Message of His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II on the Occasion of the Lenten Season 2025
This message is shared from the Facebook Page of His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II.
Below, we publish the full text of the Patriarchal message issued by His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, Supreme Head of the Syriac Orthodox Church of the World, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, on the occasion of the Holy Fast of 2025, in Arabic.
No. EN 107/25
ܒܫܡ ܐܝܬܝܐ ܡܬܘܡܝܐ ܐܠܨܝ ܐܝܬܘܬܐ ܕܟܠ ܐܚܝܕ
ܐܝܓܢܛܝܘܣ ܦܛܪܝܪܟܐ ܕܟܘܪܣܝܐ ܫܠܝܚܝܐ ܕܐܢܛܝܘܟܝܐ ܘܕܟܠܗ̇ ܡܕܢܚܐ
ܘܪܝܫܐ ܓܘܢܝܐ ܕܥܕܬܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܬܐ ܐܪܬܕܘܟܣܝܬܐ ܕܒܟܠܗ̇ ܬܒܝܠ
ܕܗܘ ܐܦܪܝܡ ܬܪܝܢܐ ܡ̄
We extend our apostolic benediction, benevolent prayers and greetings to our brethren, their Eminences the Metropolitans, and our spiritual children: Very Reverend Corepiscopoi, Reverend priests, monks, nuns and deacons and the entire blessed Syriac Orthodox people throughout the world. May the divine providence embrace them through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and St. Peter, Chief of the Apostles, and all the Martyrs and Saints. Amen.
God is with us in times of trouble
“Even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," Even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You”
(Psalms 139: 10 - 12)
The Book of Psalms is a source of comfort for believers during tribulation, suffering, and pain, as well as a wellspring of joy and hope in times of praising and thanksgiving to the Lord for His redemptive work. Psalm 139 beautifully captures the sentiment that God is present among us and guiding us, even in the most challenging moments of life, "Even there, Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," Even the night shall be light about me" (Psalm 139: 10-11). These verses convey profound spiritual messages regarding the significance of hope and trust in God's promises, emphasizing that He will never forsake His children, particularly in the context of the challenges they encounter in the contemporary world, such as wars, persecution, political transitions, social unrest, and moral crises. His steadfast promises and benevolent guidance are the bedrock that enables us to persevere through even the most arduous circumstances, as the psalmist assures us, saying, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23: 4). The Lord God will never leave us in the darkness; instead, He will be present in the depths of our pain to give us victory with the right hand of His power.
1. God will not leave us in the dark
The psalmist explains the influence of the divine light in breaking the darkness: No night can cover it, no darkness can conquer it. This light symbolizes the almighty power of the Lord God, Who illuminates even the darkest depths of tombs with His mercy, as Saint Paul the Apostle says in his letter to the Ephesians, "Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light" (Ephesians 5: 14). The graves are no longer sealed before their eyes, nor is the night dark before them, for His light guides all who put their trust in Him. No matter how intense the darkness of tribulations becomes, it cannot withstand the power of the divine light, and darkness is never absolute in His presence, whether these tribulations are for physical pains, spiritual doubts, or harsh persecutions. Just as the Lord Jesus Christ descended into Sheol (Hades) to complete redemption, bringing the light of resurrection to those in death, giving them new life, His hand of salvation is always extended to the suffering of His people. We experience today that His hand leads us and guides us, whether we are in the East, facing the darkness of wars and persecution, struggling to remain in our land while carrying in our hearts a radiant hope despite the fog of an uncertain tomorrow, or in the West, where hardships take different forms, such as moral decline, spiritual apathy, and the growing departure from Christian values. These circumstances and harsh challenges have made many feel lost and despondent, causing them to question their place in a world that no longer embraces faith or acknowledges the light of Christ. Yet, amidst darkness, God's promise stands strong, His word is unshaken, His hand is steady, and His light never dims. He guides His children toward a life filled with hope, ensuring they have life and have it abundantly (John 10: 10), as He said, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8: 12). He is the Creator of light; thus, darkness vanishes by His command, and night turns into day by the radiance of His divine light, as the psalmist says, "Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You " (Psalm 139: 12).
2. In the depths of our pain, God is present
Throughout history, God's chosen ones have experienced the truth of Psalm 139: 10, "Even there Your hand shall lead me," which explains that God's presence in our lives is an unwavering reality, manifested in the fullness of time by the mystery of the Holy Incarnation, because the Lord God was not only close to His people, but also became one of them, entering into the depths of their pain and carrying their anguish on His shoulders, as Saint Paul the Apostle said, "But made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2: 7-8), experiencing real suffering, in order to come to aid of those who suffer for His sake, as Saint Paul the Apostle says: "For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted." (Hebrews 2: 18). Thus, the Lord God's presence and guidance during adversity bestows upon us the strength and conviction necessary to overcome tribulation and endure pain without fear of evil. Through His protection, we can overcome significant and pivotal life challenges. As stated above, the fundamental purpose of the Holy Incarnation, in which God the Word took on our flesh and human nature, is to take away the burden of our transgressions, sins, and death. And so, our glorified God did not merely stand by and watch our suffering; He carried it on His Cross. He walked the path of agony on our behalf. Our Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed to the needy, the persecuted, and the rejected that His hand upholds them and that His divine touch heals their pain. As He said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor, He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord" (Luke 4: 18 -19). God's presence in the depths of our suffering is now tangible, not a symbolic presence. It is present at every moment of our suffering. Therefore, we must believe that God's hand will never depart from His people, even when hardships seem overwhelming, which gives us the strength to face the frightening reality we live in today. He is present with us and fights for us, as He says, "They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you" (Jeremiah 1: 19).
3. By His right hand, God grants us mighty victories
Holding on to God's right-hand helps us to chart a path of steadfastness, perseverance of deepening of our faith. Psalm 139: 10: "And Your right hand shall hold me” is not a mere promise of divine care, but a call for us believers to work and to be fruitful. This requires us to cling to God's hand actively, striving to fulfill our mission as His apostles in this world and trusting in Him and His power rather than relying on human solutions. We must stand firm in dark challenges and never surrender to despair. Thus, we will reap victory through faith, as Saint John the Apostle said, "And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith" (1 John 5: 4). God's right hand is a guiding power that leads us to victory. It is a banner for all believers, a shield against the arrows of darkness. Those who cling to it do not fall into the devil's traps, for it leads them to the harbor of safety. At the same time, our commitment to holding onto this divine hand urges us to proclaim and manifest our true Orthodox faith through acts of righteousness and mercy – the fruits of faith working through love, as Saint Paul the Apostle says: "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love." (Galatians 5: 6) The greatest of these fruits is the love of God, which is shown by obeying divine laws and church rules, and the love of neighbor, which is shown by being kind to everyone and helping those in need.
Dearly beloved,
Let us take advantage of a new opportunity during this Holy Lent to walk in the light of God amid the world's darkness. The challenges we face as Christians today may seem overwhelming, however His promises reassure us that His hand will guide us, and His light will illuminate the nights of adversity and challenges that surround us because His presence among us strengthens us in our pain and suffering; His right hand is the anchor that stabilizes us, and His life-giving cross is our strength and victory. Therefore, take courage. Be strong, and know that God is always faithful no matter how deep the darkness seems around us. Because we are His people, we know He will never forsake us. His hand will always lead us until the night is over and His eternal light shines forever.
May God accept your fasting, repentance, prayers, and almsgiving. May He prepare all of us to rejoice in His resurrection, through the intercession of the Holy Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, Saint Peter, the Chief of the Apostles, and all the martyrs and saints ܘܐܒܘܢ ܕܒܫܡܝܐ ܘܫܪܟܐ.
Issued at our Patriarchate in Damascus, Syria
On the Twenty-Sixth of February 2025,
Which is the 11th year of our Patriarchate
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This message was published on the Facebook Page of His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II.