Fr. Abraam Sleman's Blog

الكنيسة هي جسد المسيح، حيث يجتمع المؤمنون للعبادة، وتناول الأسرار المقدسة، وخدمة بعضهم البعض. إن حضور الكنيسة والتناول والخدمة هي جوانب أساسية للحياة المسيحية - فهي وسيلة النعمة التي تغذي أرواحنا وتبقينا على اتصال بالله وشعبه. لقد أسس الرب يسوع نفسه شر التناول قائلاً: "اصنعوا هذا لذكري" (لوقا 22: 19)، وكرست الكنيسة الأولى نفسها لكسر الخبز والصلاة والشركة (أعمال 2: 42). ولكن هذه الممارسات المقدسة لا تكفي بدون توبة حقيقية وتحول حقيقي للقلب. يمكن للمرء أن يحضر الكنيسة بانتظام، ويتناول القربان المقدس، وحتى يخدم الآخرين، ويظل يعيش في خطيئة بدون توبة إذا لم يستسلم القلب للمسيح. الإيمان بدون توبة حقيقية هو طقوس فارغة - يريد الله قلوبًا متغيرة، وليس مجرد مشاركة خارجية. ما وراء الطقوس - دعوة إلى الإيمان الحقيقي: يجب أن يقودنا حضور الكنيسة والممارسة الدينية إلى علاقة أعمق وأصيلة مع الله. تحذرنا رسالة يعقوب 1: 22 "لكن أثبتوا أنكم عاملون بالكلمة، وليس سامعين فقط خادعين أنفسكم". المسيحية الحقيقية لا تتعلق بالمظاهر - إنها تتعلق بالتحول الداخلي الحقيقي الذي يتجلى في أفعالنا. بدون ...

The Church is the body of Christ, where believers gather to worship, receive the sacraments, and serve one another. Attending church, partaking in communion, and serving are essential aspects of the Christian life—they are means of grace that nourish our souls and keep us connected to God and His people. Jesus Himself instituted the Eucharist, saying, “Do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19), and the early Church devoted themselves to the breaking of bread, prayers, and fellowship (Acts 2:42). However, these holy practices are not enough without genuine repentance and a true transformation of the heart. One can go to church regularly, partake in communion, and even serve others, yet still live in unrepentant sin if the heart is not surrendered to Christ. Faith without true repentance is empty ritualism—God desires hearts that are changed, not just outward participation. Beyond Rituals: A Call to Genuine Faith Attending church and engaging in religious practices should lead us deepe...

  قصة يونان ليست مجرد رواية قديمة عن نبي ابتلعه حوت عظيم، بل هي مرآة تعكس قلب الإنسان— صراعنا مع إرادة الله، كبرياؤنا، مقاومتنا للرحمة، وحاجتنا إلى التغيير. هذه ليست اعترافات حرفية من يونان، بل تأمل في رحلته، متخيلين كيف كان سيتحدث لو كان معنا اليوم، ونظر إلى الوراء وشارك الدروس التي علمه الله إياها. ماذا لو أدرك يونان، بعد الأحداث المسجلة في الكتاب المقدس، عمق رحمة الله وعدله؟ ماذا لو رأى في تجربته تلميحًا إلى المسيح — يسوع المسيح، الذي كان عانى الموت ومات وقام في اليوم الثالث؟ لو كان يونان معنا اليوم معترفا بكل ما حدث معه وله، فماذا كان سيقول؟ 1-            الهروب من دعوة الله أنا يونان سمعت جيدا ما أمرني الله به: "اذهب إلى نينوى ونادِ لها بالتوبة." لكنني لم أُريد الذهاب. لقد كرهت نينوى. كانوا شعبًا شريرًا عنيفًا—أعداءً لإسرائيل. كنت أراهم غير مستحقين لرحمة الله. لم أستطع قبول فكرة أن الله سيفيض شفقته عليهم. لذلك هربت. ركبت سفينة متجهة في الاتجاه المعاكس، ظننت أنني يمكنني الهروب من محضر الله. لكنني كنت أحمق. لأنه لا يوجد مكا...

  The story of Jonah is more than an ancient account of a prophet swallowed by a great fish. It is a  mirror of the human heart —our struggles with God’s will, our pride, our resistance to mercy, and our need for transformation.   This is not a literal confession from Jonah but a  reflection on his journey , imagining how he might have spoken if he were to look back and share the lessons God taught him. What if Jonah, after the events recorded in Scripture, came to a deeper understanding of God’s mercy and justice? What if he saw in his own experience a  foreshadowing of the Messiah to come—Jesus Christ, who would suffer, die, and rise again on the third day?   If Jonah were to confess, here is what he might say.   1. Running from God’s Call   “I knew what God had commanded me: ‘Go to Nineveh and call them to repentance.’ But I did not want to go. I despised Nineveh. They were a wicked, violent people—enemies of Israel. I saw them as undes...

The story of Nineveh in the Book of Jonah serves as a powerful foreshadowing of God's redemption through Jesus Christ. Through Nineveh’s sin, judgment, repentance, and salvation, we see God’s mercy and universal grace, which are fully realized in Christ. Below are key ways that Nineveh serves as a type of God’s redemption in Christ. 1. Nineveh’s Sin and the Universality of Sin Nineveh was a wicked city, known for its violence, idolatry, and oppression: 📖 Nahum 3:1-4 – “Woe to the city of bloodshed [Nineveh], completely full of deception and pillage… Many slain, a mass of corpses… All because of the many harlotries of the harlot, the charming one, the mistress of sorceries.” 📖 Jonah 1:2 – “Arise, go to Nineveh, the great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before Me.” 📖 Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Just as Nineveh’s sin was exposed before God, so is the sin of all humanity. Nineveh’s judgment and call to repentan...

  Watching President Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony on January 20, 2025, I begin my humble reflections by thanking God for this historic occasion. It was a blessing to witness the peaceful transition of leadership and to see prayers and invocations included in such a significant event. I am grateful for the opportunity to come together as a nation under God’s providence, seeking His guidance and wisdom for the days ahead. I also extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to President Trump. May his presidency be marked by wisdom, compassion, and a deep commitment to the values that uphold human dignity and justice. I pray that God will grant him strength and discernment to lead the nation toward unity, prosperity, and peace. Reflecting further, I was touched by the content of the prayers offered during the ceremony but felt a sense of disappointment at the absence of Orthodox Christian representation. Orthodoxy, with its profound theological richness, often feels lik...

The Father’s declaration, “This is My beloved Son,” resounds throughout the New Testament, revealing the unique relationship between the Father and the Son. It emphasizes Jesus’ divine identity, eternal Sonship, and the mission He fulfilled on earth. Moreover, it invites believers not only to partake in this divine love but also to respond with lives of gratitude, obedience, and love for God and others, particularly through Christ and the Eucharist. The Father’s Declaration of the Son’s Identity The phrase “This is My beloved Son” affirms the Lord Jesus’ divine Sonship and the Father’s approval of Him. At Jesus’ baptism, the Father declares, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased” (Matthew 3:17), marking the beginning of His public ministry. This moment reveals Jesus as the Messiah and the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Similarly, at the Transfiguration, the Father again proclaims, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!...