NEBAB #37: Lent Week 7: Nicodemus

NEBAB #37

The Orthodox Tewahedo Magazine

LENT WEEK 7:ኒቆዲሞስ - NICODEMUS

 

The Spiritual Education Unit

Ethiopian Orthodox Church

Archdiocese of the Caribbean and Latin America

In this issue:

Gospel: St John 3:1-12

    1. Born Again

    2. Joseph and Nicodemus | How the rich CAN inherit the kingdom

    3. Faith and works

    4. “Ask Abba/Kes”

    5. A Miracle of the Holy Virgin Maryam

    6. Children’s corner

    7.ይበል ግዕዝ 

    8. Orthodox Q&A

Commentary on the Gospel:

St John 3:5

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

We know the instruction of Nicodemus as a teaching on baptism, but pay attention to our Lord's words. Here He repeats what He just told Nicodemus (Verse 3) with further elaboration. So why does He elaborate further?

He is explaining being born again, telling Nicodemus exactly how this second birth happens- of water and the Spirit. He explains what baptism does for a person- it brings us into the kingdom of God. Here "enter into the kingdom of God" means to enter into the faith, and it also means to enter into the kingdom of heaven in the age to come. He also reveals to Nicodemus the mystery of the Holy Trinity. By saying "God" He speaks of the Father, by saying "water" He speaks of Himself- the water that flowed from His side on the cross- and by saying "the Spirit" He speaks of the Holy Spirit.

Consider 1st John 5:7-8. Verse 7 teaches plainly about the Holy Trinity, but what is St John saying in Verse 8? He speaks of the sacraments. Baptism in water, Confirmation for receiving the Holy Spirit, and Holy Communion to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ. These three bear witness of us on earth, and are how we become a child of the Holy Trinity- the Father, Son and Holy Spirit- who bear witness of us in heaven.

May we hear the words of life!

 

Born Again

The 8 weeks of The Great Fast, also known as Lent, have names and themes laid out in St Yared’s Tsome Digua. The seventh is named after Nicodemus. What can we learn from Nicodemus' nighttime instruction?

To be baptised is to be born again. This 'born again' concept is important because it teaches us exactly what our baptism is supposed to do for us. Birth is the beginning of a life- so baptism must be the beginning of our Christian life. Not just a name or a cross around the neck- baptism brings a person into the full Christian way of life. The life of the church (with her various services, sacraments, even social events) is given to us so that we can be with Christ in everything we do, as He wants to be with us in everything.

'Born again' also means starting over. The apostles teach us about the death of the old person we used to be, and how that old person is replaced by a new Christian. Is there anything more dangerous for a Christian than to return to habits or behaviours from before their baptism? Imagine taking a newborn baby, still wet from the womb, ripping him from his mother's arms and throwing him into a grave at a funeral. This is what we do to our souls when we go back to the ways we knew before our baptism. Thank God He has given us the sacrament of penance so we can continue to come back to Him no matter how many times we fall!

Joseph and Nicodemus | How the rich CAN inherit the kingdom

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were two rich men who used their riches to serve God, wrapping, anointing and burying the body of Christ, and continuing to serve in the church after His resurrection- living long lives and dying in Christ. They did what our Lord taught is harder than passing a camel through the eye of a needle- let us apply it to ourselves.

Many of you reading may be thinking, 'But I'm not rich! I don't have houses and land and status in the government or influence with the leaders, Joseph and Nicodemus were in a different category from me!' We should not think of material wealth as being the only kind of riches a person can have, nor should we limit our Lord's teaching. Many of us, while being materially poor, have riches we are called to use for God's kingdom, just like Joseph of Arimathea, who used his wealth to buy the place where Christ's body would be laid and where His church still worships Him to this day. What a profitable investment into the kingdom of God!

Riches can refer to knowledge. It has been noted by certain long-serving and experienced Ethiopian bishops that 'Caribbean people are fast learners'. We can either use those riches for God's service or not. If we attend classes, get familiar with the Bible, ask questions of our fathers the priests, and aim to grow in our knowledge of God, we will have used our God-given riches well. If our attitude is lax and we don't put in effort, our riches will weigh us down instead of lifting others up. Nicodemus was rich in knowledge, having learned from Gamaliel like Paul, Nathaniel, Stephen and many others, and he used that Old Testament knowledge and the knowledge He got from studying with our Lord to teach the church.

Riches can refer to social skills and relationships. If we have friends and acquaintances  that we see every day, consider how many of them we have ever invited to church, just once. Joseph and Nicodemus both had social influence and used it to request the body of our Lord Jesus Christ- at whose name angels bow down and demons tremble with fear. 

Let us not waste the riches God has given to each of us, and let us not think that our lack of material wealth means that God has not made us rich!

Faith and Works:

Humility and Service

Some of us have positions of leadership outside of the Church, like Nicodemus did. He was a teacher and judge who went to learn from the Teacher of teachers and true Judge. What should we then do to bring orthodoxy into our work as leaders?

1. Read stories of saints who were rulers and see how we can imitate them.

St. Esther, the queen, showed us the attitude we should have. In Esther 4 (Septuagint), she says in prayer, “Thou knowest all things and knowest that I hate the glory of transgressors … For Thou knowest my necessity, for I abhor the symbol of my proud station, which is upon my head in the days of my splendour: I abhor it as a menstruous cloth, and I wear it not in the days of my tranquility”. [Its placement may vary.]

This does not remove from us the responsibility to be faithful servants, even in our secular work. St. David and St. Joseph (of the 12 patriarchs) teach us faithfulness.

2. “Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.” - Proverbs 31: 8-9

St. Daniel, who was given a chief place during the time of Babylonian captivity, exemplified this. He spoke up in the name of justice and truth for St. Susanna when she was falsely accused, in accordance with the proverbs of the wisest king (and behold, a greater than Solomon is here!) Much of the content of the Books of Wisdom is written for rulers. 

3. Read the books of Wisdom. 

St. Nicodemus learned from the Teacher of teachers. Therefore, let us conclude with the example of our Lord, Who washed the feet of His disciples. In his commentary on this act of unutterable humility and service, St. John Chrysostom notes that our Lord performed it after they had all sat down. He goes on to highlight that He girded Himself with a towel and filled the basin Himself, not bidding another do it. “He did all these things Himself, showing by all that we must do such things, when we are engaged in well doing, not merely for form’s sake, but with all zeal.”

4. When we seek to do good, we should avoid laziness. 

Pray that we all receive courage to defend the faith, as St. Nicodemus went on to do (St. John 7).

Ask Abba/Kes

"Why do we contribute money to the church, even though St Paul said that he did not want to burden the Corinthian believers by requiring wages of them?"

First, believers are responsible to take care of their spiritual fathers, to sustain them so that they can serve. How should Christians support their spiritual father? For their daily bread? Yes, of course. As paying a price for their church service? No! Do not confuse contributions to the church- which is Christian duty- with wages for a priest.

BIBLE QUIZ!

What was St Paul's job by which he earned his daily bread?

 

A Miracle of the Holy Virgin Maryam

Since April 2, 1968, the Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary has appeared several times on the Coptic Orthodox Church named after Her, at Zeitun in Cairo.

The Apparition has appeared during different nights and is still appearing in varying forms: Sometimes in complete body and oth­ers in half, always surrounded by a white glittering halo appearing either from the dome openings or from the space between the domes on which she used to move and march and bow before the Cross on the church roof, giving it a magnificent light. She used also to face multitudes of people in front of the church and bless them with her hands and with nods from her blessed head. In some other times the Apparition was in the form of a body of celestial glittering white cloud or in the form of light proceeded by some spiritual forms such as doves of great speed. The Apparition used to appear for a long period that reached in certain times two hours and a quarter as happened on April 30, 1968, when her complete glittering Appari­tion stayed from 2:45 to 5:00 a.m.

 

The appearances have been witnessed by many thousands of citizens and foreigners belonging to different religions and sects, together with groups of religious organizations and scientific and professional personages and all other categories of people, who have proclaimed and announced their witnesses confirming the certainty of the Virgin's appearances-all giving the same particu­lars as to description and form and time and place, thus proving a whole agreement in witnessing that has elevated the matter of ap­pearance above any doubt or any lack of proof or evidence.

These appearances have been accompanied by two important matters: The first is the vivid spirit of belief in God, the Other World and the Saints; thus having many of the unbelievers and those of weak belief repent through this cause of belief. The second is the miraculous cure that has occurred to many patients whose cases have been examined by all concerned medically and scientifically.

Taken from the papal statement of His Holiness St Pope Kyrillos VI

O Holy Virgin Maryam, pray for us!

LIJOCH! The Children's Corner

Memory verse: St John 3:7

Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

ይበል:ግዕዝ (yibel Ge’ez)

Let's reclaim our forefathers’ language

If we want to be like Nicodemus and study the mysteries of God at night, we would be attending a

ጉባኤ

guba'e

A guba'e is an assembly, congregation or gathering. It can also mean a session, meeting or a community of the faithful. The ecumenical councils are referred to as guba'e, e.g. ጉባኤ ኒቂያ guba'e niqiya - the council of Nicaea. The schools/classes in which students learn the interpretation of the Scriptures, the hymns of St Yared, and other subjects in our church's traditional schools are also called guba'e, e.g. ጉባኤ ሐዲስ ኪዳን guba'e haddis kidan - school of the New Testament.

It comes from the root verb ገብአ geb'a which can mean to enter, leave, or return depending on its usage. We hear it at the beginning of the liturgy on Sundays ኢይበል ፈላሲ ዘገብአ eeyibel felasee zegeb'a - let him not question whether he will be cast out. 

ORTHODOX Q&A

"Who or what is the ultimate authority for you [Orthodox Christians]?"

Christ and His body- the church. The church is the concrete body of Christ. St Paul spells out a tripartite hierarchy of authority, the bishop, the elders/presbyters and the deacons. The coming together- or the council- of all the bishop who receive authority directly from the apostles- that is the body of Christ.

Send us your questions at: seu.eotccarla@gmail.com

Short message on behalf the Spiritual Education Unit:

His Grace Abune Thaddaeus, Head Administrator Archimandrite Abba Gebreyesus, and all clergy and faithful- thank you for the opportunity to share this labour of love with you. Thanks also to the team of the Spiritual Education Unit for their hard work.

-Liqe Teghuan Tekle Mariam Greene

References

Miracle of the Holy Virgin Mary: stmaryztn.org/saintmary/en/apparition-story/papal-statment

Orthodox Q&A: youtu.be/OP9DvsdyLxU?si=O-hxMsvxialfiI1O

CONTACT US:

Archdiocese headquarters: Medhane Alem (Saviour of the World), Old Golden Grove Rd. Arouca, Trinidad and Tobago.

Tel. 868-642-4230.

e-mail: eotc.arch.carla@gmail.com

ethiopianorthodoxtewahedochurchcarla.org