EP 20 | “I Was Not Prepared for Priesthood" — Purity, Identity & the Glory of God | Fr Jacob Magdy - The Salt Podcast

Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
I was not prepared for priesthood at all.
It is a matter of faith. We're doing this all for His
glory. The glory of God is what's
running in my mind. The House of God is very
effective when I go there and say, Lord help me.
Yes, it's a hard route, but it'sa lot more fulfilling in the
end. God is concerned about our
eternity. The gap between tradition and
non traditional church is reallydiminishing.

(00:22):
My mind doesn't take it or my faith doesn't support it.
He said that he's stupid. How can I compare my sinful
mother to the beauty of Saint Mary?
Is masturbation a sin? This generation is different.
And how does someone break that?Addiction when she press double
his and she was very successful.It's not words that affected me.

(00:45):
It is action from this man. May the Lord continue to bless
your your work. This is.
The Soft Podcast Podcast. Let's pick up the Bible.
Let's read. Let's pray.
Because that's what Jesus calledme to do.
The Lord makes you that salt of the earth.
We need Christians to share the truth, preserve the world for
Christ. May this podcast be a beacon of

(01:08):
light. This is the Salt podcast.
When we recorded episode 1 of the Salt Podcast, we were
honestly trying to find our fate.
No studio, no real audience, no idea what we were doing.
But the mission was clear. We wanted to have wholesome
Christian content, not only for Christians, but for anyone
searching. Since then, God has taken this

(01:29):
podcast further than we ever imagined. 20 episodes later,
over 40 million views across allplatforms and a community that
spans the world, over 91 countries just on Spotify, all
built on real faith, raw storiesand our dream of evangelizing
and bringing hope even to 1 listener.

(01:50):
And today we arrive at a milestone, episode 20, which
marks the Season 1 finale of TheSalt Podcast.
So for episode 20, it's only feeling that we share it with
our very first guest where it all began.
Father Jacob isn't just someone our audience loves, he's a
spiritual guide to thousands. And after our episode, maybe now

(02:11):
millions. He's someone who has helped lay
the foundation for the entire journey.
Welcome to the Salt podcast. I'm George Iskander and joining
me for episode 20 is my lovely Co host Simon Thomas Gilto, who
I definitely could not have donethis without.
So I really would like to thank you my brother.
We joke a lot, but I couldn't have done this without you and

(02:32):
you're really like a son to me. That was really perfect speech
until the very end. Well, I'm not going to make it
about us. Without further ado, beautiful
speech. Without further ado, I'm
honoured to welcome back Father Jacob Maggie.
Let's give him a round of applause.
Now, before we're going to startthis podcast, I really want to
say we have grown like tremendously After our first

(02:56):
episode, we were all nervous andjittery and I took some as I
took some lessons from that podcast.
But one thing I do remember taking was I told George
afterwards that no matter what happens, if we're God ever
blesses us to have him on again,we need to get him a gift.
So with that being said, we'd like to present to you this

(03:17):
book, The Daily Wisdom World that's all written by Mark
Ralph. It's a very, very beautiful book
where each and every single day you get new responses depending
on the day with the scripture and a verse.
And it starts your day in the best way now.
Yeah. Thank you very much for this.
This is very valuable and I promise that I read it.

(03:43):
Whenever you read it, I'll starton my birthday and then I'll
keep going. But that's not the only thing,
unfortunately. So I remember talking to George,
and I don't know if you rememberthis, but after the episode we
were talking about shoes for some reason and I he.
Was wearing He was wearing some fancy shoes we liked.
His no, no, he was wearing, no, he was wearing the school shoes

(04:03):
that we used to wear back in theday.
I remember. And then we had asked you what
shoe size are you? And you were just being very
humble with it. So George had to do some extra
investigation. And with that being said, George
and I would also like to presentyou with another gift.
It's just a token of our appreciation for for everything

(04:23):
that you've done for us. You don't need to open it now,
but it's a very, very, very comfortable pair of shoes that
George and I picked out. We got a black colorway.
So it's, it's definitely allowable to wear it, but I
promise you'll enjoy it. So thank you.
This is just a small token of our appreciation.
I'm very appreciative of your love and dear Kieran, thank you

(04:46):
very much. Thank you.
So actually the way we want to start our episode today is we
asked our audience what they would like us to ask you.
So this was a bit of a unique episode.
So we thought what we'll do is we'll go on all our platforms
and just ask people to send in their questions.
So we've got a whole bunch of questions.
We'll probably go through just afew of them and maybe even

(05:06):
expand on some questions with some of our own and then have a
gentle discussion. And then we'll probably lead
into something that we've made called the Salty segment, which
is where we ask you fast, rapid fire questions and we get like
one word responses from you. That's probably how we'll end.
But I'll let Simon lead us into our first question.
So just to hear a bit of back story, there were a lot of
questions and George and I went through them and figured we'll

(05:28):
get as many as we can in. So the first question was, how
do you reconcile the harsh God of the Old Testament with the
loving God of the New Testament?It is a tough question because
it makes many people a little bit disturbed about how the Old
Testament shows that God was very strict to the extent that

(05:52):
it doesn't match the softness ofthe hearts in the New Testament.
But some factors can be considered.
For example, at the start of anysystem you have to be strict.
I recall Pope Shenuda speaking about Hanani and Sapphira.
Why Saint Peter was very tough on them?

(06:15):
Because it is a start. When you start any project, you
have to be very strict. Otherwise, if the start is a bit
lenient, then possibly it doesn't arrive at the goal.
That's one thing. The other thing that we are not
in a position to assist why God does things.
I mean, we know that God was very successful in in the way he

(06:40):
guided people to him. And Despite that, there's a
little bit of toughness in the stand of God against sins in the
Old Testament. We understand from God is
concerned about our eternity. One of the reasons that God

(07:00):
created us is to make us happy with him.
And you know, in order for this to happen, then God was a bit
strict, which is very similar tous.
For example, when we know that there is no solution for a
disease like cancer, it has to be removed despite the pain that

(07:23):
can happen during the operation,whatever.
But we know that it's it's a must.
So God saw that is a must to make things strict in the Old
Testament. But when Jesus came and among us
and took body of human, he should the level of care and is

(07:45):
amazing. I remember for example, how
Abuna Matanuskin was commenting on the event that the Lord did
not condemn the lady that was adulterous.
A very nice conversation happened between Jesus and that
Lady. He said to her, where are the
people that complained against you?

(08:08):
She didn't answer then Jesus elaborated has anyone condemned
you? She said no must.
Then Jesus said neither do I. So the level of care and love
God showed even towards sinners is amazing.
And this actually one of the reason that we understood and I

(08:34):
had an experience of 1 lecturer at Uni far in Egypt that the
first half of the year he was very strict and giving wet
marks. And the the other half he was
very gentle and he moved our hearts because when we knew that
he can be very strict and strictness is needed.

(08:56):
But the other half of the year was very gentle.
He comes on the weekend to help a student that missed something.
So the love that we have for Jesus being very gentle, maybe
needed this toughness of the oldperson, but it is a source of

(09:21):
trouble for some people. They say how would allow this to
happen? We don't know.
If the plan from what is like that, then that's it.
I think from, correct me if I'm wrong, the boner our Father.
The way I kind of interpret the Old Testament is that I mean we
see God in the Old Testament be extremely loving in many

(09:41):
circumstances. Just like when Adam and Eve sin
straight away he clothed them orother circumstances.
Throughout the Bible we see God's tender heart, you know,
looking after the widow or anything like that.
But at the same time the harshness came because he needed
to make a sacred people for himself so the Messiah can come,
which in essence is out of love so he can save us.
So in order to kind of purify the people and and allow for

(10:04):
Saint Mary to come around and then eventually, you know, Jesus
to be born and that lineage to happen.
My understanding that's why he was very strict, you know,
separate them from these people.You know, if he didn't do that,
then how could he save us? Is that?
This is a very nice, very nice way of thinking this year.
I always feel that the Lord sometimes doesn't punish but he

(10:31):
denies privileges. Like even when he said to Adam
paradise is not for you, now wasa privilege that Adam didn't
deserve. So he said to him that you are
not loyal to me and then I take my offer back which is to live

(10:54):
in paradise. So sometimes we look like
parents with their children in study and all all the year.
They feel that mom or dad are tough pushing us to study all
the time, but they appreciate that very much the same idea.
And they wouldn't appreciate that their kindness, except if

(11:16):
they pass through the message that my parents are tough
because they like, they show me their love in the due time.
Father, what do you say to the people that's often times when
they're falling into a sin or orjust a long term sin for
whatever the sin may be, when they say, oh, God's left me,

(11:37):
God's no longer with me. Is it us that's leaving God or
God or God leaving? Yeah, when your comment is very
rare and true that it's it is. It's I that leave God.
He doesn't leave me. If I'm loyal to God, I see his
power. Loyalty is a virtue that reveals

(11:59):
to me how God can be gentle to me when I I follow him, When I I
behave in a way that shows that I am loyal to God, then I see
his power. You know, in the Old Testament
there's an event that happened with one of the kings of Judah

(12:20):
that he saw the power of God in a certain situation when
1,000,000 soldier came to attackhis country and he didn't have
enough power to stand against this 1,000,000 invaders, but the
Lords supported him. After a number of years, he had

(12:45):
other threats and he misbehaved in dealing with this new threat.
Then a prophet from God came to him and said you behaved in a
very unwise way, because the eyes of the Lord search the
earth here and there to show himself a powerful for those who

(13:07):
are loyal to him. And this is very true.
If I like to see the power of God, then I should behave in a
way that proves my loyalty to him.
If I say that I don't see the power of God, that's because
possibly I'm not loyal enough. I don't think that God punishes,

(13:30):
but he just take back his privileges, his and this will
make me more loyal. When I know that I'm not loyal
enough, then I don't see how he's supportive.
This happened in many things andI saw some people in business

(13:51):
very successful by the care of God.
Why? Because they are loyal.
They, for example, look after the needy.
They, they fill the place with their prayers and they're
following the commandments of God.
Then they they they reap the effect of their loyalty.

(14:14):
I, George. What pray?
I just want to ask you advice onsomething.
Oh, OK. Lately I feel like my prayer
life has been non existent. Why do you think that is?
Because I'm always on my. Phone.
Oh well, there's an easy solution for that.
Yeah, what's that? Well, have you heard of Hello
App? No.

(14:35):
It's the number one Christian app in the world.
Hold on, let me have a look. Yeah, it's got a wide range of
content. It's got rosary, audio, Bible in
the year, daily reflections, sleep, prayers and music.
Oh. Wow.
It's deep in my faith through guided prayer and meditation.
And you know what else? It's got a thriving global
community of believers, so you can connect and also put prayer

(14:58):
requests. So this app is like an all in
one. Yeah, that's right.
Yeah, it means they're probably going to charge an arm and a
leg. If you use our link
hello.com/salt podcast you actually get 3 months.
For free. Oh wow I definitely need to do
that. Thank you so much bro.
Back to the episode. What's your opinion, Sam?

(15:20):
I agree with what you're saying.I think it's not us that it's
not us that's ever we never say,Oh, God's leaving God's leaving
us. It's always with our sins as a
consequence of our actions. We're leaving God.
And the moment we go to church more the moment we we attend
masses, the moment we just immerse our life in in God, then

(15:41):
everything becomes a lot clearer.
But I understand when people say, Oh, I feel like God's left
me because they're immersed in the the other side, the scene
where they can't their, their side isn't pure, They're not
seeing everything with a clear eye.
But I feel like once they chooseto say I want to become closer
to God again, it's like everything just sort of comes

(16:01):
into comes into itself again. We've all we've all fallen into
that. So my opinion is when, when
you're, when you're sinning and you feel as though you're away
from God, everything just sort of becomes very bad around you.
But when you choose to go the harder route, which is get
closer to God and and attend attend his masses and and hear

(16:22):
the word of God, then yes, it's a hard route, but it's a lot
more fulfilling in the end. I I just listened to a talk by
Willa Dewood Lemay about how I enjoy the peace and he said
something similar to what he said and if if I am following
his commandment then I enjoy peace without a lot of effort.

(16:44):
It just happened that and the reverse is true.
And when I misbehave, I I lack peace.
And it's natural that I I started doubting that the Lord
will be supportive to me. Waiting to next question.
I think it's very important always to have role models in

(17:05):
front of us. Of course Jesus is the best role
model, but in our Orthodox faithwe also look at the Saints.
So one of the questions that someone asked is which St. is
Father Jacob's biggest role model and why?
I was very lucky to deal with Pope Carlos when he was alive

(17:26):
and I remember how this impactedmy life again.
Sometimes we need to see something that makes our faith
very strong and I saw things like that.
You know that many of the miracles can be through say 99%
or 99.9%, but seldom to find a miracle that is 100%.

(17:49):
And for example, healing after someone receives miraculous
healing, he may say that oh, it was coincidence or the doctors
misdiagnosed the thing. But I saw from Pop Carlos things
that 100% it's impossible not tobe American.

(18:10):
For example, when there's a guy in our church, I love this
story. He was a Deacon and he's still
living. So he's and he maybe Ocarus was
older than him by 1520 years andhe had a problem in the church

(18:31):
and he went to complaint of Ocarus.
But when he went to there, he expected that someone will be at
the door to allow him in. But he found he went to his
residence where he lives and no one stopped him or asked him

(18:52):
more than shocking is that the door was open at least to pop
Corolla's bedroom. So he felt shame on me.
It's a trivial problem. I have to go.
So he went to down the stairs. Then he heard clear voice saying
come up and he mentioned his name.

(19:13):
His name is Helmy. He heard the voice saying come
in Helmy. He looked, there are no cameras,
no. But anyway, he went in and he
found Bob Goros sitting in the corner far from the stairs.
And he said to him, Bob Goros knew the problem and he appeased

(19:37):
his anger or fear and he went down shocked.
How did he know my name? How did he know I am on the
stairs? And he says this story, this is
100% miracle because honey, how would he know his name?
How there's no cameras? No, how did he know things from

(20:00):
Coco? So I saw these things and also I
saw the the the, the power that he displayed.
Just following on, there's a nice story that happened.
When I was studying there that the defense minister put

(20:32):
military equipment in schools and churches and mosques because
if Israel hit the place, then the international opinion would
be how harsh they are that they the bombarded church.

(20:52):
And then there was a student there.
He became after that a priest and he went to Popcorn saying to
him, you are responsible, speak to defence minister that he
should not hide military equipment in the cathedral.

(21:14):
And then Popcorn shifted his chair and looked at an icon for
Saint Mark and he said Saint Mark do something Saint Mark.
This became a buener and escamarthis year.
As he left, an idea came to his mind that this Pope is very

(21:35):
passive. He does nothing.
Moreover, he speaks to a paper because Saint Mark was a paper.
But that same night there was broadcast from Israel about this
phenomenon and they they just mocked the defence minister

(21:55):
doing that. So out of embarrassment, the
defence minister shifted the equipment from the place.
Then in the morning, there was no military equipment in the
air. And then Pope Carlos said he's
nice and he has nice sense of humor.
He said Finland had the limit with this stubborn boy.

(22:18):
And he came and he said to him, your Holiness, I, I have dirty
brain, but my tongue didn't say anything.
Forgive me. And then he make sure with him.
But this also made I became after that when he ran a scam

(22:39):
all his life. He's done that wrote and he
spoke a lot about we have to leave in in his because that was
the first event that he saw fromhim.
So can I say another story please, please.
Abuna Mark at Saint Mark had a dream once on the eve of the 9th

(23:04):
of March. He didn't observe that 9th of
March is feast of popular, but in the the in pop curl said to
him skip the school tomorrow, don't go to school, come to the
church in the morning. His mom told him this good
school and mom I'm not going to school, but why?

(23:26):
I guess he was a bit tired to say this said mom please I'm not
going. Then he came to the church and
he discovered that it is his feast pop curl.
And moreover we had a processionat the end and Uncle Samir, I
had the top Deacon. Then I look tired and he was

(23:51):
sitting at the back and look, come here and this my Albert,
come here. I look carry the icon of
Corollas doing the procession. The next year, 9th of March, he
didn't go to school. He went again to the church, but
this time he said, I'd like to make sure that it's America
around 100%. So he hid himself at the back

(24:14):
such that no one observed that he's there.
Then the head Deacon on that dayfor some unbelievable events, he
searched until you got him from the back of the sheer Cup.
Wow. So since that the Pope call list
to him is so that's the game. It's really we're lucky to have

(24:39):
a person like that in our generation, especially that he
was leaving when I when we dealtwith him.
Can I ask what's a story of his that stays with you your whole
life? What's something that that's
happened or you were there and you will never forget it?

(25:02):
Something happened to me personally that I was studying
in the Faculty of Theology and Pope Shinuda then was a Bishop.
He taught us 4 subjects and thatwas the best any time in my
life. He's yeah.
And he's amazing in the way he makes you love God.

(25:23):
And then Pope Carlos was in his last few months, so he decided
to let Pope Shinuda go and stay in the monastery in solitude,
preparing him for the big responsibility that will come.
But I didn't understand why did he say to him got the most.

(25:46):
So I was very upset because and then I went one day and
colleague of mine became after that monk and the ambushnuda is
not here, he's not going to teach us anymore.
Said why? He said Corollas said to him and

(26:09):
don't speak to people, just leave him insert you preparing
him for the future. And then I was very upset and
then my colleague said Pope Corollas is praying in the
casita, let us attend with him and kiss his hand.
I said I'm not going to kiss hishand and do what impolite

(26:30):
comment from you. Why do you say that?
And then I tried to find the reason.
The reason is that Pop Chorus didn't like people to catch his
hand, especially women. So he didn't like to
differentiate between men and men.
He just said that if you greet me, just if you like to kiss my
hand, kiss you, but don't grab my hand.

(26:54):
So I I said that's the reason. Jesus didn't do that.
Very impolite for me and we stayed outside speaking until
Ashea finished and he came down the stairs.
As we saw him coming down, therewere about maybe 30-40 people in
the place. All of us rushed to kiss his

(27:16):
hand. Everyone kissed his hand happy
except I. When I got to kiss his hand he
pushed me saying is it not sufficient for you?
I said. When I said that he was 2
kilometers away from me since I was scared.
The idea if I do anything that he'll know.

(27:39):
You'll even come in the dreams as well.
I think we're very blessed and very lucky in our church that we
have Saints that we look up to. What would you say to people
that don't have that other denominations of Christianity
that don't appreciate Saints andthey see Saints as a distraction
from Jesus? We, we, we, we say to them that
it's not necessary for salvation.

(28:00):
And if I don't believe in the power of Saints, it's not
necessary for salvation. I could now option with a saying
that, but I'm the loser because it's it's a resource.
It is really a resource. And sometimes things happen from
Saints that you wonder, did theyreally listen to?
I'll tell you something that happened between Saint Mary and

(28:24):
I, One of my sons, I didn't see him for a long time and I was
encircling the Cheers Australia until I went at the back icon
sent me and I spoke to Saint Mary in my heart saying you are
a mother and I am now father andmother because my wife died and

(28:53):
I longed to see my son. Would you do things that I will
see him soon. By the time I finished the
circle was there I found my son,my sexual Tonya expecting me to
to allow him to be a Deacon. I said she get informed.

(29:16):
I don't know because I was at the door.
He didn't come from the door. He came maybe from the back door
or something, but so she's at a source.
So there was lovely, lovely Protestant guy.
They're honest people, they loveGod.
And he said that my difficulty is the Saints.

(29:42):
Do you accept me to become Orthodox?
But don't pressure me to have anything with the Saints.
I see everything in Christ. That's more than sufficient for
me. I said to him what Pope should
have taught us. It's not necessary for
salvation, but you are a loser and he doesn't know any St.
other than Saint George. And I said to him try and on the

(30:08):
same day he was having a difficulty and because he
doesn't know any other St. he said St.
George and the problem was solved with miraculous.
He came to me the same day saying to me it's true, truly
true and literally help they do how?
How unlucky some people that they don't, they do not know

(30:32):
that their source exists. So I said to people and
answering George, if you are really in need of something, try
this resource and if it happens then you'll know that.
Now I discovered a good resource.

(30:52):
What do you say to someone who oftentimes tells users logic
instead of faith? So say every day in the
day-to-day, they're very, very much reliant on themselves on on
their surroundings, and they choose not to have faith as an
option, like only when things gobad, if that makes sense.
What? How do you sort of speak to

(31:13):
someone? We say to them that we believe
in things that we never saw. All of us believe in electron.
We know even it's weight and discharge -1.6 into 10 to the
-19 Did I ever saw an electron? Of course my eyes cannot.

(31:35):
So we believe in things based onface of of our parents, but we
have to be wise. We don't believe naively.
We have evidence that this is the case.
I say to them the same Yanni, Yanni, if you like everything to

(31:56):
be seen by your eyes, then you'll miss many things,
including scientific things. How would I what loss I will
have if I don't believe in electronics?
You know, the PET scan for them,it all depends on believing that

(32:16):
there's something called positon.
And we benefit from positon and PET scans, but we never saw the
position. It's unseen.
It's it's weight is something into 10 to the -31 yeah, yeah.

(32:36):
The biggest, biggest microscopeswouldn't.
So we have to understand we believe things in in things that
we were taught by great scientists because they are more
clever than us. You know, when Einstein
introduced the fear of relativity, the the mocked him

(33:03):
and he has great sense of humourAlone.
OK, I'll explain it. Otherwise alone if you sit with
a nice looking girl in her 20s. One hour and he sat one hour
with an old man. Very good silly person.

(33:24):
Is the 60 minute equal to 60 minute?
This relativity? What the hell was that?
He laughed and lifted him. It's a good way to convey the
message to be honest. There's some other scientists
that invented them. His name is Fulia.
Fulia transform and when he's represented his first paper

(33:51):
about Fourier transform, some mathematicians lifted the place.
He said that he's stupid, it cannot be because to replace non
analytic function by series of analytic functions is
impossible. Again, he was disappointed.
Not like Einstein laughed, but this furrier was upset because

(34:13):
they lifted that while he's teaching how to make it.
They said he's stupid. Now of course we know that
furrier transform is very important in many application.
And so simply if I reject theorybecause my mind doesn't take it
or my face doesn't support it, Iam the loser.

(34:36):
I made the Lord sentence on our face.
I made the Lord also showed these people.
You know why person people rejected in the 16th century,
Martin Luther was Catholic monk,but he tried to rectify some
mistakes in the church. But his mistake is that he

(35:03):
lifted a church and the church also excommunicated him.
And the the end effect is that they need, they started their
own churches. They needed people to stay with
them, not to return to the Catholic Church.

(35:26):
So they tried to attack anythingthat the Catholic Church does
not clearly supported by the Bible.
For example, sins. No, there's no sins.
Relics of sins. No, no, this is not suitable.
What priesthood? There's no need for priesthood.
So they, they were motivated by survival.

(35:50):
Because if, if they don't prove their point, then people return
back to the Catholic Church. But thanks to the Lord now it's
not the case. There are many Protestant people
now that speak very well about, say, Saint Mary in particular.
For example, Samah Morris is known leader of the President
movement and he says clearly that I mean, why should I deny

(36:14):
the fact that she said by her prophetic power that from now on
old generation will bless me. So many people now know Mother
Basilia Schlink, for example, she wrote a book about Saint
Mary. At the end of the book there is

(36:35):
4 page poem about Saint Mary. And she said, how can I deny her
prophecy? She she said, Madame Vasilia
shrink that she said that from now on, she said that when I go
to the 1st and Mary, I'm obedient to the lawyer.
So it it needs wisdom, it needs understanding because it's a

(36:59):
matter of following the the crowd.
And if they say that Saint Mary has no effect, also, it's a
matter of culture. At one stage, the leader of
present churches in Egypt had discussion with Amber Moussa.
And it was a quote he said to Amber Moussa.

(37:20):
Look, Your Grace, my dad died when my mother was 31 years old,
and she refused to get married in honor of my deceased father.
Now, how can I compare my sinfulmother to the beauty of Saint

(37:41):
Mary? It's a matter of culture because
in the West, there's nothing wrong about a person that loses
his partner and remarry, but notin the East.
This. There are many things known to
the people in the East, like on separation for example, once

(38:02):
they had auction or a cheer thatKing Farouk of Egypt used, it
was sold by 40,000 Egyptian pound.
The cheer that he can buy by 10 lbs.
Because consecration is a very important concept in the East,
but not in the West, Not at all.Yeah, I mean, but the good thing

(38:27):
is that many Western people now understand even the concept of
salvation with works and faith. Now they understand that works
are two types, works of the law of and for example, keeping
Saturday circumcision, whatever.These are not important at all.

(38:52):
But what's important is the works of love.
Who in his right mind as a Christian doesn't see that
salvation need my heart to be responsive by helping others.
These are the acts of love, but acts of the law are not
important. No one should impose on me to

(39:14):
keep the Sabbath or or thanks tothe Lord that now because of the
understanding and the more depths of of reading and of
course programs on TV and Youtubes.
Now they are approaching each other.
And I see great hope in the future that the gap between

(39:42):
tradition and non traditional church is really diminishing.
And it may be a matter of say 40-50 years and they understand
that there's no need for this. I mean no need.
Keep praying well. I tried to answer and your

(40:02):
question. Now it's my turn to ask you ask
you Simon. First I observed that your life
is between very sweet, nice humor and very open eyes to
what's needed. For example, you make jokes nice

(40:26):
and then all of a sudden you saydo you need water?
How did you acquire this nice virtue?
Thank you for noticing. About now.
I didn't realize Sometimes I make good jokes.
George doesn't think so, but. I think you're the funniest
person. I know you don't know many
people. I think definitely credit to my

(40:50):
mum. When I was growing up I had a
lot of brothers so I used to gethit a lot.
But that's neither he nor there,just brothers.
You grow up. But my mom always took because I
was always close to my mom. She always taught me no matter
what to always try and make people happy as as best as you
can. And she always put me in the

(41:10):
church. So she always tried to make me
grow up in the church. And something I'm very, very
thankful for because I think if I wasn't in the church and if
God didn't give me a woman like my mother by my side my whole
life, I probably wouldn't have. I would probably wouldn't be the
way I am. Shout out to Irene, Tom Tyrene.
Thank you for Simon. Don't ever say that again.

(41:31):
I love you, mum. But yeah, I think when you have
good role models in your life, it's very, it can shape your
life, even George to an extent. I don't want to say this, but
George is a very big role model of mine.
Even when he decided to start the podcast as well, I was very
thankful that he asked me I. Thankful.

(41:52):
Didn't feel thankful. Yeah, look, he had to ask 100
times, but when he said we're going to have Father UB
Inshallah for the first episode,then I jumped on it.
And then I was hoping to leave after, but it didn't work.
So 20 episodes later, we're here.
Now it's an additional virtue that you enjoy is that you make
people working with you very happy.

(42:14):
I'm sure that George is very happy work.
I wish she happy here, not at work.
I wish she answers my calls more, but otherwise I'm very
happy. George, you call 30 times an
hour like I don't like. Your own wife wouldn't answer
that. No, no, my wife answers.
No, the question is for George. Do you pray for this podcast?
I do. I do pray for the podcast a lot

(42:35):
because, you know, part of the mission of this podcast is to
let God work through us. We don't want to be seen.
We want God to be seen. So I think it's important to to
pray. And you know, before every
episode, we always ask the guests to pray.
We say our prayer because we want God to be present and
blessed. And we're doing this all for his
glory. We don't want any of the glory.

(42:57):
We want the glory to be on God, and we want the next generations
to have something to look at that is wholesome.
And, you know, and what's beautiful about Christian
content or content in general, is that it lasts forever.
So somebody can watch something three years from now when
they're in a certain circumstance in their life that
maybe was on our show and it could help them.

(43:18):
So sure. Nice wonder.
I beg to differ just quickly. I've been in I've been with
George a couple times in church and people do stop him and they
say you're the you're the host of the salt podcast.
And as much as he gives the glory to God, there's one big
smile on his face. He turned into into a tomato for
the next. The the smile, the smile is
because it means people are watching, which is what makes me

(43:39):
happy. It means people see it and it's,
it's getting spread. And you know, one of if I could
share one of the idea of the podcast really came.
It was inspired by you. I don't know if you remember
this, but maybe 10 years ago, I had asked you, you probably will
not remember this, but I had asked you, you know, Buna, I
feel that you've really done something really wondrous with

(44:02):
Saint Mark's Church. It's very it's flourishing.
You have a lot of wisdom. I'd love to, you know, record,
do something, maybe record your interview.
And you completely said no, no, no, no, not at all.
I. Don't completely.
I don't blame you at all. And this was maybe 10 years ago.
You said, no, no, no, I don't want to do anything like that.
And the conversation was finished.
And then it maybe 10 years later, I think I heard a sermon

(44:24):
at church and someone was saying, what do you do to
evangelize? Like we need, we're called as
Christians to evangelize. What do you do?
And I started thinking and examining myself and I felt like
that was my St. Saint Anthony moment where
something really hit me in my heart.
And I just kept thinking about it, What am I doing?
Am I, how am I bringing people to God?
And I thought, I'm not the kind of person that's going to go on

(44:45):
a train and start preaching or in the street or, you know, even
work colleagues, you know, I have, I work with someone that's
Jewish and I don't want, you know, maybe bring up
Christianity or I didn't want topush it down people's throats.
So then that's where I thought, you know, why not do something
like this as a podcast? So I thought it was really
beautiful that when the idea came up again, the second time I

(45:07):
asked you, you you said yes and you were our first episode.
So I took that as a sign from God that it was it was meant to
be. It is really I heard the one at
the Woodland I saying that if the resource of speaking to
people online, Do we watch it onTV or laptops or so on.

(45:27):
If it was at the time of Saint Paul, he may not have needed to
travel. He stays in his room and his
room thanks to the Lord. This is the feeling because it's
it's really miraculous that the number of people that watch and
and they believe and the benefitespecially from events that

(45:53):
happened. The power of prayers with us in
the chair shows us. I've seen that number of times
how the Lord can respond to our petition that can happen because
of prayer asking May the Lord continue to bless your your work

(46:15):
and something really that makes a very strong tool is is not
utilized in utilize enough that the fact that people can listen
while lying the comfort of theirbedroom or something like that.

(46:35):
And because the knowledge that we see on the Internet, large
percentage of it are not holy tosee people making holy programs
is is a great yeah. I mean, listen to what for sure.

(46:57):
May the Lord give you the wisdomand sense to continue.
Thank you so much. Thanks so much, Ivona.
I enjoyed that quite a bit. Hey, Simon.
Simon. One second, George, please.
What was that? For.

(47:19):
Have you heard about the Daily Wisdom World?
No. I think it's really important
that you take a look at it. I've been reading it a lot
lately. 366 biblical reflectionsfor Christian business leaders.
Yeah, it's actually really good.I've been reading it a lot and
basically what's great about it,it's only 5 minutes a day,
making it very doable if you have a very busy schedule.
And it's not like generic devotional material.

(47:40):
It actually addresses distinct pressures, ethical decisions and
dilemmas that leaders in business face.
Well, and there's one for each and every single day of the
year. Every single day of the year
you've got a little verse and a little contemplation.
Hold on, let me check my birthday February 1st.
Oh loving God, let me, let me check your What's your birthday
again? You don't know my birthday.

(48:02):
Anyways, tell me more what's great.
About this is you can go to our link in our bio and basically
just put Code Salt podcast when you go to purchase and you'll
get 25% off. Well.
Thank you. Yeah, well.
Back to the episode. Abona, thank you.
I want to ask a question that impacts, I think I'd want to say

(48:25):
a majority of men, but. This was our most asked question
when we actually when we asked what should we ask you?
Multiple people have asked us this question.
Yeah, so the it's a sort of a two-part question.
Is masturbation a scene and how does someone break that
addiction? Sure, the Lord is not happy,

(48:48):
right? It's very clear, not only in
Christianity, in all religion, that any sexual pleasure out of
marriage is not supported by Godat all, because it's, it's the
best thing that makes a husband and wife long to each other,

(49:10):
love each other. If we resorted to have any
pleasure out of sexual acts outside marriage, it may it
impacted in a very negative way on the marriage.
And I observed, for example, that because of pornography and

(49:31):
masturbation, there are many people that lose the mutual
trust between the husband and wife and it's a great loss.
How to overcome? I I say some tips that may be
useful Number one, which is the language of Calista swear it was

(49:55):
metropolitan. He said that shift your focus
from something bad to something interesting and useful.
It has to be interesting to dragyour attention.
It has to be useful that you don't regret that you did it.
One of the best ways to shift the focus from sexual desire to

(50:19):
a good thing is sport. Saint Paul sent one of his
disciple an episode, his disciple Timothy.
He said to him escape, don't resist, escape attempted lustful
thoughts. And in the same episode he spoke

(50:39):
to him about physical exercise. So sure, it was the Holy Spirit
guiding Saint Paul to give a hint about how sport can be
supporting us to skip. It's not only sexual mistakes,

(50:59):
anger, anything that is driven by feeling.
If you shift the focus to something, what is that?
Something, you know, In the language of computer
programming, there's something called bag of tricks, maybe
subroutines or something like that.

(51:20):
You drag from this bag of tricks.
When do I need? It's good for me to have bag of
tricks that can shift my focus. For example, I can think where
I'm going with my wife the next holiday.
Or how can I arrange encouragement for my children

(51:41):
for their academic future? Drag my attention.
That's one tip. Another tip is.
The love of Christ. When I.
Have a nice icon of the Lord in.Front of me and I say to the
Lord because I love you, I don'tlike you to be disappointed one

(52:02):
of the. Best prayers that you can see.
Is designed by Catholic nuns that they say My Lord Jesus
Christ, I don't like to. Serve your enemy.
I don't like. To do something that.
Disappoints you even. Prayer for repentance.

(52:25):
For them is personal love between me and the Christ.
I don't like to disappoint my Lord by what I said.
The point that is very supportive.
Is to understand that the majority of our depressing
experiences comes from the fact.That I'm not.

(52:49):
Pleasing God, you know, peace isa gift from God.
When, when Jesus send his disciples to the different
villages, he said to them, when you enter house, give them
peace, which means that it's a gift.
And he made it very clear that that gift can be taken back when

(53:10):
he said that there's no sound ofpeace there.
Then take your peace back. Which means that lack of peace
comes from disappointing God. So I am the loser if I what
benefit I get from few minutes of sexual pleasure that will end

(53:31):
by the rest of the day or the week being unhappy?
Another point is to remember theconcept.
Of loyalty, it's very. Important to understand when I'm
loyal the. Lord, listen to me, you if you
go through the Bible to see how many times it was said that

(53:55):
because of our commitment towards God, He answers us.
For example, he says the eyes ofthe Lord are focused on those
who are keeping their righteousness and the reverse is
very true, that when I do something that upsets the God
I'll I lose peace. I can promise to God, give vows

(54:22):
to. The Lord it's not advisable that
I. Give that I never.
Fall in masturbation, especiallyunmarried people.
Married people are possible, butunmarried people is very hard,
so it's not. But I can give those that are
implementable. For example, if my program is

(54:43):
pornography, I may not be able. To give a veil.
That I never watch anything bad,but I can give a promise that I
would never take electronics to my bedroom, which is very
achievable. And you just keep the mobile
laptop outside the bedroom. One other thing is that say to

(55:10):
visit monastery when you visit the monastery.
By the way, in the monastery, the monks agreed.
I know from some of them that are close to me, they agreed
that they will pray for visitors.
And you go there, stay and they return back with tremendous
species. Don't know where this come from.
Come from the monks praying on me and also a model of they're

(55:35):
happy by what? By being close to God.
Once I wasn't the monastery and I spoke to Abuena Schnuder
there. I said to him, when I come to
visit, I normally buy a few things for the monks, but
sometimes I buy things that theydon't need or they have plenty

(55:57):
of it. So tell me.
When I come next time what? Should I bring Ali?
Nothing. It wouldn't help me.
Because I did something OK, I help you by information.
Yesterday I finished the mess between the church and my unit

(56:17):
maybe 4 minute walk along the way.
I remember that I didn't eat banana for a long time.
I don't like banana, but just I just remember that I didn't eat
banana for a long time. I arrived at my unit, in front
of the door was a box, maybe 20 kilos.

(56:41):
I said, Lord, did you read my mind?
Because normally when people getsomething like Felicity put it
in the kitchen, they don't put it in front of.
So why they are happy because they we got something important.

(57:01):
I can get help from holy people.We don't confess to each other
because we deserve people when we confess about our mistake.
But I can benefit from them. And last week I visited a place

(57:23):
with very holy two brothers. It was.
For fun, nothing special, we. Prayed.
Of course I read the Bible but but it's mainly to spend time
together. You don't know how it benefits
me. I mean for example they pray the
seven psalms 7 prayer would be it was they are blessed and one

(57:53):
of the doors for some reason doesn't open.
I tried hard technically then then one of them was early.
I slept to. Help, but it must be blessing,
so to have blessed friends will motivate us to enjoy something

(58:14):
that will help us, and it's really useful.
And some of the. Spiritual practice are one thing
that I observed, and what I'm saying now may be relevant to

(58:37):
Christian people. That when they.
Go to the House of God in expectation of His help.
Some 15 years ago. We were.
Expecting a visiting priest? Very holy man.
He died now and out of politeness.

(58:59):
I don't like to start the mess or even annoying 20 years until
he comes. But he came late, almost half an
hour, so the deacons were upset.And they have.
To start and one of them was heavy smoker so he couldn't do
it. He went outside and smoked
cigarettes before the mess and when I when I came, they came

(59:21):
with 20 years to be then another.
Deacon. Leaned on Abuna and said don't
anoint Estonia. He was just smoking outside
before the mess. The Abuna is very wise.
He told him. What's that got to do with you?
Are you going to leave that? So he anointed.

(59:44):
That he served. I was anxious to know how he I
mean at the time of Holy Communion.
He came in the queue. This place was Sudanese, the
nice accent of the Sudanese. He told him, put your hand on
the old. The guy was failed.

(01:00:07):
I will choose one of two things,either the cigarettes or the
body of Christ based on that. Have Holy Communion or not?
Then he was nice Deacon. He said I promised.
God, while my hands on the altarthat I never touched a cigarette
again since. That day he didn't touch a cigar

(01:00:31):
so. Some the commitment to go to
that church and pour ourselves in front of God and say to him,
help me Lord, we'll never be in vain.
Never. I saw that number of times in a
marvelous way when people go to the House of God.
It's like when I visit you, I may telephone you, ask you for
something, but different when I come to your place begging you

(01:00:53):
for something. That's the same with the House
of God. The House of God is very
effective. When I go there and say, Lord
help me, there's a. Lovely Deacon in our.
Church is suffering from masturbation.
I put somewhere here, the priestput in there.

(01:01:16):
I'm not sure the. I don't know the the.
Priest hat. Yeah, yeah, I leave it in.
In the old he puts a piece of paper.
In in it. What is his favor?
Say please, Father, enter seed on my behalf, that the Lord will
heal me from this bad desire. So when I replace.

(01:01:40):
This bad habit by something useful.
I go to a gym where the. Personal terror is very lovely
man. When you start with him.
He helps me, but it doesn't charge me because as a friend,

(01:02:00):
he's a very lovely Muslim guy, very devout kidder to the love
of God and. His habit is to take.
A video for you the first day and take another video after two
months and show you the difference difference.
So it's very useful. You come to the feeling that it

(01:02:21):
helped me a lot. I became.
The desire of another thing withthe same obsession.
There's a lovely guy that was. Studying in North.
QLD and. I know his family.
Before he started. His study there.

(01:02:43):
He came to my room, sat with me as a friend.
He was one. 130 kilogram. And he's as short I am, so he's
young. Then he went and I didn't see
him for two years. Then I went to visit.
The place. I looked is him or no, because

(01:03:07):
he became 65. Wow, exactly How so?
I said impossible, Impossible tolose half your weight.
But he was very mostly and he said We sat on the table to have
dinner. He was opposite me.
Then somebody came and called him by his name.
The same guy. I'll tell you.

(01:03:30):
Are you? Yes, I am.
I'll tell you what happened to you.
I'll read reader, he wrote on his just obsession.
Elliot, something very useful. Elliot.
The word obsession is a bit negative, but when you get
obsessed by something useful, itsaves you from much worse thing.

(01:03:51):
And that's him. He goes six days to the gym and
he loves the challenge. That's amazing.
When she press. Double his.
That's like, that's like George,George.
As a as a woman, if you when shepress your weight, you are

(01:04:12):
strong. 1 1/2 your weight. You are very strong.
Double double your weight is is a gift of astronomical.
That's crazy. It's unbelievable.
I remember. One of the.
Bodybuilders in. Our church came and said to me
I'm too embarrassed because I stopped masturbation but not so
sick of God. Beautiful I see I live for good

(01:04:34):
building. Take a take what you can hear.
But above all. That none of to definitely just
shift everything so the. Desire will be there, but shift
that desire into something more productive.
Very effective When because. You know, aesthetic life, life

(01:04:57):
being tough against any scene oragainst any desire makes the
devil puzzle Yeah. For example, he can attack me by
my desires, but if I refuse the desire, then I'll become having
authority above the devil. That's why since that expelled

(01:05:21):
devils, a condition is that theyare ascetic when.
Pope Tardos came to Sydney. He.
Had problem with his back so oneof the physiotherapist went to
help him and he spoke to. The lady that.
Like manager there and she said to him, who is this man?

(01:05:44):
Allah is the leader of our church a little.
He has luxurious room with nice bed but he never used the bed.
Allah, how did you? Know a little we covered.
The bed in a certain way, it stays as it is.
He stayed good number of days. He never slept on on bed.

(01:06:06):
Wow. Because in this way.
And when I say to the Lord, I follow you, we had.
A program at some. Marked chairs of 40 days purity
that I don't watch any bad thing, I don't feel masturbation

(01:06:28):
of them and I dare to say to them put a condition, put a
request and see the power. Then two cases that I saw at the
end of the 40 days, one of them said to the Lord, I'll keep
myself appeal for 40 days. But my sister-in-law, my my

(01:06:54):
brother's wife has been married for a number of years.
With no children. And on the 4th day.
Of 39th or something like that. She made a test, she was another

(01:07:14):
person, graduated from a course and he had no job in Sydney.
At last he got a job in Melbourne and he doesn't like to
go there. He was engaged and engaged.
To a Sydney girl. And he said the same 40 days of
purity, but Lord find me a job again.

(01:07:38):
On the 4th day he got a job of aplace walking distance from his
house, not in Melbourne. Wow, even better.
Somebody. Confesses with the one Elijah.
I don't know this boy, but when Elijah told me that he was
struggling with education and henever saw distinction or hard

(01:08:02):
distinction ever again after the40 days, the results came.
He got shot of one or two subjects high distinction.
Wow. It it and this makes me carry
the, the, the burden of it's a burden.
And when I keep my purity without masturbation, I say to

(01:08:25):
the. Lord, you are the.
Only one that knows how hard it is, how suffering it is, but
when the Lord responds to the person by answering his
petition, his joy, however falling.
In a bad habit like masturbation.

(01:08:48):
Is not punishable, but it. May make me robbed.
Robbed from a good thing that I.Lose because I didn't.
Show it. It's the top level, yeah.
I mean, because it's not the harder the.
The situation the. More valuable and I have got

(01:09:10):
it's very. True.
One last thing in this regard. That's very important.
Is to have a confession father to do that?
Who is my confession father? He's.
A human, anyway. And he may be sinful like me,
but at least I know that someoneis praying for me.

(01:09:36):
There was a very nice priest famous as well when Youssef
Assad and. He had one of his spiritual
daughters. Befriending a person that's not
suitable for marriage but was very interesting boy and she
loved him and she said to him don't speak to me.

(01:10:00):
About this boy, I'm going to. Marry him anyway.
Hello. OK.
We speak about prayer. Reading the Bible, fasting.
But we did this one and he decided something crazy that
he'll do 40 matanas for her every day and he was a bit
overweight and it was in his 50s.

(01:10:20):
So it's not easy for him to make40 matanas every day for one
person. And she had a.
Dream. He wrote it in a book.
Called to give me a repentance, Lord, then I'll be repent.
She had a dream of her confession.

(01:10:42):
Father, when Youssef making this40 Matanas and he was struggling
because it's hard for him pouring himself standing praying
for her. Then she went to him.
The day after I said to him, Youdo Matanas for me, Elias, how
did you know? I'd like to see you.
And because of this, she decidedto stop the relationship with

(01:11:05):
this boy. So to see the.
Confession, Father. Praying for me and supporting me
especially if they're I mean gent.
One day I needed to confess and my confession.
Father was overseas and I don't like to serve my Co priests by

(01:11:25):
revealing my own sin, not kidding about myself caring
about them because it will be and disturbing for them that I
confess any shameful sin. Then by Daniel came to pray with
us, and I said to him. Give me two minutes 3.
Minutes I need to confess something and you absolve me.

(01:11:46):
And when you observed that my talk will go into relation of
embarrassment, I found him falling in his knees and
grabbing Mika as if hanging withme.
And he said don't say anything. I read the absolution.
For me, that was very strong motivation for me to be keeping

(01:12:07):
my. Keeping away from senior.
It's hard. Of course it's hard.
But the reason to go for sure, it's very pleasing and let me be
the reason of American performance.
Pope Corollas before his death by very short time he was

(01:12:28):
sitting on a chair in the in thechurch and he fell asleep
because of medication, heavy medication that was taken and
they brought an evil processed person to him.
I was sleeping, but the person produce big noise and fell on
the ground and stood healed complete.

(01:12:52):
Then he's disciple a winner of he said of course they said to
him he didn't pray. He didn't even put the cross on
his head. Hell, he was he of course the
devil knows knows what people doin secrecy.

(01:13:14):
Pope Corliss was very holy. So he he spent time close to God
and God make him because both the devil and God know that he
is spending his time in purity and prayer.
And may the Lord help us becausethis generation is different.

(01:13:36):
When I was your age, if the police catch me having a book
with any sinful photos, I may goto jail.
Different Times Now. Now, if the police knows.
That I don't keep. Then they'll go talk to you.

(01:14:03):
Hey, George. What bro?
I just want to ask you advice onsomething.
Oh. OK lately.
I feel like my prayer life has been.
Non existent. Why do you think that is?
Because I'm always on my. Phone.
Oh well. There's an easy solution for
that, yeah. What's that?
Well, have you heard of Hello App?

(01:14:24):
No, it's the number one Christian app.
In the world. Hold on, let me have a look.
Yeah, it's. Got a wide range of content.
It's got rosary. Audio Bible in a year.
Daily reflections, sleep, prayers and music.
Oh well, it's deep in my faith through.
Guided. Prayer and meditation and you
know what else? It's got a thriving global
community of believers so you can connect and also put prayer

(01:14:47):
requests. So this app is like an all in
one. Yeah, that's.
Right. Yeah, it means they're probably
going to. Charge an arm and a leg.
If you use our link hello.com forward slash.
Salt podcast. You'll actually get 3 months for
free. Oh wow, I definitely need to do
that. Thank you so much bro.
Back to the episode with. That being said Abona.

(01:15:09):
We want to ask you sort of a question that we don't get to
ask many of our guests. And it's more so if you could
let everyone on the that's viewing our podcast, if you
could give everyone a lesson or something that they want to sort
of live the rest of their the end of the year and the rest of
their years, by what would it be?

(01:15:30):
To do the things that bring peace from God to us.
Because it is a gift from the Lord.
When the Lord said his send his disciples to villages, he said
to them give peace. So peace is an offering from the
Lord to his followers. And even psychiatrical

(01:15:52):
psychologists say that we can receive peace.
And there are ways that can makeus peace.
One of the ways that guarantee reception of peace is to become
very close to God, expecting that a gift.
From God gives. Gifts.

(01:16:14):
And one of the gifts that God gives is peace, and this peace
may not. Be only for me it will.
Be for my partner, for my children.
How? By excluding the possibilities
of making God unhappy with me, because the Lord will not punish
me, but He may take His peace for me.

(01:16:39):
So, so it's very important that it is possible to understand
that we can receive peace, especially nowadays.
That's the major. Trouble that people receive is
that they don't have peace. It's possible to receive peace.
Father is sacrificing for God. And gaining peace intertwined.
Do I have to, do I have to because sorry, from what I'm

(01:17:03):
hearing, do I have to sacrifice what maybe the the temptations
or the sins that I have in orderto gain the peace that God only
can grant? This is the first thing that
gives peace. The first thing and it can be
immediate yeah and you for example, if I reject sin for out

(01:17:26):
of my love to the. Lord, then he.
Will reward me on the spot. You'll find yourself happy and
you don't know why. Why?
Because you please him. It's impossible to do something
for the Lord and don't receive back the road.
Impossible if ioffer him money. And then he'll bless.

(01:17:47):
My business if Ioffer him effortthen he'll make my life much
easier if I make him happy and make me happy.
And this is a very experienced fact that it happened.
Even people that are not believers know that.

(01:18:09):
I remember in the local newspaper there was an.
Essay written by. An atheist specialist and he was
saying that he said that he envythe believers because they even
get faster response to get healed from their own physical

(01:18:36):
disease. How?
By making God happy. Because once I make God.
Happy. He'll make me happy.
I've seen that. Also parents with their
children. Yeah, I mean very important it
it is. A matter of faith.
Not everyone believes in what I'm saying, but some of the

(01:18:58):
experience also the one that discovered that it's possible
make them very joyful that in myhand, why did I lose it?
In my first year priesthood. I used to have confessions on
Saturday and it. Is hard sometimes.

(01:19:22):
Because people say things that disturbs us.
Then I come on Sunday get a a bit heavy.
I get to drag myself to come. I finished the house video off.
So I spoke to an experienced priest.
Eldie, don't underestimate that the church deemed the mess.

(01:19:42):
Pray for you number of times sayand also with your spirit say
peace be with you and I really don't underestimate that the
power of the church, praying foryour peace gives you that.
So when we serve honestly, this grace peace that we receive.

(01:20:05):
When I came to Australia, one ofmy colleagues that was with me
in first year and he left everything and came here and he
started here and progressed in his career and became.
Very high position engineer Gate5, which is Yani very high.
He took me. To a restaurant.

(01:20:26):
Very bad tennis stars, Michelin.Stars and he come.
With me in my car. He got a car.
Again, something like maybe halfmillion or something.
So I said how is stupid that I kept all this?
Had a game with him. I would be like that then while

(01:20:51):
we're eating and Ellie, pray forme.
I was the. Person.
His friend. And he said that because I
resigned, then I. Said resigned my.
Wife. But why Ellie?
I'm going to be a missionary in one of the hard countries.
Well, what about your wife, Ellie?

(01:21:12):
My wife. Is the one that encouraged me to
do so. So he went to there.
There's no money, they just support him financially to eat.
And then he finished and came and bought a farm and this farm
flourished. We benefit from him every.
Year he sends. Boxes.
Eight boxes of fruits from his farm.

(01:21:33):
Bananas as well. If I could ever say to me why
eight boxes? Why?
Because you are 8 priests thinksahead so.
He gained a lot. Of peace and a lot of support
from God because of the sacrifice.
Any type of sacrifice is very Mary.

(01:21:55):
Mary's a very great teacher in Christianity.
He said that the more the sacrifice.
You make for love of God. The more you guarantee that the
Lord will not ignore you and. He responds for sure.
And this is, I'm sorry to cut you off.

(01:22:15):
I have another question. What if I'm playing devil's
advocate right now? It's not me, But what if I say
to myself, OK, you know what? I really need this to happen,
whatever it may be, something atwork, I'm going to go to church
on Sunday and just give money. I'm going to donate money, but
with the expectation that what I've prayed for, I want to
happen. Is that in a sense wrong though?

(01:22:36):
Because you're giving with the expectation of receiving
something back. It is.
It's good. Good the Lord.
Like us to think this way. He is the one that said make
vows and fulfill your vows. Then you receive.
It's it's it's a matter of faith, the two way communication
between me and the God Ioffer and receive.

(01:22:58):
Why not let us be practical? And the high level?
Of sense like when I'm sure he came and say that I can be hit
by cancer and this is very high level for us he's a great sin.
But for us, no, we, we, we oftenreceive.

(01:23:21):
Joke fully, I say that the Lord accept the bribes.
We had in the chase somebody, his name is Amhan, Uncle Hannah
and. The first miracle out of
offering. God was $14,000 that maybe and

(01:23:47):
he gave them to me and said I'm dying soon.
Make a very nice tomb with iconsand and use the $14,000.
OK. And they kept thinking, what can
you make? Then on the same night he

(01:24:07):
telephoned me and said, is it important or no, not at all.
Alita, what's important? I said, help needy people.
Ali. OK, can you send them to Anne
Buffalo Bus, Bishop of the Mansoura?
I said OK, we send them the money.

(01:24:27):
To these bishops. Then he got healed from a
disease and he didn't die. Wow.
That's that's the first miracle for him.
That is the miracle. Also he got after a number of
his dangerous situation in his cells and he asked me to visit
him. He took me to his bedroom and
gave books and the inside the books.

(01:24:49):
Everything is explained. Just take it home.
And when I opened. The cover I found paper of 100
rolls, rolls of hundreds yeah and written there.
This is for sent me. This is for and we had a priest

(01:25:15):
the meeting he wrote money for each chair and they kept
distributing that then said to me, are you Santa Cruz here?
Where will this body come from? And again, he was healed.

(01:25:37):
Then the final case. He was in the hospital and he
stopped eating and he lived on. Just the morphine out.
Of body pain and I went to give him.
Holy Communion. And the doctor said to me, are
you the priest in his church? As it is Ellie, this man is very

(01:25:58):
strange. Literally he explained why when
he was young he had rheumatic fever that affected the valves
of the heart and they told him don't get married because he
will die soon out of very badly.And at that time replacement of

(01:26:19):
valves was not known immediately.
Then he said well I have money so I start gifting things to the
shit. So he bought that that that we
put the chairs in something. We got a chair and then he went
into a very great Scientian, theartist that drew for him the

(01:26:40):
four icons from foresight. And he said that it's very nice.
He deserves to go to the Pope and Pope Callus Adam.
He went to Pope Callus and gave him the the very precious thing.
I will come here for the expecting by Pope Callus to hug
him, to give him a box in his chest, a very blessed box.

(01:27:03):
When he went for a check, the doctor said I can't hear any.
So what happened? And that doctor?
At his desk, he said to. Me.
This man is very strange, I don't know why and he's been 10
days not eating and his heart isextremely strong.
He doesn't die. And the books are there, you

(01:27:30):
know, one out since we we mentioned.
Bay priest at Saint Mark's I wanted to ask you a question.
I I find that Saint Mark's God bless Saint Mark's.
I feel like the congregation is growing and the churches are
expanding and it comes at a timewhere there's a lot of churches
that are failing. And in in essence, it's kind of
interesting because we find ourselves buying a lot of close

(01:27:50):
churches and making them Coptic churches.
So I wanted to ask you in your advice or from what you've seen,
what makes Saint Mark's so successful because it's got
probably one of the biggest congregations and why?
So why is Saint Mark successful?But then why are some other
churches closing down? Well, I'll tell you something.

(01:28:10):
About honesty. And it's not one I wish to teach
at University of Warren. And one of my students, he came
to see the church. It was not very close to us.
And at that time the church was something like maybe 20-30
people that come on Sunday and nothing during the week.

(01:28:33):
Then he left. He had big projects in Europe,
very successful businessman. He came to visit the church,
grew. And he said to me, can I come to
sit with you for 20 minutes? I thought that would be
confession. No, it was questioned about the

(01:28:54):
the admin model that made the church grow, so I laughed.
I said. I tell you honestly.
What happened? What happened is that I was not
prepared for priesthood at all because my dad doesn't go to
church. My mom was castled, Yanni.
But when I came, I was too scared.

(01:29:15):
Yanni and I was bringing the road to support and help, and he
did. He did support.
So I think it's really needed that we rely on God, not self in
anything. This will make the success.
Yeah, I mean many times 1. Visiting priest from Egypt.

(01:29:37):
Said to us this experience. He said that before priesthood I
was clever in few things and hopeless and other things.
For example, he knows the Bible very well, but he doesn't know
him knowledge things like that. And after he starts serving the
things that he was very clever at is the source of failure in
that shape and the things that he needed help the road.

(01:30:01):
So I think the whole idea is to rely on God and the fact that
the the major blessing that we received, the Son, Mark, are the
priests. Yeah, I mean, you know that.
I am how I wanna. Mark a game.
When I was seeing the first piece come after me, it was a

(01:30:23):
camp that I took. Group of youths.
To the same site. And he took.
Group of youths from his church.The youths are very polite with
me but they don't enjoy my company, the language barrier
and so I felt shortly and they respect me.

(01:30:47):
They confess even but nothing like like him.
I watched him in the night. One night they were around
swimming pool. Joking.
And nice. And it was a sense of humor.
So I stood in the dark and raised my hand and said, Lord,
I'll ask something very embarrassing.

(01:31:08):
I'd like this place to work withme, which was very unexpected, a
matter of six months. And he was shifted sooner and he
came. He made revival, say revival.
You know what I have? To disagree with you though,
because you said the youth. Don't enjoy your company.
I think me or I'm not youth anymore, but I'm sure Simon, I'm

(01:31:31):
sure Simon enjoys your company, of course, but this is years
ago, maybe there was a. Language for yeah.
Yeah, I think. Samantha will be on him and they
used like. To befriend somebody like joke.
And understand you're very funnyand you're.
You're a funny man. The language language is is

(01:31:53):
crippling. Me.
And sometimes I sit among you. They joke about something I
don't know. What they're doing?
I have to smile as if I understood.
I hope you haven't done that with me when I do that with
Simon. All the time, he will sometimes
say. Something I'm like, I just start
laughing. I do that all the time with
George. All the time.

(01:32:16):
OK, so I guess. Simon, if you want to take this
next point, I'd want to ask. On the point of the churches is
you Saint Marks is obviously a very successful church as there
are many other successful CopticOrthodox churches.
But you being around for as longas you haven't seen the
evolution of it, what is a few pieces of advice that you would

(01:32:37):
give to in order to make it likemake the church more like more
family friendly, more bringing people together?
Pardon me. I spend about six months very
close. When actually came in
Alexandria. I learned from him something

(01:33:01):
very important, that he liked the thing to be for the glory of
God, not not for his own glory. For example, when they finished
the big church there, he was nothappy.
He said that the same money thatwe put to build 1 church, we
could have made three churches. So the idea is that I always say

(01:33:21):
to my colleagues and the servants care about the service
of God, not under your supervision, but was good.
For example, if I am capable to help Saint Mary's Church, I
wouldn't visit it when they camein Bexley we made a fundraising
night for them that would come was $14,000.

(01:33:45):
I took it cash and. Give it to a bonus somewhere.
Early impossible at least 7000 for you and I said I did it on
purpose for because once and Mary.
And here service God, that's. My joy because it means that I'm
interested in serving God, not interested in my.

(01:34:09):
This is very important concept that makes the church happy, you
know. And by Daniel, the Bishop of
the. Monastery.
He's very successful man. I'll tell you why he's in.
Adelaide some 20. Years ago there was no permanent

(01:34:32):
priest, so one priest will be taken from Melbourne, 1 priest
from Sydney every. I used to go there, say once
every three months. One night he wrote a book,
handwritten and I know his handwriting.
He didn't write his name on the first page.

(01:34:53):
He says this is to be read only by priests.
What he wrote in this? Book he wrote the advice for
the. Priest that will come after him.
For example, he said this familyhave a very talented son in
playing the keyboards utilize that.
This family came from personal background.

(01:35:14):
Don't be harsh on them. In terms of Yanni, the book is
bulky it took from him. Hours.
I don't know. The whole idea was that he liked
it to be successful. Not under my supervision, but
after I leave, something like that happened.
When I'm sure sure came in. He when he started serving in

(01:35:39):
America, they told him this is the Sally and it's too much.
I don't take this. Like.
The Social Security, which was maybe $100 a week, but he he
said I don't have a children andpeople donate food for me,

(01:36:04):
that's more than enough. I stayed like that, say one or
two years, then one day with theTreasury Committee, he said my
salary is very low. You refuse, but I need I realize
a alone triple what I think we're shocked because and it's
not his nature at all. You know why?

(01:36:25):
Because he knew from the Pope that he leave and he didn't like
the priest that come after him to suffer.
He said he may be married, he may have children I don't have,
but he would need, if you think about it, isn't isn't he like
the church serves to be good? And of course, if the priest is
financially suffering, then it may affect his family.

(01:36:50):
So this concept for example. If I were.
A Sunday school servant and the adjacent room has a servant
there and I give my kids gifts much better than my colleague.
Then I'm not interested in in God, I'm interested in myself.

(01:37:12):
So I should not do that. If, if I as a servant keep that
in my mind, then it will flourish, it will succeed.
And it's very important. And this is characteristic of
Salwar Church. Any, any, when any church need
anything, we offer with no hesitation.
Any. When one of the churches

(01:37:33):
started, they didn't have even Mongolia, they didn't have
books. We support all these things we
get. And the strange thing when we do
that, then we receive, we receive gifts from God because
we are not interested in our ownsuccess.
If I am interested. In my own success and then I'm.

(01:37:55):
Selfish and the Lord. Why should the Lord help me?
But if I look after the service of another church, then it means
what it means that the glory of God is.
What's running in my? Mind then the Lord will provide
this is a very important concept.

(01:38:16):
I should not be keen about the service under my supervision.
I once went with the Buna Elijahvisitation every house we.
Visited he. Spoke about the upper Room media
because it is done by Abuna markthen after two weeks I went to

(01:38:40):
the Abuna Mark every house visithe spoke to them about the Igbea
for the kids, which is done by Abuna Elijah I said thank you
Lord that this the Lord has to support them yeah because it's
it's clear that the top guy in. That is Abuna.

(01:39:01):
Jonathan is always what runs in his mind is to help others.
Yeah. And he he knows, for example,
that this area is guided. By certain, then he.
Pulls his effort in that thing and that's why you know the

(01:39:22):
bookshop in Saint Marc was very problematic until Abundance
starts serving them for some strange he made the change in
the culture. They are very holy.
They pray for each other themselves because he that's
what happens in his mind if any other church is in need of

(01:39:43):
anything he provides with no hesitation and surprisingly we
receive gifts out of them. Once a Bishop came from Egypt,
serving in an area that all men.Die in their 40's the reason is

(01:40:06):
that they have factors of asbestos.
Oh my gosh. And they they're no projection
there. So the all of them get this
painful. It's not lung cancer.
It is out of asbestos. And then when Johnson came and
said that. Please encourage people.
To donate this place he served there in Egypt and he knows that

(01:40:29):
how so we. Encourage people to contribute
I. Said that if you don't have
money, just tell me what money you'll get next weeks.
So some people are very generous. 5015 thousand charged
10,000. So we collected huge amount of
money. We give it to Sayedna.

(01:40:51):
To take for his. Service there in Asia and in.
That same night I. Was alone in my room and I said
did I do the right thing becausethis money must go to Salma.
Then I said shame on me are we better?

(01:41:13):
We are financial master better than these people there, but I.
Tried to resist my selfish way. Then my phone rang me and I
gonna mark congratulations to you.
For what? And you receive a huge grant
from the government, almost the same money, they say.

(01:41:34):
So it's a big experience that when we do things forsake of
what's the glory, then we get supported by him.
And it's very joyful because it makes you feel about Christ
more. And will I be happy that my
church is growing shame on me anyway adjacent to me when they

(01:41:59):
grow and do good things? If I have any selfish desire
then I feel that why not my church if I really care?
About God's. Glory.
Then I'll be happy. So this is something.
Very important for. Success.
And if you know that other groups are doing the same job

(01:42:21):
like you and you become happy for them, then the Lord will
make you flourish in yourselves.I agree, I think that's great
advice. Thank you for showing that.
Father, with that question said,where is the, what is the line
for a church? Because the church has to be
like progressive and responsive to keep up with the changing

(01:42:42):
times and with people's needs. Like, for example, maybe Saint
Mark's Church that they're a bitmore efficient with the liturgy
because you know, people don't have the attention span to stay
there for three or four hours like we used to back in the
time. So at what, what things in a
church can be flexible that we can kind of shift to keep up and

(01:43:02):
be responsive? And what are the things that are
not flexible and we should not change under any circumstance?
I think your experience that we started tonight saying.
That you send people what they need to ask is very important
because when people tell you what they need like requiring in
America is very successful man. He's now the top Protestant

(01:43:25):
leader in the in the in the whole world.
When he started in Saddleback, very small place, he sent
questions to all the neighbors telling.
Them what do? You expect from a church that
you consider it relevant and he gave them option to think.
He said that none of them said Bible study, none of them.

(01:43:48):
They all said that education fund which I have sport and he
sent to them letters saying I would consider that and this is
the program you like sport everyservice they would and that's
why the peaceful church from some ten families to maybe

(01:44:11):
60,000 member in very short time.
What I'm trying to say is that if the service is needed by
people, they need to see that. So what Respect.
They say that this church respected my desire.
I like this to happen. And in his book about growing

(01:44:34):
the church without sacrifice, hesays that it's very important to
to ride the wave. Like surfing what surfing
exactly? I cannot go as fast.
Except with help. Of a wave that's the same in the
church, if the church, say, havea program of weight.

(01:44:57):
Or fat loss. For say, type of food and this
type of program will make peoplefeel that the church is catering
for my needs. So I love them.
And that's why we do programs ofsay, we had programs to teach
the kids. Of critical.

(01:45:17):
Thinking which is seldom taught in say tutoring or private
schools. They, they speak about
mathematics by English, but not critical thinking.
And we had a program like that under supervision of one servant

(01:45:38):
in the in the church and she wasvery successful because parents,
it starts with these young kids.She made the programme very
appealing to to these families that your children will learn
how to think critically and these talents that are needed.

(01:46:01):
So when we do things like that, the cheers will love by the way,
we'll have soon a gym in the cheers.
Oh wow, We got a grant from the government and someone is
donating also heavily and there's a salt podcast exclusive
right here. There's.
Going to be a gym, George is never.
Going to leave St. Mark's church here.

(01:46:23):
Oh my goodness, that's amazing. Beware.
I love that Ivor. Now that's really cool.
It's actually really it's. Amazing.
And this. Lovely.
Muslim trainer, I really love him very much because and he's
donating heavily for this equipment and in a very polite

(01:46:46):
way he says that would you kindly accept and that I'll get
that he made orders for bars. What a legend these.
People, sporty people, are very.Nice.
And there's nothing, no fanatismat all.
And he's he's really loves the environment of helping others.

(01:47:10):
So when you mentioned. The stuff that we should be
doing. What's the stuff like to be
progressive and responsive to people?
What's the things in the church that we shouldn't change to
preserve the like Apostolic tradition?
What's the, what's the thing like the liturgy we shouldn't
touch or like certain traditions.
Like, you know, I know some churches are becoming more
flexible, for example, with having like more women being

(01:47:31):
involved in, in the liturgy. In terms of responses, what is
the line here? Well, it's hard to.
Do any line, because mentalitiesare different and some people
are very fanatic and some peopleare more flexible.
But I think it's safer to, if you like to make any change,

(01:47:52):
make it slowly, not abrupt collection.
And some people would be disturbed.
And for example, if we allow girls to have more important
role in reading or singing like other Orthodox Church, like
Greek, like Macedonian, we will disturb some people.
So better to make it slowly and thanks to the Lord that the

(01:48:16):
majority of girls are humble enough that they don't get
disturbed by by not offered, notbeing offered leading positions.
And it's not undermined. Some other churches speak about
why not to ordain women as priests.
This is not the same records because even men escape from The

(01:48:43):
Who in his right mind. You're not wrong there, I know.
We've taken a lot of your time, Father, so we're going to skip a
few things for you, OK? We're going to go to the best
and last segment of the night. It's called the salty segment.
So what that is, is it's a few rapid fire questions.

(01:49:05):
Rapid fire means we ask it. You can enter one, one word, one
line, 10 lines, whatever you like.
But just so just so we get a clear understanding of
everything. So it's a whole range of
different questions. So we'll start with the first
one. So you can understanding what is
one word for your vision for thechurch in the next 10 years it

(01:49:26):
will flourish it. Will flourish because I mean, we
are beloved by God and over the last few years the Lord
supported the Coptic Church a lot and I think we are pleasing
God in living in the history of martyrdom enhanced the feeling
of the cops and what happened. So for the martyrs in Libya,

(01:49:51):
they affected the whole world. So have peace.
With with be doing. Beautiful.
What's one book other than the Bible that changed your?
Life. Maybe Books of Maurice High is.
Very deep and reduce. Is there English versions of his

(01:50:12):
books here? Is bitch.
Oh, really? What's his name?
Sorry. Callista.
Swear. Oh.
Christa swear. He's I'm sorry.
Maris high Marisa Callista swear.
Said that I never expected something that come from
Marissa. Marissa has many books.
You speak Abuna or scenes, he'llgive you the Abuna or Scenes

(01:50:35):
adores this man. It's very useful books written
by him. He knows.
Is there anyone in particular? So people can look.
It up I always get them for freefrom a winner or sins.
I'm noticing A trend. Bananas.

(01:50:56):
Books money tell me I only go visit the room one time yes yes
to be friend to a winner or. Sins and I assure you that you
don't need need money anymore. Pardon me, sorry.
Continue Harvey Sally is buying books for the.
Other 7 please. Humility.

(01:51:19):
What is 1 habit? Every Christian should start
today or should want to adopt today.
We have to understand the power of being.
Humble it's a promise that he gives the grace to the humble
people and there's something make any got happy with us when
we he said learn from me, then you find comfort to your heart

(01:51:46):
and he said learn from me. Len what being humble.
Hey, Simon. Simon, one SEC.
George, please, what was? That for have you heard?
About the daily wisdom world. No, I think it's really

(01:52:09):
important that. You take a look at it.
I've been reading it a lot lately. 366 biblical reflections
for. Christian business leaders.
Yeah, it's actually really good.I've been reading it a lot and.
Basically, what's great about it, it's only 5 minutes a day,
making it very doable if you have a very busy schedule.
And it's not like generic devotional material.
It actually addresses distinct pressures, ethical decisions,
and dilemmas that leaders in business face.

(01:52:32):
Wow. And there's one for each and
every single day of the year. Every.
Single day of the year, you've got a little verse and a little.
Contemplation. Hold on, let me check my
birthday February 1st. Oh loving God, let me, let me
check your What's your birthday again?
You don't know my birthday. Anyways, tell me more.
What's great about? This is you can go to our link

(01:52:53):
in our. Bio and basically just put code
salt podcast when you go to purchase and you'll get 25% off.
Well, thank you. Yeah.
Well, back to the. Episode What is your favorite
part of the Orthodox liturgy? Maybe the instant?
That we begged load. For something, for example the

(01:53:14):
operatory, there's some hymns that will make.
Today we had a visiting priest that was on his knees while they
were the scene that they say after think realizing about the

(01:53:40):
book, Corollas made it very clear that it's the time of
Mass. Especially the very early
versions of the. Of the letters which are
historically before the gospels and when the gospels were
written, the direct from the thefirst written documents were the

(01:54:06):
letters. That's why we say that if
something in the liturgy is not in the Bible, it has the same
power. If not, if not, even more.
And there are things that we see.
In the liturgy, that. Are not included in the in the
Bible. We respected exactly the same

(01:54:27):
level of the the Bible. I know this question.
Is going to have a lot of answers.
But I'm excited to hear any of them.
What is the best piece of advicethat you've ever received?
The teaching of Abuna. Salib Surya in Egypt is.

(01:54:51):
XI give you an experience with the Gwal Surya.
During the months of Kayak the Shish.
Provides food because they. Finish after midnight and they
take half an hour for food such that they fast midnight and some

(01:55:13):
people donate. Fish to the shed.
But not enough to feed everyone,enough to feed, say, 20 people.
They meant to be for the priests, particularly because
there's no time for the peace togo home and.
I didn't like that. Because even can Abdul Nasser

(01:55:35):
when he goes to serve the light,he sits on the floor and eat
full of asylum, which have said she on the chair that they
invite high rank people to eat fish and the rest eat food.
I was, of course, from the people that.
Eat food and. Who am I?
But after graduation, they selected me to be Sunday School

(01:55:59):
Servant Coordinator coordinate. And because I became important,
all of a sudden they invited me.So I went to there.
I want to say I was serving Beaver put pallet meal, put nice
fish. I couldn't eat.
I looked at it and why aren't you eating?

(01:56:21):
I said I like to eat food and you go.
I said that he'd be unhappy withme.
No, he wrote in his diary that next year, nothing like that
will. Happen 3 weeks.
Everyone will eat food and the first week everyone will eat

(01:56:41):
fish and next year? On the same day.
Everyone passes by he. Was sitting down there.
Then he stood up and hugged me and said thank you, son, That
you taught me, Allison. He taught us this.

(01:57:03):
Yeah. And he really, very, very
humble. So it's not.
Words that affected me. It is action from this man.
He was cousin of Pop girls blessed family.
What a bona is the? Most common sin that you.
Hear in confession. There's no need.
To answer this question. Well, I was going to say because

(01:57:25):
what is your advice to? Overcome that sin.
So we, we, we. I had the person coming from
Egypt. With a very bad scene, I don't
like to say it, but he was out of this scene.
He was treated in mental Hospiceand.
I felt that he had to. Be punished because without.

(01:57:49):
Punishment. He doesn't.
Feel that unforgiven. So I give him what we call
penance, something very humiliating.
Then his family came and said. Did you?
Expel the devil in him. I said Devil, but I knew that.
That. When we do something bad to God,

(01:58:09):
then naturally we we lose peace,we lose confidence.
By the way, this this person wasvery good.
But you know, when scene happened, like with David the
Psalms, it started by something going back down, down, down
until and you're very and grows up.
Yeah, but the good. Thing is that.

(01:58:33):
We have a Redeemer, a very strong.
Redeemer that I mean. He likes us to be happy and he
doesn't like to us to be embarrassed or exposed.
The best verse. That I love.
When the when the Pharisees spoke to Jesus saying that how

(01:58:55):
come that you are befriending sinful people, he said I came
for them so. You've been a priest for a long
time. We're not going to say how long,
but if you could go back to being 18 again when you were,

(01:59:16):
oh, we could say my age. If you go back to being 24,
hopefully you weren't a priest for then.
But if you could, what is 1 message that you would give to
your younger self and in turn the younger generation?
Well, this same question was. Given by Billy Graham to all the
pastors in America and Canada. What if you become young again?

(01:59:39):
What's his outcome of this question that he asked all the
pastors? They said #1.
We'll pray more #2. I'll spend more time in the in
the service and things like that.
And this is really the. Thing that elder.

(02:00:05):
Feel that I was short in it and if I become younger again then
definitely more dedication to the which is the Bible advice to
remember what the new rules and then.
I thank the Lord that he. Over looked my my previous

(02:00:28):
scenes which was an experiencingthe priest.
That invited me for priesthood. Didn't know my history, so I
said to him, before you, you invite me, give me some 20
minutes, I'll tell you who am I.And I collected the very bad

(02:00:50):
things that happened in my life and he received it as if it's
and it's good when anyone comes you is sinful situation.
You say to the Lord as you forgive me and give me a chance,
give them the same chance. It's very important to

(02:01:13):
understand that this is the reason that we love our law,
that our bad history, you forgetabout them, our birthdays.
So finally, Father, you know you've been.
With us from the beginning all the way from episode 1 now to
episode 20. So what I would like to ask you

(02:01:34):
is this podcast, thank God, through God's grace and
blessing, has reached over 100 different countries.
And we'd love you to say a closing prayer for everyone that
is listening to this podcast. No matter where they are in the
world or what they're doing at the moment, they can bow down in
prayer with you and pray with us.
Well, I may. Repeat the words.
From Abu Maximus and Tony, he says that the most joyful time

(02:01:58):
as a parent when my children speak to me.
The same with God, He's very happy when we speak to him.
So we should not 'cause any rob the Lord from this joy.
He loves us and this is the reason for his coming human.
It was a plan from God and. Enjoy.

(02:02:22):
It's it's, it's wonderful. Thing but we know we.
Have to know him because. Sometimes we play either absent
minded or not knowing who we aretalking to.
The Creator, the one that is capable and to change the whole
world. He's very capable, He loves us

(02:02:46):
and he enjoys listening to us. There's a verse in the Bible
that says that his pleasure is inhuman.
And that is 1. Of the reason for His
incarnation to become a man suchthat we can develop a strong
relationship with Him. Some religions, out of respect

(02:03:07):
to the Lord, they don't like to speak to Him as a father or as a
friend, but they should understand His nature.
He loves that. He loves it to speak to Him.
It's very joyful. One of our monks in party was

(02:03:30):
very happy to the extent that hesaid something wrong with me.
I'm happy for the reason I spoketo Ambassador Abomon, the leader
of monastic life, and he said tohim, because you pray, that's
simple. If you pray, then you'll have

(02:03:52):
joy. I listened to a.
Speaker Iwona Johanna from Egypt.
Now he's serving in Perth. About the.
Effect of prayer in our life. I finished listened to him.
And and I rushed to my room. Locked the door to pray.

(02:04:15):
He made us fall into love of prayer.
It is discovering. Father, can I just say something
I know. I know I shouldn't be saying
this because I don't want to maybe give someone pride or
anything, but one thing I've definitely noticed with you is

(02:04:37):
no matter in what situation, youalways, always give credit to
someone else. You're, you're a very, very
humble and blessed man. And I don't want to delve on it
too much, but even in the case of when we first started this,
you gave us an opportunity and thousands of people were able to
hear your wisdom. And I think if anyone should

(02:04:58):
take anything from this episode,it's to try and live a life of
humility, to always give, to always give credit to others.
Because I've noticed in anythingwe ask you, anything you do, you
always find the good in other people.
And it's a very good trait we all wish to have.
I said many seven. That's the that's.

(02:05:19):
The that she's feed, I remember when Antonius.
Was telling me that. He used to be a doctor and he
said that a patient come to me and said to him you have to
sleep early. Sleep 8:00 PM.
You have to to stop smoking and alcohol, he said.

(02:05:39):
I never smoked. And then he says that I'm
tempted to bow on him and say read the observation for me.
He said that that's the case and.
It is it is very amazing that how people are.
I learned a lot from the spirituality of people,

(02:06:03):
including both of you, and I sayto you exactly the same and your
language is I. I have to study the way you
answer things and the way you ask George.
George is a role model for me about trusting God and may the
Lord flourish your servant to his glory and keep you always

(02:06:28):
happy and people around you havethis one.
Thank you so much, Bona, And actually one of the questions.
That someone asked us was to askyou actually is to ask you how
is it that you being one priest with such a big congregation can
have an impact on every single member of the of the

(02:06:48):
congregation and make each one feel very special.
And I think that's very true because they're especially, they
are, I mean. It's that teaching of Bunuf sure
came, and he says that if you'rehurt is wide enough to include
people honestly, then the road will make people feel about him.

(02:07:10):
But I'm very, very. Lucky to be a son, Mark.
Church because I mean, there's something there and we had.
High quality of people beyond the limit.
Including your dad and mom, of course, and yourself.
Something very joyful that we know that the Lord loves to.

(02:07:33):
We've seen many, many miracles in the church, many something
that. Not many people know.
That we had an icon dripping oiland when Osimos ordered me not
to say that, he said. That no, you know and I know.

(02:07:53):
And the city, which is amazing. And it was and oil that is
created by So this blessing comeon there and especially that.
And when we feel in something, then the Lord comes with a

(02:08:17):
solution. May the Lord continue to bless
us and cover our mistakes. Thank you so much.
Oguna, thank you for your time. We've kept you very late.
We really appreciate spending time with you.
We always sleep. Thank you very much.
I give thanks to God of knowing you.

(02:08:39):
Thank you, Oguna.

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EP 20 | “I Was Not Prepared for Priesthood" — Purity, Identity & the Glory of God | Fr Jacob Magdy

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}EP 20 | “I Was Not Prepared for Priesthood" — Purity, Identity & the Glory of God | Fr Jacob Magdy