Showing results by author "Bishoy Boshra Behnam" in All Categories

Volume 2 - Book 5 of the Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church The Believer and the Heavenly Hosts The book addresses questions about the following topics: 1. The creation of the Spiritual World 2. Our Companionship with the Heavenly Hosts 3. The order of the Heavenly Hosts 4. The devil has no authority over us

A long time ago, Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem and had destroyed the city and its walls. The Samaritans and the opposing gentiles found destroying the walls an opportunity to enter without resistance from its inhabitants. God has allowed that to chastise His people for a time. Also, God ordered Cyrus, the king of Persia, to return the Jews from captivity and build the temple. So He sent Zerubbabel and all the Jews who wanted to return, and they started putting the foundation of the temple; however, the enemies opposed them, but finally, it was built. After...

On Saturday 17th of March 2012, the long trip of pain, which the holiness Pope Shenouda the third has lived, had ended and the trip of the glories, the manifest and the hidden from the human eyes, has begun. Those days on which Egypt has been lived with his departure to the paradise were called “Meeting of millions”. That meeting included the majority of Egyptian categories; if not all of them. It included Christians with all the denominations and Muslims, leaders and people. He had been the messenger of peace struggling in a difficult era, and a peaceful man even in his departure from ...

I dare to talk about Divine Love, to find myself talking about 'God' Himself, because "God is love" (1 John 8:4). Thus, I challenged myself to write about matters of which I do not deserve to speak. There are no human languages, not even angelic, capable of explaining it, for no one knows Godly affairs except the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:11). Let the Spirit of God help us to feel His presence in the depths of our hidden hearts and to open our eyes in recognition of the dimensions of unlimited Divine love. These dimensions cannot be expressed in words or letters nor measured by any ...

Christ’s resurrection is not a day that we celebrate, then ends. But it is a life with Christ, who is the resurrection. We live it all the days of our pilgrimage in the midst of our suffering, until we are released to and through Him, to dwell with Him in the Heavenly Jerusalem to enjoy the fellowship of His Glory.

Within this illustrated book are thirteen letters written from a child to the crucified Jesus Christ during the Holy Week of Pascha: 1. The Last Friday of the Great Lent: I look forward to accompanying You Jesus. 2. Lazarus Saturday: Why Haven’t You Recovered Dear Lazarus? 3. In the House of Lazarus: The Beautiful Aroma of the Anointed! 4. Palm Sunday: Take Me with You wherever You go! 5. Inside the Temple: My heart records a message for You from inside the Holy Church. 6. The Departure from Bethany: Are You hungry, You who feed all creations?! 7. Holy Tuesday: The Wedding. 8. Holy ...

The Church is the new “life in Christ,” or the "communion with the Father in the Son by the Holy Spirit,” or the enjoyment joy or partaking of the grace of God. God purchased her at the cost of Christ's Blood (Acts 20:28). Understanding the Church means perceiving the relationship between God and man, manifested in the divine plan of salvation, God's Fatherhood, the kingdom of Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit, the means of grace, the lessons from the history of mankind, the destiny of men etc. It is through the Church that God makes known His redeeming wisdom even to the heavenly ...

Every child of God experiences the virginity of the soul, heart, and thought. He /she could be married, or be consecrated to minister and serve, or devoted to research and study, or committed to the priesthood and shepherding. In essence, virginity is the fellowship, union, and adherence to the heavenly Groom, the Lord of Glory Jesus Christ who is the object of God’s pleasure. Moreover, virginity denotes the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of every sincere and earnest believer who enjoys the work of the Holy Trinity in his/her life. The writings of St. Jacob of Serugh, and his ...

The child Mark brimmed with excitement as he and his family made their way to Kennedy Airport in New York to board their flight departing for Cairo. It would be the first time he would travel by jet and his first visit to Egypt. Mark sat next to the window; on the other side sat his older brother, Andrew. Mark was deep in thought while the aeroplane ascended through the clouds going toward Egypt. After a while, Andrew asked his younger brother, "O Mark, what are you thinking?" Mark answered him: "Andrew, as we jet our way above the clouds toward Egypt, I remember what Tasony (Sister) ...

THE CHURCH AS AN ICON OF HEAVEN The epistle of St. Paul the apostle to the Ephesians is similar to an invitation given to each believer to be taken up to the third heaven, so we can elevate our hearts and say with St. Paul: "I know a man in Christ… whether in the body, I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows - such a one was caught up to the third heaven… He was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words which it is not lawful for a man to utter" (2 Corinth 12:2-4). What did he see but the Church, the pledge of the Heavenly Jerusalem, people's ...

Young children as well as grown ups can gain much happiness from listening to the beautiful stories which are told in the book of Exodus, despite the fact that these stories took place more than thirty centuries ago. Now I want you to close your eyes and imagine Miriam, the prophetess and sister of Aaron and Moses, imagine that you are sitting by her side along with the other children gathered around. Miriam loved to tell stories, and the children loved to hear them. She would tell them about things she herself had seen and had heard. Miriam kept many of these stories in her heart and mind,...

Encounters of the Savior with Humanity: A Journey from Resurrection to Ascension In the luminous wake of the Resurrection and leading up to the glorious Ascension, "Encounters of the Savior with Humanity" offers an exploration of the myriad ways in which Christ Jesus, the Incarnate Word, engaged with both individuals and groups, transcending boundaries between Jew and Gentile, rich and poor, saint and sinner. Drawing richly from the sacred tradition of the Coptic Orthodox Church, this booklet is not merely a recounting of biblical narratives but a vibrant invitation to witness the ...

This is book 3 of the series "BROTHERLY LOVE". It discusses the following topics: 1. FAMILY BOND: Caring for every member of the family - Family stability - Love is the pillar of the family structure. 2. PARENTHOOD IN CHRISTIANITY: The concept of parenthood. 3. RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD: The importance of raising children - you are responsible! - you are responsible even for the salvation of the illegitimate son. 4. PARENTHOOD BETWEEN LOVE AND AUTHORITY: Childhood world - 1. Parental authority is for the children! - 2. Your job is to pave the way not to own them - 3. Mutual benefits - 4. ...

If you happen to be agonizing under a sexual or emotional yoke, which is impeding your attempts to fast, pray, or serve, then your first priority is to know our Lord Jesus. Are you thirsting for a particular sin which you fancy - which could be sexual indulgence or a desire to accumulate wealth? Remember: our Lord Jesus alone is the Paradise of your soul - He is your soul's Bread and Water (John 6:35), your soul's Shepherd and Life (John 10:11), and your soul's Friend and Groom (John 11:25). Our Lord Jesus is beautiful and sweet. You cannot know Him unless you experience Him. If you do not ...

Every wise father and mother desires that their child become a successful leader, capable of leading a life in all the physical, intellectual and spiritual aspects found in the society he or she lives in. Such a desire is in harmony with God’s will, for He created a sound humanity, in possession of authority, so that not one from amongst them may become enslaved. This pamphlet examines a terrific biblical example; one that offers practical means in the sound guidance of raising our children, so that they may develop leadership skills at a young age, while possessing a spirit of humility, ...

This illustrated book is dialogue between a child and his Lord the heavenly Father about the Book of Genesis: 1. A WONDERFUL WORLD - Genesis 1 2. A KING AND QUEEN IN THE ROYAL PALACE - Genesis 1-2 3. YOUR PROMISES ARE SWEET - Genesis 3 4. LOVE ALL AS YOU LOVE YOURSELF - Genesis 4 5. WHO BUILT THE ARK? - Genesis 6-9 6. MY SON ABRAHAM - Genesis 12-25 7. WHY DID ISAAC ACCEPT TO BE SACRIFICED? - Genesis 22 8. SUPPORT ME AS YOU SUPPORTED JACOB - Genesis 28 9. I WANT TO MEET JOSEPH - Genesis 37-50 Song for Genesis - “Indescribable”

The Church Fathers often address the role of the Baby of the manger in the lives of the believers, which transforms us into a joyful bride that through her heavenly Bridegroom (Jesus) can resist the forces of darkness, sin, evil, and Satan himself. St. Jacob of Serugh was the one who had pictured the reaction of the kingdom of Satan to the Birth of this glorious Child. St. Jacob of Serugh recorded a memoir depicting in his deep spiritual sense, his rich imagination, and his intriguing style, a serious meeting revolving around the Baby of the manger. The attendees of this gathering are all ...

Upbringing children is a holy task; and whoever violates this duty is guilty of somehow committing the crime of child murder. This book deals is talking about: 1. BRINGING UP CHILDREN IS A SACRED TASK! 2. PREOCCUPATION WITH THE CHILD’S EARLY UPBRINGING 3. CHOOSING A CHILD’S NAME 4. GUIDING THE CHILD TO THE HOLY BIBLE 5. ENTRUST YOUR CHILD INTO GOD’S HAND! 6. GOD IS HIMSELF INVOLVED IN THE UPBRINGING OF CHILDREN 7. APPRECIATING THE CHILD’S WORTH AND TALENTS 8. WARNING AGAINST PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT 9. TEACHING AND TRAINING A CHILD ACCORDING TO HIS ABILITIES 10. TEACHING BY EXAMPLE 11. ...

This book presents answers to the following questions: * Why does God permit earthquakes to happen? * What is the role of the divine Providence in the midst of these destructive natural disasters? * What is the significance of earthquakes in the Bible, both the Old and the New Testaments? * What is the position of the church towards the victims?

This book is a message of comfort and consolation. The mystery of death is in the beauty of the transition to meet our Beloved Jesus; whom we see now through faith; however, through death we’ll see Him face to face. Jeremiah contemplated upon His Beloved Lord and sang: “The Lord is my portion says my soul” (Lamentation 3:24) and the psalmist also said “I am continually with you; You hold me by my right hand; You will guide me with Your Council and afterward you’ll receive me to the glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon the earth that I desire besides You.”...