28
Oct 2018
The Bible calls Jesus the Prince of Peace, the King of the Peace in this world. The opposite of peace is anger. If we have anger in our heart toward each other, the Bible encourages us to have peace in our heart, Jesus in our heart, and you will see Jesus come into your life. Jesus reminds us that the Old Testament says you shall not murder, but Jesus also equates anger with murder. In the New Testament he says, whoever is angry with his brother is in danger of judgement. According......
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14
Oct 2018
We thank God always because his mercy is upon us and he made us in his image and likeness – he made us very unique. He made us like Him. If we remember we are in the image of our God, whatever we do we will do differently. If anybody is faithful, he will always try to do the best for that person, make them happy and make the best thing ever. That is our way with God. As Jesus tells the disciples in Luke 16:10, “He who is faithful in what......
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07
Oct 2018
When I look to the cross, I see Jesus not only was crucified for us, but he is telling us his heart, his bosom us open for us. For every and each one of us. The only thing we need is to believe in him, run to him and receive his blessing. Especially the parents among us, when you come back from a long day of work or travel, and you come back home. When your children run to you, that is the most noble thing. The same thing for your heavenly......
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30
Sep 2018
In Matthew 12, the Pharisees criticized the disciples for picking grains on the Sabbath. According to the Jewish law, there is no work on the Sabbath day, because it is for prayers and rest. You have to honor the day of the Lord. “How do you allow your disciples to do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” they asked. Jesus said do you remember that one day David gave food to people? I am very happy you memorized the law. But don’t try to find someone who made a......
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23
Sep 2018
Note: Father Eli Shabo passed away on January 23, 2019. He was a great man and did so much for our people and our faith. Here is his last sermon he gave at the Assyrian Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary in Paramus, NJ on September 23, 2018. May God bless his soul: 1 Corinthians 18: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Oh holy father we stand before you today asking that......
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16
Sep 2018
On September 14, we celebrated the feast of the discovery of the Holy Cross. We all have an opportunity to go to heaven, not because of the cross itself, but because Jesus put himself on the cross, the sign of victory. We feel we are protected by the power of the cross. The cross has blessings. In the 4th century, there was Helen the mother of the emperor Constantine. She was the daughter of a Syriac priest. She had a wish that she can find the cross one day. And after she......
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02
Sep 2018
Today’s gospel from Luke 11 speaks about 2 things. First, he speaks about the importance of prayer and to keep asking. And second, the importance of being “one” – a divided house cannot stand. So what does it mean “a divided house cannot stand”? We see this passage in 3 different gospels in which our Lord Jesus Christ says this. Luke 11, Mark 3 and Matthew 12. In response to the Pharisees’ accusation that Jesus was casting out demons by the power of Satan. And Jesus responds, and his argument to the......
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04
Aug 2018
The Feast of the Transfiguration of Christ is celebrated in a guest sermon from Mor Justinus Boulos Safar, Patriarchal Vicar in Zahleh and Beqaa: Today is a very special feast, where we celebrate the transfiguration of Jesus. Jesus went to the mountain and took three disciples with him — Peter, John and James — and during this time, he started to pray. And during the prayer – Jesus’s face became a sun shining, and his dress so white. The disciples could not see his face because it was so shiny. And then......
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22
Jul 2018
A lot of our struggles in our life is because we don’t know Jesus exactly. If we do know him personally, we should be able to face the whole world without any fear, struggle, no matter what the circumstances in our life. In Mark 8, the people followed Jesus into the wilderness. Imagine you were following Jesus for three days in the wilderness, as the disciples did. Jesus opened the divine channel to those people to tell them so much about God the father. Jesus, as St. Paul said, came to build......
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15
Jul 2018
In Mark, Jesus taught his disciples a lot of things. One verse brought my attention, Mark 3:22-30. And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Satan! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.” So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself......
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