Daily Readings, Ho̔milíes, and Prayers - 04월/01日/2022ياش

Today is the 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐠𝐲𝐩𝐭 (𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒂 𝑨𝒆𝒈𝒚𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒄𝒂)

Mary of Egypt (Coptic: Ϯⲁⲅⲓⲁ Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ Ⲛⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ; Egyptian Arabic: مريم المصرية/ماريا المصرية; c. 344 – c. 421) was an Egyptian saint, highly venerated as a Desert Mother in the Eastern Orthodox and Coptic Churches. The Roman Catholic Church commemorates her as a patron saint of penitents.

Orthodox keeps her feast day on the April 1, so do Roman Catholics. Her life, half of her life, was first filled with fulfilling the pleasures that her flesh craves for. My mother thinks she might be a nymphomaniac. But upon not entering the church to participate in a church service, she was barred from entrance and pleaded with Mary through her image to let her in and renounce her ways. She lived in a desert for more than 40 years, until she was made known to a priest named Zosimas.

𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘞𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘱𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢.
𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘝𝘪𝘵𝘢 𝘣𝘺 𝘚𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘚𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘶𝘴.

In the name of the Father, ✠
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit,
𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗻.

𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 is from the Book of 𝕰𝖈𝖈𝖑𝖊𝖘𝖎𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖎𝖈𝖚𝖘 (𝐒𝖎𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖍) 42:9-14
New Catholic Bible (NCB)

𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗔𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗱[𝗮]
9 A daughter is a treasure that makes her father anxious,
and in his worry about her he loses sleep:
when she is young, for fear she may never marry,
and when she is married, for fear her husband may hate her;

10 when she is a virgin, for fear she may be seduced
and become pregnant in her father’s house;
when she has a husband, for fear she may prove unfaithful,
and after marriage, for fear she may prove to be barren.

11 Keep a close watch on a headstrong daughter,
lest she make you an object of ridicule to your enemies,
causing you to be the talk of the town, the subject of gossip,
and an object of derision in public gatherings.
Make sure that her room has no lattice,
no spot that overlooks the approaches to the house.

12 Do not allow her to parade her beauty before any man
or spend her time with married women;

13 for just as out of clothes comes the moth
so from a woman comes woman’s wickedness.

14 Better is the wickedness of a man than a woman’s goodness,
but better is a religious daughter than a son without shame.

[a] Women constituted a mystery in the eyes of the ancients. Their virtue seemed threatened, and moreover, they seemed to be a plague along the path of men (see vv. 12-14). We find this mistrust and this paradox among many ancient Jewish authors. But we would do the author an injustice if we did not recall how beautifully he sang the praises of the good wife (see Sir 26:1-4, 15-18; 36:21-27).

𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: A daughter is a treasure that makes her father anxious

This is the continuation of that part in the daily, when I posted about Sirach on the 𝐒𝐢𝐱𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐭. I want to first emphasize how society was back then, male-oriented. It is still going on right now, and we are still fighting to achieve equality. We are a learned society and have grown from misogyny. We learned to understand better what women are, what men are, psychology developed, science, and the Church too.

But misogyny isn't today's topic. It is fatherly love. I would like to make this analogy:

We are called to be children of God through Christ. And in keeping ourselves with being part of God's family, we are called to be holy and consecrated. This is how Israel was, they are also called to be pure and consecrated, but they did not. The world proposed too much pleasure, and they did not fight back.

Now God as a father, cannot push commands like, "do this," "do that," "you can't," "stop that." He could only say once and explain to us how and why this is. He is the most loving of fathers, and respects our decisions and free will. Though silently and unaware, He cries because of our disobediences and His unfailing justice. But if we turn ourselves to God, he would have the greatest joy and happiness. God can be much more than what I can imagine, but in the littleness of our minds this is how we can understand love.

Now, the father is anxious as to how his daughter would be after she had grown up. If a father on earth is anxious about our welfare, how can God who made the anxious heart not be anxious at our own welfare? Our predestination? Our Father wants what's best for us, as a whole. Individually, it can be what is worst for us because there will always be a bigger picture; a bigger picture of love. What is best for everyone in the will of God, can be suffering momentarily on earth. That is why we have hope and the clear image of the resurrection.

How prized we are;
How great worth we cannot see in ourselves,
that God can see in us?

Saint Mary of Egypt when she saw the image of Mary, she was struck. Her virginity and purity made her shamed. In Saint Sophronius' account, she prayed on to the Ikon, "O ever-virgin, who didst keep thy body and soul in purity. Rightly do I inspire hatred and disgust before thy virginal purity." Her father must've been unhappy with her running away at the age of 12 to fulfill her sensual desires. At the same age of 12 (or 16) Mary was announced at by the Angel. After Mary came back from Elizabeth's house in her 6th year, Joseph was truly shaken and feared that Mary had conceived.

Joseph stood as a father figure to Mary as well, and I think that is what husbands are. Saint Mary of Egypt renamed herself in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mother. I will repeat the line I said:

How prized we are;
How great worth we cannot see in ourselves,
that God can see in us?

As children of God, how do we show respect to our Father? And at our earthly homes, do we bring our own parents to shame? The commandment, honour your father and your mother, does not just say obey. To honour is to bring them not shame. To honour is to build yourself as a good person. To honour is to love them very much with great reverence. The homily that Fr. Dave, gave yesterday was, "How do you show gratitude to the little Moses whom beg to God for you?"

This was linked to the First Reading, Psalm, and Gospel of yesterday. Moses pleaded on their behalf, and Jesus told them "you place your hopes on Moses, and Moses will be your accuser."

Gratitude is an act of love. By loving you obey, honour, and are grateful.

𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫: "O loving Lady, thou hast shown me thy great love for all men. glory to God Who receives the repentance of sinners through thee. What more can I recollect or say, I who am so sinful? It is time for me, O Lady to fulfil my vow, according to thy witness. Now lead me by the hand along the path of repentance!" Saint Mary of Egypt in the Vita by Saint Sophronius.

Many times I have failed to acknowledge Your love, but You continue to shower them all throughout. I am a sinful child, and through this lent I ask You to grant me Your Divine Sorrow. So that I may see clearly and understand what I have done wrong. I may amend what I need to amend, in ways that is fitting and acceptable in Your eyes. Even if in my sins, I have put shame in You, Father, I ask that You accept me as Your child. May I be a fitting bride to the King of Kings, that is through the guidance and love of You, my Father. Amen.

In the name of the Father, ✠
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit,
𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗻.

℟. Thanks be to God!