Episode 78: Desiring Holy Order

In the name of the glorious Trinity, Father and Son and Holy

Spirit forever. Amen.

Glory be to the everlasting mercies which sent you to us, O

Christ, the light of the world and the life of all.

Give us wisdom by your law and enlighten our impulses by your

knowledge. Sanctify our souls by your

truth, and grant that we may be obedient to your words and may

fulfil your commandments at every hour.

O you who enlightens the rationale with the knowledge of

your greatness, do enlighten, my Lord, our thoughts, that we may

meditate upon your holy and divine scriptures at all times,

O Lord of all, Father and Son and Holy Spirit forever.

Amen. bless you.

I love the music. This is a second take, guys.

You know what happened when I when we first did this and I

sang We have a light here and it just illumined.

So I think it was the light was inspiredly moved and it was you

know, yeah, Robbie, what do I need to do to become an acolyte,

A clergyman, a pre lading the church.

Beautiful question. Very, very very.

You know a good question and I, you know constantly receive the

you know I'm asked these questions Robbie what do I need

to do to become a Clyde clergyman prelate or in the

church. Let's just take it one step at

our time right. I remember I was during the the

the wedding services, the wedding ceremonies.

There is a prayer that the final benediction on the bridegroom

and we say that may sons come forth from your loins and and

I'm sorry, May God bless you with sons and may priests come

forth from your loins. So every bridegroom that is

blessed on his wedding day in the Assyrian Church of the East,

this prayer is set or preyed upon.

That bridegroom. You know, it resonates with me

because my father was blessed and married in the Assyrian

Church of the East and the same prayer was or the same blessing

was wistowed. And here I am to them not

meaning that everyone's gonna be a priest.

And I remember one day when I after I finished the ceremony

and you know I gave a 5 minute channel, I said, my dear

bridegroom, I forgot the name. Did you hear what what I prayed

what we what we prayed for you. What we ask the Lord to bless

you with is one day hopefully you have a son And he became a

comes a priest. He goes, hey Rabi Patriarch, I

said relax. First let's let's let's go over

the priestly hurdle and then God willing, patriarch.

So yeah that's a very, very nice question.

Very valid question and a question that I'd like to hear

from many of my brothers within the church.

And if you are asking that question, this episode is for

you. And maybe the you are not asking

this question, but this episode can help you answer those who

are asking the question. Again, Robbie, what do I need to

do to become an acolyte, A clergyman or a prelate in the

church? Well, it begins from the heart.

It begins in the heart and it must come from the heart.

And not just emotions, not a one moment desire.

Because you see someone receiving an order in the church

like monkey see monkey do. And I've had those, those

emotional urges. I want to become a priest.

I want to become a Bishop. Why?

I'm sorry. I want to become a Deacon.

Why? Because your friend becomes a

Deacon. Well, you know what that that

could be a a, a calling, a movement of the spirit.

But it it shouldn't be something that is for pride or vain pride

when it's from the heart and a genuine desire which only the

Lord can determine. Then we are told in Proverbs

Proverbs 16:9

chapter 16, verse 9, the heart of a man plans his ways.

So you put things in your heart. I want to do this.

I put in my heart that I want to become.

I want to receive a church order, a holy order.

So the heart, your heart has planned this.

But the Lord God orders the steps.

So God has to take, then take over, and God has to maneuver

and set the path for this. Then if what is coming from the

heart is a genuine desire to serve the Lord, then it must be

for the glory of God and the glory of God only.

One Corinthians 1031 You shall do everything for the glory of

God, Not because my grandfather was, or my great grandfather

was, or my uncle was. No, it must be I want for the

glory of God and salvation of souls, which is the will of God

that you want to glorify with your servanthood in the Church.

In one Timothy chapter 2, verse four, we read He Who wills that

all people shall have life, life in Jesus Christ for salvation

and shall be converted to the knowledge of the truth.

This is what this must be. The intention, the motive, the

desire for you to be desiring to be wanting to receive the holy

orders to serve God for the glory of God and the salvation

of souls. Now having these prerequisites,

and there are many more, there is one important factor to

always keep in mind, and that is, it's not about I or you or

he. I don't choose.

You don't choose, but Christ does, as he indicates to his

disciples in John chapter 15, verse 16.

John 15:16

You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and I have

appointed you so that you also will go bring forth fruit, and

your fruit will remain. See, there is the desire.

I have a desire, but it's Christ who chooses and elects and

brings to fruition That desire and that desire is to go and

bring forth fruit. What is that One fruit that the

Lord desires and is totally appeased and pleased with is the

salvation of souls. Now one question I ask is, do

you know what you are requesting and what you are, what it

entails? Do you know what you are

desiring? Do you know The Who, the what,

the where, the how's of this gift that you are desiring to

receive to be graciously given to you?

And do you know again that this gift that you are graciously

desiring, when it is graciously given to you, it is only for you

to use to share the love and grace of God with others.

Do you know where it's from? It's not about the person

ordaining. It's not about the tribe.

It's not about the church that you will be ordained in.

No where does it come from? Do you know?

Well, James chapter one, verse 17.

Every good and perfect gift descends from above.

It's God. You're asking God.

Lord, give me Lord. I desire Lord, I am praying for

you, for the Father of lights, He goes on with whom there is no

change nor a shadow of variation.

And that's why saying Timothy writes in his first epistle,

chapter 3 verses 8 to 10 to those who have or are going to

receive these gifts. In this way also, he writes,

deacons or ministers should be pure, and should not double

speak, neither be inclined to much wine drunkardness, nor love

defiled riches, gambling, But they should hold the mystery of

the faith in a pure conscience. The mysteries of the faith

should be held in faith and pure conscience, and those who are

such should be first proved and then let them serve, being

without fault. So it's just not just about I

want to do this. But first and foremost, do you

approve yourself? Have you examined your motive,

your heart? Have you examined where you are

in your relationship with God? We spoke about that last

episode, and again Second Timothy, chapter 2, verse 2425.

2 Timothy 2 · chapter mention

But a servant of our Lord ought not to fight, but to be humble

toward every person. Not a doormat.

Not a doormat, but not to fight and be ready to take vengeance?

No. But be ready to give an answer,

and to defend yourself when it's the truth, but not in fighting

with a humble spirit. But the servant of our Lord

ought not to fight. Ought not to fight, but to be

humble toward every person, instructive and long-suffering,

that he may instruct with humility those who dispute

against him. Humility.

So this is what what a a person or a candidate who is being

ordained. This is his oath of office.

When he is reading this. We're too busy with the pictures

and selfies and maybe, you know, the parents are so overwhelmed

and you know, people are just so excited because there's a

friend, a brother and someone who's in the church receiving

rankings. But honestly, we should be

listening to this so that one day we can remind the person.

So it's all my brother deacons out there and the lectors and

the subdeacons. Just a friend, really reminder

this is what you signed up to. This is what you promised God

before his Holy altar, the Bishop or the patriot or the

Metropolitan, that you received the orders from the right hand.

This is what you promised the congregation.

You say you have said this as I have been made worthy and

selected or chosen to receive the rank of the Akonite.

I promise I will be a servant in the vineyard of Christ.

I will serve in all faithfulness, obedience, and

humility. I promise I will fulfill the

service of the diaconate. We're not going to go to into

what it is, But just as a reminder, I promise that I will

fulfill the service of the diaconate.

I will preserve myself in fasting and prayer and virtues,

Shapiro dubare. I will be an example, a good

example to those within and those without equally.

This is the prompt. This is the both of the office.

This one is in particular to the to the akinate.

Now, one other important factor to remember at all times when we

desire and want to approach these holy orders.

And I'll give you a a rundown of what you know sequentially what

we need to do when we want this. One thing very important to

remember is that the rankings, the orders of the Church have

all been sanctified and fulfilled by Christ himself

during His ministry on earth. Let's take the order of the

Lecter or the reader Karuya. What does the Karuya do?

The Lecter. He reads the Old Testament, that

is from the Law or the Prophets. You know the the liturgy of the

of the Divine Liturgies. Usually it's a reading from the

Law, and then immediately after there's a reading from the

prophets. But now we just read the one

reading either the Law or the Prophets.

So the reader or the Lecter Aruya reads from the Law or the

Prophets and the Acts of the Apostles before the

congregation. Nothing about trying to, you

know, show how well you read this, the Assyrian language.

Nothing about clapping. I remember was I was in a

church. I can't remember where the

reader or the Lecter read his his election and the family

clapped. I turned around and said no,

this is not about applauding someone.

Did you listen to what he read? There's instructions in these

readings, right? It's not about that.

It's about fulfilling what Jesus did.

He already sanctified and fulfilled it.

It's about doing what Christ did.

Jesus served and sanctified this order when he was given the

scroll of Isaiah the prophet Luke.

Luke 4:16–17

Chapter 4, verse 16 to 17. Read it.

It's got nothing to do with how cute or how wealthy Assyrian

language is. Oh, he's young.

He's reading that. It's it's not a show.

These are Holy Orders. They're instituted in the Divine

Liturgy of Holy Urbana for the renewal and salvation of our

souls. So let's begin with the ranking

of the Lecter. When you read the election

reading again, we may think it's only a reading.

No, no, no. You're a part of that service on

that Sunday or any other day where the Divine Liturgy of Holy

Qurbana is being celebrated. You are a part of the renewal

and the salvation of the souls of those who are listening to

you. Wow, Wow.

I just thought it was Ohm Shapir.

Oh, you got a beautiful voice. Because you know why?

You know why I just said that? That's how I used to perceive

the diaconate. You have a nice voice.

You should be a priest because you have a nice voice.

But you know when God, very gently and lovely, slaps you in

the face and says, no, no, no, no, no.

You are a part of the renewal and the salvation of your soul

and all those who you are serving.

It's about serving the order of the Church established by Christ

himself. So what are the steps?

Let's go through the steps. Pray, pray, pray.

And while praying, examine your intention and motives.

Why do I want this? Consult your parish priest.

Open your heart, Express your desire to the parish priest.

Learn the Assyrian language. Many people who ask me that

they'd like to approach the diaconate.

So do you read Assyrian? No.

Well, first and foremost, along with you're praying and

examining, you need to learn the language.

How you gonna serve when you don't know the language, the

ancient Assyrian language, the Aramaic language and the

vernacular attend services? Not just that Sunday.

No attend Vespas. Slaughter Pramsha.

Every person that has a ranking in the Church will tell you that

that is the place where you learn when you grow in the

liturgy. Because you're serving the

liturgy. Remember Pasa.

Attend slaughter. Pramsha Vespas, Attend the

Matins slaughtered Lilia in the morning, attend the morning

prayers, Slaughtered supper regularly.

At first you may not know, you may not understand, you may be

struggling. But I assure you, if the motive

and the intent is to glorify God and to and for the salvation of

the souls, you'll be amazed. Let me give you a living

testimony. Not sure if I spoke about this

when I was interviewed by Kristen when I was young.

And I'm telling you young. I'm talking about 11 years old.

My dad would say we'll go to church every Sunday.

You need to go and sit with those people that are in front.

I did. OK.

Just a reminder. Save it.

Thank you, my producer. Let me say.

And I used to be frowned upon, but you know, it's just like

last episode. If I didn't take a dive from the

4th platform, Creation might be as they say.

I just used to sit there taking all the frownings and the

looking down upon one day. And God is my witness now.

I used to also, you know, study the Assyrian language.

I used to go to the Assyrian school and my dad used to help

me with reading. One day I opened, I opened the

Book of the Hodra, the Circle. It is all in Leshanatita, in the

ancient Assyrian, in the Aramaic language.

I promise you, God is my witness.

I started reading. I was.

I wanted to get up and say I'm reading.

And from that point onwards, little did I know that God was

preparing this most foolish, most illiterate, weak servant

that he was preparing. The reason why I said that, and

I repeated it one more time, is that if your intent is right, if

your motive is to glorify God and serve the Lord in his

church, the Lord will help. You will be surprised.

Now, I'm not saying that you're one day going to receive a

miracle and you're going to start, you know, reading the

Aramaic language. But then God works in mysterious

ways, prays between his name. Attend Bible studies.

Now, unfortunately, I'm sorry, and I will call a spade a spade.

I will not defend the indefensible.

But at times we forget that those who are being trained to

receive orders. All we concentrate on is Lishana

Tikka. Lishana tikka.

Learn the Lishana Tikka. Oh, he's reading so fluently.

But what about knowing the Christ that this young man will

be serving? Attend Bible studies, read the

Holy Scriptures, read the lives of the holy Saints again while

you're praying and examining your heart and consulting your

parish priests, learning the language, attending the

services, attending Bible studies and consult with other

acolytes, other deacons, and see what the lifestyle is like.

What are the challenges? What are the downfalls, if there

is any? What are the the difficulties

and how do you overcome that? And most importantly, most

importantly, prepare for a lifetime, a life changing, a

serious and genuine commitment. It's a lifetime commitment,

beloved. If you receive the order or the

rank at the age of 16, when you stand before the Lord at the age

of 116 gazillion years, you will have to give an account because

it's a gift. A gift that was purchased by the

Precious Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on the

cross. We will give that account.

We will be held accountable. And lastly, no, actually, second

last, be prepared to serve the church again for the glory of

God and salvation of others, and wait for the Lord.

Wow, that's nine according to the 9 rankings of the church.

Wait for the Lord. Not your time, not your priest's

timing, not the Bishop's timing. No, no, no, the timing of the

Lord. Psalm 46, chapter 10.

Return and know that I am God, or in some versions, be still

and know that I am God. Praise and glory be to his holy

name, now and at all times and forever.

Amen. We hope you enjoyed this week's

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Until next time, God bless you all.