Thanksgiving Graduate Retreat 2025: Be Still - Fr. Anastasi St. Antony - Talk 1

Fr. Mina talks about how we should treat others according to God’s word. It especially emphasizes the way we should treat our enemies, we need to love and care for them. We need to show them love because this gives us a glimpse into God’s heart. We can also connect to God’s heart by committing ourselves to a life of righteousness. This means choosing to stay away from a foolish life. A foolish life is one where we choose to ignore the sacrifice and love that God gave us to satisfy our earthly needs. A righteous life is one where we choose to appreciate God’s grace and sacrifice for us.

We continue our journey through the treasures of the book of Proverbs and dive into its personal message to each of us that it becomes our duty to practice as Christians. Correction is not the simple fact of correcting what is wrong but it is made complete when the one making the correction explains what ought to be done instead of the wrong and the rationale behind it. The church does not need more people attacking it...the church needs people who are with God, who seek peace and pursue it, and who refresh the soul with a word.

If I am still practicing a sinful life, I have not yet stepped into a life of perfection. God entrusted us with a field, and we will either be a man who takes care of the field and nourish it, or become a lazy man that lets thorns out to choke any possible fruit from growth.

We often feel the desire to be better than others, and this can cause us to feel happy when we see others stumble. But God’s commandment is clear—everyone is made in the image of God, and we must not rejoice in the suffering of others. God requires us, as His children, to have His heart. The Lord calls us to change ourselves internally to become more righteous, but sometimes we get distracted from this inner change and seek external ways to improve ourselves. This distracts us from the true purpose of our lives. It is important to remember that what we do in the world is still connected to our internal change. Our outward actions affect the blessings that are allowed into our own homes. By controlling what we think and say about others and focusing on our own hearts, we can grow closer to the Heart of the Lord, who searches for souls to join Him.

الطاعة لصوت الله – الأب مينا ديميتري by Saint Mary Coptic Orthodox Church, East Brunswick, NJ

Through wisdom we can overcome our spiritual warfare. Without wisdom, we become lost and lose our virtue. Discernment is how we apply God’s commandments the right way in our real lives. This wisdom comes from Christ Himself and requires our sacrifice, dedication, and commitment. No evil can be hidden forever, no matter how much they try to conceal themselves. Foolishness becomes sin and becomes known to the world. It is important to remember that Christ said in the last days people will uplift evilness. Even now, we need to exercise wisdom when dealing with the world which glorifies sin. The wicked attack the source of nourishment (wisdom) for the righteous. The righteous might fall into sin but they rise again because their foundation in Christ is strong.

These chapters warn us of the dangers of addiction and the lack of self-control. The temptations of alcohol and addiction often arise not from an actual dependence on the substance itself, but from the social environments in which they are encountered. Because of this, it is important to avoid even the places where temptation is readily available for extended periods of time. Our environment is one of the few aspects of temptation that we are able to control. The life of an addict is often consumed by pain, denial, and shame. Helping an addict requires compassion and an honest acknowledgment of their situation. The life of a child of God who seeks to avoid this path should be grounded in wisdom and faithful adherence to the Word of God. Through this foundation, we are able to build a strong life that helps us resist and overcome every temptation.

The Lord invites us to a special type of wisdom. A wisdom that is of sonship. The ways of the world are not trodden at a free cost, but the biggest cost of all is paid: your soul. Once God reveals the truth in your life, don’t sell it. The cost of this road to be trodden is also high but it leads to life.

Thanksgiving Graduate Retreat 2025: Hearing God's Voice - Joe and Sandy Everett - Talk 4 by Saint Mary Coptic Orthodox Church, East Brunswick, NJ

Thanksgiving Graduate Retreat 2025: How God Speaks - Fr. Anastasi St. Antony - Talk 3 by Saint Mary Coptic Orthodox Church, East Brunswick, NJ