Readings during the Holy 50 Joyous Days

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The First Patriarch of Egypt

A unique, spirited figure in the history of Christianity emerged and secured the Papal See of Alexandria when the church began in Egypt. He was the young man named John Mark who would acquire many titles: Apostle, Evangelist, Martyr, and Beholder-of-God. Born into the Libyan culture, this young man later grew up in the shadow of Christ. His parents were drawn to the Lord Jesus Christ and opened their home to Him and to His disciples.

The evangelist Mark became best known as the writer of the second account of the Holy Gospel. He established Christianity throughout Northern Africa, including Egypt, Libya, Nubia, and Sudan. His life ended with severe tortures and martyrdom for the sake of Christ.
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Christ is Risen, Truly He is Risen!

As we celebrate the Glorious Feast of the Resurrection, let us rejoice in the glorious immortality of man brought about by the first born of the dead--our beloved Risen Lord. While it is important to commemorate our Lord Jesus Christ's suffering on earth it is equally as important to profess our belief in the glorious resurrection of our Lord, His blessed soul was raised from the dead. Many of the early church fathers describe our Lord Jesus as "the first fruits from the dead".

We can surmise four characteristics of the Lord Jesus Christ's glorious resurrected body, 1) He was raised in flesh that was impassable, 2) Our Lord's risen body was glorious, radiant and pure, 3) His Holy body was swift to appear and disappear at His will, and 4) His resurrected body of flesh was also spiritual in nature.

The Lord Jesus Christ's resurrected body was in the flesh. His flesh following death did not see vile corruption, although it bore the grandeur of His pre-death crucifixion wounds. Most Biblical scholars agree, His flesh did not return our Lord to the imperfections of agonizing pain, infected wounds, or diseases from the rust of nails penetrating His bones, muscle or deep tissue.
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Living in the Likeness of His Death and His Resurrection

Our Lord Jesus Christ had the power to raise the dead, heal the sick, return hearing to those who could not hear, and restore sight to the blind. He could calm a turbulent storm on the Sea of Galilee and could effortlessly walk on water to quiet the fears of those He was concerned for.

With such miraculous works, it can be rationally deducted that nails did not bind our Lord and Savior to the death of the Holy Cross. Nails and death were the pains and darkness that temporarily entered into Him and Him through it. Our Lord Jesus Christ endured the weakness of a human body so that we might imitate the likeness of His nature in our present earthly condition.
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Sacrificial Wounds Dissipated the Fear of Men
The Prophet Micah's Unwavering Faith