We meet again: Language of The Heavenly Creatures.
A boy's dairy: No More Promises.
A candle of love: A Man of Prayer & Praise.
Mother Teresa: Victory of The Commandment.
Other types of friendship.................................... By Father Andrawes Matta
One moonlit night in Alexandria, the governor's daughter went for a walk with her maids, as she did so she passed by house and heard some beautiful chanting which she didn't understand. She stopped to listen and heard some ladies praising their God in a very heart warming tune. When she asked about the source of the voice she was told that this is a Christian convent. The princess went home quickly and asked her Christian cousin George about what she heard; he started telling her about Christianity and God opened her heart and she believed and became a martyr for the sake of our Lord Jesus.
This is the story of St. George of Alexandria, who became a martyr after he endured lots of persecution because through him the governor's daughter had believed in Jesus Christ.
My Dearest, this soul was attracted to God through hymns and praise which came out of faithful hearts, full of love.
"Kiahk" is a coptic month known for its many beautiful hymns and lovely religious songs and mid-night vigils, by which we get ready to celebrate the birth of Christ who loved us and came for the sake of our salvation, that we may be found worthy to inherit the Kingdom of God, enjoy His love and praise him with all our hearts, just like the heavenly creatures.
“ The voice I heard was like the sound of harpers playing on their harps, and they sing a new song before the throne. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from earth” (Rev 14:2-3)
When I thought about the last New year's eve I felt so depressed. I had spent that night in church making lots of promises. But, alas, I hadn't kept even half of them, so I decided that I won't go to church this New year's eve.
But why does this happen every year? I remember that I had really good intentions, so what happened? and what is the solution? Is it not going to church this year? Or should I try once more?
Lord Jesus, I know what I will do, I will go to church but this time I won't make new promises.. I will only ask you to open my eyes that I may see You, I will ask You to come and dwell in me and print your image upon me …
Lord Jesus, I thank you for making me realize my weakness, I can't promise you anything, I can't promise to be righteous. The righteous were so because you shined upon them. My life is from you, with you, to you and in your hands my Lord.
A candle of love:When Fr.Pishoy Kamel was spending the 40 days in the monastery after his ordination, he had a difficult time learning the hymns. But he realized how important they are and he always said: “ The hymns are a pleasure and a way of worship just like the angels”. So he asked God so many times in prayer to help him learn them quickly, and God answered his prayers!! as he wrote in his dairy of the forty days after the ordination.
When he went to USA in 1969 he found that the children who were born there couldn't understand neither Arabic nor Coptic. So he started teaching them Coptic so that they would be able to participate in the liturgy.. But there remained another problem- the Sunday school hymns - in which language should they learn it? He would say that the Coptic hymns are dialogues with Jesus Christ, and not just like any other hymns. So With the help of his wife Taconi Angel he started composing hymns in English but in Coptic music. He also translated many parts of the Holy Liturgy, so that everyone would understand it.
Fr. Pishoy Kamel never reduced any of the Liturgies but took time to complete them. Even the Kiahk vigils were for the very first time practiced in the USA. Fr.Pishoy Kamel said that the Coptic fathers showed that the name of Jesus Christ is the center of worship. “ And there is no salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved”. Acts 4:12.
It remains for us to say that Fr.Pishoy Kamel didn't spend more than a year in the USA, but in it he established the basis of Coptic service there.
Let's now learn how to love the Coptic hymns and our lovely Coptic language. Let's us ask God to help us to praise Him.
Do you know Mother Theresa? You must have heard or read something about her. If not, let's read these few lines about her.
Mother Theresa was born in 1910 in Albania taking the name of Agnes, and although she didn't get married, she was the mother of many, a mother to all the needy, that people called her “The mother of the poor”.
Her heart was full of Jesus' love and it over flew upon others …..This Mother lived 87 years giving love to whoever she met without return, that we see no picture of her in which she is not smiling lovingly.
She started her mission when she was 18, in India were there was great need. She would go to the poor by herself, giving them her love. She always said that the poverty lies in the lack of love rather than money, and that the poor need to be loved and patted even before their need for money.
So she established many orphanages for the orphans and the disabled of all the religions giving them, with the help of the other sisters, the true love of Christ in a practical way. She knew that the true love is stronger then pain, so she accepted the pain with joy, sure that they are a way to heaven. She traveled a lot establishing homes for the needy in many countries.
Mother Theresa encouraged many to give from their hearts, everyone saw how happy she was to give, give her love and tenderness. She would say : `Never let anyone come to you and leave unless he is happier”.
When this Mother died on September, 5th 1997, people around the world mourned. Although the world knows only how to take but not give, but this Mother found joy in giving, she obeyed God's commandment and went against the human nature, but in the end the world paid tribute to her.
I love music and songs of all types, and always keep my music library updated with the latest tapes in the market that I became well known amongst my friends for that. I also know how to play the guitar well. I believe that music gives some joy to people as do the food and drink. When I listen to some songs I feel as if I want to dance, some other songs make me feel the need to love someone and be loved i.e. to have a relationship with someone. But, alas, as soon as the song ends I feel an emptiness in my heart.
George, is a friend of mine, he is even better than I am in playing the guitar. He goes with me to the "concert vatoire", to school and to the church. But unlike me he has no tapes or CDs of the songs I love to listen to, only that of some classic music, and of course, all the church hymns that go owowow and ahahah…. you know what I mean ….these very difficult hymns, that take a lot of time. I know that they are a valuable heritage, but nothing more.
I once heard one of our music professors tell George that the Coptic music takes its origins from the ancient Egyptian music, to this George answered that it was the Coptic Fathers who composed these hymns as a result of their deep affection to God and their need to praise him just like King David in the old times. And since they were Egyptians they were affected by the ancient Egyptian style.
As I was thinking about this, the phone rang, it was George, he said:
- I have a surprise for you.
- Oh, don't tell me that you have mastered a new Coptic tune in your guitar.
- No, but it is something close. Why don't you come to church at 6 o'clock and you will know what
it is.
I went on the appointed time and found George with some of our friends getting ready for a class to
learn some hymns. I attended with them knowing that I would soon be bored and will have to
excuse myself. But the unexpected happened, I was so attracted to the hymn which was called
"Ten oweh enthok", and I loved listening to the boys chanting it, my heart was moved.
But then I said to myself what is the use of chanting something you don't understand, but when I asked one of the boys about the meaning I found that he knew it by heart. The meaning was; We follow You with all our hearts, we fear You and ask from You, O God, do not put us to shame but deal with us according to your compassion and according to your mercies, and help us.
I loved the hymn and its meaning, and I felt the difference between its effect and the effect of the songs I listen to.
I went home and George came with me, to find that my little sister had tampered with one of my favorite tapes, I was angry but didn't scold her since she didn't know what she was doing.
I then asked George to chant the hymn that I may be able to play it on the guitar, he smiled and did as was told. When he left I started practicing alone, and I started thinking about the songs I used to love, it was nothing. Our Coptic hymns satisfy the soul, mind and body as well. It puts pure thoughts in my mind, full of love to God and all his creation, and makes me very peaceful.
I was ashamed of myself, but I promised God to change. The phone rang and once again it was George, he asked:
- How's the hymn going on with you?
- It is going on very well, and by the way from now on I will only listen to our Coptic music and
some classics, and I will give the old tapes to my sister, because she loves playing with it.
We both laughed.
+ FRIENDSHIP WITH YOUR SUNDAY SCHOOL SERVANT:
This is a very successful type of friendship. Although the age is not close, your servants know all about the feelings and problems of your age. They can help you and guide you to solve your problems according to the will of God.
+ FRIENDSHIP WITH YOUR PARENTS:
I would like to encourage this type of friendship, because you won't find anyone who loves you more than they do. Be close to them because they are the closest people to you.
+ FRIENDSHIP WITH SAINTS:
This is a very wonderful type of friendship, it goes beyond place and time, even if I tried to explain it you won't understand it unless you try it your self ..Just like Pope Kyrellos and St. Mina. Let everyone of you now take a saint as a friend and an intercessor. You will find how loyal they are, praying for your victory and asking God on our behalf.
I dream that this happened somewhere in an icy cold weather. I dream that a boy who is six years old woke up one morning in a basement, wearing a thin old shirt and shivering from cold, he sat down in the corner wishing that he might find something to eat.
He went close to his sick mother's bed several times but she wouldn't get up. He started to feel some fear as the darkness fell, he had found something to drink but nothing to eat. When he touched his mother she was cold, so he said to himself “It must be really cold here”. So he found his hat and stated feeling his way in the darkness to get out. Suddenly he found himself in the street. Oh, what a town, from where he came, the street was only lit by one lamp, and in the night everyone stayed in their wooden houses. There the weather was warmer and he was given food to eat ……. But here what a noise, what a brilliant lighting, what a lot of people, horses and carriages, and all this snow.
This is another street how wide it is, he saw a very big Christmas tree by a window, it was surrounded by many presents and toys …he also saw many children in beautiful clothes playing by it. He kept starring in awe then laughed, but he felt pain in his toes, they were red and hurt him when he tried to move them. So he started crying and went away.
In another room he also saw a Christmas tree, but beside it there were tables laid with the best of foods and sweets, he could also see four rich ladies distributing sweets; many people entered that house wearing their best clothes. He drew near, opened the door and went in, they screamed in his face. A lady gave him a penny and pushed him to the door and it fell down ringing on the street, but he couldn't pick it up because he couldn't bent his little fingers. So he ran away blowing his hands to warm them, until he saw a group of people watching three dolls behind a glass window, he first thought they were alive but when he realized the truth he began to laugh although he really wanted to cry. Suddenly a big boy in the crowd hit him and took his hat. The boy fell on the ground and the people started to shout, he was so frightened that he started to run until he went into a yard, he said to himself “Here no one will find me”. He cuddled himself and felt a bit of warmth as if he was in front of a fire. It seemed that he heard his mother's voice singing, so he said “ Mummy, I will go to sleep, how nice it is”. He then heard a voice saying come and see the Christmas tree here my son”. The boy thought that his mother was talking to him but he couldn't see her. Suddenly he felt someone hug him and he found himself in a very bright place, he saw a Christmas tree more beautiful than any he has seen before.
Where is he now? Every where around him were little dolls flying, but they weren't dolls but little boys shining and dancing, they then kissed him as a welcome. He saw his mother looking at him and smiling, so he smiled and said: “ Oh, Mummy what a beautiful place”. He asked the little boys: “ Who are you ?” And they answered: “ We are with Jesus, and this is the Christmas he prepared for all the children that have no Christmas tree on earth”. He came to Know that all these children died of hunger and cold just like him.
The following morning they found his body in the yard, they also found his mother who died before him. They both met in Paradise.
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