H.H. Pope Tawadros II preached his weakly sermon at Wednesday meeting this evening from the Papal residence in Cairo. It was aired exclusively through Cristian’s channels and C.O.C channel that is affiliated to the church’s media center via internet without audience.

His Holiness today concluded his series of contemplations on wisdoms from Psalm 37, specifically teaching from the very last verse of the Psalm, verse 40, which says:
“40 And the Lord shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust (take refuge) in Him.”
His Holiness discussed 5 points related to the LORD’s protection over us, using verses from Psalm 23 to illustrate:
1- Psalm 23:2a – He makes me to lie down in green pastures. You are protected in green pastures. A person who hungers and thirsts for Christ’s righteousness is always satisfied because he or she takes refuge in and is protected by the LORD.
2- Psalm 23:2b – He leads me beside the still waters. And the very first “still or restful waters” in our lives are those of baptism, for the waters of baptism are what restore a person’s soul.
3- Psalm 23:3 – He restores my soul. The Holy Bible also says, “The Law of the LORD restores the soul” (Psalm 19:7). A person who takes refuge in the LORD has a continual sense of fulfilment, satisfaction, comfort, and they have no fears, because he or she is taking refuge in the LORD.
4- Psalm 23:4 – Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me. And this is another interpretation of the meaning of “Divine friendship,” that you put your hand in Christ’s Hand; walking along together with your Christ.
5- Psalm 23:5 – You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil. The Church fathers interpret the table to be the table of Divine Sacraments and the oil to be the oil of Myron, with which we anoint.

His Holiness added that the Psalm of the Shepherd (Psalm 23) speaks of the 7 Holy Sacraments of the Church, which is the house of the LORD, in other words, the LORD’s place of protection:
1- Baptism is “the still waters”
2- The anointing with the oil of Myron is the “You anoint my head with oil”
3- Holy Communion is the “You prepare a table before me”
4- Repentance is the “You restore my soul”
5- The anointing of the Sick is “the valley of the shadow of death”
6- Holy Matrimony is the “You are with me (You accompany me),” and
7- Priesthood is the “Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me”
And so, as it were, the ecclesiastical life, with all its foundations, its various aspects, and its Sacraments, are all placed right here before you in Psalm 23, and the idea is this: My house protects you.

H.H. started from the beginning of September a new serious of sermons in his weekly Wednesday’s meeting throw out Psalm 37 titled by “Lessons of Wisdom” and the “Take Refuge in the Lord” subject is the Eighteenth lesson in this serious.

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