A Coptic priest in Egypt has delivered an inspirational message in the wake of the Palm Sunday bombings in Alexandria and Tanta that killed at least 47 and injured dozens more. Fr Boules George of St Mark, Cleopatra church in Cairo addressed the Islamist attackers directly. ‘The first thing we will say is, “Thank you very, very much.”

“Thank you for helping us achieve our goal. You’re helping us, and you don’t even know it. I know you don’t understand, but I’m trying to explain it to you. There are people we visited
at home to encourage them to come to church – three, four, five times. Still they won’t come. What you’re doing here – you’re bringing to church the people who never come. Believe me – it’s bringing to church the people who never come!..”

“Let’s speak plainly here… Usually attendance at the Eve of Monday Pascha (Monday before Easter) is very little. People are usually so tired after a long Palm Sunday Liturgy and they don’t
come to the Eve of Monday services. When I came in tonight, there were people on chairs outside the sanctuary, there were people in the balcony seating. The church is completely full.
We are so grateful that you’re helping fill up our churches…”

“The second part of the message we want to send to you is that we love you. And this, unfortunately, you won’t understand at all. Why won’t you understand it? Because this too is a teaching of our Christ. I want to explain to you about our Christ. I want to tell you about how wonderful he is. See what Christ said: ‘If you love those who love you, what reward have you… But I say to you, love your enemies’ (Matthew 5:46)…”

“I love you very much. And I want to say one last thing to you: we’re praying for you. Because the One who told us to love you told us to, ‘bless those who curse you… and pray for those
who spitefully use you’ (Matthew 5:44)… Amen.”

Source: Christian Today

Bible Study: Matthew 5:44-46

JUNE: PRAISE GOD that the horrors of ISIS, and the steadfast witness of love and forgiveness by the Christian community, gives testimony to the majority Muslim community of the love of Christ which does not take revenge but forgives. Pray for the Holy Spirit to penetrate the hearts of many Egyptians.