ሰአሊ ወጸልዪ: Beg & Plea!
Our Orthodox Church is a marvelous living metaphor (symbol) of the heavenly church. All year round, it lives the scripture through practical Christianity. In our everyday Kidassie(liturgy), before the reading of St Paul’s, one of his 14 epistles, the deacon, and priest gather. Together with the priest holding frankincense they come out with the Censer of the holy of holies, going around the church, the icons, and its congregation. What we see with our eyes a deep meaning but we often do not release is the priest is symbolizing the life service of St Paul, who went around the world preaching the word of God just as told by our LORD in Mark 16:16. In here, we will see the aid of our Mother Saint Virgin Mary. It is a must to elaborate her aid since we are in the season of Zemene Tsigie meaning the Season of Flower (produce).
*ናዛዚተ ኵሎሙ እኩያን እለ ይተመኀፀኑ ኅቤሃ። ናብኣ ዝምሕጸኑ ዅሎም ሓጥኣን ኣዴና ቅድስት ድንግል ማርያም ጠበቅኦም ናዛዚቶምን እያ።>>"For all sinners who come to beseech Saint Mary the Theotokos, she is their helper and comforter."In our daily prayer, let's see the last words of "be-selam Qidus Gabriel Melak - In the Peace of the ArchAngel Gabriel (በሰላም ቅዱስ ገብርኤል) after "አቡነ ዘበሰማያት - Abune zebeSemayat-The LORD’s Prayer/ Our Father Prayer:"
- In the Ge'ez words: *ሰአሊ ወጸልዩ ምኅረት በእንቲአነ ኀበ ፍቁር ወልድኪ ኢየሱስ ክርስቶስ ከም ይሥረይ ለነ ኃጣውኢነ።
- Letters of English but sounds in Ge'ez: *Se’ali we’tseli, mihret be’inti ane habe Fiqur Weldichi Eyesus Christos keme yisray lene haTe we’ine, Amen."
- It's English translation:
*Beg and plead to your Beloved Son Jesus Christ (Eyesus Christos). That He may have mercy on us and Forgive us our sins, Amen."
This is because:
The intercession given to the Holiest Virgin Mary is incomparable to any, this is why we ask her "O gentle merciful virgin plead for us. May His mercy and glory be upon us, intercede for us." Her intercession is most high and all of the them come true. Because her son, our LORD savior Jesus Christ became incarcerated of her flesh. Her beloved son Jesus Christ gave her a covenant saying, "For most assuredly (to anything she asks!" Due to this reason, Saint Theophilus of Alexandria said "through the mystery of the incarnation, what He (Christ) received (the human nature) to redeem her, the Son of God, God Himself is always pleased and rejoiced when she is bringing invocation.
The psalmist King David even prophesied that those who are renowned people will come to her in a rotation to intercede for mercy. The daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall entreat thy favor” (Hebrew Face, Psalms 45:12 KJV). Mankind has always come to ask you (Theotokos) to intercede for mercy from your beloved our LORD Savior Jesus Christ. Her children in congregation envy to see her and hear her praise (Widassie Mariyam). All who ask our Mother Theotokos for solace will not be deprived of her aid. "For the sinners who come to her, the Theotokos is their counselor. As the Archangel Gabriel has said: "Don't be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God" (Luke 1:30). Saint John Chrysostom says in his commentary, "…he who earns favor in the sight of God has nothing to fear. Hence it follows, for you have found favor before God. But how shall anyone find it, except through the means of his humility? For God gives grace to the humble." As written abundantly in the Holy Scriptures, there are pleadings or intercession of the blessed ones of the LORD. Those who are blessed have aided others by pleading mercy, commentary of Saint John Chrysostom on the Gospel of Luke by (James 4: 6, 1 Peter 5:5).
- Genesis 18:16-33
Abraham kept pleading for the mercy of Sodom city. God wanted to destroy Sodom, but our father Abraham kept asking, "What if there are fifty, Forty-five, Twenty, ten righteous within the city? Will, you consume and not spare the place for the fifty, righteous who are therein?" The LORD God said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake." But Abraham didn't just stop at fifty righteous people he kept going decreasing to forty-five, forty, thirty, twenty, ten. Without hesitation, the Almighty God has accepted His adored Abraham's plead saying, "If I find forty-five, forty, thirty, twenty, ten, then I will not destroy it for their sake."
- The LORD and King David. 2 Samuel 24: 1-25: 1 Chronicle 21:1-27
When the LORD'S anger kindled against Israel. He brought the pestilence upon them. But righteous King David pleaded, "Lord, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? Let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.” The he (David) built there an altar unto the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. After witnessing this, the Lord was entreated for the land, and the plague stayed from Israel (2 Samuel 24:15, 17:17-25 KJV). The “Lord commanded the angel, and he (the angel) put up his sword again into the sheath thereof," saving Israel and its people (1 Chronicle 21:27 KJV).
The saints have glory upon God, that's why they were able to aid others by their prayers and preaching. The apostles have also aided the congregation: cleansed them from their illness and evil spirits. Our mother Theotokos' prayers are beyond that of the prophets, apostles, and saints. Her intercession is superior of others. That is why we plead and beseech "ሰአሊ ወጸልዪ ለነ: se’ali we’tseli lene: Beg and plead for us." The grace and glory she has been given aren't comparable to any.
Our Mother holy of holiest by all she is called, "Mother of mercy," "Queen of amnesty/mercy." Her aid is full to those who are in need, she is "benignity of conscience." Through her intercession, all received mercy, which is why she is reputed "house of medicament to all lepers." She is always diligent for the salvation of men. One holy father said. "Holy Mother of mercy, our Mother, beneath Our LORD savior Jesus Christ it is you who have stayed sedulous (diligent) for our salvation." Those that come to her have never been skeptical. Her gracious understanding doesn't wait for someone to plead about their salvation. St Basil the Great has taught about her aid, "God has ordained that she (Mary) should assist us in everything." For a person who is in a misery, tribulations, complications our Holy Mother's aid is always abundant and never late.
One of our 14 Ge'ez Anaphories (kidassie: Liturgies), Saint Virgin Mary's Anaphora which Abba Heryacos Bishop of the Province of Behnesa, composed through the Holy Spirit, the priest chants with saint Yaredic hymns saying, "your name is acceptable before God" (ANAPHORA OF ST. MARY verse 20). The Andmta (ኣንድምታ፡ commentary) goes, "Your name in the glory of the LORD for the work of intercession is brisk, courtly, progressive, most high" ( Andmta Kidassie Mariyam verse 20). The marriage at Cane of Galilee is proof of this (John 2: 1-11). The event goes like this:
Our LORD savior Jesus Christ, on His first miracle at the Cane of Galilee marriage, with Him were; our beloved Theotokos and his fellow apostles.
To be continued......
Primary article source: http://kanazegelila.blogspot.com/2012/07/1.html?m=1
*All Bible verses are taken from https://bible.com/bible
"Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith" (Hebrews 13:7).
Glory to One Almighty God, Amen!
Dn Mathiwos
ጥቅምት ፲ ፳፻፲፩ ዓመተ ምኅረት ዘመነ ወንጌላዊ ሉቃስ (Tikmiti 10th, 2011 years of mercy, Ge'ez calendar)
October 10th, 2018
