Sermon – Page 14 – Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church Sunday School Department

Mystical Liturgical Worshiping

The end-time will follow, with a permanent separation between good and evil, between those who will be awarded eternal life of happiness and bliss in heaven, and those who will be condemned to the fire of eternal damnation, to the eternal remorse of their conscience for having rejected God and authentic life in Him and having joined the inauthentic life invented by the devil and His servants. A new heaven and new earth will be established, inhabited by righteousness (2 Peter 3:13). The Kingdom of God will be fully established; the Church will cease to exist. Finally, the Son of God will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, “that God may be everything to everyone” (1 Corinthians 15:28)

“Ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you” (Job 12:7)

Animals does not have the characters of humans but are obliged to be obedient and good with training without having the mind to acknowledge the good and bad. How is that humans became numb to be considered mindless and act as beasts?

Brethren, we shall look deep in to ourselves and recognize our sinful acts and deeds, all the mistakes and harms we brought upon us to receive God’s mercy. It is the time for much prayer and fast without the desire and will of corporeal.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21)

Once Pope Shenouda III in his homily said, “The person with peace of heart, does not fear evil, for he says to the Lord as David the Prophet says, “If I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” (Psalm 23:4) The faithful person lives in peace, for God exists and acts; manages all. He is the protector and the helper.

However, the one who has lost peace, even imagines difficulties when they do not exist, and even though there is Divine power surrounding him, he does not recognize it, and that is his great crisis. If you have an accepted prayer, you shall live in peace, and you will feel that since you have placed your troubles in prayer before God, and that He has received your case and surrounds it with His abundant mercies, He will lift your sufferings. And in the beginning of this new year, we pray that God intervenes and solves the problems of individuals and nations, even if they seem complicated and unsolvable. “For that which is impossible with men, is possible with God.” (Homily in Saint George and Saint Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Church, January 7, 2006)

Saint Paul said, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21). Hominid shall have patient in overcoming every harms and pass his test than to face them by force using physical power. Lord Jesus Christ told us, “In the world you will have tribulation.” (John 16:33) “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ” (Matthew 11:28) It is even more better to do good by and for our enemy for satan will anguish towards us in seeing the predicament be solved and the devil will depart far.

Liturgical Worship

In Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Liturgical language has a long history in Ethiopia going back to the time of the translation of the bible in to the Geez language in the fifth century. The main unique features are: –

“Look to The East” (Divine Liturgy)

The word ‘East’ has religious meanings accord Holy Churches education. To begin with, Holy Mother Saint Mary and Holy Church is symbolized by east. “Originally altars were located at the east end of churches because it is there where the sun rises, symbolizing Christ as the “Sun of righteousness who sends His illuminating rays to light our souls.” (Dictionary of Church terms by Father Tadros Yacoub Malaty page 42)

You will see it with your eyes

Long ago, there was a great famine in Samaria, dreadful to the extent of tempting a mother to eat her child. Then, there was a man of God named Elisha in this regime and he said, “Hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord: Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria. So an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, “Look, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, could this thing be? And he said, “In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it.” (2 Kings 7:1-2)

Liturgical Worship

Fasting that is done with prayer and bowing is delivered and accepted before God. Thus, it does not only grant us mercy and salvation, but blessing. Accord, our work, service and Marriage will also be blessed.

Sermon and Holy Gospel

Prophet David said, “Oh, do not remember former iniquities against us! Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us, For we have been brought very low.” (Psalm 79:8), Holy Son came down from heaven to save all imprisoned in enemy’s cell and preached Gospel.

“Why do you worry?” (Matthew 6:28)

Worrying is the fright about something that might have or have not occurred in our lives or in the globe we inhibit. It is the feeling of anxiety towards a specific thing. The Holy Bible defines it as “A sense of uneasiness and anxiety about the future. Scripture indicates that such anxiety is ultimately grounded in a lack of trust in God and his purposes.”

Liturgical Worship

The word liturgy comes from the Greek leitourgia, which is a combination of leitos, which means pertaining to the people (Laos) and ergon, referring to work.

Hence, etymologically the word liturgy means any service done for the common welfare. The majority of liturgiologists define the term liturgy as the public worship. The “public” or the “exterior” doesn’t exclude the interior or sanctifying element, but all coalesce to form one, sole, concrete liturgical act which is both external and interior as regards the minister, the recipient and the intrinsic power of sanctification of the act itself. In short, liturgy is the public worship rendered by the Mystical body of Christ in the entirety of its head and members.