Saint Shmooni (Mart Shmooni) and her unmovable faith

As the commemoration of St. Shmooni (Solomonia) and her seven sons approaches this Tuesday 1^st May, let us learn from this saint’s example of great faith in God which was exemplified through her actions as a faithful woman, mother and zealous believer amidst persecution and torturous hardships.

The recount of St Shmooni’s martyrdom along with her seven sons can be found in the book of 2 Maccabees and in Church history. This book is not canonized in our Church; however, we look to and recognise St. Shmooni as a saint as she is one of the many unwaveringly faithful Jews who are prototypes of all the Christian martyrs who die for their faith.The martyrdom took place in the year 167 BC in Judea, under the rule of King Antiochus IV Epiphanus, who was fiercely persecuting the Jews. 

Excerpt from the book of 2 Maccabees Chapter 7:1-41 (GNT)

 ¹ On another occasion a Jewish mother and her seven sons were arrested. The king was having them beaten to force them to eat pork.² Then one of the young men said, what do you hope to gain by doing this? We would rather die than abandon the traditions of our ancestors.

 ³ This made the king so furious that he gave orders for huge pans and kettles to be heated red hot,⁴ and it was done immediately. Then he told his men to cut off the tongue of the one who had spoken and to scalp him and chop off his hands and feet, while his mother and six brothers looked on.⁵ After the young man had been reduced to a helpless mass of breathing flesh, the king gave orders for him to be carried over and thrown into one of the pans. As a cloud of smoke streamed up from the pan, the brothers and their mother encouraged one another to die bravely, saying,⁶
         The Lord God is looking on and understands our suffering. Moses made this clear when he wrote a song condemning those who had abandoned the Lord. He said,
         The Lord will have mercy on those who serve him.

 ⁷ After the first brother had died in this way, the soldiers started amusing themselves with the second one by tearing the hair and skin from his head. Then they asked him,
         Now will you eat this pork, or do you want us to chop off your hands and feet one by one?

 ⁸ He replied in his native language,
         I will never eat it! So the soldiers tortured him, just as they had the first one,⁹ but with his dying breath he cried out to the king,
         You butcher! You may kill us, but the King of the universe will raise us from the dead and give us eternal life, because we have obeyed his laws.

 ¹⁰ The soldiers began entertaining themselves with the third brother. When he was ordered to stick out his tongue, he quickly did so. Then he bravely held out his hands¹¹ and courageously said,
         God gave these to me. But his laws mean more to me than my hands, and I know God will give them back to me again.¹² The king and those with him were amazed at his courage and at his willingness to suffer.

 ¹³ After he had died, the soldiers tortured the fourth one in the same cruel way,¹⁴ but his final words were,
         I am glad to die at your hands, because we have the assurance that God will raise us from death. But there will be no resurrection to life for you, Antiochus!

 ¹⁵ When the soldiers took the fifth boy and began torturing him,¹⁶ he looked the king squarely in the eye and said,
         You have the power to do whatever you want with us, even though you also are mortal. But do not think that God has abandoned our people.¹⁷ Just wait. God will use his great power to torture you and your descendants

 ¹⁸ Then the soldiers took the sixth boy, and just before he died he said,
         Make no mistake. We are suffering what we deserve, because we have sinned against our God. [Jerusalem was suffering persecution at the time]That's why all these terrible things are happening to us.¹⁹ But don't think for a minute that you will avoid being punished for fighting against God.

 ²⁰ The mother was the most amazing one of them all, and she deserves a special place in our memory. Although she saw her seven sons die in a single day, she endured it with great courage because she trusted in the Lord.²¹ She combined womanly emotion with manly courage and spoke words of encouragement to each of her sons in their native language.²²
         I do not know how your life began in my womb, she would say,
         I was not the one who gave you life and breath and put together each part of your body.²³ It was God who did it, God who created the universe, the human race, and all that exists. He is merciful and he will give you back life and breath again, because you love his laws more than you love yourself.

 ²⁴ Antiochus was sure that the mother was making fun of him, so he did his best to convince her youngest son to abandon the traditions of his ancestors. He promised not only to make the boy rich and famous, but to place him in a position of authority and to give him the title
         Friend of the King.²⁵ But the boy paid no attention to him, so Antiochus tried to persuade the boy's mother to talk him into saving his life,²⁶ and after much persuasion she agreed to do so.²⁷ Leaning over her son, she fooled the cruel tyrant by saying in her native language,
         My son, have pity on me. Remember that I carried you in my womb for nine months and nursed you for three years. I have taken care of you and looked after all your needs up to the present day.²⁸ So I urge you, my child, to look at the sky and the earth. Consider everything you see there, and realize that God made it all from nothing, just as he made the human race.²⁹ Don't be afraid of this butcher. Give up your life willingly and prove yourself worthy of your brothers, so that by God's mercy I may receive you back with them at the resurrection.

 ³⁰ Before she could finish speaking, the boy said,
 King Antiochus, what are you waiting for? I refuse to obey your orders. I only obey the commands in the Law which Moses gave to our ancestors.³¹ You have thought up all kinds of cruel things to do to our people, but you won't escape the punishment that God has in store for you.^32-33It is true that our living Lord is angry with us and is making us suffer because of our sins, in order to correct and discipline us. But this will last only a short while, for we are still his servants, and he will forgive us.³⁴ But you are the cruelest and most disgusting thing that ever lived. So don't fool yourself with illusions of greatness while you punish God's people.³⁵ There is no way for you to escape punishment at the hands of the almighty and all-seeing God.³⁶ My brothers suffered briefly because of our faithfulness to God's covenant, but now they have entered eternal life.^[a] But you will fall under God's judgment and be punished as you deserve for your arrogance.³⁷ I now give up my body and my life for the laws of our ancestors, just as my brothers did. But I also beg God to show mercy to his people quickly and to torture you until you are forced to acknowledge that he alone is God.³⁸ May my brothers and I be the last to suffer the anger of Almighty God, which he has justly brought upon our entire nation.

 ³⁹ These words of ridicule made Antiochus so furious that he had the boy tortured even more cruelly than his brothers.⁴⁰And so the boy died, with absolute trust in the Lord, never unfaithful for a minute.

 ⁴¹ Last of all, the mother was put to death.

We can learn many things from the life and death of St. Shmooni as we look to her as a great role model and example of a faithful woman even in the 21^st Century. When we consider our problems that we complain about in our lives today and compare them to the pain, persecution and suffering that Shmooni endured to uphold her faith in God, our problems seem miniscule and non-existent in the light of her experiences.

St. Shmooni’s faith in the spotlight:

She was willing to endure tremendous loss for the sake of her faith: As a mother, shmooni was willing to lose not one, but all seven of her sons to martyrdom in order to uphold her faith and encourage her sons in their faith. She witnessed the torture and death of each of her sons before her very eyes!

How many times do we woman of the 21^st Century, you and I, complain about our losses and trials and point the finger at God when we lose something or someone we love? But how much faith does it take to accept these great losses by faith, knowing that God is immeasurably greater than all we know and see, as St. Shmooni stated “my child, look at the sky and the earth. Consider everything you see there, and realize that God made it all from nothing, just as he made the human race.” He created us and He only desires what is good for us (Romans 8:28).

She encouraged her sons to undergo martyrdom for the sake of their faith: The mother was especially admirable and worthy of good memory. Though she saw her seven sons perish in the span of a single day, she bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord. She encouraged each of them in the language of their fathers. Filled with noble spirit, she stirred her womanly reasoning with manly courage… (2 Maccabees 7:20-21).

In times of trial and suffering, do we trust that God will deliver us? Do we rely on His strength to persevere? St. James teaches us to count it joy when we fall into various trials (James 1:2-4). Let these trials serve to promote and encourage our faith and that of others through our words and faithful, loving deeds during their times of trial.

She did not accept her youngest son to be spared and live a “good life” for the sake of their faith:  How easy is it for us today to give up on God when the going gets tough, or when a “better” worldly opportunity presents itself? Just as Shmooni encouraged her youngest son to stand up for his faith in God no matter what worldly temptations were presented before him, we too should not focus on the temporal gains of this world and move God to second or third priority in our life, but rather focus on gaining the eternal that is awaiting those who persevere in faith.

Finally, after enduring all she could, St. Shmooni also died for the sake of her faith: Shmooni witnessed the torturous death of each one of her sons before her very eyes, and trusted in the LORD’S deliverance. Ultimately, she gave up her own life with the full assurance and hope in God’s promises through the forefathers that she would see her sons again at the resurrection.

Let us look to St Shmooni as a great example of a God fearing woman and mother and be encouraged by her unswerving faith which was shown in her continual perseverance and faithfulness in times of religious persecution and physical and emotional suffering. Let us try to imitate her faith just as she upheld a stern encouragement to her sons and was willing to give up her life and that of her sons to cling to their belief in God despite their unworthiness and the opposition they faced, knowing that they will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.

This week's song: Mikechair - Let the waters rise

The Fruit of the Spirit (Part II) - Inheriting the Kingdom of Heaven

We learn from St. Paul's epistle to the Galatians that he is addressing the church in Galatia which had been led astray from the true gospel of Christ to follow the false teachings of the Jewish Christians. These held the belief that they must hold onto their Mosaic Laws; including circumcision in addition to Christ’s teachings. St. Paul spends the majority of the letter admonishing the Church to live by faith in God's grace that was poured out through Christ’s blood and that brings freedom from sin and the bondage to the Jewish Law.

He dedicates a few chapters to explain why it is so important to live by The Spirit who they received through baptism into Christ, and how their faith should not rely on their fleshly deeds governed by the Law, but rather, on the faithful works done through the guidance of the Holy Spirit in their lives to ensure justification from their sins. (Romans 8:1-3)

After addressing the need for the church to turn away from practicing the Law that was temporarily put in place and had been fulfilled in Christ (Matthew 5:17), Paul goes on to focus on how they should be living by the Spirit who is working in them to bring them redemption. “Through His Spirit “You are sons [daughters], co-heirs with Christ, sharing in His inheritance; the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Galatians 4:6-7)

St Paul continues to teach the Galatians that just as easily as they can inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, they can also wilfully forfeit their inheritance. He warns the Church and us, that ‘those who live by the flesh (not the Spirit) and gratify its desires will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.' (Galatians 5:21).

Today, Christians are bombarded with fleshly temptations that stir up desires within and battle against the Spirit. These are just as common today, if not, more so as they were in the time of the first generation Church in Galatia. St. Paul highlights the detrimental works of the flesh that we fall into when we are not living by The Spirit or when we are ignoring His conviction: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery (witchcraft), hatred, contentions, jealousy, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like. (Galatians5:19-21).

But for those who are seeking forgiveness and redemption and want to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven which Christ opened the doors to through His blood; you are to live in the Spirit. “I say then; Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh… (Galatians 5:16-17).

When we are called to live in the Spirit, it is not by force or by robotic obligation that we live our life by the fruit and characteristics of Him (as some may believe), but it is by our own free will and faith that we should feel obliged to choose to live in this Godly way (Romans 8:12-13) out of our love for God and through the conviction that the Holy Spirit gives us if we start to wander off the path.

Aphrahat draws a great illustration on the importance of living in the Spirit; “The blessed Apostle also thus said, “You are the temple of God, then the spirit of Christ dwells in you” (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16). Again our Lord also said to his disciples as follows, “You are in me and I am in you” (Jn. 14:20).

When the house becomes a dwelling place, then the man begins to take care of what is needed to the one who dwells in the building. For example, if a king or a man held in honour, who is called by the title of king, should dwell in the house, then, all the royal provisions and all the services are required for the king, which are necessary for the honour of the king. For, the king will neither stay nor he dwell in a house, which is devoid of any good things; rather complete decoration of the house is needed for the king, with nothing wanting in it. If anything is lacking there in the house where the king dwells, the housekeeper is handed over to death because he has not provided the service for the king. So also the man who becomes a house and a dwelling place for Christ should see to what is fitting for the service of Christ who dwells in him and with what things he will please him.” (Aphrahat Demonstration I on Faith)

St. Paul identifies the characteristics or fruit which the Spirit yields in our life to all who live by and take heed of His guidance. These virtues are all bound by the one commandment of love. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even this; “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” (Galatians 5:14)

Thus, the fruits of the Spirit are:

Love – Four simple letters, but an all-encompassing, powerful word. In this world, this is the most challenging virtue to practice consistently. When we make our love for God the number one priority in our life, love for others in any circumstance and situation flows over. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. (1 John 4:16).

Joy – Is associated not with happiness, which is temporal, but with contentment. Living in the Spirit brings us contentment in life whatever the circumstances. Just as St. Paul mentions in Philippians 4:11, that though he struggles and suffers he finds contentment in Christ. He exhorts the Church to stand fast in the Lord and “rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)

Peace – In the Lord, we are called to live at peace with one another. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts (Colossians 3:15)

Long-suffering (Patience) – Just as the Lord is patient with us, we must also show patience to others and ourselves. “Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus.” (Romans 15:5)

Kindness – Is hardest to show when you are struggling with selfishness and un-forgiveness.  “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Goodness – This word / virtue is of no surprise when it comes to living a Godly life in the Spirit. Just as God contrasts evil, good contrasts bad and light contrasts the dark. Goodness comes from God and we are to imitate His goodness by the help of His Spirit. For you were once darkness, but now you are children of the light. (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth) Ephesians 5:8-9

Faithfulness: to God and others. The Israelites were seen as an adulterous nation as they loved other god’s before their one and only God. So we too as the Church, the bride of Christ, must make Him number one in our lives and remain faithful to Him by remaining in Him, through partaking in His Holy Body and Blood, Absolution in Church, reading His Word and praying to Him. In so doing, His Spirit teaches us how to be faithful to God and those around us (Ephesians 5:32-33).

Gentleness: The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition. (2 Timothy 2:24-25)

Self-control – requires us to have control over our bodies by: not being easily angered; He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city. (Proverbs 16:32), not getting drunk “do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:17), controlling our body including our tongue: For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. (2 Peter 1:5-7)

You will notice that these virtuous fruits of the Spirit are similar to a chain. Each virtue is linked to another. Once you practise one, it will be easier to practise the others. And of course this chain is bound and held together by the LOVE of Christ which flows through to us by the Holy Spirit to strengthen us in the faith just like an unbreakable chain.

So, whenever you hear that voice within you say "this is wrong, I shouldn't do it”, or you feel guilt and remorse after you have done something that conforms to a sinful way of living; God's Holy Spirit is working within to convict, guard and guide us from our own wrong ways to live in accordance with His perfect and righteous ways. It is then our choice to act repentantly on the conviction or sinfully ignore it.

We can once more conclude that God’s Spirit who dwells within us, leads and guides us to continually perform good works in our lives that are necessary for our salvation; to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven (Galatians 6:8-10; Romans8:14-17).

This week’s song: Mercy Me – Here with me

The Fruit of the Spirit (Part I): God's guidance to necessary works

In today's post-modern Christian groups the argument that we are saved by faith alone without works is discussed and debated among Apostolic and non-Apostolic faiths or reformed Churches. These issues will continue to be argued until our Lord's awaited return where we will all be judged by Him righteously. So if we want to faithfully prepare ourselves for Christ’s final return it is imperative for us to find out what God truly says about the necessity of works for our salvation.

In the times of the Prophets, God taught His people to live a righteous life that would clearly set them apart from the rest of the world by giving the written Laws that they were to follow (throughout Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy). These all involved good works that would stem from their faith and love for God and prevent them from choosing wickedness by their own free will when the Law was clearly teaching them to identify right from wrong.

Aphrahat speaks of the Laws that were instated by God and explains how they were purely dependant on man’s self-control alone. He quotes Jesus’ two commands which bind the whole Law “love the LORD your God with all your might and strength and love your neighbour as yourself”…

When you begin to investigate both these commandments, upon which hang the whole strength of the Law and of the prophets (you will see that) if indeed both these commandments, upon which hang the whole strength of the Law and of the prophets, had been fixed in the heart and mind of human beings, then it would not have been necessary for the Law and the prophets to have been written down, as it is written, “The Law is not given to the just, but to the wicked” (1 Tim. 1:9). And the Law was given because of the wicked. If justice had stayed among human beings, the Law would not have been required. Again if the Law had not been set down, the strength of God would not have been known in all generations through all the wonders which He manifested. (Aphrahat Demonstration II  on Charity)

Clearly the written Law was not enough to prevent God’s people from wilfully straying into wicked ways that grieved God, and so God made a new covenant (promise) with His people saying: ³³ “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. ³⁴ They will not teach again, each man his neighbour and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” (Jeremiah 31:33-34)

This new covenant that God promised was facilitated by our Lord Jesus Christ; through His teachings, His life example, His death, resurrection and ultimate giving of The Holy Spirit. Before Jesus was arrested and crucified, He spoke of His fore coming death to His heavy hearted disciples (John 14:1-3) and at the same time He comforted them by assuring them that He would not leave them, but would ask the Father to send the counsellor (The Holy Spirit) to be with them and guide them ¹⁶ I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; ¹⁷ that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you (John 14:16-17). Christ was telling the Apostles what would happen when the Spirit would abide within them. These promises are also given to us when we receive the Holy Spirit through baptism.

Jesus speaks of the role of the Holy Spirit who would dwell within His disciples and subsequent believers, not in the people of the world. Just as God promised in Jeremiah 31 above; that when He puts the law within us and on our heart, we will “know Him”, so too Christ here tells His disciples that they will receive the Spirit of truth because they “Know Him” and He will be in them. Christ’s words indeed came to fulfilment upon the day of Pentecost, fifty days after Christ’s ascension, where the Apostles received the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4) and in turn baptised many believers including adults and children on the same day. (Acts 2:38-39).

Today, when we are born into a Christian family, our Holy and Apostolic Church teaches us that it is the believing parents’ duty to ensure their infant children also receive baptism and raise them up in the Christian faith and doctrines of the Church. So they in turn, will also receive the gifts of The Holy Spirit and treat their bodies as “temples of the Holy Spirit’ (1 Corinthians 3:16), by performing good and faithful works for themselves and others.

The main role of The Holy Spirit is to lead us, counsel us and teach us to live righteously in the Lord in a way that aligns with His will for our lives, as He dwells within us by His Spirit and teaches us, unworthy sinners to live a life of faith that is manifested in our faithful acts and good works. (James Faith without deeds is dead).

We see the importance of this in-dwelling relationship we have with God through His Spirit when we look to Jesus our Lord and learn from His example:

John 14:11-15 ¹¹ Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. ¹² Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.

Just as the Son is in the Father and the Father in the Son, so it is with us, who possess the third character or Qnuma of the Holy Trinity, God’s Holy Spirit dwelling within us.  As Jesus states above, you can tell that the Father is in Him because of the works we see Him perform. So too for us today, who have God’s Spirit dwelling within us, we also should perform righteous works, and even the works that Christ did by faith.

To further explain to those who believe that works are indeed not needed for our salvation, we should ask; why did Christ teach His disciples you will know a tree [or a person’s standing with God] by its fruits [works] (Matthew 7:19-20)?  Why did He say “not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven will enter’ (Matthew 7:21)? Why did He rebuke those who seemingly had faith and performed miracles in His name by saying to them, “I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.” (Matthew 7:23)? Why does St. James teach us “just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead? (James 2:26) Why did St. Paul teach us to “continue to work out our salvation in fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12)? And why did our Lord give us the Counsellor to help us, guide us and teach us to perform 'good deeds' to conform with the likeness of God’s righteous character (Galatians 5:22-25)?

Today, some ways we recognise that we are living in the Spirit is when we feel comfort in doing righteous works that are in step with His Spirit. We may also feel a personal conviction when we have committed an ungodly deed, when we have slipped up in sin, or are struggling with sinful thoughts; it is The Holy Spirit within us that is guiding our hearts and our conscious, enlightening us to fulfil God’s will in our lives. In times of these experiences we should thank God for His mighty comfort or conviction and repentantly choose to turn from our wicked ways, and turn to His ways and continue to glorify His name through the working of His Spirit in our lives. For right after Jesus spoke about the giving of The Spirit He said, “if you obey my commands (to love God with all your might and strength and love your neighbour as yourself) the Father and I will make our home with you (John 14:23). Clearly, good works stemming from our love for God and our love for others are indeed necessary to genuinely serve God through the help of His Spirit who abides in us.

Next week: Fruits of the Spirit (Part II) – Inheriting the Kingdom of Heaven.

This week’s song: Speak to me Lord – Rebecca St. James

Resurrection Resolutions

For the death He died He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:10-11

The words “QIMLEH MARAN” (Our Lord is risen) are celebrated in the Church at this time of year. These two words embody the fulfilment of Christ’s mission on earth; after His sacrificial death for us, He rose in glory. Though these words can be seen everywhere at this time and heard throughout Churches this weekend, we should not take these powerful and deep rooted words for granted. Instead, we should celebrate their true meaning…

Many of us may mournfully and thankfully show our gratitude and worship to God in church during the Holy Passion Week (Thursday of the Passover, Friday of Sorrow, The Great Saturday and Resurrection Sunday) and then ‘get on with our lives’ as soon as the next week arrives. While many of us like “Martha” in the Bible may associate Easter time with endless hours of cooking and cleaning as we prepare the house and the food (kilecheh, boiled Easter eggs etc.) for all the festivities, in preparation for spending Easter Sunday feasting with the family.

But truly, Easter (Eeda Goorah) should be viewed as a time of renewal for the whole creation. Albeit this renewal that Christ offers us is available every day of the year; it is at this time especially that we commemorate our Lord Jesus Christ’s passionate death for us on the Cross, His burial and His resurrection. It is a time where Christian’s everywhere should unworthily thank God for sending His One and Only Son for taking on the death and punishment upon Himself that we so rightfully deserve for our sins (Romans 5:8), to offer us a new life or second chance by forgiving our many sins (Ephesians 1:7).

We can view the “Resurrection” and apply it to our lives in two ways:

1.       Today, we can be resurrected from the death of sin that governs our life and we can repent of our sinful ways and unworthily turn to Christ our Saviour and redeemer. 

Aphrahat states: “A sinner, when he is alive, is dead to God; but a righteous man when he is dead, is alive to God.” (Demonstration VIII On The Resurrection of the Dead)

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-7)

2.      Our future hope of being resurrected from the dead on the Last Day, when Christ comes to judge the world and call us to live the promised eternal life with Him.  This is promised only to the faithful who abide in Christ today.

Again, Aphrahat elaborates: “But it is right for us to fear the second death which is full of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Mt. 22:13), and of groanings and miseries, which dwells in outer darkness. But blessed are the faithful and the righteous in that resurrection where they expect that they will awaken and receive their good promises. (Demonstration VIII On The Resurrection of the Dead)

²⁰ But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. ²¹ For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. ²² For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)

This post-resurrection time should stand as a reminder for each of us to re-evaluate our faith and our current walk with God and faithfully make the necessary changes to live in this newness of life which Christ has freely offered us, instead of taking advantage of His love and forgiveness as soon as Tuesday after Easter Monday comes along, and we go back to ‘tucking our faith away’ until Christmas arrives, or until we have reached a desperate time in our lives where we call on the Lord.

After laying His own life down as a sacrifice on the Cross, to atone for OUR sins, Christ opened the door as the ‘first fruits’ for us to receive forgiveness from God and live in the hope of eternal life with Him through His resurrection from the dead. Jesus said to the sinful Samaritan woman, “I am the resurrection and life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies.” (John 11:25)

St. Paul taught the first generation Church in Colossae the essence of living in the light of Christ’s resurrection; “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. ³ For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3:1-4)

Just as St. Paul states; we have died and been buried with Christ through our Baptism into the name of the Holy Trinity, so therefore we will also be raised up with Him (when we remain in Him and He in us; Romans 6:4-5).  Whether we were born into the Church and received baptism as infants; or we were born outside of the Christian faith and received baptism when we converted to Christianity. During Baptism our ‘Adamic sin’ was washed away from us in His name and we are then taught to remain in this faith by ‘seeking the things above’.

Through our one Baptism, receiving the Holy Spirit, and partaking in Christ’s Body and Blood (The Eucharist), St. Paul explains that our lives are ‘hidden in Christ’. Just as our Lord Himself taught us; He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in Me, and I in him. (John 6:56). Because of this union we have with Christ we are to always ‘set our minds on things above’; on God Himself, and make Him our priority instead of focusing on earthly corruptible things that can potentially entangle our faith and cause us many struggles. When we ‘live in Christ’, we are promised to share in His glory through the resurrection and the hope of eternal life with Him.

For what is more impossible to overcome than death itself? And yet Christ Jesus our Lord, glory be to His name, overcame the death of His humanity through the power of His deity and He allows us to share in His sacrificial death and promises our resurrection when we continue to abide in Him. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.  John 6:54

This Resurrection Sunday, many of us will break our fast together in Church, but let us not only focus on the food we have been missing out on over the last fifty days, but let us focus on the faithful deeds we have been missing out on, or failing to fulfil in our lives over the past year or years. Let us re-evaluate our walk with Christ by trying to put into practise what we have discussed so far through the series of articles we have meditated on to date. We can use these as a guide for our ‘resurrection resolutions’ for life and add to them as our faith grows:

1.       Share God’s love with people (also be more welcoming at Church)

2.      Be persistent in faith even when times are tough

3.      Seek God through the Church, The Sacraments , The Bible and Prayer

4.      Hold the Church Fasts (for spiritual edification)

5.      Be a ‘noticeable woman’ of faith to God

6.      Be open to God’s will instead of trying to limit Him through your own desires

7.      Be humble

8.      Hold to our Church traditions, learn more about them, and teach them to others

Maybe it works out well for us that Assyrian New Year was celebrated only a week ago, and we are celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord today. With this in mind, just as many hold to their new year’s resolutions, let us Christians of the Assyrian Church of the East make faithful resolutions in light of Christ’s resurrection to live a life of faith, gratitude, service and love for the Lord and His Church that we will hold to not only for this week or this month, but for the rest of our lives (Romans12:1).

This week’s song: Ana ewan lakhma – H.G. Mar Odisho

Why do women cover their heads in church?

When we welcome non-Assyrian’s into our Church, generally, one of the first things they report as standing out to them is the women worshippers having their heads covered with a head scarf as they sit in the pews. Some people question the reasoning behind this act which may be foreign to them while others have happily accepted this church tradition by faith.

Many non-apostolic churches may criticize the purpose behind this tradition, and for this reason, we will only see this humble act of women wearing a head covering during a Church service in Orthodox churches… even still today, there are some Orthodox and Apostolic churches that have deemed this tradition non-compulsory while others have completely abolished its practise.

So where did this tradition originate from? Why do we still hold it today if other Churches no longer practice it? And if this tradition has been abolished by others is it truly approved by God? Let us turn to God’s word to find the answers we need for ourselves and learn where to direct our sisters who are questioning this practice…

It is fitting that we learn about the reasoning for head coverings in church as we follow on from the previous series of articles on ‘Humility’, as the act of women covering their head in church is yet another form of showing humility; first to God as she acknowledges His created order and then to man, who is the head of the woman in God’s created order (see blog on humility of a woman).

We can learn about the relevance of this practice very plainly and clearly from St Paul’s epistle to the Church in Corinth. If read the main verses pertaining to head covering in their context, St. Paul throughout his first letter to the Corinthians is addressing their moral deficiencies, concerning sexual immorality in the church, divisions in the church, and general disorder and confusion among the gentile Christians in the main city of Corinth (modern day Greece).

When we come to 1 Corinthians 11 Paul starts the chapter with an enormous statement… “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” This statement alone teaches us that we are to imitate our Apostle’s faith and actions, heed their commands and learn from them. St. Paul here, like all the other saints who we respect and learn from, are great examples of faith for us to follow and imitate.

St. Paul continues to teach the disorderly church of how to worship God in public in an orderly manner… as God Himself is a God of order (1 Corinthians 14:33) and expects order and reverence from us His faithful. After giving instructions for the administration of the Holy Eucharist and also correcting the church about rightful Christian living, Paul goes on to address the way in which women should conduct themselves in the church. He clearly states in 1 Corinthians 11 verses 5 and 6, that “every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But it is shameful for a woman to be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered.”

He continues…”For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. For man is not from woman, but woman from man [Genesis 2:21-23]. Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man. For this reason, the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head because of the angels. (1 Corinthians 11:7-10)

St. John Chrysostom comments on the verses above; But if to be shaven is always dishonourable, it is plain too that being uncovered is always a reproach. And not even with this only was he [St. Paul] content, but added again, saying, “The woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.” ¹

Some churches teach and believe that the head covering for women was only commanded of the women in Corinth at the time of Paul's writing as it was customary of the day and should not be practised today. History indeed shows us that women of that era would also cover their heads in public as was the societal custom of the times, but here St. Paul is clearly identifying the need for women to cover their heads when praying or prophesying within the context of orderly worship in the Church when partaking in the Holy Eucharistic worship service.

There are some who have interpreted these verses and also teach that the woman's hair alone should be her covering and a veil is not needed. But St. Paul clearly states otherwise in verse 6; “For if a woman is not covered [with a veil], let her also be shorn.” For if the covering Paul was speaking of here was a woman’s hair alone, why would it need to be shorn off to bring her shame? But indeed he is speaking of a covering that symbolically covers the woman’s head apart from her hair.

These various teachings have been created as a result of turning away from Apostolic teachings of the Church or maligning the traditions that have been passed down to us through Christ's Apostles to all the churches.

The importance of adhering to this tradition is magnified when St. Paul the apostle purposely tells us to remember him in everything and to hold firmly to the traditions, just as he has delivered them to us (1 Corinthians 11:2). He states this about his apostolic authority before he starts teaching about the relevance of women covering their heads and for men to keep their heads uncovered in the context of worship in the church. He gives these commands to ensure orderly worship of the Lord in His Church.

Having learned the Apostolic and biblical foundation of this important tradition, we may be left to ask; are married women alone required to cover their heads? Or do virgins (or single women) and young girls have to adhere to this command also?

Tertullian elaborates on the usage of the sole word “woman” in this passage. He states that in all of Paul’s writings, when he wants to stipulate a command to a married woman or a virgin, he distinctly uses the title “married woman or wife” and or “virgin”. In this case, and in these verses regarding head covering, no such distinction is made… “Proceed we, then, to the word itself [woman]. The word (expressing the) natural (distinction) is female. Of the natural word, the general word is woman. Of the general, again, the special is virgin, or wife, or widow, or whatever other names, even of the successive stages of life, are added hereto… So, too, by naming woman, he has named whatever is woman’s.” ²

Tertullian further elaborates on St. Paul’s teachings by addressing women; ‘I pray you, be you mother, or sister, or virgin-daughter— let me address you according to the names proper to your years—veil your head: if a mother, for your sons’ sakes; if a sister, for your brethren’s sakes; if a daughter for your fathers’ sakes. All ages are perilled in your person. Put on the panoply of modesty; surround yourself with the stockade of bashfulness… ³

And yet you do not belie yourself in appearing as a bride. For wedded you are to Christ [as daughters of the Church - Christ’s bride]: to Him you have surrendered your flesh; to Him you have espoused your maturity. Walk in accordance with the will of your Espoused. Christ is He who bids the espoused and wives of others veil themselves; (and,) of course, much more His own. ⁴.

On the veiling of female Children (virgins), Tertullian also writes: from the time when she begins to be self-conscious, and to awake to the sense of her own nature, and to emerge from the virgin’s (sense), and to experience that novel (sensation) which belongs to the succeeding age. For withal the founders of the race, Adam and Eve, so long as they were without intelligence, went “naked;” but after they tasted of “the tree of recognition,” they were first sensible of nothing more than of their cause for shame. Thus they each marked their intelligence of their own [gender] by a covering. (Genesis 2:25, 3:7).

So too, when a girl is awakened to her own sense of nature, she is regarded as a “woman.” ⁵ Therefore a general guide for us today as to when a girl should cover her head in church is when their bodies begin their journey into womanhood.

As members of our Holy and Apostolic church, we are called to faithfully adhere to the timeless commands that were instated by the Apostles themselves and were handed down to us through the generations. Our traditions have not been adulterated or altered in ways that some churches have so easily abrogated through the years due to various individuals creating their own doctrines apart from the Apostolic succession.

By holding to this holy and humble tradition of covering our heads during public prayer and the Eucharistic service, we as women are:

1.       Heeding Gods command as taught to us through His word (1 Corinthians 11:2-10) and handed down through the apostles

2.      Symbolically showing that man is our head in Gods given order (1Corinthians 11: 8-10)

3.      And importantly we are showing our willingness to submit to the Lord and His commands of orderly and reverential worship when we pray to Him and during the most precious, sacramental service of partaking in the Holy Eucharist; the Body and Blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

As women of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East, we are called to faithfully follow these ordinances given to us by our Lord through His apostles and teach them to the generations that follow to ensure we preserve the traditions we have been taught and uphold them throughout the life of the Church on earth.

This week’s song: Shabbakh L’Marya (Praise the Lord) – Linda George

1.        Saint Chrysostom: Homilies on the Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians; Homily XXVI, p.p. 235

2.       Ante Nicean Fathers Volume IV; Chapter IV.—Of the Argument Drawn from 1 Cor. XI. 5–16, Tertullian, p.p. 64

3.       Ante Nicean Fathers Volume IV; Chapter XVI.—Tertullian, Having Shown His Defence to Be Consistent with Scripture, Nature, and Discipline, Appeals to the Virgins Themselves, Tertullian, p.p. 81

4.       Ante Nicean Fathers Volume IV; Chapter XVI.—Tertullian, Having Shown His Defence to Be Consistent with Scripture, Nature, and Discipline, Appeals to the Virgins Themselves, Tertullian, p.p. 81

5.        Ante Nicean Fathers Volume IV; Chapter XI - The rule of the veiling not applicable to children, Tertullian, p.p. 74