copticorthodox Archives • Page 64 of 66 • Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Midlands, U.K.

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘ No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” – Matthew 25:1-13 . The five virgins symbolize all of humanity divided into five stages: infancy, childhood, youth, maturity and old age. It assigns to each time both God-fearing and foolish souls. – St. Cyril of Alexandria . . . #TheTenVirgins #FoolishVirgins #WiseVirgins #Bridegroom #CopticOrthodox #DailyReadings

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“Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country, that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda. There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed. And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.” Then he arose immediately. So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.” -Acts‬ ‭9:32-35‬ . Paralysis would last for eight years, but in the proper time chosen by God, He works in us to grant us complete recovery from our paralysis, arise from our beds, and move to work incessantly. But before healing the paralyzed man, Peter drew his sight to the true Physician, the Grantor of healing, Jesus Christ. The words of St. Peter bore the power of instant and complete healing, as they presented the name of Jesus Christ, the source of power. He instructed the sick man to arise and to make his bed; i.e. his paralysis turned into health with strength and action. Our Christ, God of the impossible, particularly cares for the sick with hopeless ailments, to proclaim the power of His name as the source of healing, and of the power of resurrection, that the sick would carry his bed, and strongly testify. And through him, souls would turn to the Lord. – Father Tadros Malaty . . . #CopticOrthodox #DailyReadings #Orthodox #HeRaisesUsUp #Healing #PowerOfHisName #ProclaimHisPower

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“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘ No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” -Matthew‬ ‭25 : 1-13‬ ‭ . This parable admonishes us to remain diligent in almsgiving. It counsels us to help our neighbor by every means available to us, since it is impossible to be saved in any other way…. For nothing is more sullied than virginity without mercy … What was the profit of virginity, when they saw not the Bridegroom? Even when they knocked at the door, they did not obtain; instead, they heard the fearful saying, “Depart, I know you not”. When he said this, nothing else but hell is left, and that intolerable punishment…. This parable was spoken with respect to mercy in almsgiving … It is also that we might learn how close Christ is joined unto virgins that strip themselves of their possessions; for this indeed is virginity. -Saint John Chrysostom . . . #CopticOrthodox #Orthodox #DailyReadings #Parable #TheParablesOfJesus #WiseAndFoolishVirgins

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“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.” -Philippians‬ ‭1:27-30‬ . “He says well “terrified”, as that is what our enemies intend to do, to terrify us. He says that there is nothing to terrify us, whatever are their plans; That is the portion of those who walk upright, Their enemy can do nothing more than to try to terrify them. When they realize that, with all their planning, they cannot terrify you, they would count it as a proof of their perdition. When the persecutors could not overcome those they persecute; the planners could not overcome those against whom they plan; and those of authority could not overcome those under their authority; Is it not a proof enough that their perdition is close at hand? that their power is naught, and that what they did are vain and weak? … The apostle says that all this is from God.” -St. John Chrysostom . . . #Coptic #CopticOrthodox #Gospel #TheWordOfGod

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“And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4:18-22‬ . “ The first ones to be called to follow the Savior were illiterate fishermen. He sent them to preach so that no one relates the change of the believers to eloquence and knowledge, but rather to the work of God”. – St. Jerome #DailyReadings #Orthodox #CopticOrthodox

“And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a …

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