St. Paul American Coptic Orthodox Church of Houston

In this Bible study, Fr. Matthias Shehad continues his detailed exploration of Leviticus chapters 20 to 22, focusing on the penalties for lawbreakers and the conduct expected of priests. He examines God’s commandments regarding forbidden relationships, idolatry, and ritual purity, emphasizing the serious consequences for those who transgress these laws. Fr. Matthias explains the role and responsib...

Fr. Matthias Shehad continues his study of Leviticus, focusing on chapters 18 and 19, which address laws of sexual morality and ceremonial statutes. He explores God’s instructions to the Israelites to distinguish their practices from surrounding nations, especially regarding prohibited familial sexual relationships, adultery, and idolatry. Fr. Matthias explains the spiritual and physical reasons b...

In this Bible study, Fr. Matthias Shehad explores Leviticus chapters 15 to 17, focusing on the laws of bodily discharges, the Day of Atonement, and the significance of blood in atonement rituals. He examines distinctions between natural and disease-related discharges, highlighting the role of sin offerings and ritual washing. Fr. Matthias explains the detailed procedures of the Day of Atonement, i...

In this Bible study, Fr. Matthias Shehad explores Leviticus chapters 12 to 14, focusing on the rituals surrounding childbirth and the laws of leprosy. He examines the Old Testament’s ceremonial concepts of cleanliness, explaining how childbirth was associated with ritual impurity due to original sin, and discusses the significance of circumcision and purification offerings. Fr. Matthias also clari...

In this teaching, Fr. Matthias Shehad explores the life and mission of the prophet Hosea, focusing on his unique role as a prophet who was commanded by God to marry a harlot as a living symbol of Israel’s unfaithfulness. Fr. Matthias explains the cycle of the Israelites’ fleeting faithfulness and highlights the importance of building a faith founded on commitment rather than emotions. He discusses...

Fr. Matthias Shehad continues his examination of biblical manuscripts, focusing on the origins, materials, and various ancient versions of the Scriptures. He reviews manuscript types such as papyrus, vellum, and palimpsests, and explains different handwriting styles including uncials and minuscules. Fr. Matthias highlights key Old Testament sources like the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Masoretic Text, an...

In this talk, Fr. Matthias Shehad explores the history and transmission of biblical manuscripts, focusing on how the Bible was preserved and delivered to us today. He explains that no original biblical manuscripts exist, but numerous copies, including thousands of New Testament manuscripts, provide a high degree of confidence in their faithfulness to the originals. Fr. Matthias describes the mater...

In this sermon, Fr. Matthias Shehad explores the theme of disappointment in the context of the Christian life and spiritual fasting. He reflects on Christ's teaching from the Sermon on the Mount about not storing up treasures on earth, explaining how earthly desires often lead to dissatisfaction because the world is corrupted by sin and impermanence. Fr. Matthias discusses various reasons for disa...

In this sermon, Fr. Matthias Shehad explores the spirituality of fasting beyond mere dietary changes. He emphasizes that fasting is meant to cultivate self-mastery, helping believers control their desires and passions rather than simply abstaining from certain foods. Fr. Matthias explains that fasting supports spiritual growth by fostering repentance, virtue, and detachment from worldly attachment...

Eric Tadros explores the life and writings of St. Justin Martyr, an early 2nd-century Christian apologist who converted from pagan philosophy. Eric outlines Justin’s role in defending Christian theology against Roman, Jewish, and pagan accusations such as atheism, cannibalism, and sedition during times of persecution. He highlights Justin's use of reason and philosophy to explain Christian faith,...

Fr. Matthias Shehad explores why Christ gives special attention to certain individuals amid crowds, using biblical examples like Zacchaeus and the paralyzed man. He examines seven reasons for this focused care: great love shown by friends, extreme personal need, strong faith, fearless boldness despite ridicule, long-lasting patience, persistence after disappointment, and courageous vocal requests...

In this sermon, Fr. Matthias Shehad explores some of the difficult teachings of Jesus Christ, focusing on key moments like the institution of the Eucharist, the concept of being born again, the Lord’s crucifixion, and the call to humility and self-denial. He explains why many disciples struggled with these teachings and how they often require spiritual understanding rather than a literal interpret...

In this continuation of Lessons from the Life of Job, Fr. Matthias Shehad explores how trials reveal spiritual wisdom and deepen faith. He discusses the role of suffering in breaking pride, cultivating humility, and fostering submission to God’s will, even when His plans differ from our desires. Fr. Matthias explains how trials invite repentance, highlight the limits of human understanding, and sh...

Fr. Matthias Shehad explores common questions about alleged contradictions and discrepancies in the Holy Scriptures, focusing on how to approach and understand these challenges. He discusses the importance of context, background Christian beliefs, and the variety of literary genres present in the Bible such as poetry, prophecy, and parables, which affect interpretation. Fr. Matthias addresses exam...

Fr. Matthias Shehad explores two major schools of biblical interpretation: the School of Antioch, which emphasizes a literal and historical understanding of scripture, and the School of Alexandria, to which the Coptic Church belongs, known for its allegorical and symbolic readings. He explains how biblical events, such as the brazen serpent, Jonah in the fish, the Passover unleavened bread, and fi...

In this Bible study, Fr. Matthias Shehad continues his exposition of Leviticus chapters 9 to 11, focusing on the consecration and duties of the priests, the significance of the offerings—including sin, burnt, peace, and grain offerings—and the divine fire that confirmed God's approval. Fr. Matthias explains the strict regulations given to Aaron and his sons about priestly conduct, highlighting the...

In this Bible study, Fr. Matthias Shehad explores Leviticus chapters 7 and 8, focusing on the detailed laws of offerings and the consecration of Aaron and his sons as priests. Fr. Matthias explains the specific roles priests play in various sacrifices, including the sin, trespass, burnt, grain, and peace offerings, highlighting the significance of the fat, blood, and portions reserved for God and...

In this Bible study, Fr. Matthias Shehad continues his in-depth exploration of Leviticus chapters 5 and 6, focusing on the detailed laws of the sin, trespass, burnt, and grain offerings. Fr. Matthias explains the distinctions between sin offerings, which address unintentional sins, and trespass offerings, which involve specific restitution for wrongs done against God’s holy things or to others. He...

Fr. Matthias Shehad continues his study of Leviticus, focusing on chapters 3 and 4, which detail the peace offering and the sin offering. He explains the peace offering as a symbol of reconciliation and fellowship between God and man, highlighting its unique aspect where the offerer, priests, and others may partake in the meal. Fr. Matthias outlines the specifics of the animals and parts offered,...

Fr. Matthias Shehad continues his discussion on effective family communication, focusing on principles that foster understanding and harmony within relationships. He emphasizes the importance of frequent, honest, and clear communication while actively listening and respecting each other’s perspectives. Fr. Matthias highlights common pitfalls such as attacking language, exaggeration, mind reading,...

Fr. Matthias Shehad explores effective family communication, focusing on how to convey thoughts and feelings clearly while listening actively. He distinguishes between instrumental communication—managing daily tasks—and effective communication, which involves sharing emotions to build intimacy. Fr. Matthias explains types of communication, such as clear versus masked and direct versus indirect, an...

In this talk, Fr. Kyrillos Ibrahim explores the spiritual virtue of self-forgetfulness and its connection to meekness and modesty, virtues exemplified by Christ. He explains self-forgetfulness as a form of humility that involves acknowledging our dependence on God while relinquishing self-centeredness to love and serve others freely. Fr. Kyrillos discusses how this virtue helps overcome pride, sel...

Fr. Matthias Shehad explores the story of Job to address the difficult topic of suffering and its purpose in the Christian life. He explains that while Satan causes trials, God remains in control, setting limits on what can happen. Fr. Matthias emphasizes that bad things can happen to good people and suffering is not always a punishment but can be a means of spiritual refinement and growth. Drawin...

Fr. Kyrillos Ibrahim explores the meaning behind the miracles performed by Jesus, focusing on their purpose to reveal God’s presence to all rather than to grant favors to select individuals. He connects the miracle of the feeding of the multitudes with the Eucharist, explaining how this miracle points to the sacramental grace found in Holy Communion. Fr. Kyrillos emphasizes that true faith in the...

In this sermon, Fr. Matthias Shehad explores the theme of searching for God with wrong motives, drawing from the Gospel story after the feeding of the multitude. He explains how the crowd’s desire to follow Jesus was driven by physical hunger rather than spiritual longing for salvation and eternal life. Fr. Matthias examines common pitfalls in spiritual life, including serving, giving, praying, an...