world. So the combination of these two references, kinsmen and prisoner, tell us much more than history has recorded. That this Andronicus was devote, loyal, virtuous, strong in the faith and example of the early Christian pillars paramount for the growing faith. And yet, he remains humbly unknown to you and me.
But perhaps the most powerful compliment that can be given is that Andronicus was noted among the apostles. His work, his effort, his sacrifices were known to the apostles.
We live in a world of showcasing. People are always on display, either literally or virtually. Racing around trying to get recognition, or worse, trying to get “likes”, “Views” or some kind of feedback. Andronicus, revered by the exalted St Paul, is virtually unknown by the world today, but his contributions were written in the Book of Life.
Serve them for Him, and serve Him for them because at the end of the day, you only need one “like” from above.

Prayer
Thank you God for the guidance you give us that we may continue to serve your great economy of salvation for all. Help us to always be good stewards of these eternal gifts. May the prayers of St Andronicus be with us all, amen.