The Good Samaritan

Once upon a time a man was traveling. All of a sudden, bunch of thieves grabbed him, took all his money and clothing, beat him, wounded him and left him on the road in a very bad condition.

“Sense of Conscience”

By Hiwot Salelew

A true amnesty is conscience; acquainting us with GOD for eternal relief. In search of it, Christians do not retreat from anguish. Rather, to enter GOD’s kingdom with diligence, in the midst to bequeath our great delight. Traveling on a path leading us to GOD of which, is filled of dare encountering corporeal tedious that endows us spiritual comfort within happiness.  That is why on Syracuse 6÷23 is stated, “Oh, my son listen and persevere by my advice without contempt! Consign your leg in her yoke and tie the shackle on your neck. Bend your back low and carry her. Do not be frustrated with her leg chain. Deploy to her with your ideal soul; protect her lane with your whole power; seek and follow her craving, as you shall find her. You will find amnesty in your ending bestowing your enchantment.”

It is possible to change the decree of judges with a bribe; but conscience is inimitable. Never has punished with what everyone else is unaware of, nor has it ever itinerant out of the permit of scruples since body parts like hand, legs and others clutter its judgment. If mankind’s conscience always judges through others mind, then he shall be called an animal. “But mankind did not know his conceit; so by bearing a resemblance, he become like animals without a heart,” said Saint David (Psalm 48÷20). This is the indication for many to walk bare naked and the adaptation for ill mannered life style.

If the value of conscience is Christianity while the expensiveness of livelihood is spoken of, then why is it evaluated by money? For those who encountered food scarcity, organizations providing food products were established. What do you think shall be done for those with no sense of conscience and others who sold it to which their corpse turned to grave? But I will tell you one thing, our LORD’s Holy word unlocks graves.

Come close; to which your graved heart shall be unlocked. “Graves were unlocked and many among the Saint corpse rose from the dead.”(Matthew 27÷52). Just as mankind differs in purpose, perception, ability of understanding and lifestyle, so does his capacity of enduring the problems and going on the right path during his dwelling in the corporeal and spiritual life.

People’s insight towards matters is diverse. Some seem to take challenges lightly while others obscure and exaggerate. The same as two people’s view or way of understanding on a similar incident varies, so does their way of resolving them.

For instance, if two people with similar economic states lose their job, one might be tolerable visioning to see what tomorrow brings, but the other could imagine him entering darkness. It takes many years of skill but not short term experience to bear mind stress.

At the reign of Elijah, the sky slouched and earth desolated for 3 and a half years (1 Kings. 17÷1). On another occasion, rather than raining water, Fire and acid rained. (Genesis. 19÷24, 2, 21÷12) During the reign of King Hezekiah, on Kishon filed, one hundred eighty five thousand corpses were found on one night (Isaiah 47÷46) and twenty three thousand people corpse among those who were on Moab filed were found (1 Corinthians 10÷8) because mankind broke down the frontiers.

Today, who do you think is responsible for earth to be filled with agony, for the world to be assail with abrasion and scarce of blessing? May be we have thought of an answer in our mind, but the good and evil deed is the end result of ours. The slaves of Pharaoh never said the blight on Egypt is the result of their sins but instead blamed it on Moses (Exodus 10÷7).

Even today the cause for the contaminated air in this generation, the industrially developed countries pressuring the developing countries into war, powerful governors monopolizing the undeveloped countries is habitual. (We don’t recognize the reason for their evil deed is our weakness). For those accepting what has surfaced as a prophecy, for all the stirring our sins and guiltiness, it said that all shall be punished by the law. (Daniel 9 ÷16-17)

If we look at this on the other side, the desert is the devil’s nest. (Matthew 12÷47). All through fasting and praying, demons exorcised from humans set out to the wilderness, but since they have no lodging, they return back to where they came from. Surely, even now they transfer from the desert to an empty house; suitable and comfortable for them to lay.

Only giving forth to the corporeal outgrowth since they forgot the spiritual vitality, devils lay their nest. With his own will, though mankind abandon his life and disappear, GOD came to mankind who was punished up to death penalty.

Jesus sat along the way; tired; to hearten human’s deeds. But today, devoid of his tiresome, GOD who created the visible and invisible world came to earth for salvation of Adam, so tiresome and illness became his possessions not suitable for his existence.

As spoken about the almighty GOD, “Jesus got tired and he sat next to a tunnel,” (Jonathon 4÷2) it’s Our LORD who became angel’s power in serving him day and night without any respite. (Jonathon’s Vision 4÷8), but today he got tired; with all that being the reason for human’s salvation. Even, it was noon and hot; a time pressuring all creatures to get propel in search of a corner. (Hezekiah 18÷32)

Prophet Jeremiah stated (at 6÷16) within faith, Christian finds respite. “Standing in the way referred to ask for the old paths, where it is the good way that you moved through, roaming for your soul and ye shall find rest”. Since the real respite is from GOD, through immanency, we get everlasting amnesty. Besides, we don’t get fade up doing every work because our GOD whom we worship, grant us amnesty and so it does not mean to stop our work entirely; but it’s to refrain from weakness and perform spiritual and social good deed with respite.

GOD made mankind live by his law and liturgy beginning from his creation. Demeanor his subsisting, permitting him to govern all other creatures and consigning him in heaven, then granting him authority is the truth. Thus, when we say GOD’s law, its base is with his will, given by him and divine ordained. In the book of Enoch 19÷22, it is affirmed that mankind should live like angles through religion and worshiping GOD. At Psalm 1÷2, “He who only follows GOD, abide by his law day and night, he shall be like a tree surrounded by water, providing fruit without its leaves falling down; and so all his deeds shall be received.”

Be aware! Your life is like Nabate’s bequest which you fight for till death. Don’t be afraid even if your life is like a wilderness, placed on the opposite side; don’t forget! GOD is also the creator of the desert too, whom for forty years he fed his people Manna from the cloud and spawn water from the rock, (Psalm, 77÷20-40). You shall consume Manna and water, known to be GOD’s word and live a verdant life. Anticipate the life of Father George of Gasicha’s life and Saint Yared’s compassion in your heart; they became everlasting hoards which no generation can finish.

Source: Amharic text by Deacon Yosef Bekele at/ www.mahiberekidusan.com/amharicwebsite/

 

Youth hood and its enticement

By Hiwot Salelew

Holy church acquaints about Youth hood from age twenty to forty. Human nature is about the four corporeal traits known to be wind, fire, water and soil; along with our soul reflected through mankind. Whilst mankind dies, these four traits are placed as its existences resulting our body to decay and decompose. At the resurrection, all four traits in the councils will rise up in congruence with our soul. We call the traits mystique being the astonishing matter; him posing the eminent above and the trivial at the bottom.

Our LORD created the traits to subsist along with each other, so that the eminent will safeguard them from above. It is unfortunate if the trivial were at the top, they would have been at the ridge; and if the eminent were at the bottom, they would have become the subordinates. Enduring is the exemplary of the four traits intolerance and by acknowledging those living above us will help live in forbearance. The base and solidity of earth is wind.

The acme of our corporeal is a representation of earth on water, a depiction of our blood. Given that our body persists on our blood and so the existences of water is wind. If the water doesn’t have clean air, it gets polluted. Alike the expression states “Heavy wind at the crest as the breath in our mouth”, mankind breathes throughout his life. His natural heat is the evident for the existences of fire traits.

The age from twenty to forty reflects fire traits known to be the era of fire or hearth and so man is said to be young. At our youth hood, if we couldn’t do well and be great, it is most likely to lose not only our honor but also every liability. When we are like Esau, the younger brother like Jacob takes away our primogeniture, leaving us to be his lumber; and we won’t have the right to punish and reprove our youngest. As it’s unpleasant for illiterates to reprove adults while you are illicit, youngsters attempting to punish and advise them, everyone will disapprove you. Since (at Matthew 7÷5), we are told, “Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; Then, you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye”. On months and years where we nurture from child to youngster; like our body and mind matures, so does the wish within intensifying in kind and size. This youth’s aspiration will be in due course of opposing spirituality. A propos to the wish rising within adults, Saint Paul in his message (at 2 Timothy 2÷22) alerted us, “Be aware of dreadful inclinations about adult hood.” Surely a wish embraced on the younger age is very bad; youth hood is a time for hard work but not for inclining appalling thoughts.

Youths and their enticement

Apostle Saint Jacob in his message taught us (at 1114), “Mankind is tempted and inveigled in his own wish;” if a wish at the young age exceeds its limit, it lures, compels and misleads a failure.

Mankind is enticed in many ways while lacking self esteem and his immaturity of mind. Youth hood is consumed especially by our aspiration. Youngsters are tempted by many ways including fornication and fond of lavishness. In addition, though there are different temptations, these mainly pave the way to sin.

Resolutions

  • Self Restraint

Self Restraint is abiding our will of corporeal to our soul, preserved by GOD’s law; self consciously start living with what we are taught, confiscating bad habit, live through the rule and abiding GOD entirely.

Saint David (Psalm 2÷1) informed us to abide GOD with fear and quiver; and so acknowledging an everlasting happiness within worshiping, we will be able to live distinctively. In consequence, Saint Paul told his spiritual son Timothy (1 Timothy 3÷5), “alike he who can’t manage his home is unable to abide GOD’s law; it is possible to manage others by self restraining, maneuvering and controlling ourselves.”

Recognizing Noah (Genesis 6÷1), he embraced salvation with his family through Self Restraint.  He built the ship to preside over the animals and birds to alert so as to revile others. Having self restraint does not mean only for attending Church, getting married, starting work, succeeding with what we entirely desire.  However, Self Restraining is; not judging when possible, taking action when we could; just like Joseph (Genesis, 39÷1) said, “after instigating, it is to abscond and whether it’s accurate or not, self containing ourselves with everything; generally the ability from absconding from every trait of corporeal is said to be Self Restraining.

  • Self Awareness

We are said to be self aware with the perception and attitude about our identity, distinguishing and unitizing us from others while living for a purpose in life. It means, we know the strength and weakness of humanity; probably endow acquiescent impact in corporeal and spiritual life to achieve knowledge in meeting our endeavors. Moses (Exodus 4÷10) said, “My LORD my mouth is an evil Conan with indistinct tongue”.

But Moses didn’t notice his strengthen within. A self aware person takes responsibility for others more than himself without seeking care. If it is said that there is downhill whilst bravery epoch, he knows it will hurt him, and won’t put his life up to risk. Saint Peter in his message said, (2 Peter 1÷5-6) “Append kindness to your faith, knowledge to your kindness, self awareness to your knowledge, perseverance with your  self awareness and perseverance leading to pursue  GOD.” Accordingly, we take responsibility for our life.

An individual with self awareness respects humanity, understands the reason for his existence, defend his humanity and self consciousness living in contend, properly informs what he knows, inquires what he doesn’t know and accepts his weakness positively, doesn’t change his identity in situates and occasions, nor change his identity. Since the base for his existence of human race is astounded, he is a strong fence. He is aware of gossip, often frankly converses, takes responsibility for his failure, doesn’t blame others, neither surrender easily for failure and is aware of his ending. From the experience of his past youth life, by understanding his current situation, he is prepared for his corporeal and spiritual life. Aiding him understand his current identity which is base for his eternal life, helping him be diligent in his spiritual life. Self aware youngster will reimburses the pertinent sacrifice for his spiritual life. Youngsters who are not self restrained and lack self awareness won’t help others.  Hence, at the youth hood, we are expected to execute deeds leading us more towards closer to GOD but not apart from him. We ought to save others as much as ourselves and fulfills our Christian duty.

Praise the Lord

Source: Amharic text at/ www.mahiberekidusan.com/amharicwebsite/

Christian Life

Hiwot Salelew

Christian life is always filled with good deed. Our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ taught us in Gospel about the way to salvation which is perusing GOD’s law with dedication. Human life is for benevolence. Otherwise mankind dies twice losing his soul/life/. His first death is indispensable, but the second one is bestowed with the rule of GOD (Revelation, 2÷11). No human is life but alive.

Consequently, for us to live eternal life, we ought to follow Our Savior Jesus Christ’s basically  with his miraculous life on earth, along the gospel he preached and his love he revealed for us. So, it is mandatory to perform the followings.

1. Services

Above all, mankind should praise his creator by praying, fasting, sanctioning and singing Psalm. Furthermore, feeding poor people, constructing churches by endowing labor force and skill is expected from one Christian. It’s unfortunate that a boy who was a Sunday school student grows up to be a musician after ten years. Another student who acted on a play in Sunday schools changes his carrier and gets involved on a different thread. Chairperson, Writers and Members of Sunday Schools, leave everything after they wed. But, Marriage is not a service pension; if you wed you can never go back.

Serving the church as Sunday schools and become singers, priests, deacons or preachers, constructing monasteries, feeding poor people, organizing councils, leading spiritual associations without complaining of getting sick or suffering, being ungrateful and wishing your hands to be cut off; some people stop serving by making up excuses about their physical inability. Others impede because they are scorned. If we don’t bare all this, why do we talk about the era of Diocletian? Who stay diligent till the end? But we have to endorse Christian life.

2. Accrediting Time

Time is a gift from GOD; and so we must make use of it properly. It is necessary to value time when participating on councils, serving on Sunday schools, visiting poor and sick people, constructing monastery churches, preachers sermonize and singer sing.

On Matthew’s gospel 25÷34-36, it is stated, “Come, you who have been blessed by my Father, to inherit the Kingdom prepared for you before the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; you welcomed me when I was your guest. Clothed me while I was bare, for ye have visited me when I was ailing and came to me during my imprisonment.”

Accrediting time doesn’t mean using our spare time; it is different to devote our entire time than exploiting the spare one. Avowed on gospel, one man gave some coins from his full pocket while an innocent woman gave her only two coins. Our LORD Jesus Christ then said, “Verily Verily I say, this widow has bestowed much offering for GOD. All of these offered from their profit. But this poor woman gave all her asset.” We value time by offering what we have, but not after we finish working, feeding on, drinking and entertaining ourselves, then complacently go to church; that’s not accrediting time. When we devote and properly proffer our time of working extra jobs and earn money, visiting other people sharing their meal and drink, it is valuing time. It is stated in the Gospel that our credit is small if we offer our spare time.

3. Perseverance through religion

Declared on Johannes’s revelation 12÷16-80, the python infuriated at the woman, went to battle her races who abide GOD’S law and being the witnesses of Jesus. It is necessary to battle the python and preserve our religion for we are her descendants and the witnesses of Jesus Christ. In this generation, it is Christian’s responsibility to persevere by religion, protect it and brazen out Protestants. Judah (1-3) affirmed, “I intercede for ye to fight for the religion conferred to Saints.”

It is Christian liturgy to fight for Orthodox Tewahdo Church. Thousands get manipulated for their greed of money and vain belongings. Like Saint Paul said, “Be careful of those defying Jesus law attempting to deceive you with artificial conduct through scattering vain things and the sins in this world.” (Colossians, 2÷8). There are some who change their religion mislead by Satan. Our LORD in Mathew’s Gospel (24÷13) said, “He, who is serene till the end, will get salvation.”

4. Abstaining ourselves from fornication

Akin to what Bishop Gorigorios alerted, we have to preserve ourselves from fornication in this generation. It has become hard to remain virgin until marriage these days. We have forgotten the Laws forbidding fornication that we learned in schools.

Surviving this world’s temptation is like passing through flame; because fire calls upon those even far. Our fathers say “fires calls”. While we are living in this world, why does fornication come to our mind? We can’t ask why sin exists around us. But we can cross pass the dispute. We have to have chastity. When a man and woman preserve themselves from fornication and get married in Church, they wear crown.  It is also written in Holy books about husbands and wives who are crowned in Church honored binary by GOD. It is not because these people do not have luck or gain material benefits; but they forbid themselves from these advantages, struggle from their friend and the surrounding’s temptations, longing to pay sacrifice for their soul.

5. Perseverance by Marriage

In Christian life, a man and woman live in perseverance by marriage. When a husband and wife live in lenience and peace, when a man abides his partners and children’s attitude, consent his flesh and blood, live by church’s liturgy abiding GOD’s law; that is Christianity.

Ordinary people, who neither became a nun nor wed, do not desire of living a Christian life. It is like the Protestants who lived in the years of Martyrs. You might think people who are married celebrating 50 and 80 years anniversary are happy. However, they might have passed hardship. There could be times they said, “I wish my legs got broken; my eyes got blind before I stood in the aisle and I want to disappear,”. But it is important to pass every obstacle through perseverance.

May those who wed persevere till the end; singers who serve with chastity and preaching’s; those who grant portion of their meal to churches and monasteries, donating our spare shoes and clothes, promising to save and serve elderly struggling on streets, fathers who keep peace, those who find the lost ones, others who convince protestant in to Christianity, also those who bring faithless to baptism; inhabit perseverance until the end, and hear LORD’s words “Come, you who have been blessed by my Father, to inherit the Kingdom prepared for you before the creation of the world,” with his mercy and the intercession of Virgin Mary, Amen.

Source: Amharic text by Deacon Yosef Bekele at/ www.mahberekidusan.com/amharicwebsite/

 

Apostles’ Fast

By Hiwot Salelew

Apostles’ fast, traditionally known as the fast of June by laities, due to its seasonality at the month of June, is amongst the seventh fasting. Apostles fasted after accepting the Holy Spirit and before setting out to preach gospel.

It is a fast transpiring after the holiday of Pentecost. On the fortieth day our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ rising from the dead, he went to the house where the diligence of holy apostles arise by praying with disciples. He led them upfront to the longest mountain covered with tall trees, Debrezeit. Alerting them about it, he ascended up higher and higher. A bright white cloud hailed GOD. He rose up far disappearing from their sight not with distancing with but profundity. Out of the very profound love for their LORD Jesus Christ and grieving about his ascending, apostles gazed at the sky for a long time.

Suddenly, they saw two Holy Angels with white clothes standing beside them. The angels told the apostles, “People of Galilee, why are you standing staring at the sky? Jesus shall return back just as you saw Him ascend to the sky.”(Apostles 1÷ 8-11). After apostles heard the angel’s calming words, they went to the temple in Jerusalem to pray and fast with unity, with Holy Mother Saint Virgin Mary beside them, where they remained till the prophecy that LORD Jesus Christ spoke about is fulfilled.

Apostles’ Fast takes places on the first Monday, after the holiday of Pentecost. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in his era on earth acquainted with the disciples to fast. On those days, Jonathon’s disciples come near him and asked, “The Pharisees and along with us will massively fast. Why don’t the disciples fast?  (Matthew 9÷14). And LORD Christ replied saying, “Made of Honors won’t grief while the bride is with them; However, there shall come seasons when the bride is taken from them. Then they will fast.” (Matthew 9÷15).

His words meant, while He is here without His death, ascending and embracing Holy Spirit; devoid of renewal of their corporal with the Holy Spirit, they can’t fast and trounce. Just as the apostles fasted and prayed creating heavenly world, we fast the Apostles’ Fast to plead GOD gives us power to defeat our enemy. Though each laities ought to fast, these days most of them refer it as “fast of Priests” and recoil. This is not based on the church’s liturgy and must be altered. Epitomizing Apostles, we merit to fast and be blessed.

May GOD’s mercy,

The intersession of Holy Mother Saint Virgin Mary,

Blessing of Holy Apostles,

The intercession and prayer of the Righteous and Martyrs be with us.

Amen

 

Source: Amharic text by Teklehawariyat at/ www.mahberekidusan.com/amharic website/

 

“Ethiopia entreats towards GOD” (Psalm 67÷31)

By Hiwot Salelew

Our country Ethiopia is among the countries who first accepted Christianity. Prophet David in Psalm 67÷31 said, “Ethiopia entreats towards GOD”, (Psalm 67÷31). The generation where Prophet Moses married an Ethiopian woman, hailed people who worshiped GOD through the unwritten law; and just as it’s inspirited in the Holy Bible, the Old Testament and the Pentateuch law began at the era of Queen of Sheba.  The Queen’s cavernous inclination to explore the wisdom and dynasty of King Solomon led her to Jerusalem to learn the Pentateuch.

During that era, there was chief of Merchants called Tamrin who served the Queen of Sheba. He was wise and discernible. After his returnee from Jerusalem, his portrayal about the king aspired the Queen in seeing him with her eyes and listen to his wisdom with her ears. She told her people, “My fellow citizens! Listen to what I say; I crave for wisdom; my heart urges knowledge; I am in love and have become a prisoner. (Kibre Negest, 24). Anon, she informed her servant about her decision to go to the king’s country and explore his wisdom; so Tamrin made her wish come true. The people then convoyed her to his kingdom.

The queen reached Jerusalem after travelling for six month. King Solomon, who heard her presence from the merchant Tamrin, welcomed her with honor. “When she heard about Solomon’s name; God’s name; she came to test him with riddle” (I Kings 10÷1-13). Afterwards, he taught her everything about wisdom.

Our Lord Jesus Christ blamed the generation of Jew’s, saying, “Queen of Azeb will rise at judgment day; Culp those generations, arbitrate and defeat them, since she has come to hear Solomon’s wisdom from the end of the earth,” (Kibre Negest, 21); he referred the Ethiopian Queen as Queen of Azeb.

Later on, the king wished to have heir from her and she remained in his kingdom for six years. Then, Queen of Sheba conceived a child. But, when it was time to turn back to her kingdom, she said, “Permit me to leave”. On their separation, he gave her his ring as a souvenir and honorably escorted her, (Kibre Nigeset, 30-31).

Nine months and five days passed, the Queen reached Bala, a town in Disaria, where she gave birth to a baby boy. Following her arrival at her country, she taught her people about wisdom and Pentateuch law erudite from the King; she also ruled her dynasty by the law of GOD.

At 12 years old, her son Menilik often asked about his father. Feeling anxious of losing him, Queen of Sheba told her son to deem her as a mother and father. Ten years passed and Menilik grew to a 22 years old young man. By then, he made his decision to travel to Israel and meet his father. He then went to Jerusalem with the merchant Tamrin.

King Solomon, who heard about his son’s arrival, blissfully welcomed him with honor. Menilik’s graceful face looked like his father. He showed him the ring his mother gave him for evidence. But, the King tenderly explained that their resemblance is good enough; he then hugged and kissed him.

However, Menilik dearly missed his mother. The King got very sad knowing his desire of returning back and even tried hard to change his mind. Unfortunate to them, his son couldn’t agree. Thus, King Solomon discussed it with his noblemen. Blessing and sanctifying him by the name of David, he send his son back. Whilst reaching Ethiopia, he reigned as King Menilik I, descending his father’s dynasty. Subsequently, Pentateuch law was officially proclaimed in our country.

Source: Amharic text by Hiwot Salelew at/ www.mahiberekidusan.com/amharicwebsite/

“I have become like a clanking Sistrum” (1 Cor. 13:1)

Translated By Hiwot Salelew

A sistrum; an instrument with a divine sound which we stand before GOD to express our gratitude was from the ancient Levites till the New Testament’s temple, choir and the oldest tent of Moses, till today’s Holy Church. Sistrum and drum essentially beautifies our gratitude and psalm. We barely see the minister’s paw without sistrum and drum amplifying Outer ambulatory. It is astounding how Outer ambulatory is not distinguished from these except at the great fast! Unfortunately, we haven’t seen them during their servile era entering holy temple and partaking in the honor of the Holy Communion; even now and then, their service is external.

Saint Paul employ the illustration representing the empty life, “if I acknowledge every human’s voice and speak by angel’s idiom, I am like a jangling bronze and clanking sistrum if I don’t have love,” (1 Cor. 13:1). Realizing this, I looked back to my soul, who lived in the temple from infancy and when Israel surrender as they said “We cried after Zion’s farewell,” and I cried for my capitulated and bare Zion soul. Who would know that she is hopeful gravel? Nor concede what’s promised for thy?

Thus, I persistently cried for my soul at the Babylon’s ocean, and told her over and over again “you are like a jangling bronze and clanking sistrum”. Think about it! The ambulatory wouldn’t start without me, the psalm wouldn’t be enlightened, the minister’s craw can’t open, couldn’t beautify the swirling, their hand moves because of me, poetry couldn’t be written. Tell me! What is splendor without me? In which service don’t I participate?  Which vicar was presented in reverencing GOD? Even now and then, I have value at the service of this sanctuary. Or else, how would the ambulatory be exquisite? Who serves sleepless without my presence? Many gets inspired by my melodic voice harmonized with the drum. Listening to me by their labyrinth, appreciating my beautiful creation, and say, ” praise with the divine cadence sistrum”. Only gazing at my pleasant tone, they admire affirming “how fortunate I am”. Eagerly they wait until I sing. When a person weds, dies or gets honorably appointed, they feel like the world revolves around them whom are frequently called upon.

Sitting honorably amongst people, ascertaining my entire reputation, one day I put down the substantial curtain and looked at my soul, she clanks! And I listened. I didn’t even do what I deserved. I am a useless slave, “I have become like a clanking Sistrum,” worries my soul. What have the playing ritual drum, the beat of the drum and the clanking sistrum benefited themselves? Afterwards, how many generations have inherited GOD’s kingdom reaching the Promise Land? Somebody else took advantage broadening their holiness and become like angels; but they are still mortal.

Hasn’t changed in this generation either; it doesn’t seem like they will leave this life until lord Christ comes for judgment day. I am like them! I sing psalm acclaiming the poetry, seizing the time, I will deliver the covenant and I have read the bible beginning till end.

Untoward to my existence, assuming what I say is the imitation of my life, people get astonished, envy to become me, but, without realizing how I have become like a jangling bronze and clanking sistrum. I screamed! But do not know why, nor will I ever change by my shattering, after me, many who came from east and west entered GOD’s kingdom. Those who heard his words and changed by his gospel repented their sin. But still today in denial, I have become like jangling bronze and with no craving, like a clanking sistrum.

If only I knew what I was screaming about, no one would have come first before me. It is unfortunate that I am a lifeless tin. But my voice is amusing, my diligence is remarkable. My concurrence with his gratitude and my versatility is righteous; a pity though, for I am forsaken.

Whether I give my flesh to flying birds, share what my assets with the deprived, although they call me father of the poor, even if I fast and pray till my fillets is revealed, without love, aren’t I  like jangling bronze and a clanking sistrum? Unless I eat the flesh and drink the blood of the son of man, what good is my yelping! When my soul denied obliging for his flesh and blood is the clanking sistrum with the devoid of virtuous silence and cried, so did I.

Oh! God, change me from being like a sistrum and resembling a bronze!

Source: Amharic text by Deacon Yosef Bekele at/ www.mahiberekidusan.com/amharicwebsite/

 

The Baptism of Jesus Christ

January 23, 2017

timket_2.png

The intent of this piece is to present why Jesus Baptized at Jordan River? Besides, it delineates the mystery of Baptism by water.
 

Neglected parenthood: Lessons from disobedient of Eli and his sinful sons

December 20, 2016

Final Part – 3 

4. They ignored the guidance of their father
Priest Eli heard all the sins of his children and he said unto them, “Why do ye such things? For I hear of your evil dealings by all this people. Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord’s people to transgress. If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them”.  (1Sam 2: 23-25)

He advised them but they did not heed Eli’s counsel. As David the prophet in his Psalm said “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” (Ps41:9) Today there are also many sons of Hophni and Phinehas who didn’t heed the counsel of church fathers and become the enemy of mother church although they grew under the guardianship of her embrace. 
One among the commandment of God is, “Honor your father and mother”. Father in this case means fathers who follow in the footsteps of the apostles. Those who called themselves reformists, their fate will be the destiny of Hophni and Afnin for they deny the decision of the Holy Synod and violate the canon and dogma of the church. 
They also insult the church saying “The Church has become old and worn out; we will not be guided by church fathers”. If they say the church becomes old, does it mean Jesus Christ has become Old? Or the teachings of the apostles obsolete? This is impossible, since the church has been established by the blood of Christ and flourished by the apostle’s teachings.  
 
Is it realistic for those who say they shall renew the church; can interpret the Bible while they are unable to provide the meaning of the Holy Scriptures, even a single word of the Bible? The truth is, the rudeness they show is an indication of their lack of knowledge as the saying goes, “the knowledge of the foolish is his daring. As the Prophet Moses said, “Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee”. (Deut. 32:7) The one who hears the Word of God through the mouth of the blessed fathers and puts it their teachings to use will be saved from disaster.  If Eli’s sons had heard their father’s counsel, they would have been saved from the swords of their enemies. 
 
The Church becomes sad when her children, who grew up under its bosom, get lost. The church prays to the foolish saying, “May God make wise the fool” since her goal is to keep her own children and even to draw those who are outside the door. As our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ said “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd” (John10:16)  
 
God challenged Eli for despising the Lord’s sacrifices and offering.  Eli honored his sons above the Lord. He enjoyed eating the choices parts of the offerings, which his sons stole, from the altar of God. Eli knew what his sons did was wrong.  He spoke to his children about their sin, and warned them that they were sinning against God, but it was not enough to have warned them. He should have stopped them from doing these things.  As the high priest, Eli was at the pinnacle of success in his personal vocation. He held the most important place of religious influence among the nation of Israel. 
 
He was not himself a wicked man, the narrative clearly showed he had a genuine concern for the things of God. He had a weakness towards his children that the Bible categorized as parental neglect, because he did not restrain his children from their evil behavior.
 
God was not satisfied with Eli’s weak verbal warnings to his sons. He expected more. Even after receiving the rebuke from the man of God, Eli remained passive and took no action against his sons.  Eli is an example of many passive parents, who lack the courage and backbone to enforce their directions to their children.  Passive parents ruin both their children and their personal testimony by their inaction and unwillingness to discipline their children forcefully.
 
Had Eli enforced his commands to his children when they were little, he would have spared them from severe judgment as adults.  From Eli’s interactions with his adult children, we can safely assume he was passive parent when his children were little.  His young boys undoubtedly learned that Eli gave warnings but did not enforce them, as do most permissive parents. Because Eli was weak in the face of his children’s disobedience, they grew up believing God was also passive. Eli’s children concluded God was just like their father and would not take any action against their blatant sin.  They did not fear God, because as young children, they never learned to respect their father, Eli. How else would they be so bold as to blaspheme the name of Lord by their shameless conduct as priests before the nation of Israel?
 
What can we learn from the life of Eli ?
The story of Eli and his sons serves as a lesson to parents for all time.  A holy God will not tolerate sin.  Parents have spiritual responsibility and are accountable for both their actions and their inaction.  Eli’s entire family came to a tragic end because Eli was a passive parent.  Eli laid the foundation for his sons’ destruction through his neglect of personal leadership and instruction when they were young and teachable.  From his conduct when they were adults, we can justly conclude Eli had not restrained his young children from their natural selfish inclinations.  
 
Perhaps Eli and his wife thought their little headstrong boys were cute, and laughed together about their antics when they were little boys.  However, when selfish, self-centered children grow up to become adults without love and reverence for God, there is nothing cute about it.  Eli’s entire family was disgraced, and his children died in battle.  Eli’s sons blasphemed the Lord’s name by their evil behavior; God is a holy, but avenging God.
 
Parenting is an awesome responsibility and parents must vigorously enforce their commands.  Permissively raised children learn to despise both their parents’ and God’s authority.  God holds parents accountable for how they raise their children.  The Bible account of Eli provides a clear warning to modern parents against being passive about the discipline of their children.
 
The Ark is an example of the laity. As The Ark of Zion is God’s dwelling, so is the body of the laity God’s dwelling as the apostle Paul said “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19) 
 
In the same way as the Ark of Zion was let to be captured due to the wicked behavior of the two sons of Eli, the grace of God will be taken from believers when they go out of His will and spoil themselves to the devil.
 Source: 
• Commentary on the four books of kings: 1Samuel, chapter 4-7 (2008); Tinsae printing press, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.)
• Adopted and translated from: Memher Bezuneh Shibeshi (November 11-25, 2015,).The Captivity of Zion. “Sem’atsidk Newspaper” a bimonthly Newspaper published by Mahibere Kidusan.  pp.8-9.) 
• The Holy Bible (KJV)
• ——- ,When Parents Fail: The Bible Story of Samuel and the Evil Sons of Eli the Priest. Retrieved from (http://christian-parents.net/parental-failure-story-eli-sons/) on December 14, 2016. 
Translation: Mesfin Zegeye & Kassa Nigus

Neglected parenthood: Lessons from disobedient of Eli and his sinful sons

December 20, 2016
Part two 
The Sin of Hophni and Phinehas
1. They ate raw sacrifice of God even before the fat was burned
The Holy Scripture says that the sons of Eli were sons of Belial (naughty person), (1Sam 2:12).  It is not to mean, being the sons of the High Priest, they do not know about God, His provision, His control over everything, etc. Rather, it is to say that they have not shown the respect and fear due to God. It is to show that they are both knowledgeable and sinners.
Hophni and Phinehas took the offering before it was burnt while it is raw meat and before it was offered to God. Let alone eating the meat from the sacrifice of God, one will answer before God for failure to offer First fruits, Tithe, Firstborn due to carelessness. ‘Tithe’ is from money, ‘first fruits’ from cereals and vegetables, ‘firstborn’ from animals as well as one’s sons.  Offering these is Christian duty.

In the same way the ravenous Hophni and Phinehas were called ‘Belial’ (naughty person) for eating the offering to God before the meat is burnt, before it ascends to God, today there are people who steal from the tithe, first fruit, first born offerings made by Christians in the House of God. The worldly quest of Hophni and Phinehas was unable to save them from their ultimate demise. The same way they fell in the hands of their enemies and were left unburied, those who loot from the House of God, would be smitten with sickness of all sorts, calamity will fall upon them, and will not escape punishment in hell.

Holy Scriptures are written for us to learn from them and this story warns us not to invite harm upon us by endeavoring for worldly ends at the expense of the everlasting spiritual gain, and advises us to decide today to turn away from our sinful paths. As St. Paul in Romans 8: 6 tells us “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
 
 2.  Committing adultery in front of God’s Tabernacle
Adultery is extremely abhorred by God; and is a sin that stains the entire body. Other sins are committed outside of the body; whereas adultery is committed in one’s own body and hence smears that body with its filth as it is written in (1Cor 6: 18), “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.”   
 
 Hophni and Phinehas used to commit adultery with women in spiritual service in front of God’s Tabernacle. The sin committed by these individuals is of extreme magnitude because they committed adultery in front of the Tabernacle (1Samuel 2:  22).   God is absolutely Holy and Wants us to serve Him in purity. “For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”  (Lev 11:44)  Relying on worldly things instead of God is itself adultery. The prayer, the offering, and the service performed by people while at the same time they rely on the relatives they have, their authority, wealth or knowledge is useless. 

First and for most, adultery in these forms need to be cast aside. Are our services to the Church really performed in cleanliness and spirituality? It is public knowledge that side by side priests and hermits as well as deacons who serve in cleanliness and holiness, there are others who commit adultery, and become headaches to the community of priests and the laity for their audacity for demanding to participate in performance of Church services. The calamity that befell Israel due to the sins of Hophni and Phinehas, could happen to us today and we could lose greatly in missing the blessing of God and suffer His Wrath due to the audacity of people who take part in Church services while being so unclean.

When Israel went out of Egypt and started the journey to the Promised Land, they went through heathen lands. When they settled at Shittim village, men of Israel looked on women of the heathen land with lust.  One Israelite slept with a Midianitish woman at the Tabernacle. Son of the priest Aeron, Alazar’s son Phinehas, jealous for the laws of God, killed both of them by stabbing them with spear on their stomachs. Consequently, God withdrew His Anger and stopped His Wrath. And God promised priesthood to his kin for eternity. “And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel” (Num.25:13). 

Likewise, just like Alazar’s son, Phinehas, today we need to feel the pain the Church suffers and rebuke people who impose themselves to take part in Church services while keeping their bodies unclean. Christians who see unclean people enter the Church to perform services and yet does nothing, while being well aware that good deed is expected of Christians, will face God’s judgment for doing nothing. People are temples of God. We should not be quiet or do nothing when we see our fellow people defile their bodies due to adultery, prejudices, conceit, theft, and other sins. If the people listen to us they would benefit, if they do not, they pile punishment upon themselves (Prov. 25:22). 
 
3. Extinguished the fire burning in the night at the Tabernacle
Hophni and Phinehas extinguished the light that burn in the night at the Tabernacle as sacrifice for God (1Sam2:28).  Disrupting presentation of sacrifices to God is disrespecting God. God disrespects those who disrespect Him, and respects those who respect Him. “…for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed” (1Samu 2:30).   Are we bringing the tithe, first fruit, and first born our early fathers used to offer to God?
 
To be continue…… 
 
Source: 
• መጻሕፍተ ነገሥት አርባዕቱ ፤ በአንድምታ ትርጓሜ፤ 2000 ዓ.ም፡፡ ትነሣኤ መሳተሚያ ድርጅት፤ አዲስ አበባ ኢትዮጵያ፡፡ 
(Commentary on the four books of kings: 1Samuel, chapter 4-6 (2008); Tinsae printing press, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.)
• መ/ር ብዙነህ ሺበሺ (ኅዳር 1-15፣ 2008 ዓ.ም ስምዐ ጽድቅ ጋዜጣ)፤ ፄዋ ጽዮን – የጽዮን ምርኮ፤ ገጽ 8-9፡፡  
((Adopted and translated from: Memher Bezuneh Shibeshi (November 11-25, 2015,).The Captivity of Zion. “Sem’atsidk Newspaper” a bimonthly Newspaper published by Mahibere Kidusan.  pp.8-9.) 
• The Holy Bible (KJV)
Translation: Mesfin Zegeye & Kassa Nigus