• Arabic Corner
• Audio
• Bible Study
• Coptic Reader
• Children's Corner
• Deacons
• Evangelism & Apologetics
• Evangelism Pamphlets
• Interesting Facts
• Literature
• Pigori Productions
• Priests Corner
• Questions & Answers
• Reading Recommended
• Saintly Studies
• Servants Guide
• Sunday School Curriculum
• Sunday School Curriculum-Special Needs
• Youth Corner

Indeed, All That We Have Done, You Have Done For Us

Keraza Magazine issue 43-44 November 8, 2013

When Isaiah the Prophet was bewildered, distressing over salvation: "We look for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us" (Isaiah 59:11), God comforted him with a prophetic vision of Christ fulfilling the work of redemption and salvation on the cross for us. At this point, Isaiah exulted with that wonderful praise: "O Lord, you will ordain peace for us, for indeed, all that we have done, you have done for us" (Isaiah26:12NRSV).

• It is a praise chanted by all who fall under a difficult test of faith, akin to Abraham who was about to sacrifice his son, but behold, the angel of the Lord prevented him and prepared a ram for him to "offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son" (Genesis22:13).
  
  
• It is a praise chanted by all who are pursued by Pharaoh, akin to Moses and the people of Israel who were besieged before the Red Sea, where "the Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace" (Exodus14:14).
  
  
• It is a praise chanted by all who are put to shame, akin to Sennacherib reproaching Hezekiah the Prophet, who in turn cried up to God, and "the angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead" (Isaiah37:36).
  
  
• It is a praise chanted by all who are perplexed, akin to the Marys who "said among themselves, 'Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?' But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away" (Mark16:3-4).
  
  
• It is a praise chanted by all who are bound by chains, condemned to death, akin to St. Peter. Herod was "intending to bring him before the people after Passover" (Acts12:4), but St. Peter found "the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people" (Acts12:11).
  
  
• It is a praise chanted by all who are in dire need of a guide, akin to the Ethiopian eunuch who could not understand what he was reading, and so the Holy Spirit prepared a guide for him, ordering Philip to "go near and overtake this chariot" (Acts8:29).
  
  
• It is a praise chanted by the servant ministering under the direction of the Holy Spirit, akin to St. Mark who entered Egypt baffled as to where to begin, when his sandal tore and he met Anianus, and thus began his ministry.

What more can I say? Time would not permit me to tell of the wonder of the church of Atrib during the era of Aaron Al-Rashidi, the movement of the Mukkatam Mountain during the era of Pope Abraam Ben-Zaraa, and the relocation of the church of St. Abiskarion from Kallin to Behoe, and other difficulties that pained the church throughout the ages, of which she cried out to the Lord in bitterness, "O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You" (2 Chronicles20:12), and so, "He bowed the heavens also, and came down" (Psalm18:9), at which point the entire church rejoiced, and we rejoice along with her each day chanting, "O Lord, you will ordain peace for us, for indeed, all that we have done, you have done for us" (Isaiah26:12NRSV).

Bishop Youssef
Bishop, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States